(Image credit: Ray Sotolongo/Europa Press via Getty Images)
US technology startup Skydweller Aero has partnered with Thales, a French defence technology company, to create a new maritime surveillance drone that can stay in the air significantly longer than existing models.
Skydweller runs entirely on solar power and is expected to be able to fly continuously. The initial plan is for it to fly for 90 days, but it could fly for much longer in the future.
The solar energy that powers the Skydweller is collected from more than 17,000 individual solar cells spread over a wing area of about 270 square meters (2,900 square feet) – the wingspan is 72 meters (236 feet), 7.6 meters (25 feet) longer than a Boeing 747. Under favorable conditions, the solar cells can generate up to 100 kilowatts of electricity for the plane.
You may like
-
NASA's Giant Science Balloon Rounds the World in 16 Days
-
The US Air Force is looking to create smarter mini-drones that will use AI chips designed from the human brain.
Sourse: www.livescience.com
