AeroVironment Successfully Completes Sunglider Solar HAPS Stratospheric Test Flight, Surpassing 60,000 Feet Altitude & Demons...
October 07 2020 - 9:00PM
Business Wire
- Sunglider reaches stratospheric altitude in 20-hour test
flight
- Successfully demonstrates broadband mobile communication on
consumer smartphones, linking teams in Tokyo, New Mexico and
Silicon Valley
AeroVironment, Inc. (NASDAQ: AVAV), a global leader in unmanned
aircraft systems (UAS), today announced the Sunglider™
solar-powered high-altitude pseudo-satellite (HAPS) achieved key
test milestones, including reaching an altitude of more than 60,000
feet above sea level and successfully demonstrating mobile
broadband communication. Sunglider’s development and testing is
funded by HAPSMobile Inc., a joint venture majority-owned by
SoftBank Corp. (TOKYO: 9434) and minority-owned by
AeroVironment.
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The HAPSMobile Inc. Sunglider™
solar-powered HAPS successfully completed its first stratospheric
flight and demonstrated broadband mobile communication on September
22, 2020 (Photo: Business Wire)
During the test flight, which began at 5:16 a.m. MDT on
September 21 and concluded at 1:32 a.m. MDT on September 22, the
AeroVironment team piloted Sunglider to a stratospheric altitude of
62,500 feet above Spaceport America in New Mexico. Sunglider
successfully achieved major test objectives relating to propulsion,
power systems, flight control, navigation and datalink integrity,
as well as structural performance during the most turbulent phases
of the flight as it entered and exited the jet stream.
The broadband communication demonstration successfully linked
teams in Tokyo, Spaceport America and Silicon Valley using an LTE
payload jointly developed by Alphabet’s Loon LLC and HAPSMobile.
Employing standard LTE smartphones, a team at Spaceport America
conducted multiple video calls via the Sunglider’s payload while
the aircraft circled for more than five hours in the
stratosphere.
“In less than three years AeroVironment and HAPSMobile have made
incredible progress, developing two Sunglider solar HAPS unmanned
aircraft and performing five consecutive flight demonstrations,
culminating in this latest significant milestone,” said Wahid
Nawabi, president and chief executive officer of AeroVironment.
“Reaching stratospheric altitude, maintaining continuous flight for
more than 20 hours, achieving key test objectives and demonstrating
seamless broadband communication illustrate the tremendous
potential HAPS technology offers to expand connectivity globally.
We look forward to maintaining our momentum toward aircraft
certification and commercialization, working in close partnership
with HAPSMobile as we establish a disruptive capability that offers
tremendous value creation potential.”
The Sunglider, a solar-powered HAPS, has a wingspan of 262 feet
and is propelled by 10 electric motors powered by solar panels
covering the surface of the wing and rechargeable battery packs,
resulting in zero emissions. Flying at an altitude of approximately
65,000 feet above sea level and above the clouds, the Sunglider can
carry payloads weighing as much as 150 pounds and is designed for
continuous, extended missions of months without landing.
To view footage from the Sunglider solar HAPS stratospheric test
flight, click here.
About AeroVironment, Inc.
AeroVironment (NASDAQ: AVAV) provides technology solutions at
the intersection of robotics, sensors, software analytics and
connectivity that deliver more actionable intelligence so you can
proceed with certainty. Celebrating 50 years of innovation,
AeroVironment is a global leader in unmanned aircraft systems and
tactical missile systems, and serves defense, government and
commercial customers. For more information, visit
www.avinc.com.
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"forward-looking statements" as that term is defined in the Private
Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are made
on the basis of current expectations, forecasts and assumptions
that involve risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited
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version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20201007006052/en/
AeroVironment, Inc. Makayla Thomas +1 (805) 520-8350
pr@avinc.com
Mark Boyer For AeroVironment, Inc. +1 (310) 229-5956
mark@boyersyndicate.com
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