Solar-powered plane breaks unmanned flight record

According to a BBC report today, a UK defense firm called Qinetiq has developed and tested a lightweight, solar-powered plane which has just broken the world record for longest unmanned flight. The plane, known as the Zephyr, spent 54 hours in flight using only self-recharging solar power, thus breaking the 30-plus-hour flight of the previous record holder, the US Air Force's Global Hawk surveillance craft. Although the record has been smashed, the plane won't be eligible for entrance into the "official" record books due to a late announcement of the feat, though another 33-hour flight might make the cut. The plane -- which has a wingspan of 59-feet -- is controlled from the ground after a hand liftoff, and is capable of cruising at 58,000 feet. According to the designers, the Zephyr is, "Going to go a lot higher and a lot further," and added that, "You ain't seen nothing yet." Indeed, ICEMAN, indeed.

[BrotherhoodOfNod @ Sep 10th 2007 2:12PM]

A pretty majestic looking thing. I can see a lot of use for it for surveying and photographing vast areas at low cost. Perhaps Google needs to look into these =D

Wonder if at one point, solar power will reach enough efficiency that you can build a plane that can forever stay in sunlight, always flying...

[strider_mt2k @ Sep 10th 2007 2:13PM]

Will spammers ever learn? :\

This is some neat stuff and I applaud their achievement!

[Hypenotist @ Sep 10th 2007 2:19PM]

No, but it would be nice to take his account number and inform that survey company they have someone breaking refferal rules and watch as their account points balance or whatever crap they give people to macro through surveys is these days drops to 0.

Love the solar plane. Wish I could understand how it holds up to thermals with such a light weight. Hope they put a camera on it and show some clear sky visuals from 60k feet.

[Rick wilson @ Sep 10th 2007 2:48PM]

My Great Uncle designed the first unmanned airplane... he would be proud if he was still alive.

[Rick wilson @ Sep 10th 2007 2:49PM]

My Great Uncle designed the first unmanned airplane... he would be proud if he was still alive.

[Rick wilson @ Sep 10th 2007 2:50PM]

oops, IE double posted, sorry! :/

[Samuel A. Falvo II @ Sep 10th 2007 3:04PM]

Insofar as the technology is concerned, this is really neat stuff. However, this plane is being developed for military purposes. Never forget that.

[Hastings @ Sep 10th 2007 3:08PM]

How does one "hand liftoff" a 59-foot plane? Must be a big hand!

[Bill @ Sep 10th 2007 3:19PM]

Stick a Wi-Max transceiver on it and give end users another broadband option.

[Ray-- @ Sep 10th 2007 3:39PM]

at 58,000 ft. you could just stand still and let the earth rotate underneath you... is that flying?

[Wesburl @ Sep 10th 2007 3:54PM]

No, thats called Falling with style.

[Matt @ Sep 10th 2007 4:00PM]

Theoretically you have a point but remember that wings require movement (ie air flowing past them) in order to create lift. If a wing is stationary, you're hardly going to "stand still;" You're going to plummet to a violent, fiery death from 58,000 ft... ok, so I guess that would be pretty cool too...

[SubGenius @ Sep 10th 2007 4:11PM]

I bet Steve Fossett snuck onboard.

[Magallanes @ Sep 10th 2007 5:09PM]

IT'S A DISCRIMINATION!

Everyone say flight = plane but forget about balloon.

:3

[elan @ Sep 10th 2007 7:48PM]

That thing looks creepy.

[JeffDM @ Sep 10th 2007 8:30PM]

Solar powered overlords.

[Iloikeguniess @ Sep 10th 2007 9:09PM]

Before everybody gets too excited by this thing breaking records. They need to take a look at the Boeing Condor. Way back in 1989 this was flying 80 hour (and more apparently) missions over all kinds of dodgy places at over 60,000 feet completely unmanned.

The flight control software was so advanced it ‘see and avoid’ other aircraft when approaching its home airport. I heard a tale of it being overdue from a sortie one time and when it eventually showed up one engine had failed. The computers had detected this, shut then engine down, feathered the prop, descended a bit, slowed down a bit but carried on with the mission.

Even UAVs today don’t have this level of autonomy and all this was done on 8 bit 1980s era processors and code.

Some specs from: http://www.aviationtrivia.homestead.com/Condor.html

Primary Function: reconnaissance
Crew: none
Engines: 2- 175 hp ea.
Length: 54' 5"
Wingspan 200' 1"
Weight Empty: 8,000 lbs.
Max. Weight: 20,000 lbs.
Loiter Speed: 110 mph
Max. Speed: 230 mph
Climb Rate: 2,000 fpm (est.)
Ceiling: 67,000 feet
Duration: 80 hours
First Flight: 10/9/88

[Mike @ Sep 11th 2007 8:39AM]

I think the earth rotates at around 600mph at the equator (correct me if I'm wrong), and this aircraft doesn't look as if it can manage anywhere near that. I'm geussing this flight was made at a polar latitude, limiting its usefulness in the current sphere of conflict. Unless they are shining lasers on the solar cells?
I was told Concorde was the only way in the world you could see the sun rise in the west, it could outpace the rotation of the Earth. Of course, it had to supercruise at mach 2 to mange that trick!

[randomguy132 @ Sep 11th 2007 5:47PM]

I don't get the Iceman reference?