The RQ-3 DarkStar (known as Tier III- or "Tier three minus" during development) is an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). Its first flight was on March 29, 1996. The Department of Defense terminated DarkStar in January 1999, after determining the UAV was not aerodynamically stable and was not meeting cost and performance objectives.
27-615: The RQ-3 DarkStar was designed as a " high-altitude endurance UAV", and incorporated stealth aircraft technology to make it difficult to detect, which allowed it to operate within heavily defended airspace, unlike the Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk , which is unable to operate except under conditions of air supremacy . The DarkStar was fully autonomous: it could take off, fly to its target, operate its sensors, transmit information, return and land without human intervention. Human operators, however, could change
54-492: A high-altitude balloon at 9 km, besting the NASA Helios which had reached 29 km. It was envisionned as an alternative to space satellites , stationed permanently in the stratosphere for environmental monitoring , mobile phone coverage or military applications. The QinetiQ 1 balloon altitude record attempt failed in 2003. In February 2005, Qinetiq was preparing a demonstration above 30,000 ft for
81-445: A radio relay , for oceanography or earth imaging , for border security , maritime patrol and anti- piracy operations, disaster response , or agricultural observation . While reconnaissance aircraft have been capable of reaching high altitudes since the 1950s, their endurance is limited. One of the few operational HALE aircraft is the Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk . There are many solar powered, lightweight prototypes like
108-455: A 18 m (59 ft) span and weighs 30–34 kg (70 lb) for a 2 kg (4.5 lb) payload. Amorphous silicon solar cells from Unisolar recharge lithium-sulphur batteries from Sion Corporation with twice the energy density of the best alternative, lithium polymer batteries . Launched by hand, it can reach 18 km (60,000 ft). The first version had a battery capacity of 3 kW·h, driving two propellers. Zephyr 7
135-609: A 336 hours (14 days), 22 min and 8 s flight, reaching 21,562 m (70,741 ft). It exceeded the nine days (216 hours) of the 1986 round-the-world flight of the Rutan Voyager . In March 2013, the project was sold to EADS Astrium (now Airbus Defence and Space ). In 2014 it flew for 11 days in the short days of winter whilst carrying a small payload for the British Ministry of Defence, and later near civilian airspace. In February 2016,
162-765: A 5 pounds (2.3 kilograms) payload. By August 2002, US company Worldwide Aeros was building a stratospheric demonstrator for the Korea Aerospace Research Institute , as a part the South Korean HAA development program. By April 2004, stratospheric airships were being developed in USA, UK, Canada, Korea and Japan. In May 2004, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency shown its test airship in Taiki, Hokkaido ,
189-585: A crash shortly after takeoff. A modified, more stable design (the RQ-3A) first flew on June 29, 1998, and made a total of five flights before the program was canceled just prior to the sixth and final flight planned for the airworthiness test phase. Two additional RQ-3As were built, but never made any flights before program cancellation. The "R" is the Department of Defense designation for reconnaissance; "Q" means unmanned aircraft system. The "3" refers to it being
216-631: A part of its Stratosphere Platform Project. A geostationary balloon satellite (GBS) flies in the stratosphere (60,000 to 70,000 ft (18 to 21 km) above sea level) at a fixed point over the Earth's surface. At that altitude the air has 1/10 of its density is at sea level . A GBS could be used to provide broadband Internet access over a large area. One prior project was the Google 's Project Loon , which envisioned using helium-filled high-altitude balloons . Airbus Zephyr The Zephyr
243-526: A wingspan of 25 m (82 ft), can reach 23,200 m (76,100 ft) and can lift a 5 kg (11 lb) payload for months. They can be used for mobile phone coverage , environmental monitoring , military reconnaissance or as a communications relay . In 2003, QinetiQ , a commercial offshoot of the UK Ministry of Defence , was planning to fly its Zephyr 3 up to 40 km at 70 m/s (250 km/h; 140 kn), after being released from
