BAE Systems has signed an agreement with Prismatic to develop a new solar electric UAS, which will have the potential to fly for up to a year at a time, BAE Systems announced on 3 May.
The companies will collaborate on the development of the solar powered high altitude, long endurance UAS known as the Persistent High Altitude Solar Aircraft 35 (PHASA-35). Work is already underway to prepare the first aircraft to be ready for flight tests in 2019.
PHASA-35 UAS will offer a year-round, low cost persistent service for a wide range of missions including surveillance and vital communications to remote areas, using only the sun to power the aircraft during the day and recharge the batteries for overnight operation.
Solar HALE vehicles offer a significantly cheaper alternative to conventional satellite technology. PHASA-35 uses long life battery technology and ultra-lightweight solar cells to maintain flight for up to 12 months. The PHASA-35 concept has a 35m wingspan and weighs 150kg.
A quarter scale model, PHASE-8, completed a successful maiden flight in 2017.
Cummings Aerospace presented its turbojet-powered Hellhound loitering munition at SOF Week 2025, offering a man-portable solution aligned with the US Army’s LASSO requirements.
PDW has revealed its Attritable Multirotor First Person View drone at SOF Week 2025, offering special operations forces a low-cost, rapidly deployable platform for strike and ISR missions, inspired by battlefield lessons from Ukraine.
Teledyne FLIR is highlighting the emerging requirements for 'recoverable and re-usable' loitering munitions across the contemporary operating environment during this week’s SOF Week conference in Tampa, Florida.
High-performance maritime industry player Kraken Technology Group, based in the UK, has used the SOF Week conference in Tampa, Florida this week to debut its K3 Scout uncrewed surface vessel (USV) to the North American market.
Red Cat and Palladyne AI recently conducted a cross-platform collaborative flight involving three diverse heterogeneous drones.
The Russia-Ukraine conflict has driven another stage of evolution for drones and the counter measures to defend against them.
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