Latest news with #Skydweller
Yahoo
31-07-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
This Plane Is Bigger than a 747. It Can Fly for Months on Its Own.
Here's what you'll learn when you read this story: Flying on solar power isn't easy, but the U.S.-based startup Skydweller Aero thinks they may have a winning design. Called the Skydweller, this autonomous drone sports a 236-foot wingspan laden with 17,000 individual solar cells, and is capable of flying for at least three months without stopping, thanks to its quadruple redundant flight software and 1,400 pounds of batteries on board. This isn't a play at cross-country sustainable flight—Skydweller Vero sees their aircraft as primarily a spy tool for loitering over conflict zones or other areas of interest. Decarbonizing various forms of human transportation has been a relatively straightforward process. Lithium-ion batteries packed inside electric cars deliver mileage per charge similar to gasoline-powered cars, and electric trains have been around for nearly 150 years. Flying, on the other hand, has been a bit more difficult. Turns out you need a lot of energy to keep things running in mid-air, and that can be quite the engineering challenge. It's a difficulty that's been thoroughly explored by solar-powered electric planes like Solar Impulse, which completed a piloted round-the-world flight back in 2016. And now, a new kind of a solar plane—called the Skydweller—is following in its footsteps. Although more of a drone than a plane (since it's designed to be autonomous), the Skydweller—built by the U.S. tech startup Skydweller Aero—contains 17,000 individual solar cells placed across its gargantuan 236-foot wingspan, which is wider than a Boeing 747 tip-to-tip. Of course, seeing as it has no human cargo, it's also 160 times lighter (thanks to its carbon fiber construction), and can carry only 2.5 metric tons at max capacity. In April 2024, Skydweller successful performed its first unmanned test flight at Stennis International Airport in Mississippi. 'This is a true, world-changing first in the aerospace industry,' Skydweller Aero CEO Robert Miller said in a press statement at the time. 'We are applying cutting-edge, 21st-century materials science, artificial intelligence, and software development to an industry that has spent more than 100 years building piloted, combustion-based aircraft.' While it sounds a bit like the main character from some schlocky Star Wars ripoff, the name is an apt one, as Skydweller isn't designed with human passengers in mind. Instead, Skydweller Aero sees its aircraft primarily as a surveillance machine, circling the sky and providing much-needed eyes over conflict zones or other areas of interest. Powered by the Sun, the company estimates that it can stay airborne for at least three months at a time—if not longer. To survive those long nights when the Sun isn't shining, the aircraft is equipped with 1,400 pounds of batteries, and it also drops to lower elevations, descending from its typical operating range of between 25,000 and 35,000 feet down to between 5,000 and 10,000 feet. Of course, power is only part of the issue—the Skydweller's aviation software also has to continuously run without error. According to Skydweller's website, the aircraft's vehicle management system maintains quadruple redundancy by using 'advanced self-healing algorithms within the VMS' to autonomously shut down, fix, and resurrect while the drone is in flight. The U.S. military has invested in a variety of surveillance balloons and blimps in the recent past. The Joint Land Attack Cruise Missile Defense Elevated Netted Sensor System (JLENS), first requested in the late 90s, was meant to fulfill a similar role, but was effectively cancelled in 2017. Recently, the U.S. Army has worked with the private company Aerostar to develop spy balloons capable of staying aloft for a month (and were last seen not over a warzone, but instead the city of Tucszon, Arizona near the U.S.-Mexico border). No doubt the Skydweller would add another tool to that surveillance arsenal. Whether that's a good or bad thing remains to be seen. You Might Also Like The Do's and Don'ts of Using Painter's Tape The Best Portable BBQ Grills for Cooking Anywhere Can a Smart Watch Prolong Your Life?
Yahoo
30-07-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
This Plane Is Bigger than a 747. It Can Fly for Months on Its Own.
