London: Britain’s solar-powered drone has completed its first flight into the stratosphere. With a wingspan of 115 feet, this drone can fly in the air for 20 months.
The 150kg solar-electric aircraft, produced by London-based BAE Systems at the company’s facility in Wharton, Lancashire, has solar panels mounted on its wings.
This drone, called PHASA-35, took off from New Mexico and reached an altitude of more than 66,000 feet, i.e. the stratosphere. The drone remained airborne for more than 24 hours before landing back on the ground.
This aircraft gets energy from the sun during the day and from batteries during the night, with the help of which it can spend more than one and a half years in the stratosphere region.
The PHASA-3515 can carry cameras, sensors and other communication equipment up to 1 kg, which can be used for communication between military forces or for providing internet to rural areas during natural disasters or emergencies.
This drone is also capable of providing communication networks like 4G and 5G in areas with poor internet service.
