US Army experiments with stratospheric drone
NEWSARMYPRESS RELEASES
By
Colton Jones
Aug 3, 2022
Modified date: 1 day ago
According to a press release from Army Futures Command, the Assured Positioning, Navigation and Timing/Space (APNT/Space) Cross-Functional Team (CFT) is conducting stratospheric experimentation that utilizes the Zephyr ultra-long endurance stratospheric UAS.
The first flight of 2022, which launched on June 15, has demonstrated Zephyr’s energy storage capacity, battery longevity, solar panel efficiency and station-keeping abilities that will further the Army’s goal to implement ultra-long endurance stratospheric UAS capabilities.
During this flight, the Zephyr accomplished a number of firsts, including its first flight into international airspace, first flight over water, longest continuous flight utilizing satellite communication controls, and the farthest demonstration from its launch point, while carrying a commercial, off-the-shelf payload. This flight has flown for a record number of days – 36 so far – and is still flying over Yuma Proving Ground.
https://defence-blog.com/us-army-experiments-with-stratospheric-drone/
