Boeing Phantom Eye

The Phantom Eye (Eng. about eye of the phantom ) of the U.S. aerospace and defense company Boeing is an unmanned, powered with hydrogen reconnaissance aircraft for high altitude and long flight duration ( engl. HALE ). The development of Boeing Phantom Works to meet the needs of the U.S. military to drones for reconnaissance and exploration purposes.

History

The Phantom Eye is a further development of Boeing's former drone, the Boeing Condor with piston engines, which established a number of height and distance records in the 1980s. In the development of the Boeing Phantom Eye worked closely with Ball Aerospace, Aurora Flight Sciences, Ford Motor Company and MAHLE Powertrain. The assembly of the airframe began in March 2010, after the drive system had successfully completed a 80 - hour test in the altitude chamber on March 1. On 12 July 2010, was presented to the public the Phantom Eye in a ceremony at Boeing's plant in St. Louis ( Missouri).

The demonstration model is to flight, testing and research, the Dryden Flight Research Center NASA at Edwards Air Force Base in California, spent, where in July and August of the year tests are to take place on the ground. The dimensions of the prototype corresponding to about 60 to 70% of those of the future use of the system. According to Darryl Davis ( president of Phantom Works ) could be the Phantom Eye Study lead to a system that would be 7 days a week all year operational with four machines 24 hours a day.

On 1 June 2012, the drone made ​​its first flight at Edwards Air Force Base. They flew 28 minutes at an altitude of about 1200 meters and reached a speed of about 115 km / h On landing the drone was damaged because the main landing gear had design flaws. On February 6, 2013, the tests were resumed in the flight test.

Construction

The Phantom Eye prototype has a wingspan of 46 m and can according to the manufacturer with a payload of 204 kg at a cruising speed of 278 km / h more than four days fly at an altitude of up to 19,812 meters.

The drive system consists of two hanging 2.3-liter gasoline engines that were originally developed for the Ford Fusion and the more power a four-blade propeller. Each of the motors delivers 110 kW and is converted for hydrogen operation. Boeing stated that the operation of the aircraft thus very economical and " green " will, as the only waste product is water (if you do not also include emissions from the production of hydrogen ).

Use

The Phantom Eye is unarmed and will be used for " permanent intelligence and surveillance ".

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