PHASA-35, an unmanned, solar-powered aircraft that can remain in the air for a year and deliver communications, surveillance, and remote sensing, has successfully completed its maiden flight.
Photo: BAE Systems
The joint project between engineers at Prismatic and BAE Systems was designed, built and test flown in just 20 months.
Weighing 150 kg and with a wingspan of 35 metres (115 feet), PHASA-35 was cosponsored by the UK’s Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (DSTL) and Australian Defence Science and Technology Group (DSTG).
The test flights took place in southern Australia at the Woomera Test Range, a Royal Australian Air Force facility.
PHASA-35 was designed to deliver a reliable platform for surveillance, monitoring, communications and security applications. BAE has said that once it is connected with other tech and assets, it can provide new capabilities not currently available from existing aerospace platforms.
BAE also said that the platform can be utilised in the delivery of communications networks and to provide services such as border protection and disaster relief at a much cheaper price that the cost of using satellites.
“This is an outstanding early result that demonstrates the pace that can be achieved when we bring the best of British capability together,” said Ian Muldowney, Engineering Director for BAE Systems.
“To go from design to flight in less than two years shows that we can rise to the challenge the UK government has set industry to deliver a Future Combat Air System within the next decade,” Muldowney continued.
Further test flights have been scheduled for later in the year with the potential for the aircraft to begin operations within a year of the flight trials programme.
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