British solar plane sets record by flying non-stop for three days

A British built plane powered entirely by solar power has set a world record for an unmanned flight by staying in the air for more than three days.

By Joanna Corrigan
Last Updated: 1:02PM BST 24 Aug 2008

The Zephyr-6, created by UK defence and research firm QinetiQ, flew continuously for 82 hours, 37 minutes.

Solar panels glued to its wings and in-built lithium batteries that store power from the sunlight ready for when it is dark allow the unpiloted plane to run day and night.

The flight beats the current official world record of 30 hours, 24 minutes set by the US robot plane Global Hawk in 2001 and the Zephyr's own previous record of 54 hours.

However, it will remain unofficial because the Federation Aeronautique Internationale which sanctions all record attempts was not involved.

The record was broken at the end of last month above the US army's Yuma Proving Ground in Arizona. Britain's Ministry of Defence was also involved in the tests.

America is looking for new technology to help support its troops on the ground. It is likely the unmanned plane will also be used by the UK once it is ready.

Chris Kelleher, from QinetiQ, said: "We think Zephyr is very close to an operational system - within the next two years is what we're aiming for.

"The principal advantage is persistence - that you would be there all the time. A satellite goes over the same part of the Earth twice a day - and one of those is at night - so it's only really getting a snapshot of activity. Zephyr would be watching all day."

The 30kg plane has an 18-metre wingspan, looks like a giant model aircraft and is launched by hand.

But sophisticated technology means that once it is in the air, it can be guided remotely up to around 60,000ft and then flown on autopilot and via satellite communication.

Silicon solar modules no thicker than sheets of paper stuck to the plane's wings generate the power needed to make it fly and the lithium batteries power it at night.

Hampshire-based QinetiQ are now working with aerospace giant Boeing on a defence project that would see the biggest solar-powered plane in history take to the sky.

The firm is also looking at civilian uses for the unmanned craft and recently completed the first flight for agricultural monitoring, in partnership with Aberystwyth University.