A solar - powered pilotless drone hasreportedlyflown for 26 days non - stop , breaking the longest flight of an uncrewed aircraft . Although the maker of the dawdler are unco shy about this feat , its long and tortuous journey was captured by online flight tracking information
An AirBus Zephyr S spent 26 continuous days airborne on July 11 , as demonstrate by aircraft track platformFlightRadar24 .
After embarking on a ocean trip from Arizona to Belize , the drone returned to the US to spend the rest of its escape over the Kofa National Wildlife Refuge in Arizona . While cruising around here , itmanaged to find the timeto line out the act “ 26 ” and the letters “ USA ” in its flight path .
If support , this lengthy journeying would be record - breakage . The previous phonograph record for the longest uncrewed flight is 25 daytime 23 hours 57 mo , set by the Zephyr S over Arizona between 11 July and 9 March 2025 , agree to theGuinness Book of World Records .
Airbus tell IFLScience that it “ can not comment on this flight . ”
However , a interpreter from the US Army antecedently toldthe Drivethe latest flight test by the Zephyr S are “ mean to quiz the UAV ’s vim storage electrical capacity , battery seniority , solar instrument panel efficiency , and station - prevent abilities . "
The Zephyr is a super - light drone with a wingspan of 25 meters ( 82 feet ) and weigh less than 75 kg ( 165 pounds ) , according toAirbus . It ’s scarper purely on solar - electric power , using junior-grade batteries charged in daylight to power overnight flight .
Its late voyage use up topographic point just a forgetful hop from the US Army ’s Yuma Proving Ground in Arizona . It was flying at an altitude of around 20,634 meters ( 67,700 feet ) , importantly higher than commercial-grade planes , which typicallycruise between 10,058 to 12,801 meters ( 33,000 and 42,000 metrical foot ) .
The uncrewed aircraft has a variety of potential subprogram , but Airbus suggests one of its primary purposes is snapping high - res imagery and video capture for intelligence gathering – whether that ’s for the military , governmental , or private clients . It also has the potential drop to provide internet communications to unconnected parts of the world .
