The solar-powered Zephyr drone broke a record by staying in the air for 36 consecutive days. The US military now plans to test it with military equipment.
The Airbus Zephyr is still accumulating world records. The solar electric drone flying in the stratosphere has been breaking records for 36 days after rising to an altitude of 21,915 meters. After taking off on June 15, the drone flew over the US state of Arizona at an altitude of more than 21,300 meters.
With a wingspan of 28 meters and a weight of 75 kg, the drone can carry a payload of 5 kg. Since it flies at a very high altitude, it is not affected by air traffic or weather events.
The drone can be enhanced with advanced radar, Lidar and infrared sensors. A highly effective device to keep the surveillance and communication capabilities operational and to restore communication in case of a faulty connection. The device is already a very important project for the US military.
Another test will be carried out in the coming weeks to fly with payload over the Pacific Ocean. In this test, the device will be equipped with military systems to enable communication tests between multiple American command centers.
