SAS spy drone that can f ly for 45 days
A SOLAR-powered spy drone that can stay in the sky for 45 days is Britain’s latest weapon against terrorism.
Described as a ‘pseudosatellite’, the cutting-edge drone can fly at more than 70,000ft – twice as high as an airliner, and so high it will not be affected by the weather.
The £4.3million Zephyr S will be used by the SAS to track terror targets worldwide.
It flies by day on solar power, which recharges its lithiumsulphur batteries to power it at night. Despite its 74ft wing-span, it can be launched by four people on their shoulders. It can then be operated from anywhere in the world, using satellites to relay commands to the aircraft.
If satellites are not available, special forces soldiers will use a control station to fly the drone over a range of up to 250 miles.
Engineers at Airbus Defence and Space in Farnborough came up with the aircraft’s radical design – which resembles a Klingon bird-of-prey spaceship from Star Trek – but full details of the aircraft cannot be revealed for security reasons.
Its name has been removed from Ministry of Defence documents, with a review describing it as an ‘investment in advanced high-altitude surveillance aircraft’.
Announcing that the MoD would order a third Zephyr drone, Defence Secretary Michael Fallon told the Mail yesterday: ‘Zephyr is a cutting-edge, record-breaking piece of kit that will be capable of gathering constant, reliable information over vast geographical areas. They are part of our plan for stronger and better defence, backed by a budget that will rise each year of this decade. That means more ships, more aircraft, more troops available at readiness, better equipment for special forces, more being spent on cyber – to deal with the increased threats to our country.’
The order of a third drone is part of a £13million contract with Airbus Defence and Space. The first two were ordered in February. Trials on the aircraft will be held next year.
The MoD said: ‘Referred to as a high-altitude pseudo-satellite (HAPS), it performs more like a satellite than a conventional UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle).’