Here's what you'll learn when you read this story: Flying on solar power isn't easy, but the U.S.-based startup Skydweller Aero thinks they may have a winning design. Called the Skydweller, this autonomous drone sports a 236-foot wingspan laden with 17,000 individual solar cells, and is capable of flying for at least three months without stopping, thanks to its quadruple redundant flight software and 1,400 pounds of batteries on board. This isn't a play at cross-country sustainable flight—Skydweller Vero sees their aircraft as primarily a spy tool for loitering over conflict zones or other areas of interest. Decarbonizing various forms of human transportation has been a relatively straightforward process. Lithium-ion batteries packed inside electric cars deliver mileage per charge similar to gasoline-powered cars, and electric trains have been around for nearly 150 years. Flying, on the other hand, has been a bit more difficult. Turns out you need a lot of energy to keep things running in mid-air, and that can be quite the engineering challenge. It's a difficulty that's been thoroughly explored by solar-powered electric planes like Solar Impulse, which completed a piloted round-the-world flight back in 2016. And now, a new kind of a solar plane—called the Skydweller—is following in its footsteps. Although more of a drone than a plane (since it's designed to be autonomous), the Skydweller—built by the U.S. tech startup Skydweller Aero—contains 17,000 individual solar cells placed across its gargantuan 236-foot wingspan, which is wider than a Boeing 747 tip-to-tip. Of course, seeing as it has no human cargo, it's also 160 times lighter (thanks to its carbon fiber construction), and can carry only 2.5 metric tons at max capacity. In April 2024, Skydweller successful performed its first unmanned test flight at Stennis International Airport in Mississippi. 'This is a true, world-changing first in the aerospace industry,' Skydweller Aero CEO Robert Miller said in a press statement at the time. 'We are applying cutting-edge, 21st-century materials science, artificial intelligence, and software development to an industry that has spent more than 100 years building piloted, combustion-based aircraft.' While it sounds a bit like the main character from some schlocky Star Wars ripoff, the name is an apt one, as Skydweller isn't designed with human passengers in mind. Instead, Skydweller Aero sees its aircraft primarily as a surveillance machine, circling the sky and providing much-needed eyes over conflict zones or other areas of interest. Powered by the Sun, the company estimates that it can stay airborne for at least three months at a time—if not longer. To survive those long nights when the Sun isn't shining, the aircraft is equipped with 1,400 pounds of batteries, and it also drops to lower elevations, descending from its typical operating range of between 25,000 and 35,000 feet down to between 5,000 and 10,000 feet. Of course, power is only part of the issue—the Skydweller's aviation software also has to continuously run without error. According to Skydweller's website, the aircraft's vehicle management system maintains quadruple redundancy by using 'advanced self-healing algorithms within the VMS' to autonomously shut down, fix, and resurrect while the drone is in flight. The U.S. military has invested in a variety of surveillance balloons and blimps in the recent past. The Joint Land Attack Cruise Missile Defense Elevated Netted Sensor System (JLENS), first requested in the late 90s, was meant to fulfill a similar role, but was effectively cancelled in 2017. Recently, the U.S. Army has worked with the private company Aerostar to develop spy balloons capable of staying aloft for a month (and were last seen not over a warzone, but instead the city of Tucszon, Arizona near the U.S.-Mexico border). No doubt the Skydweller would add another tool to that surveillance arsenal. Whether that's a good or bad thing remains to be seen. You Might Also Like The Do's and Don'ts of Using Painter's Tape The Best Portable BBQ Grills for Cooking Anywhere Can a Smart Watch Prolong Your Life?
