Boeing’s Phantom Eye unmanned aircraft system (UAS) made its second flight Monday at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif.
(Boeing Phantom Eye. Photo, courtesy of Boeing.)
The liquid-hydrogen powered UAS climbed to an altitude above 8,000 feet for just over an hour, exceeding its altitude of 4,080 feet and flight time of 28 minutes last summer during its first flight that resulted in a crash landing damaging the aircraft’s landing gear, Boeing said. The aircraft’s landing gear, software and hardware have been updated since then, and the Phantom Eye made a safe landing during its second flight.
“This flight, in a more demanding high-altitude flightenvelope, successfully demonstrated Phantom Eye’s maneuverability, endurance and landing capabilities,” said Drew Mallow, Phantom Eye program manager.
(Boeing Phantom Eye. Photo, courtesy of Boeing.)
According to the Phantom Eye team, the UAS is capable of a operating for up to four days at altitudes of up to 65,000 feet with a maximum 450-pound payload. More
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