Indian scientists developing solar-powered plane that can fly for 90 days

Scientists in India have developed a solar-powered plane that can fly up to 90 days at a time. A smaller version has already been flown successfully for 10 hours — making India one of the only countries to create a functional High-Altitude Platform. The record-setting unmanned aircraft was created by the National Aerospace Laboratories in Bengaluru.
HAPS are similar to drones but fly through the stratosphere (well above commercial planes) and can be used for several purposes — from surveillance to beaming of 5G waves. According to reports, the only functional HAPS in the world at present is the Airbus Zephyr which has demonstrated a 64-day continuous flight in the Arizona desert.
The niche technology was also showcased by a startup during the recent India Defense Aviation Exposition. The three day event was inaugurated by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on September 12 and ran till today.
HAPS also made it to the annual World Economic Forum list of top 10 emerging technologies earlier this year. The international think tank said these aircraft, blimps and balloons could be used to extend mobile network access to remote regions and help bridge the digital divide for over 2.6 billion people worldwide.
Earlier in February, NAL scientists had achieved a breakthrough with the successful testing of a HAPS prototype in Challakere.
“The HAPS we tested in Challakere is a prototype. It’s a scaled-down 5-metre-long system with 12-metre wingspan, weighing 23 kg. By 2027, we’re confident of building a full-scale version that could have a wingspan of under 30m and weigh more than 100kg but less than 150kg. It will be able to carry payloads weighing 15kg and have multiple uses,” chief scientist L Venkatakrishnan had told Times of India.
Meanwhile a Bengaluru-based startup called New Space Research and Technologies has also created a similar prototype with 24-hour endurance.
(With inputs from agencies)