Solar-powered UAS introduced by Leonardo
NewsNovember 18, 2019
ITALY. Leonardo has invested in Skydweller Aero Inc., a start-up specializing in large-scale solar-powered unmanned aerial systems (UAS), including a solar-powered unmanned aerial system (UAS) that the company claims is capable of perpetual flight with heavy payloads.
Skydweller officials claim it enables improved situational awareness for military forces and more cost-effective utilization of resources than with traditional systems.
Company officials also claim it will operate from existing airbases around the world and remain overhead for orders of magnitude longer than current aircraft and will be used for purposes ranging from land and maritime surveillance to monitoring the environment and infrastructure, from industrial geo-information services to telecommunications and precision navigation.
The system will comply with European export laws and will not be subject to International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) restrictions. This will enable the aircraft to satisfy government and commercial needs around the world.
