A British-built solar-powered drone with a 115-foot wingspan that can operate in the air for 20 months has made a successful maiden voyage into the stratosphere, the second layer of Earth’s atmosphere.
Over a 24-hour period, PHASA-35 lifted off from New Mexico and rose to over 66,000 feet, officially reaching the stratosphere, before landing successfully.
The 150kg solar electric plane, which has a wingspan clad in solar panels, has been developed by London firm BAE Systems at its facilities in Warton, Lancashire.
It is powered by the sun during the day and by batteries at night, which allows it to maintain flight for more than a year operating in the stratosphere, lower than most satellites.
PHASA-35 can carry a payload of up to 15 kg, including cameras, sensors, and communications equipment to allow troops to communicate with each other or provide Internet access to rural locations during a natural disaster or emergency.
Over a 24-hour period, PHASA-35 lifted off from New Mexico and rose to over 66,000 feet, officially reaching the stratosphere, before landing successfully.
It also has the potential to be used in the delivery of communications networks, including 4G and 5G, such as for regions that currently have poor coverage.
BAE Systems says that PHASA-35 will be available in the middle of the decade and will provide a “persistent and affordable alternative to satellite technology”, which is traditionally heavier.
PHASA-35 weighs 150 kg, about the same as a panda bear and a fraction of most satellites that normally weigh thousands of kg.
Developed in collaboration with engineers from Hampshire-based firm Prismatic, PHASA-35 will have a number of uses including “ultra-long-endurance intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, as well as security.”
“The team is completely over it,” Dave Corfield, Prismatic’s CEO, said shortly after the launch.
“The first stratospheric flight of PHASA-35 demonstrates that this vehicle is on its way to becoming the reference system for heavy-duty and communications applications in the future.”
Construction of the drone in 2018 along with the release of concept images, following the successful release of a quarter scale model called the PHASE-8 in 2017.
The full-size version of PHASA-35 made its maiden flight in February 2020, when it flew from the Woomera Test Range in South Australia.
This first flight into the stratosphere, the highest PHASA-35 ever achieved and close to its maximum capable altitude of 70,000 feet, took place on June 25 and was announced by the firm on Friday.
The test, completed last month in New Mexico, allowed engineers to assess the performance of the experimental solar-electric drone.
Over a 24-hour period, PHASA-35, which has a wingspan of 35 meters, soared to more than 66,000 feet, reaching into the stratosphere, before landing successfully.
The firm said: “It is the first in a series of planned tests to confirm system performance, support development activities and validate test points to enable PHASA-35 to be made available in defense and commercial markets internationally. “.
PHASA-35 is a drone developed by BAE Systems at its Warton, Lancashire facility that can fly at 70,000 feet above the surface for 20 months.
It flew from White Sands Firing Range, a US Army military firing range and testing area located in New Mexico.
BAE Systems said it is the “first in a series of tests” planned to confirm the aircraft’s performance before it can be brought to market.
Engineers see a number of primary applications for the drone in areas typically covered by low-Earth orbit satellites, such as environmental surveillance, disaster relief, border protection, maritime and military surveillance, and mobile Internet communications.
One example is the ability to include a sensor, fly over a vulnerable forest for months, and constantly monitor moisture levels in the trees, predicting weeks in advance when a fire is likely to break out.
The aircraft has the potential to be used in the delivery of communications networks, including 4G and 5G, and could be used in a wide range of applications, such as disaster relief and border protection, as an alternative to traditional airborne and satellite systems. .
BAE says the aircraft has the potential to provide a persistent and stable platform for various uses, including “ultra-long-endurance intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, as well as security.”
According to Prismatic, PHASA-35 can provide services at a “fraction of the cost of satellites” and is capable of being deployed anywhere, just like a commercial drone.
It will only be able to launch when the wind and air conditions are right, but due to its ability to stay airborne for over a year, multiple drones could be launched at once and ready to deploy when needed.
Because it operates in the stratosphere, above any weather issues like wind and rain, it can provide stable observations of a specific area over long periods.
Says Prismatic, “Other key benefits include simplicity of construction and ease of transportation, due to the relatively low number of structures that make up the overall aircraft assembly.”
