Zephyr brochure
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Zephyr is a high-altitude, long-endurance unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that can stay airborne for months at a time using solar power. It holds the world record for the longest flight time of any UAV at over 82 hours. Zephyr is designed for surveillance, communication, and remote sensing applications for both civil and military uses. Its lightweight carbon fiber construction, solar panels, and lithium-sulfur batteries allow it to achieve high-altitude, energy-efficient, and virtually indefinite flight times to support a variety of payload missions.
Zephyr brochure
- 1. Breakthrough unmanned aerial surveillance technology. Zephyr®
- 2. The Zephyr high altitude, long ® endurance unmanned aerial vehicle. An uninterrupted bird’s eye view. Zephyr is designed to operate at altitudes in excess of 18km, with solar electric power and low-drag aerodynamics that can keep it airborne for months on end. Its on-board systems can guide it to within a metre of a target location, at a fraction of the cost of space based, manned or low level UAVs. This manoeuvrability, continuous operation and unobtrusive presence make it an ideal means to support alternative payloads for surveillance, communications and continuous, high quality remote sensing for a variety of civil and military applications. As part of flight trials funded by the UK Ministry of Defence and the US Department of Defense, Zephyr has made aeronautical history by exceeding the world record for the longest duration unmanned flight. At Yuma Proving Ground, Arizona in Ultra lightweight, hand launched July 2008 the aircraft flew for construction 82 hours, reaching an altitude Zephyr’s ultra light carbon fibre construction of 62,000 feet. gives it a broad wingspan of up to 22 metres, yet a weight of only 40kg. Its solar power comes from amorphous silicon arrays that are no thicker than sheets of paper, covering the aircraft’s wings. They charge its lithium sulphur batteries during daylight, which store energy to keep it aloft at night. The weight savings achieved add to Zephyr’s versatility by making it easy to launch by hand without the need for a prepared location or launch mechanisms.
- 5. “The possibilities suggested by unmanned flight are truly exciting and with these trials Zephyr has secured its place in the history of UAV development.” Paul Davey – QinetiQ Zephyr Business Development Director
- 6. Zephyr HALE UAV in action In a world where long term flight endurance is currently measured in hours, the development Technology of Zephyr has created a future filled with possibilities. Multi day flight achieved through solar electric power from lithium sulphur rechargeable batteries and amorphous silicon solar arrays A variety of roles Electro-Optic/Infrared (EO/IR) surveillance Wide area security Drop sonde deployment Long endurance surveillance Scalable platform design Communications relay Stratospheric science missions Affordable remote sensing with lowest cost Advantages persistent ISTAR Lightweight structure enabling long distance In-situ measurement non-stop flight Network infrastructure Unique propeller design producing a high power to weight ratio Unobtrusive operation Wing design maximises the use of thermal air currents to reach high altitudes Flying day and night, with solar energy recharging batteries during daylight Hand launched with no special mechanisms Environmentally friendly Silent running
- 7. Precise autopilot control Flying at over 60,000 feet, with batteries capable of keeping it airborne for months at a time, Zephyr can rise above normal commercial air-lanes and most weather conditions. Its bespoke QinetiQ developed autopilot allows it to navigate between waypoints and over very long distances, with no need for permanent manual control. Proven capability EO/IR camera packs and communications relay packages have been developed and tested under extreme conditions. Prior to its record-breaking Multiple applications flight, earlier tests were successfully conducted The potential of Zephyr is growing all the time. in the high desert of New Mexico. In this hostile Its low cost, silent, unobtrusive operation and environment, in the debilitating heat of summer payload potential make it a valuable observation and with thunderstorms all around, Zephyr and communications resource for military use. proved itself capable of standing up to the most But just as exciting is its civil potential for gruelling conditions – an important factor in exploration, monitoring weather conditions, military or weather monitoring applications. drop sonde deployment and even stratospheric science missions.
- 8. A far-sighted approach from a visionary company QinetiQ has a global reputation for turning ideas into inspired realities. In defence, security and energy & environment, our groundbreaking technologies are relied on every day, all over the world. Zephyr is a record-breaking example of how our hand-picked teams of some of the world’s best engineers and scientists successfully apply themselves to producing breakthrough UAV solutions. Customer Contact Team QinetiQ Cody Technology Park Ively Road Farnborough Hampshire GU14 0LX United Kingdom Tel +44 (0) 8700 100 942 www.QinetiQ.com/Zephyr © Copyright QinetiQ ltd 2009 QinetiQ/CF/SS/PUB0900021 Zephyr is a registered trade mark of QinetiQ Limited