Defence

Qinetiq may open up its Zephyr high-altitude, long-endurance solar-electric unmanned air vehicle demonstration programme to other nations and commercial sectors in a bid to speed up development.

The UK company is planning to carry out a three-month endurance flight in 2008 in conjunction with the UK Ministry of Defence.

Caroline Slim, Qinetiq's Zephyr programme manager, says that the company is negotiating with the MoD on forward funding arrangements for 2007. However, involvement by commercial companies could help develop new markets in the disaster relief and environmental monitoring sectors.

Qinetiq plans to have a fully integrated air vehicle prepared during 2007 for the proposed endurance flight, which would also set a new world record for sustained aircraft flight.

The demonstration UAV will have a 16m (52ft) wingspan, says Slim, and may also feature some aerodynamic changes to reduce air vehicle weight.