Boeing building new UAV

Boeing's is building a UAV called Phantom Eye, and it will be able to stay aloft for 4 Days! Shattering Global Hawks record.

It will be powered by liquid hydrogen, and is expected to take to the skies in early 2011.

Boeing 'Phantom Eye' Hydrogen Powered Vehicle Takes Shape



[edit on 21-3-2010 by Murcielago]

It is sad that the Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird has been replaced by RC toys, even if they can fly for four whole days.

And why don't they use solar energy like that NASA plane that can fly forever?

www.qinetiq.com...

I like this one: Zephyr® - Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV)

* Ultra-lightweight, Zephyr weighs only 30kg with a wingspan of up to 18 metres
* Launched by hand
* Powered by solar batteries recharged during the day
* Currently holds the record for the longest duration unmanned flight

Those solar ones are just to wimpy, and like pocket said...they cant stay up forever (nothing can), but this one its pretty impressive how it can remain over an area for 4 days.

If I had to choose, what I would prefer is the Airship route. 4 days is great, but 3 week is better. (Hybrid Airship)

reply to post by Murcielago


I said what now?

Originally posted by Murcielago
Those solar ones are just to wimpy

Wimpy? it's a reconnaissance drone it doesn't have to be macho...it needs to be able to stay in the field for as long as possible without returning to base and also identify and track undesirables

reply to post by Pockets


Grey magic was talking about the solar ones that stay up forever, I was responding to that with your link, which states that the longest one of those aircraft have been been up continuously is 54 hours.

Those solar aircraft are VERY weak...not I'm not saying it needs inch think steel that encompasses it...what I'm referring to is the one that in 2003 simply disintegrated mid flight on a beautiful day in Hawaii...no weapons fire, no thunderstorm, simple nominal flight destroyed it.

reply to post by Murcielago


Ah, OK, Yeah that is perhaps a very bad side of the lighter materials used in this UAV + no payload

Lines

[edit on 22-3-2010 by Pockets]