Solar Plane Breaks Endurance Record

calmond writes with this excellent snippet from CNET News: "QinetiQ Group PLC claimed Sunday that its propeller-driven aircraft called Zephyr flew for 83 hours and 37 minutes non stop, more than doubling the official world record set by Northrop Grumman's Global Hawk in 2001. The Zephyr is much different from the Global Hawk, which is about the size of a fighter and requires runway for taking off and landing. Zephyr, on the other hand, is an ultra-lightweight carbon-fiber aircraft that weighs less than 70lbs and is designed to launch by hand. The little aircraft flies on solar power generated by amorphous silicon arrays covering the aircraft's paper-thin wings. It is powered day and night by rechargeable lithium-sulfur batteries that are recharged during the day using solar power."

Re:What is its purpose?

[Anonymous Coward]

Nope. The whole thing was built only to be mentioned on Slashdot.

launch by hand?

[an00bis]

an ultra-lightweight carbon-fiber aircraft that weighs less than 70lbs and is designed to launch by hand

i never want to meet the man who launches this aircraft by hand

Re:The record is only for unmanned aircraft.

[fizzup]

The trick to flying is to fall, and then forget to hit the ground.