UAV solar powered 'ELHASPA'

"ELHASPA" unmanned aerial vehicles for several months will be used as artificial satellites.

>>> The fastest unmanned aircraft in the world

We recognize that artificial satellites are an essential part of everyday life, such as communications, navigation, weather forecasting and remote imagery, GPS navigation.

The benefits it brings are very rewarding but the cost of setting up and managing artificial satellites in orbit is extremely expensive.

The problem is to find solutions to reduce costs that bring high efficiency. On November 13, 2011, the ultralight, unmanned, solar powered "ELHASPA" was launched for the first time in public.

Image of the UAV ELHASPA

ELHASPA was designed and built by the German Institute of Robotics and Mechatronics, in collaboration with the EADS space agency.

The aircraft has a wingspan of 23 meters (75.5 feet), a length of 10 meters, weighs 100kg, is fully equipped with electronic equipment to perform the necessary functions.

The aircraft is designed to serve as an artificial satellite, which can fly autonomously according to a set program, at a height of over 15km (9.3 miles), repeatedly for months.

In addition it can also be used for ground surveillance.

ELHASPA will become a heavyweight competitor for the UK's QinetiQ global defense company, Zephyr Hale, with superior capabilities in terms of operational reliability in months of uncertainty. Zephyr can only fly for 3.5 consecutive days.