QinetiQ flies solar plane for 83 hours

August 26, 2008 · Print This Article

A 66-pound plane covered in paper thin solar panels made an 83 hour unmanned flight last month. It is not a new official world record but QinetiQ says it was more interested in the flight than the record anyway.

The plane, named the Zephyr, is built from carbon fiber and powered by the sun in the daytime and rechargeable lithium sulphur batteries at night.

In its ultra

lightweight state the plane obviously won’t hold passengers, but it could be a good alternative for military reconnaissance missions and communications operations.

Maybe QinetiQ can get together the makers of the Solar Impulse and build some headway on a solar powered passenger plane. It would put a whole new spin on the view of flight delays though!

[Via USA Today]

[Source] Christina Clark

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