270-878: Is a long endurance , high altitude aircraft able to offer observation or communication services similarly to artificial satellites . Mostly unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), they remain aloft through atmospheric lift, either aerodynamic like airplanes , or aerostatic like airships or balloons . High-altitude long endurance (HALE) military drones can fly above 60,000 ft (18,000 m) over 32 hours, while civil HAPS are radio stations at an altitude of 20 to 50 km above waypoints, for weeks. High-altitude, long endurance flight has been studied since at least 1983, and demonstrator programs since 1994. Hydrogen and solar power have been proposed as alternatives to conventional engines. Above commercial air transport and wind turbulence, at high altitudes, drag as well as lift are reduced. HAPS could be used for weather monitoring, as
297-580: Is a series of high-altitude platform station aircraft produced by Airbus . They were designed originally by QinetiQ , a commercial offshoot of the UK Ministry of Defence . In July 2010, the Zephyr 7 flew for 14 days. In March 2013, the project was sold to Airbus Defence and Space . In the summer of 2022, the Zephyr 8/S flew for 64 days. The unmanned aerial vehicles are powered by solar cells , recharging batteries in daylight to stay aloft at night. The latest Zephyr 8/S weighs 60 kg (130 lb), has
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#1732787254737324-700: Is expected for 2026. In January 2023, the Aalto HAPS company was set up by Airbus to sell its mobile connectivity and earth observation services. In June 2024, a Japanese consortium led by NTT Docomo and Space Compass committed to invest USD$ 100m in AALTO to commercialise connectivity HAPS services in Asia, targeting a 2026 introduction. The 12 m (39 ft) wide aircraft had a carbon composite frame to weigh 12 kg (26 lb), and 1 kW of solar cells powering five motors. The carbon fiber Zephyr 6 has
351-802: The Design and experimental results for a high-altitude, long-endurance airfoil report proposed applications as a radio relay , for weather monitoring or cruise missile targeting . The NASA ERAST Program (Environmental Research Aircraft and Sensor Technology) was started in September 1994 to study high-altitude UAVs, and was terminated in 2003. In July 1996, the USAF Strikestar 2025 report forecast HALE UAVs maintaining air occupation with 24 hours flights. The Defense Airborne Reconnaissance Office made demonstrations of long-endurance UAV craft. In September 1996, Israel Aircraft Industries detailed
378-769: The NASA Pathfinder / Helios , or the Airbus Zephyr that can fly for 64 days; few are as advanced as these. Conventional aviation fuels have been used in prototypes since 1970 and can fly for 60 hours like the Boeing Condor . Hydrogen aircraft can fly even longer, a week or longer, like the AeroVironment Global Observer . Stratospheric airships are often presented as a competing technology. However few prototypes have been built and none are operational. Among balloons specifically,
405-480: The UK Ministry of Defence purchased two Zephyr 8 planes. In August 2016, a third was purchased. In 2016, a twin-tailed Zephyr T variant, providing a maritime surveillance and communications capability, was scheduled for flight testing in 2018. In summer 2018, for its maiden flight from Arizona, the Zephyr ;S remained aloft for 25 days 23 hours 57 minutes, nearly twice as long as
432-404: The 5 billion people lacking it, either with 11,000 airplane UAVs or with balloons like Google's Project Loon . Reconnaissance aircraft like the late 1950s Lockheed U-2 could fly above 70,000 ft (21,000 m) and the 1964 SR-71 above 80,000 ft (24,000 m). The twin-turbofan powered Myasishchev M-55 reached an altitude of 21,360 m (70,080 ft) in 1993, a variant of
459-780: The 5 kg payload can transmit video with a 50 cm resolution from above 20 km. They should be able to operate year-round between 40 degrees North and South , while winter operation gets more difficult at higher latitudes . It used Amprius lithium-ion batteries with silicon nanowire anodes for a 435 Wh/kg specific energy up from 300–320 Wh/kg. Solar cells are high-efficiency, lightweight, and flexible inverted metamorphic multi-junction epitaxial lift-off GaAs sheets manufactured by MicroLink Devices , with specific power exceeding 1,500 W/kg and areal powers greater than 350 W/m . One Zephyr can replace 250 cell phone towers . It can be used to perform intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) with
