A stratospheric drone: The US Army is currently testing Zephyr, a solar-powered drone built by Airbus that delivers the benefits of ISR satellites and traditional drones without many of their limitations.
The remote-operated aircraft flies in the stratosphere, meaning it’s above the weather conditions that might ground a traditional drone. The location is also high enough for Zephyr to survey a wide area of land, but close enough to Earth’s surface that it can deliver data in near-real time.
The solar-powered drone is hand-launched from a runway — no need to pay for a rocket — and despite having a wingspan of 82 feet, it weighs just 165 pounds.
That lightweight design means it can stay in the air using about as much electricity as a commercial light bulb, which is provided by the solar panels covering almost every inch of the aircraft’s surface and onboard batteries.
Orion Technology 