That solar‑powered drone is called Skydweller. It is an aircraft developed by U.S. startup Skydweller Aero in partnership with French defense company Thales. It is larger than a Boeing 747 jumbo jet and can fly for weeks or months at a time, according to its operator, while watching for drug-smuggling vessels, pirates, or naval warships. It is on test flights off the US Gulf Coast this month.
Features of Solar drone with wingspan
It is the latest and most updated drone; it has unbelievable features. Some key features of the solar drone with wingspan are given in the list below.
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Wingspan of 236 feet: That’s about 25 feet wider than a Boeing 747—truly jumbo-sized for an unmanned aircraft.
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Ultra-light construction: Used carbon fiber, which is lightweight; its weight is just 2.5 metric tons.
- 90‑day endurance goal: Designed to stay aloft for up to three months or more using solar energy by day and stored energy by night. Live Science
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17,000 solar cells: 1,400 lb. of batteries to sustain flight through the night.
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Smart autonomous systems: It can be operated from 25,000 to 35,000 feet, and operating efficiency also increases at night.
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Maritime ISR role: It can carry up to 400 feet’s load. It’s equipped with Thales’ Air Master S AESA radar to monitor maritime zones, shipping lanes, EEZs, and contested ocean regions for long durations.
The solar drone with wingspan is based on the Solar Impulse 2 aircraft, which performed the first solar-powered flight. SkydWeller Aero purchased and converted the pioneering aircraft with the goal of building a fleet of similar solar-powered, carbon-fiber drones capable of “perpetual flight” at altitudes exceeding 13 kilometers in daytime hours.
Why Solar drone with wingspan Revolutionary
It operates as a pseudo‑satellite, offering satellite-like surveillance capabilities at a much lower cost. It significantly expands persistent intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) coverage without emissions, refueling, or pilot presence.
Technical Overview
| Feature | Specs |
|---|---|
| Wingspan | ~236 ft (72 m) |
| Weight | ~2.5 metric tons (~5,620 lb) |
| Solar Cells | ~17,000 panels |
| Battery Capacity | ~1,400 lb (~635 kg) for night flight |
| Cruise Altitude | ~24,600–34,400 ft (day) ⬇ ~5,000–10,000 ft (night) |
| Payload | ~881 lb (400 kg) with optional ISR/Radar gear |
| Endurance | Target: up to 90 days or more |
| Autonomy System | Quadruple redundancy; self‑healing algorithms |
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