The QinetiQ team launches Zephyr in Yuma in August 2008. Zephyr is a solar powered UAV designed and built by QinetiQ for continuous flight over several months. Zephyr currently holds the unofficial record for the longest unmanned flight at around 83 hours – achieved in August 2008. Zephyr is powered by lithium-sulphur batteries that are recharged during the day using solar power. The aircraft uses a bespoke autopilot system to navigate between waypoints and to remove the requirement for permanent manual operation. www.qinetiq.com
