Skydweller, a solar-powered uncrewed aerial system (UAS) being trialled by the U.S. Navy, recently performed a test flight where it stayed in the air continuously for more than three days.
As per a recent press statement, the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWCAD) carried out the test in partnership with Skydweller Aero.
NAWCAD hailed the experiment as “a significant advancement in both long-endurance solar-powered UAS technology and its potential to enhance maritime intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR).”
The drone is being tested with a view to providing continuous, wide-area surveillance over extended periods; testing began in 2020 as a potential solution to countering drug-trafficking and providing border security.
The most recent test was conducted out of the Skydweller base at the John C. Stennis Space Center, Mississippi, which is also home to NASA’s largest rocket-testing facility.
The Skydweller UAS stayed in the air for 73 hours; as per the NAWCAD statement, it also showed the aircraft could cope with bad weather and turbulence, and proved the effectiveness of its communications and autonomy suite.
NAWCAD Commander Rear Admiral Todd Evans commented: “This demonstration is a prime example of how NAWCAD partners with industry to deliver what the fleet needs.”
He added: “It also reflects the technical depth of our workforce and our ability to translate ideas into capability.”
Further Skydweller tests are anticipated later this summer in the United States Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) area of responsibility, a geographic region spanning about 14.5 million square miles and 32 nations stretching from the southern border of Mexico to the tip of South America, including the Caribbean Sea.
- You can read more details on the Navair website and the Skydweller website