A solar-powered drone held in the air for a week

Recently, I already wrote that a manned solar-powered aircraft made a flight lasting a day (non-stop flight). As it turned out, drones are able to stay in the air much longer - for example, today a new record is set. Zephyr solar-powered UAV lasted exactly a week, and, according to the developers, could fly the same amount. But the developers did not try their luck and after reaching a new record, they planted a “solar” airplane. Let me remind you that the previous record was set by the same Zephyr who lasted 83 hours with 37 minutes in the air.

The plane is not so light already, its total weight is 50 kilograms, the wingspan of this aircraft is 22 and a half meters. Solar panels cover parts of the wings most exposed to the sun, and the stored energy is stored in lithium batteries. It is clear that accumulation occurs during the day, and at night the device flies on the energy that it has accumulated during daylight hours. Thanks to this system, Zephyr can fly at any time of the day.

The aircraft is held in the air thanks to the autopilot system, also developed by the creators of the unique aircraft.



By the way, the carrying capacity of Zephyr is known - in all, it can lift four kilograms into the air. The maximum flight altitude is interesting, which is as much as 18 kilometers (!). Unfortunately, the speed of Zephyr is unknown, the developers have not yet reported this characteristic.

The developers of the aircraft is the British company Qinetiq, whose management announced its intention to set the next record - to stay in the air for 14 days. Tests are conducted in the Arizona desert, which avoids the vicissitudes of the weather. It is interesting that if you launch such a plane in the middle lane? Will he hold on as well? In principle, if it keeps above the cloud cover all the time, then there is no problem - that there, that here, the conditions above the clouds are about the same (with a few assumptions, of course).

Why was such an aircraft created? He can perfectly perform a number of tasks, including meteorological observations, studying the atmosphere, relaying radio signals, espionage tasks (from a high altitude, quietly observe any conflict or construction of an industrial facility). In general, the range of tasks that Zephyr can perform is very wide. Unfortunately, the cost of this drone is also not yet advertised.

Here is the source .