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High Altitude, Long Endurance UAVs - World Leading Technology Free

Thursday 25 6.00pmMay
2017

Talk

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High Altitude, Long Endurance UAVs - World Leading Technology Free

Source https://www.aerosociety.com/events-calendar/high-altitude-long-endurance-uavs-world-leading-uk-technology/

Raes may lecture poster

The Royal Aeronautical Society invites you to its final lecture before a summer break: High Altitude, Long Endurance UAVs – World Leading UK Technology.

High Altitude, Long Endurance (HALE) UAVs are at the forefront of modern aviation innovation. A specific focus of this lecture will be the Zephyr project, currently the only successful HALE UAV. The Zephyr solar powered HALE UAV was developed in QinetiQ from 2003 prior to being sold to Airbus in 2013. It is the only solar powered HALE UAV to have flown for any extended time and its 14-day flight in 2010 remains a World record unapproached by any other systems. With further flights – including 11 days under Winter conditions and a demonstration of operation under CAA rules above Dubai International Airport – Zephyr has shown that persistent high altitude flight is actually possible whilst others are still just talking about it.

This talk will cover the challenges and difficulties with solar powered HALE UAV, the technical and management principles that made this program successful and the applications of solar powered HALE UAV.

The talk is delivered by Paul Brooks, Founder and Managing Director of Prismatic Ltd with 25 years’ experience in defence and aerospace. Paul’s other notable projects and achievements include being Director of Earth Observation at Surrey Satellite Technology Limited (SSTL), the founder and lead of the Zephyr HALE UAV programme, the UK lead on optical space based surveillance and technical lead on the procurement, launch and operation of the UK’s military communication satellite system, Skynet.