Airbus, the European aerospace group, has developed a solar-powered drone that has managed to break several records and narrowly missed breaking a 1959 world record.

According to information from the United States Army, this Tuesday (23), a drone solar-powered crashed after flying for more than two months. The equipment, called Zephy-8 produced by the European group Airbus, faced events that led to the unexpected end of the trip over the Yuma desert, in Arizona, on August 18.

Airbus solar-powered drone has broken multiple records 

The site Simple Fing, responsible for tracking flights, said that the Airbus device reached between 45 and 50 feet and, quickly, began to fall rapidly. The solar-powered drone has a wingspan of more than 25 meters and 75 kilograms and has more than doubled the record for unmanned flights.

The vehicle also came close to surpassing the longest flight ever. In 1959, two pilots flew a Cessna 172 for 64 days, 22 hours and 19 minutes over a desert in the southwestern United States. The plane was refueled only twice when it flew over a moving truck that provided it with fuel. O solar powered drone it flew almost all the time in the stratosphere for its ability to receive and transmit data to be proven.

The device was piloted via satellite connections, according to information from Airbus and the Army. The solar-powered drone could one day be used as a station due to its ability to remain at high altitudes for long periods and provide broadband communication services to remote regions.

British company develops giant solar-powered drone

A British company last year tested its PHASA-35 model, a 35-metre, 150-kilogram solar-powered drone. The model, which managed to fly for over a year, was sponsored by the UK Defense Science and Technology Laboratory and the UK Defense Science and Technology Group.

The tests were successful and took place at the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Woomera Test Range in South Australia, with the help of RAAF personnel on base with the test team. The solar-powered drone was designed to fly in the stratosphere, above weather phenomena and plane traffic.

The Phasa-35 can reach a height of approximately 21,3 meters and also fly at night using a battery that stores energy from its solar panels during the day.

Meet Airbus

A Airbus is a leading designer, manufacturer and supplier of aerospace products, services and solutions to customers worldwide. The company has more than 125 employees and acts as the largest aeronautical and space company in Europe and a world leader, Airbus is at the forefront of the aviation industry. The company develops the most technologically advanced commercial aircraft and consistently captures about half of all its commercial aircraft orders.

Due to its deep understanding of changing market demands, technological innovation and customer focus, Airbus delivers products that connect people and places through air and space. With more than 5 decades of experience, the company performed the first flight of the SA330 in 1965. This was the first of a long series that was built in several versions until the present day.