Lockheed Martin Skunk Works® demonstrated the expanded endurance capabilities of a specifically configured Lockheed Martin Stalker VXE unmanned aerial system (UAS) by way of a world report endurance flight on Feb. 18, 2022, on the Santa Margarita Ranch in California. The flight establishes a brand new report within the Group 2 (5 to <25-kilogram) class with a flight time of 39 hours, 17 minutes and seven seconds. The flight has been submitted to the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI), the world sanctioning physique for aviation information, by way of its U.S. affiliate, the Nationwide Aeronautic Affiliation, for certification.
A manufacturing Stalker VXE was modified for this record-setting flight with an exterior, wing-mounted gas tank. The flight offered precious perception for enhancements to Stalker VXE geared toward scaling its mission capabilities for the long run. Stalker VXE’s class-leading endurance, broad working envelope, modular payload compliance, vertical take-off and touchdown functionality, and open system structure permit it to execute various and demanding missions whereas sustaining a small operational footprint and crew.
Commercial
To attain this world report flight time, Lockheed Martin partnered with:
Edge Autonomy as a developer and authentic gear producer of high-performance unmanned programs, together with the Stalker VXE plane.
Adaptive Vitality to develop cutting-edge gas cell know-how, investing in superior energy sources and testing revolutionary implementation strategies for discipline operations.
Composite Expertise Improvement Inc. to construct a lightweight exterior wing tank.
Precision Built-in Packages to offer flight operations assist.
Clovis Space Modelers to offer FAI official contest administrators to constantly monitor and adjudicate the world report flight for ratification
Stalker is an operationally confirmed small, silent, Group 2 Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) that gives unprecedented long-endurance imaging functionality in quite a lot of contested environments and is in use by Particular Forces world wide. Designed to mix the pliability of a conveyable system with the endurance and payload efficiency of a bigger, extra pricey car, Stalker VXE and XE’s class-leading endurance, broad working envelope, and open system structure permit it to execute various and demanding missions whereas sustaining a small operational footprint and crew requirement.
