Boeing is investigating possible collaboration with Qinetiq on the UK company's Zephyr unmanned air vehicle (UAV) and other high-altitude long-endurance systems, according to the US manufacturer's Advanced Systems.
Low-level discussions between the companies have taken place since early 2006, with initial emphasis placed on the more than 60,000ft (18,300m) altitude Zephyr UAV's energy storage requirements.
George Muellner, head of Advanced Systems' business unit says: "We have a small number of people now looking at increasing our partnership with Qinetiq," Muellner said at the show, adding: "The challenge with these vehicles is to increase the power output."
If advanced, the HALE initiative would be the latest sign of a burgeoning relationship between Boeing and Qinetiq, which earlier this month opened a joint modelling and simulation facility at the latter's Farnborough site in Hampshire.
A partnership agreement could also lead to collaboration on future extremely long-endurance UAVs, according to Muellner.
Boeing plans to fly a fuel-cell-powered aircraft from its Madrid research centre in Spain later this year, and has also recently conducted a five-day endurance trial of the propulsion system for its own HALE unmanned air system.
Muellner said two undisclosed customers are interested in the hydrogen-fuelled design, which could have a 61m wing span and an endurance of seven to 10 days.
Source: Flight International
