THE challenges faced in manufacturing and flying a solar-powered aircraft will be explored in the next Royal Aeronautical Society lecture at the IW College on Thursday, May 25.
High Altitude, Long Endurance UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles) — World-Leading UK Technology is the society’s final lecture before the summer break.
The specific focus of the lecture will be the Zephyr project, currently the only successful HALE UAV, which is at the forefront of modern aviation innovation.
It is the only solar-powered HALE UAV to have flown for any extended time and its 14-day flight in 2010 remains a world record unapproached by any other systems.
With further flights — including 11 days under winter conditions and a demonstration under CAA rules above Dubai International Airport — Zephyr has shown persistent high-altitude flight is actually possible while others are still talking about it.
The talk will cover the challenges and difficulties with solar-powered HALE UAV, the technical and management principles that made this programme successful and the applications of solar-powered HALE UAV.
The talk is delivered by Paul Brooks, founder and managing director of Prismatic Ltd, with 25 years’ experience in defence and aerospace.
Paul’s other notable projects and achievements include being director of Earth Observation at Surrey Satellite Technology Limited, the founder and lead of the Zephyr HALE UAV programme, the UK lead on optical space-based surveillance and technical lead on the procurement, launch and operation of the UK’s military communication satellite system, Skynet.
The free lecture is in the conference hall of the IW College at 6pm.