UK Ministry of Defense (MOD) has placed a third order for the solar powered Airbus Zephyr-S Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) system. The £13-m...
UK Ministry of Defense (MOD) has placed a third order for the solar powered Airbus Zephyr-S Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) system. The £13-million contract was awarded to Airbus Defence and Space (ADS) and will be built from its Farnborough facility.
Called the High Altitude Pseudo-Satellite (HAPS) as it performs more like a satellite than a conventional UAV, Airbus Zephyr S is a ultra-lightweight UAV capable of flying up to a maximum altitude of 70,000 ft, providing persistent surveillance or communications over the same area of land or sea. for up to 45 days at a time.
It can be readied for next flight after being refurbishment.
Running exclusively on solar power and flying above the weather and twice the height of commercial air traffic, the latest generation Zephyr S has a wingspan of 25 meters, is 30% lighter and can carry 50% more batteries than its predecessor, enabling to carry heavier payloads for its surveillance and communications roles.
The third Zephyr-S will join the two previously ordered by the MOD in February. Built in Farnborough by ADS, all three will form part of an Operational Concept Demonstrator (OCD) to assess Zephyr’s capabilities and explore its potential for use by the UK Armed Forces and other Government Departments.
The additional Zephyr-S will allow 2 airframes to be tested simultaneously and demonstrate operational handover to show that the capability could be sustained indefinitely.
The OCD trials, which will be held in 2017, will inform Defence’s decisions around how best to provide next-generation battlefield intelligence to the UK Armed Forces.
The Zephyr S will be delivered ready for flight trials in summer 2017.
As well as for military purposes, Zephyrs can be used for humanitarian missions, precision farming, environmental and security monitoring, and to provide internet coverage to regions of poor or zero connectivity.
Called the High Altitude Pseudo-Satellite (HAPS) as it performs more like a satellite than a conventional UAV, Airbus Zephyr S is a ultra-lightweight UAV capable of flying up to a maximum altitude of 70,000 ft, providing persistent surveillance or communications over the same area of land or sea. for up to 45 days at a time.
It can be readied for next flight after being refurbishment.
Running exclusively on solar power and flying above the weather and twice the height of commercial air traffic, the latest generation Zephyr S has a wingspan of 25 meters, is 30% lighter and can carry 50% more batteries than its predecessor, enabling to carry heavier payloads for its surveillance and communications roles.
The third Zephyr-S will join the two previously ordered by the MOD in February. Built in Farnborough by ADS, all three will form part of an Operational Concept Demonstrator (OCD) to assess Zephyr’s capabilities and explore its potential for use by the UK Armed Forces and other Government Departments.
The additional Zephyr-S will allow 2 airframes to be tested simultaneously and demonstrate operational handover to show that the capability could be sustained indefinitely.
The OCD trials, which will be held in 2017, will inform Defence’s decisions around how best to provide next-generation battlefield intelligence to the UK Armed Forces.
The Zephyr S will be delivered ready for flight trials in summer 2017.
As well as for military purposes, Zephyrs can be used for humanitarian missions, precision farming, environmental and security monitoring, and to provide internet coverage to regions of poor or zero connectivity.
