The aircraft, evocatively called Skydweller and built by a U.S.-Spanish aerospace firm Skydweller Aero, could help the Navy keep a watchful eye on the surrounding seas while escorting ships months at a time or act as a communications relay platform. The company was awarded a $5 million contract by the U.S. Navy to develop the aircraft.
The solar-powered plane adds new software and upgraded hardware to Solar Impulse 2, a piloted solar aircraft that flew around the world in 2015-16 but had to stop every five days. The company converted the design into the Skydweller by removing the pilot seat, which allows for a longer range and more space for hardware for autonomous abilities.
The Skydweller has a wingspan of 236-foot and is covered in 2,900 square feet (269.4188 meters) of photovoltaic cells that generate up to 2 kilowatts of power. Its makers also plan to fit the aircraft with hydrogen fuel cells as a backup to boost performance or serve as a backup in case of bad weather. READ MORE
