The high-altitude drone Zephyr came down in Arizona, USA, just hours before it would have broken all records for the longest-ever continuous flight (manned or unmanned). It had already previously beaten the 2018 record for unmanned flight.
The flight started mid-June and had lasted 64 days, losing contact with ground control on August 19th. It came within hours of breaking the record for the longest flight in history. Airbus had flown the Zephyr on several long-distance missions, many of them of more than two weeks duration.Thanks to help from ADSB Exchange, Simple Flying has been able to track the final movements of the Zephyr. Flying under callsign ZULU82, it had spent most of the past two months in the southwestern parts of the United States, cruising around at altitudes of some 60 – 70,000 feet.
“Following 64 days of stratospheric flight and the completion of numerous mission objectives, Zephyr experienced circumstances that ended its current flight. No personal injury occurred. Our teams are currently analyzing more than 1500 hours of stratospheric mission data. The valuable experience from this prototype’s ultra-long endurance flight has proved to be a positive step toward the Army’s high-altitude platform goals.” Airbus Representative
Thanks to help from ADSB Exchange, it has been possible to track the movements of the Zephyr. Flying under callsign ZULU82, it had spent most of the past two months in the southwestern parts of the United States, cruising around at altitudes of 60 – 70,000 feet.
The Zephyr drone is able to fly for such long continues periods thanks to its use of solar power. The solar panels absorb sunlight during the day, providing sufficient energy to power it 24/7. Due to flying in the stratosphere, the aircraft remains above the majority of terrestrial weather, meaning it receives maximum solar power.
The Zephyr drone is unique not only because of the high altitudes at which it can fly, but also because of how long it can continuously remain airborne. Its capability for such long flights is thanks to its use of solar power. The solar panels on its backside continuously absorb sunlight during the day, providing sufficient energy to power its propellors during the day and also at night. Flying high in the stratosphere, the aircraft remains above the majority of terrestrial weather. This allows it to receive uninterrupted radiation from the sun for as long as possible. Despite being over 82 feet long, the ultra-light craft comes in at only 166 pounds.
26 August 2022