A government agency has awarded a new contract to Aurora Flight Sciences for the development of a radical and ultra-efficient aircraft capable of staying aloft in the stratosphere for five years — or more. The latest design, called Odysseus, uses solar energy to power the aircraft during the day and stored solar energy for the night. From the article,
” The objective of the Vulture program is to develop an aircraft capable of remaining on-station uninterrupted for over five years to perform intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance (ISR), and communication missions over an area of interest. The technology challenges include development of energy management and reliability technologies capable of allowing the aircraft to operate continuously for such extended durations. Vulture, in effect, will be a persistent pseudo-satellite capability, in an aircraft package.”
This would be an incredible UAV if expectations are fulfilled. Currently, global climate change research, weather monitoring, and regional-scale telecommunications are the expected uses.
via ecofriend
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