Solar-powered Zephyr drone to fly over Japan from 2026
In Japan, the system developed by Airbus for a permanently flying drone is set to help improve mobile communications from 2026.
Zephyr in a computer-generated graphic.
(Image: Aalto)
A Japanese consortium plans to invest 100 million US dollars in the US company Aalto, which is developing the solar-powered Zephyr drone. The aim of the cooperation is to put the drone, which is intended as a cost-effective replacement for communication and earth observation satellites, into service in Japan in 2026 and use it to operate 5G mobile services.
The consortium is led by Japanese mobile communications provider NTT Docomo, with the satellite company Space Compass Corporation, Mizuho Bank Limited and the Development Bank of Japan also involved. The money is intended to establish a strategic alliance with Aalto, a company spun off from aircraft manufacturer Airbus at the beginning of 2023 that is dedicated solely to the development of the Zephyr drone.
Communication and surveillance
Zephyr has a wingspan of 33 m, the drone weighs 140 kg, can carry a payload of 20 kg and is powered by two electric motors. It can fly for months at an altitude of around 20 km; a test flight achieved an altitude of 23 km. This puts it above commercial and weather aircraft, but below satellites. The system is said to offer similar endurance to satellites and a greater range than terrestrial systems. In addition, Zephyr can be used flexibly and is cheaper overall than satellites in terms of costs, according to Airbus.
Shigehiro Hori, Co-CEO of Space Compass, explained that non-terrestrial networks are particularly suitable in Japan with its many islands and mountainous regions. The Zephyr technology is also flexible and can be used in emergency situations, for example.
In addition to communication services, the system is also capable of performing some monitoring, tracking and detection applications with the help of Airbus' Earth observation service, Aalto wrote in a press release. "Zephyr plays a key role in the space and defense ecosystem, targeting the commercial and government sectors from the stratosphere," said Aalto CEO Jean-Brice Dumont.
(anw)
