http://www.engadget.com/2007/09/10/solar-powered-plane-breaks-unmanned-flight-record/ Engadget Comments for Solar-powered plane breaks unmanned flight record http://www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://www.engadget.com/2007/09/10/solar-powered-plane-breaks-unmanned-flight-record/http://www.engadget.com/2007/09/10/solar-powered-plane-breaks-unmanned-flight-record/
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...]]>Sep 10th 2007 2:12PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/09/10/solar-powered-plane-breaks-unmanned-flight-record/http://www.engadget.com/2007/09/10/solar-powered-plane-breaks-unmanned-flight-record/
This is some neat stuff and I applaud their achievement! ]]>Sep 10th 2007 2:13PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/09/10/solar-powered-plane-breaks-unmanned-flight-record/http://www.engadget.com/2007/09/10/solar-powered-plane-breaks-unmanned-flight-record/
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.]]>Sep 10th 2007 2:19PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/09/10/solar-powered-plane-breaks-unmanned-flight-record/http://www.engadget.com/2007/09/10/solar-powered-plane-breaks-unmanned-flight-record/Sep 10th 2007 3:08PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/09/10/solar-powered-plane-breaks-unmanned-flight-record/http://www.engadget.com/2007/09/10/solar-powered-plane-breaks-unmanned-flight-record/Sep 10th 2007 2:48PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/09/10/solar-powered-plane-breaks-unmanned-flight-record/http://www.engadget.com/2007/09/10/solar-powered-plane-breaks-unmanned-flight-record/Sep 10th 2007 2:49PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/09/10/solar-powered-plane-breaks-unmanned-flight-record/http://www.engadget.com/2007/09/10/solar-powered-plane-breaks-unmanned-flight-record/Sep 10th 2007 2:50PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/09/10/solar-powered-plane-breaks-unmanned-flight-record/http://www.engadget.com/2007/09/10/solar-powered-plane-breaks-unmanned-flight-record/Sep 10th 2007 3:04PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/09/10/solar-powered-plane-breaks-unmanned-flight-record/http://www.engadget.com/2007/09/10/solar-powered-plane-breaks-unmanned-flight-record/Sep 10th 2007 3:19PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/09/10/solar-powered-plane-breaks-unmanned-flight-record/http://www.engadget.com/2007/09/10/solar-powered-plane-breaks-unmanned-flight-record/Sep 10th 2007 3:39PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/09/10/solar-powered-plane-breaks-unmanned-flight-record/http://www.engadget.com/2007/09/10/solar-powered-plane-breaks-unmanned-flight-record/Sep 10th 2007 3:54PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/09/10/solar-powered-plane-breaks-unmanned-flight-record/http://www.engadget.com/2007/09/10/solar-powered-plane-breaks-unmanned-flight-record/Sep 10th 2007 4:00PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/09/10/solar-powered-plane-breaks-unmanned-flight-record/http://www.engadget.com/2007/09/10/solar-powered-plane-breaks-unmanned-flight-record/Sep 10th 2007 4:11PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/09/10/solar-powered-plane-breaks-unmanned-flight-record/http://www.engadget.com/2007/09/10/solar-powered-plane-breaks-unmanned-flight-record/
Everyone say flight = plane but forget about balloon.

:3

]]>Sep 10th 2007 5:09PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/09/10/solar-powered-plane-breaks-unmanned-flight-record/http://www.engadget.com/2007/09/10/solar-powered-plane-breaks-unmanned-flight-record/
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
]]>Sep 10th 2007 9:09PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/09/10/solar-powered-plane-breaks-unmanned-flight-record/http://www.engadget.com/2007/09/10/solar-powered-plane-breaks-unmanned-flight-record/Sep 10th 2007 7:48PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/09/10/solar-powered-plane-breaks-unmanned-flight-record/http://www.engadget.com/2007/09/10/solar-powered-plane-breaks-unmanned-flight-record/Sep 10th 2007 8:30PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/09/10/solar-powered-plane-breaks-unmanned-flight-record/http://www.engadget.com/2007/09/10/solar-powered-plane-breaks-unmanned-flight-record/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!]]>Sep 11th 2007 8:39AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/09/10/solar-powered-plane-breaks-unmanned-flight-record/http://www.engadget.com/2007/09/10/solar-powered-plane-breaks-unmanned-flight-record/Sep 11th 2007 5:47PM