The AeroVironment-developed solar-powered Pathfinder-Plus flying wing is expected to fly the first of three missions this month over the Hawaiian islands. The objective is to prove the commercial viability of a high-flying, remotely piloted unmanned air vehicle (UAV) or "pseudo" satellite.
The first mission, involving NASA and SkyTower, the AeroVironment subsidiary set up to lead the commercialisation of the solar-electric powered UAV concept, will demonstrate its use as a telecommunications relay stationed over Kaua'i at 60,000ft (18,300m). It will evaluate a third-generation mobile application providing two-way data rates up to 384kbit/s to users on the ground and support video transmission, as well as other voice and data transmissions through the internet.
The second test, in July, will evaluate a digital high-definition television application providing video broadcast signals to a fixed receiver on the ground at twice the resolution of conventional broadcast transmissions. "It will be an 11-mile high antenna, or a very low earth orbit satellite," says NASA programme manager John Del Frate.
For the third mission, in September, the UAV will fly at around 20,000ft equipped with compact cameras to gather spectral images of the Kaua' Coffee Company plantation. NASA says images will help growers determine which fields are ripe for harvesting. "It could also spot crops that shouldn't be growing," says Del Frate, suggesting anti-drug surveillance is a potential role.
The team is "in talks with several customers", says Del Frate, adding that nations interested include Australia, Brazil, China, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Mexico and South Africa as well as the USA. Military roles are being explored including a telecom relay, which has attracted interest from the US Navy. Other potential uses include urban warfare coverage, remote sensing and as a platform for micro-UAVs.
Source: Flight International