486-529: The DarkStar's flight plan and sensor orientation through radio or satellite relay. The RQ-3 carried either an optical sensor or radar, and could send digital information to a satellite while still in flight. It used a single airbreathing jet engine of unknown type for propulsion. One source claims it used a Williams-Rolls-Royce FJ44-1A turbofan engine. The first prototype made its first flight on March 29, 1996, but its second flight, on April 22, 1996, ended in
513-564: The M-17 first flown in 1982, which reached 21,830 m (71,620 ft) in 1990. Unmanned Stratospheric airships are designed to operate at very high 60,000 to 75,000 feet (18.3 to 22.9 km) altitudes during weeks, months or years. Subjected to ultraviolet damage , ozone corrosion and challenging station keeping, they can be solar-powered with energy storage for the night. The first stratospheric powered airship flight took place in 1969, reaching 70,000 feet (21 km) for 2 hours with
540-760: The UK Ministry of Defence at the Woomera Test Range in Australia, for reconnaissance or as a communications relay . Between 28 and 31 July 2008, in a demonstration for the US military at its Yuma Proving Ground in Arizona, the Zephyr 6 flew for 82 hours and 37 minutes, an unofficial record as the FAI wasn't involved. On 23 July 2010, the Zephyr 7 took the FAI -sanctioned duration record after
567-549: The design of a HALE UAV. In 2002, Preliminary reliability design of a solar-powered high-altitude very long endurance unmanned air vehicle was published. The European Union CAPECON project aimed to develop HALE vehicles, while the Polish Academy of Sciences proposed its PW-114 concept that would fly at 20 km (66,000 ft) for 40 hours. Luminati Aerospace proposed its Substrata solar-powered aircraft that would fly in formation like migratory geese to reduce
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#1732787254737594-539: The most well known high-endurance project was Google Loon , using helium-filled high-altitude balloons to reach the stratosphere. Loon was ended in 2021. In 1983, Lockheed produced A Preliminary Study of solar powered aircraft and Associated Power Trains for the NASA , as long endurance flight could be compared to suborbital spacecraft. In 1984 was published the Design of Long Endurance Unmanned Airplanes Incorporating Solar and fuel cell propulsion report. In 1989,
621-499: The power required for the trailing aircraft by 79%, allowing smaller airframes to remain aloft indefinitely up to a latitude of 50°. Atmospheric satellites could be used for weather monitoring, as a radio relay , for oceanography or earth imaging like an orbital satellite for a fraction of the cost. Other uses include border security , maritime patrol and anti- piracy operations, disaster response , or agricultural observation . They could bring internet connectivity to
648-555: The previous record flight of 14 days set by its predecessor. By October 2021, it had flown 2,435 hours. On 15 June 2022, the Zephyr S took off in Arizona , venturing for the first time into international airspace and over water. On 19 August, the plane was lost over the Arizona desert after a flight time of 64 days. It covered 56,000 km over the southern United States, the Gulf of Mexico, and South America. The aircraft
675-780: The third of a series of purpose-built unmanned reconnaissance aircraft systems. Although the RQ-3 was terminated on January 28, 1999, a July 2003 Aviation Week and Space Technology article reported in April 2003 that a derivative of the RQ-3 had been used in the 2003 invasion of Iraq . There has been no independent confirmation. General characteristics Performance Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era Related lists High-Altitude Long Endurance A high-altitude platform station ( HAPS , which can also mean high-altitude pseudo-satellite or high-altitude platform systems ), also known as atmospheric satellite ,
702-437: Was larger, at 53 kg, and capable of a maximum altitude between 20 and 21 km, it required five ground crew to launch, as opposed to three previously for the Zephyr 6. Designed to fly at 20 km (65,000 ft) for more than a month, the 25 m (82 ft) wide Zephyr 8 is 30% lighter and can lift 50% more batteries than the Zephyr 7. It weighs 60 kg, 40% of which are batteries (24 kg), and
729-410: Was lost when one engine component (redesigned since) failed in an unusual high-altitude storm turbulence at 17 km. By early 2023, Airbus planned to launch operations from the end of 2024 with around 18 aircraft. By 2034, a 1,000 aircraft constellation could cover 2.9 billion people, and would provide emergency 4G/5G following natural disasters. The larger Zephyr variant, with twice the payload capacity,
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