Boeing recently signed an $89 million deal with the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency to develop an unmanned solar-powered aircraft. The aircraft, dubbed, The Solar Eagle, will have its first flight in 2014.
“SolarEagle is a uniquely configured, large unmanned aircraft designed to eventually remain on station at stratospheric altitudes for at least five years,” said Pat O’Neil, Boeing Phantom Works program manager for Vulture II. “That’s a daunting task, but Boeing has a highly reliable solar-electric design that will meet the challenge in order to perform persistent communications, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions from altitudes above 60,000 feet.” Boeing will launch two new prototypes next year, a stealth combat aircraft and a hydrogen-powered high-altitude aircraft.
