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Solar powered flying machine

British spy plane sets record for longest unmanned flight.

Zephyr, a British-built spy plane, has stayed aloft for 82 hours and 37 minutes breaking the unofficial world record for the longest continuous unmanned flight.

The aircraft achieved the feat powered by solar panels and a rechargeable battery – at night.
The flight at the US army’s Yuma ground in Arizona broke the record set by Global Hawk, which flew unmanned for 30 hours and 24 minutes, by more than double.

Funded by the Ministry of Defence (MoD), QinetiQ’s Zephyr High Altitude Long Endurance (HALE) has a carbon fibre frame and is covered in super-light solar arrays that are thinner than paper. Its rechargeable battery is twice as efficient as any other, and it is launched by three people holding it above their heads as they run.

It weighs 30kgs and is able to carry a payload of up to 2kg to about 60,000ft.
The flight was partly autonomous and partly controlled by satellite. It took place 28 – 31 July this year.

Flight trials

Meet our Role Model who is involved in flight trials for QinetiQ.