Long high-altitude flight time (HALE) Unmanned Aerial VehicleThe U.S. Department of Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) "Condor" (Vulture) hope to design a plan to be able to continue to fly in the air 5 years of unmanned aircraft, as a low-orbit satellite of the multi-purpose, low-cost alternatives. British company QinetiQ has introduced a high-altitude long-endurance UAV prototype, known as the "breeze" (Zephyr), this summer has hit a 82 hours non-stop flight of the unmanned aerial vehicles a new record.
"Breeze" unmanned aerial vehicles using ultra-light carbon fiber materials, the two wings on the bond by a non-crystalline silicon material quality of solar panels, which is equivalent to the thickness of only few pages. In addition to the implementation of the reconnaissance mission, high-altitude long-endurance UAV may eventually be used as a communications relay platform. Boeing, Lockheed Martin, such as arms giant also took part in the "Condor Plan", the first phase of the plan will be the end of the spring of 2009, the second phase could focus on the three-month flight test.
高空长航时(HALE)无人机
美国国防部高级研究计划局(DARPA)的“秃鹰”(Vulture)计划希望设计出一款能在空中持续飞行5年的无人驾驶飞机，作为低轨道卫星的多用途、低廉的替代品。英国公司QinetiQ日前推出了一种高空长航时无人机的原型机，称为“微风”( Zephyr)，今年夏天曾创下82小时的无人机不间断飞行新纪录。
“微风”无人机采用超轻碳纤维材料，两个机翼上粘合着由非结晶质硅材料制造的太阳能电池板，其厚度仅相当于几张纸。除了实施侦察任务外，高空长航时无人机最终可能会被当作通信中继平台使用。波音公司、洛克希德·马丁公司等军火巨头还参加了“秃鹰”计划，该计划的第一阶段将在2009年春天结束，第二阶段可能侧重于为期三个月的飞行测试。
