Solar plane can fly continuously for a year

During a 24-hour test flight, BAE System company successfully brought a solar-powered aircraft to the stratosphere, reaching an altitude of 20,000 m.

PHASA-35 aircraft in the stratosphere. Photo: BAE Systems

The recent test by the British team of engineers, which took place on June 25 in the sky above the Spaceport America spaceport at the White Sands test site in New Mexico, represents a new phase in the PHASA-35 project. Early 2018 and first flight in 2020. The new test was funded by the US Army's Space and Missile Defense Command Technical Center, New Atlas reported on July 19.

With a wingspan of 35 m and a capacity of 15 kg of cargo, the solar electric aircraft consists of high-grade composite materials, an energy management system, photovoltaic cells, photovoltaic panels and rechargeable batteries. The battery pack is likely very light as the PHASA-35's ability to soar allows it to hover at night and then recover altitude after dawn.

The goal of the PHASA-35 project is to create a drone that can stay in the air for a year continuously, flying in circles over a large area, unaffected by weather and air traffic. . The main application of the vehicle is military reconnaissance and rescue. In addition to carrying sensors, the aircraft can also be used as part of a communication network, covering 4G or 5G and many other forms of data transmission during natural disasters, supporting border patrol, replacing generation conventional satellite systems in commercial applications.

"PHASA-35 opens up new possibilities in the stratosphere," said Cliff Robson, managing director of BAE Systems. "The team has tackled many of the challenges associated with the new technology."