Zephyr-6 solar plane makes record flight

[danrok]

From the BBC:

A UK-built solar-powered plane has set an unofficial world endurance record for a flight by an unmanned aircraft.

The Zephyr-6, as it is known, stayed aloft for more than three days, running through the night on batteries it had recharged in sunlight.

The flight was a demonstration for the US military, which is looking for new types of technology to support its troops on the ground.

Craft like Zephyr might make ideal platforms for reconnaissance.

Link:
BBC NEWS | Science/Nature | Solar plane makes record flight

Home page:
QinetiQ's Zephyr UAV flies for three and a half days to set unofficial world record for longest duration unmanned flight

[PorPorMe]

My guess, being of a some what reasonable body and not so sound mind, is that you need to read between the lines on this one. the red flag is that the last test was monitored by an "official" body to put in the record books. Not so this time.
Even though it flew only 14 hours more than than the last time, the military says they are close to operational-2yrs or so.
Only 14 hours longer and no outside body present to monitor it? How many nickels you want to bet if it isn't operational now, it's just around the corner!
But I don't trust what the government, and the especially the military freely tell me. I'm funny that way.

[danrok]

I don't think they had an official there form Federation Aeronautique Internationale to record the flight time because the purpose wasn't to beat a record. They're testing a product for use in the real world, rather than just for sport/fun.

[PorPorMe]

Then why have one last time and not this time?

[danrok]

Where are you reading that?

[PorPorMe]

I stand corrected, I read through it to fast. That's also what happens when you don't trust and already have 3/4 of an opinion before you even start.

[robbie]

Originally Posted by PorPorMe

My guess, being of a some what reasonable body and not so sound mind, is that you need to read between the lines on this one. the red flag is that the last test was monitored by an "official" body to put in the record books. Not so this time.
Even though it flew only 14 hours more than than the last time, the military says they are close to operational-2yrs or so.
Only 14 hours longer and no outside body present to monitor it? How many nickels you want to bet if it isn't operational now, it's just around the corner!
But I don't trust what the government, and the especially the military freely tell me. I'm funny that way.

But yet it's that same military that drives technology. Would you be posting on this forum if it wasn't for them?

[PorPorMe]

Originally Posted by robbie

But yet it's that same military that drives technology. Would you be posting on this forum if it wasn't for them?

I not only wouldn't be posting, I'd probably be in some mine somewhere eating borscht or the like!

That's the biggest trouble with the whole deal. It's a dichotomy, it's a catch-22, it's a damed if ya do and damed if ya don't. Is it a good thing? I don't know. Is it a bad thing? I don't know?
One day you get the unvarnished truth but you don't believe it because you've been lied to before.
Mark Twain said there is a perfect way to lie. You tell the truth-but you do it in such a manner that they think you're lying. I love that.

[Daniel ~]

Originally Posted by robbie

But yet it's that same military that drives technology. Would you be posting on this forum if it wasn't for them?

All said and done...and it would be here...I think we'd be better off....

Will they shoot me for saying that? ":O}

[Gizmo]

It's said that necessity is the mother of invention, and that has been true in my experience. Were it not for the military need, would we have the Internet? I think so, but it probably wouldn't be in the form we have today. Think about it: FidoNet existed as a purely volunteer operation before the Internet was much more than a research network, and it connected people all over the world. There were other networks built on similar technology as well.

Certainly, the military need has shaped the direction of a lot of research down through the centuries, and there are a great many things we have today that are outgrowths of military technology. That doesn't prove that the technology wouldn't exist without the military. One can argue that there was a need for the technology already, or the military wouldn't have been researching it.

[PorPorMe]

I stated in another post that I believe "man" is capable of anything given the need or desire, the materials and the funding. The fly in the ointment is time.
A lot of the time, the private technologies ain't given the time to be developed before the funding is withdrawn.
The military has always had very deep pockets.
What ever nation, what ever era, the fear of our neighbors is always there and our military have a blank check to think up and develop new technologies the will keep us safe from the bad guys.
The military will always lead the field-They have the money, the desire, the time, and just about any thing else they want.

[Daniel ~]

Originally Posted by Gizmo

It's said that necessity is the mother of invention, and that has been true in my experience. Were it not for the military need, would we have the Internet? I think so, but it probably wouldn't be in the form we have today. Think about it: FidoNet existed as a purely volunteer operation before the Internet was much more than a research network, and it connected people all over the world. There were other networks built on similar technology as well.

Certainly, the military need has shaped the direction of a lot of research down through the centuries, and there are a great many things we have today that are outgrowths of military technology. That doesn't prove that the technology wouldn't exist without the military. One can argue that there was a need for the technology already, or the military wouldn't have been researching it.

I agree, we produce tech according to our interest and our need. Otherwise we'd still be using tooth and claw to do each other in...":O}

[cloasters]

Ah, tooth and claws. The old reliables. Oh wait, that was the Ninth Division. Coming and going, we love mayhem and destruction too much, it's like we're animals or something.