An Airbus drone has set the record for the longest continuous flight within Earth’s atmosphere
It was able to stay in the air for 25 days straight.
The news: Today, Airbus announced the successful landing of the first production model of its spy drone, the Zephyr S HAPS, after a record setting stint in the skies. It was the craft’s first time touching down since it took off from Arizona on July 11.
How it works: The 165-pound craft’s longevity is possible because it relies only on solar power to fly. Its preferred cruising altitude is much higher than your average passenger jet—at 70,000 feet, it flies well above weather and standard air traffic—which allows the drone’s solar panels charge both day and night.
Endurance test: The vehicle beat the previous record for longest flight within Earth’s atmosphere without refueling of 14 days, which was set by an earlier Zephyr prototype. The company is planning additional flights for later this year, and claims it will eventually be able to stay aloft for 100 days at a time.
Why it matters: Solar powered flight has long been a goal of aviation innovators. The drone’s increasing flight durations are helping prove the technology’s worth to potential buyers like Britain’s defense ministry, which has already ordered a pair of them.
Deep Dive
Space
The Biggest Questions: Are we alone in the universe?
Scientists are training machine-learning models and designing instruments to hunt for life on other worlds.
The Biggest Questions: Why is the universe so complex and beautiful?
For some reason the universe is full of stars, galaxies, and life. But it didn’t have to be this way.
This startup wants to find out if humans can have babies in space
SpaceBorn United wants to conduct an IVF experiment in Earth’s orbit to pave the way for long-term space missions.
Inside NASA’s bid to make spacecraft as small as possible
When it comes to exploring the solar system, we must grapple with the hard limits of physics.
Stay connected
Get the latest updates from
MIT Technology Review
Discover special offers, top stories, upcoming events, and more.