Qinetiq is due to launch a record-breaking flight with its Zephyr high-altitude long-endurance unmanned air vehicle, with the company aiming to have the lightweight design remain airborne for around a fortnight.
"The aim is for two weeks this time, to show that we've moved out of the research phase to a product that you might buy," says HALE business manager Jon Saltmarsh.
Already flown as a 6m (19.7ft) wingspan subscale demonstrator, the new Zephyr design weighs 53kg (117lb) and has a 23m wingspan - 4m wider than the company's previous iteration. Its wing area also has been increased by 50% by using a wider chord, and new winglets provide improved lift. A new T-tail configuration has also been adopted as a drag-reduction measure. Continue reading...
(Photo: Qinetiq)
This had been in the air for a week already...