The Irish Sun
17-07-2025
- Science
- The Irish Sun
Solar-powered 236-foot ‘Skydweller' aircraft flies for mind-boggling 90 DAYS without stopping
AEROSPACE boffins have unveiled a solar-powered surveillance drone that can fly for several months at a time - achieving near-constant eyes in the sky. US tech startup Skydweller Aero has partnered with French defence systems specialist Thales to build a new type of maritime surveillance drone. 5 The carbon fiber drone is set to fly for up to 90 days straight - far longer than existing aircrafts, according to its creators Credit: Skydweller 5 While its initial flight milestone will be three months, the aircraft has the potential to fly almost continuously Credit: Youtube/Skydweller Aero 5 It takes it power directly from the sun, so there's no need to land and refuel Credit: Skydweller As tech on the ground gets smarter, so too must the machines in the sky. The carbon fibre drone is set to fly for up to 90 days straight - far longer than existing aircraft, according to its creators. While its initial flight milestone will be three months, the aircraft has the potential to fly almost continuously. It takes it power directly from the sun, so there's no need to land and refuel. READ MORE ON AEROSPACE In May, That's the equivalent of 1,608 hours. The Skydweller has over 17,000 individual solar cells across its approximately 2,900 square feet (270 square meters) wing surface to capture the sun's rays and convert it into power. Its wingspan is 236ft - longer than a Boeing 747. Most read in Tech Despite its similar wingspan, it weighs a whopping 160 times less than a traditional 'jumbo jet'. The surveillance drone doesn't really have capacity for much cargo either - sporting just 2.5 metric tons at maximum capacity in comparison to 400 tons for the 747 at full payload. In ideal conditions with minimal cloud cover, the solar cells can generate up to 100 kilowatts of power for the aircraft. Incredible plan for hypersonic 'Air Master' passenger plane that can hit 4,600mph & fly from London to NYC in 45 MINUTES The drone can only refuel when the sun is out, which means it relies on over 1,400 pounds (635 kilograms) of batteries to power it through the night. Skydweller flies slightly lower than the average commercial carrier, at an altitude of between 24,600 and 34,400ft, on average. However, it can fly as high as 44,600ft during the day, before dropping by between 4,900 and 9,800ft at night to minimise power consumption. Although as with any battery - these onboard batteries will degrade over time, which could limit the maximum patrol duration of the aircraft. Other incredibly lightweight solar-powered drones have suffered catastrophic mid-air failures before when ascending or descending through medium altitudes, Live Science noted. The brains behind Skydweller are hoping to avoid this by designing the aircraft to operate specifically within this flight range. Using automatic gust-load alleviation software in the flight control system, the aircraft will be able to reduce the aerodynamic loads caused by turbulence. This eye in the sky will require a quadruple-redundant flight control system and sophisticated vehicle management system (VMS) to stay in the air reliably for up to 90 days. That means if one of the onboard systems fails, a backup system can take over to maintain the flight. The VMS will also have a clever computer algorithm that allows it to diagnose and fix any problems in the system - like its very own on-board IT specialist. 5 Skydweller flies slightly lower than the average commercial carrier, at an altitude of between 24,600 and 34,400ft, on average Credit: Getty 5 In ideal conditions with minimal cloud cover, the solar cells can generate up to 100 kilowatts of power for the aircraft Credit: Getty
Scottish Sun
17-07-2025
- Science
- Scottish Sun
Solar-powered 236-foot ‘Skydweller' aircraft flies for mind-boggling 90 DAYS without stopping
The carbon fiber drone is set to fly for up to 90 days straight - far longer than existing aircrafts, according to its creators Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) AEROSPACE boffins have unveiled a solar-powered surveillance drone that can fly for several months at a time - achieving near-constant eyes in the sky. US tech startup Skydweller Aero has partnered with French defence systems specialist Thales to build a new type of maritime surveillance drone. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 5 The carbon fiber drone is set to fly for up to 90 days straight - far longer than existing aircrafts, according to its creators Credit: Skydweller 5 While its initial flight milestone will be three months, the aircraft has the potential to fly almost continuously Credit: Youtube/Skydweller Aero 5 It takes it power directly from the sun, so there's no need to land and refuel Credit: Skydweller As tech on the ground gets smarter, so too must the machines in the sky. The carbon fibre drone is set to fly for up to 90 days straight - far longer than existing aircraft, according to its creators. While its initial flight milestone will be three months, the aircraft has the potential to fly almost continuously. It takes it power directly from the sun, so there's no need to land and refuel. READ MORE ON AEROSPACE AIR WE GO! Nasa trials TINY supersonic 'Son of Concorde' for racy 925mph flight in tunnel In May, British