Eco Factor: Zero-emission unmanned aircraft powered by a hydrogen/electric hybrid engine.
AeroVironment has announced that the company’s first aircraft developed under the Global Observer Joint Capability Technology Demonstration program has successfully completed its first flight. The aircraft took from the Edwards Air Force Base Station and climbed to an altitude of 4000 feet where it performed a series of maneuvers before landing one hour later.
The unmanned aircraft features a zero-emission hybrid engine that is fueled either by electricity provided by onboard batteries or a liquid hydrogen-fueled propulsion system. When flying in its battery-powered test configuration or in its liquid hydrogen-fueled operational configuration the air vehicle’s propulsion system produces no carbon emissions.
The aircraft is originally designed to fly at an altitude of 55,000 feet for seven days. In addition to flying above weather and above other conventional aircrafts, operation in this altitude regime permits communications and sensor payloads on the aircraft to service an area on the surface of the earth up to 600 miles in diameter, equivalent to more than 280,000 square miles of coverage.
Via: Aviation Week
