Unmanned solar plane flies into the night - and longer
A lightweight solar-powered plane has smashed the
official world record for the longest-duration unmanned flight - flying from
White Sands.
A lightweight solar-powered plane has smashed the
official world record for the longest-duration unmanned flight. UK defence firm
Qinetiq, which built the Zephyr unmanned aerial vehicle, said it flew for 54
hours during tests.
The researchers believe it is the first time a solar-powered craft has flown under its own power through two nights.
The Zephyr’s 54-hour endurance flight will not enter the record books because representatives from the world air sports federation - the FAI - were not notified about the secretive test. However, they were informed about a second, 33-hour flight which could still become an official record.
Zephyr’s development team say that whatever the result, it believes it has built a record breaker.
“This aeroplane is going to go a lot higher and a lot further,” Chris Kelleher, Zephyr’s technical director and “pilot”, told the BBC News website. “You ain’t seen nothing yet.”
With affordability and productivity, the skies are getting pretty crowded with spy planes.
The researchers believe it is the first time a solar-powered craft has flown under its own power through two nights.
The Zephyr’s 54-hour endurance flight will not enter the record books because representatives from the world air sports federation - the FAI - were not notified about the secretive test. However, they were informed about a second, 33-hour flight which could still become an official record.
Zephyr’s development team say that whatever the result, it believes it has built a record breaker.
“This aeroplane is going to go a lot higher and a lot further,” Chris Kelleher, Zephyr’s technical director and “pilot”, told the BBC News website. “You ain’t seen nothing yet.”
With affordability and productivity, the skies are getting pretty crowded with spy planes.
Posted: Mon - September 10, 2007 at 08:26 AM