jet Zephyr broke the world record for the longest continuous flight - spending 67 days in the sky. That's the equivalent of 1,608 hours. The Skydweller has over 17,000 individual solar cells across its approximately 2,900 square feet (270 square meters) wing surface to capture the sun's rays and convert it into power. Its wingspan is 236ft - longer than a Boeing 747. Despite its similar wingspan, it weighs a whopping 160 times less than a traditional 'jumbo jet'. The surveillance drone doesn't really have capacity for much cargo either - sporting just 2.5 metric tons at maximum capacity in comparison to 400 tons for the 747 at full payload. In ideal conditions with minimal cloud cover, the solar cells can generate up to 100 kilowatts of power for the aircraft. Incredible plan for hypersonic 'Air Master' passenger plane that can hit 4,600mph & fly from London to NYC in 45 MINUTES The drone can only refuel when the sun is out, which means it relies on over 1,400 pounds (635 kilograms) of batteries to power it through the night. Skydweller flies slightly lower than the average commercial carrier, at an altitude of between 24,600 and 34,400ft, on average. However, it can fly as high as 44,600ft during the day, before dropping by between 4,900 and 9,800ft at night to minimise power consumption. Although as with any battery - these onboard batteries will degrade over time, which could limit the maximum patrol duration of the aircraft. Other incredibly lightweight solar-powered drones have suffered catastrophic mid-air failures before when ascending or descending through medium altitudes, Live Science noted. The brains behind Skydweller are hoping to avoid this by designing the aircraft to operate specifically within this flight range. Using automatic gust-load alleviation software in the flight control system, the aircraft will be able to reduce the aerodynamic loads caused by turbulence. This eye in the sky will require a quadruple-redundant flight control system and sophisticated vehicle management system (VMS) to stay in the air reliably for up to 90 days. That means if one of the onboard systems fails, a backup system can take over to maintain the flight. The VMS will also have a clever computer algorithm that allows it to diagnose and fix any problems in the system - like its very own on-board IT specialist. 5 Skydweller flies slightly lower than the average commercial carrier, at an altitude of between 24,600 and 34,400ft, on average Credit: Getty
Time of India
17-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
This solar powered drone can fly for 90 days and has self-healing code. See all amazing technical features
Maritime Surveillance Drone Drone's Technical Features Live Events Focus on Mid-Altitude Performance Limitations and Future Plans FAQs (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel has partnered withto develop a new. The aircraft is expected to stay in the air for up to 90 Aero and Thales have announced their collaboration on a maritime surveillance drone. The drone is powered completely by solar energy and is designed to fly continuously without refueling. The first goal is to achieve a flight duration of 90 drone has been created for extended defense surveillance missions. Thales will provide radar systems tailored for maritime operations. This partnership aims to improve monitoring over long ocean drone collects energy from over 17,000 solar cells. These are spread across 2,900 square feet of wing area. The wingspan of the drone is 236 feet, which is 25 feet longer than a Boeing good conditions, these solar cells can generate up to 100 kilowatts of power. The drone's batteries store energy for night flight, although capacity loss over time could affect aircraft is made from carbon fiber and can carry 800 pounds of payload. This allows it to transport radar and other systems necessary for maritime previous solar-powered aircraft have failed due to structural stress at mid-altitudes. These failures happened when aircraft climbed or descended through altitudes between 6,500 to 32,800 Skydweller drone is designed to function within that same altitude range. It uses software to reduce turbulence-related stress. The gust-load alleviation system is built into its flight controls to avoid stay airborne for 90 days, the drone must operate without failure. It is equipped with a quadruple-redundant flight control system. If one system fails, another takes vehicle management system uses self-healing code. If any software string fails, it is shut down, fixed, and restored mid-flight. This ensures the drone remains operational at all technologies aim to prevent mission disruption and ensure full system recovery while in the the drone can fly at night using stored solar energy, battery life will reduce over time. This limits the potential maximum patrol time. Also, because it relies on sunlight, it cannot be used in polar regions during test flights will assess the full capability of the drone. The team will focus on expanding the maximum duration and testing the radar these limitations, the project marks progress in renewable energy and is built to fly at mid-altitudes safely, using gust-load control and self-healing systems for uninterrupted long-duration surveillance uses charged onboard batteries to fly at night but avoids low-light zones like polar regions in winter to maintain energy levels.
