Development of the Zephyr HALE UAV – holder of the Absolute World Record for Duration

The Stratosphere offers a new domain to provide services across whole countries and across the world, without the intermittent coverage or high infrastructure or operational/launch costs of other systems. However, we have only briefly occupied the Stratosphere –until now.

The QinetiQ Zephyr is the first to demonstrate that Solar aircraft are capable of “eternal” flight in the stratosphere with real payloads, and is the world’s longest flying aeroplane without refuelling- a 14 day first  flight at altitudes up to more than 70,000ft  in July 2010.

The lecture will describe how the Zephyr programme has progressed towards a truly high altitude, longer duration, operationally capable platform combining all-new, efficient technology- and how Zephyr has successfully introduced the new technology in a comprehensive ground and flight test programme.

Eternal solar platforms offer many potential applications –those currently carried out by satellites and aircraft (such as communications, earth observation, atmospheric sampling) – better and cheaper, and new applications which are not currently possible or affordable by other means.

About the speaker

Chris Kelleher is the QinetiQ Technical Director for High Altitude, Long Endurance (HALE) systems and Flight operations Manager of Zephyr, the world’s first “eternal” aircraft. He has 30 years experience of aircraft and spacecraft design and operation at QinetiQ Farnborough. He is married with 4 children, and flies light aircraft as a hobby and occasional air displays, being a three times former winner of the British Aerobatics Association Advanced Level.

Refreshments will be served from 17.30hrs and the lecture will commence at 18.00hrs.

Please RSVP to the Conference & Events Department at [email protected]