2011-01-22

First Hydrogen-Powered Flight by the UAV

The Global Observer unmanned aircraft system successfully completed its first flight powered by the aircraft's hydrogen-fueled propulsion system at Edwards AFB CA (SPX) on Jan. 6.
This milestone marks the beginning of high-altitude, long-endurance flight testing for the demonstration and operational utility phase of this Joint Capability Technology Demonstration program.
The Global Observer (GO) is a high-altitude long-endurance unmanned aerial vehicle designed and built by AeroVironment principally for the US Defence and Homeland Security Forces.

The UAV will perform intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance operations without latitude restrictions. The GO is the first UAV to be fitted with a liquid hydrogen fuelled propulsion system. It can be transported by a C-130 aircraft.The data captured by the aircraft will be transmitted to the ground control station (GCS) through a satellite communication data link. The aircraft completed its maiden flight on 5 August 2010 at Edwards Air Force Base, California, US. Flying at a maximum altitude of 65,000ft (19,812m), the GO can provide its operators with real time intelligence data by executing surveillance and reconnaissance operations over a large area.

"Global Observer has moved quickly from development and testing toward demonstrating mission-ready, affordable persistence," said Tim Conver, the chairman and chief executive officer for AeroVironment, Inc., the maker of the system.

"Similar to a satellite, Global Observer is the first system designed to provide a 24/7/365 unblinking eye and continuous communications link over any location on the earth's surface for as long as needed," Mr. Conver said.

"The joint AV and U.S. government team developed Global Observer to meet today's urgent requirements for persistence and to enable the development of much more cost-effective solutions for the future," he said.

"The speed with which we have achieved this milestone reflects the benefits of an effective government-industry partnership."
The hydrogen-powered flight lasted four hours and reached an altitude of 5,000 feet above mean sea level over the Air Force Flight Test Center. This first flight follows the successful battery-powered flight test phase of the demonstration program that took place during the months of August and September 2010.

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