Drone sets record for flying continuously for 40 days and still hasn't landed

Early on the morning of June 15, 2022, a lightweight solar-powered drone manufactured by Airbus took off from the runway at Arizona's Yuma Proving Ground with the help of a team of technicians. It is still flying today, more than 40 days later. It will continue to fly until it can no longer fly.

The plane, called the Zephyr, is designed to fly in the stratosphere. It has a wingspan of 25 meters and weighs less than 75 kg. Its power needs are very low, equivalent to the power needed to power a normal light bulb.

What is Zephyr used for?

Zephyr, like other drones that can fly higher than 18km, with long flight times, can be used in the military for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions. In addition, these aircraft can also be used in the oil and gas industry, surveying, land management, forest fire monitoring, and crop monitoring.

In 2010, Zephyr flew for two weeks in the sky, and in 2018, it was 26 days. Now, Zephyr has been upgraded internally, the software has been improved to fly longer. In 2021, this solar-powered drone also made two flights, each lasting about 18 days.

Zephyr's first flight in 2022 is still not over. It is still flying in the sky to demonstrate its energy storage capacity, battery durability, and solar panel efficiency.

Micah Soto

Update 31 July 2025