High altitude long endurance UAV - Zephyr

Zephyr®, the high altitude long endurance (HALE) unmanned air vehicle (UAV) provides a cost effective and persistent capability to collect and disseminate high quality data across wide areas. It has the potential for multi-month flight using solar-electric power and can support different payloads for surveillance and communications.

Zephyr is powered by lithium-sulphur batteries that are recharged during the day using solar power. The aircraft uses a bespoke autopilot system to navigate between waypoints and to remove the requirement for permanent manual operation.

Zephyr has secured a place in the history of UAV development by exceeding the world record for the longest duration unmanned flight. The HALE aircraft achieved a 54-hour flight, reaching an altitude of 58,355 feet in August 2007.

Applications for Zephyr include earth observation and communication relay.

Benefits
• Zephyr’s lightweight structure allows it to travel non-stop over long distances
• The unique propeller design gives the aircraft a high power to weight ratio
• The wing design maximises on thermal air currents to lift the aircraft to high altitudes
• The aircraft flies day and night powered by solar energy – recharging its batteries during the day
• No complicated launching mechanisms - the aircraft is launched by hand
• Zephyr is environmentally friendly
• Flies silently – no noise pollution

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