Who: Boeing's spy plane development team was awarded an $89 million contract for its design of SolarEagle as a part of the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Project Agency's Vulture II Program. DARPA officials said technology from the Vulture II Program will revolutionize solar energy collection and surveillance systems, leading to many applications in other existing missions and flight studies.
What: Boeing's SolarEagle will expand the possibilities of aerodynamic performance with the development of an unmanned, solar-powered spy plane that will fly continuously for five years, carrying a 1,000-pound load of surveillance equipment. The plane features a specialized 400-foot wing, which will increase solar power efficiency and improve the overall flight. SolarEagle will harvest energy from the sun throughout the day, which will then be used to power electric motors within the plane, with the remaining stored solar energy being used overnight so that energy stores can be replenished the next day.
The Future: With funding in place, the Boeing SolarEagle is slated for an initial 32 days of continuous flight in 2014. In the long run, an innovative objective system could carry communications or surveillance equipment, potentially superseding the current services satellites provide.
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-compiled by Jennifer Tran
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