MASSIVE Skydweller solar drone flies for days on end without recharging
With a 236-foot wingspan that’s wider than a 747’s, the battery and solar-powered Skydweller Aero drone is pushing the boundaries of aviation. And, after back-to-back three-day flights without recharging, it’s pushing the boundaries of energy efficiency, too, begging the question: is perpetual aviation really here?
In the thick and humid pre-dawn air of a thin ribbon of airstrip just north of Interstate 10 on Mississippi’s Gulf Coast, the Skydweller Aero crew set about proving that its massive unmanned drone, which promised to fly, without fuel, and virtually forever, could deliver.
Three-days later, the Skydweller came down, as planned. The crew checked it, inspected its 17,000 solar cells, gave it the all-clear, then took off again.
Forever flight
“It always takes a little longer than you think, but we’re getting there,” says Robert Miller, CEO and co-founder of the perpetual solar flight startup. “Every 12 months we see a quantum step in where we’re headed.”
Skydweller’s most recent three-day tests were conducted by the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWCAD). Fitting, as the Navy is one of the drone’s most likely customers.
The US military is believed to be interested in what an aircraft like Skydweller could bring to its operations in Southern Command (SOUTHCOM), which encompasses Mexico, Latin America, and nearby waters. With its 800 lb. payload capacity, it’s to see how a Skydweller drone could be loaded up with all manner of sensors, cameras, or radio receivers and sweep a given area constantly, providing an eagle-eyed view to support drug enforcement or rescue missions. And a Mark 82 bomb (if you’re into that sort of thing).
Skydweller Aero makes it clear, however, that the company isn’t out to become just a defense contractor. They have civilian ambitions for their aircraft, as well, and mention the possibilities of sensor suites for weather research, astronomy, law enforcement, and remote outpost support, as well as the possibility of serving as something like a “low orbit” Starlink satellite.
You can watch the Skydweller’s initial flight test from last summer, below, then let us know what you think the big drone’s primary use case will be (bombs) in the comments.
Skydweller Aero flight test
SOURCE | IMAGES: Skydweller Aero, via Jalopnik, NOLA.
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Florida’s State Parks are stepping up their environmental and operational game, introducing a large fleet of powerful electric bikes to support park ranger patrols.
The Florida State Parks Foundation, under its sustainability-focused Greener Initiative, recently announced the expansion of e‑bike units across the state’s parks system. The fleet of Velotric Nomad e-bikes, each equipped with 750‑watt motors and with a claimed 65‑mile range, can offer a substantial 500‑lb payload capacity. They also feature 4″ wide fat tires optimized for riding on rough paths or off-road trails, making them ideal for park ranger patrols.
These e‑bikes are now being distributed to multiple locations throughout Florida, including Fort Clinch, Olustee Battlefield Historic, Rainbow Springs, Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center, and Suwannee River State Park.
According to Julia Gill Woodward, CEO of the Foundation, the overwhelming success of the first wave of e‑bikes prompted swift expansion. “The Greener Initiative has done incredible things to reduce our environmental footprint,” she noted, adding that it’s “even more amazing when Greener projects align with resources that support our rangers.”
These additions bring the statewide fleet to 50 e‑bikes, funded via sales from the “Explore Our State Parks” specialty license plate. Starting in 2023, the Greener Initiative has rolled out a variety of efforts to make Florida’s parks cleaner and more efficient, including slashing emissions, cutting down on waste, lowering energy consumption, and enhancing the overall experience for visitors.
Electrek’s Take
I love this, and it’s a great example of how e-bikes are perfect for so many different patrol uses among park rangers, police officers, security companies, and other types of official fleet usage.
We’re seeing this more and more, and the reason is obvious: It works. E-bikes are a lot cheaper than alternatives like UTVs, golf carts, or “real” vehicles like cars and trucks. They require significantly less maintenance, and they’re a lot more fun too.
I just hope they mount some extra water bottle holders. I often ride in Florida, and in the summer, I can drink a gallon a day… on an electric bike!
Via: WCJB
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Lucid’s most adventurous vehicle has just arrived. The Lucid Gravity can drive 450 miles on a single charge, comfortably fits seven, and is faster than the average sports car. Lucid promises the new X concept takes the electric family hauler to a new level.
Meet the Lucid Gravity X adventure-ready EV SUV
Lucid has been hyping the new model as “a bold new concept of electric exploration,” describing it as its most adventurous vehicle to date.
At Monterey Car Week on Friday, we finally got our first look at Lucid’s stunning new Gravity X concept. Based on the Lucid Gravity Grand Touring, which features an impressive up to 450 miles of EPA-estimated range, AWD, and a 0 to 60 mph sprint in just 3.4 secs, the X is designed to take you even further.
As Lucid put it, the X “advances this exceptional foundation, exploring what it would be like to push the limits further.
The concept features a new look, lifted ride height, and added off-road elements for all on and off-road adventures. Lucid fine-tuned the front and rear ends to improve approach and departure angles. It also slapped all-terrain tires, protective skid plates, and tow hooks on it, just in case.
Like we first saw in the teaser, the X concept is equipped with an integrated crossbar with LED lights and a roof box.
Lucid says every detail on the new concept was intentional, from the Astral Drift satin paint to the topographical references to Big Spur and Death Valley on the hood.
The interior features upgrades, including premium leather seats, high-performance floor mats, and a microsuede steering wheel.
According to Lucid, the Gravity X, pronounced Gravity Cross, is “ready to go anywhere. Take on everything. And compromise nothing.”
Although it’s just a concept for now, the X gives us a glimpse into a future off-road Gravity trim. As we mentioned earlier this week, Lucid could be preparing to introduce a rugged new variant to compete with Rivian’s California Dune Edition R1S and R1T models.
What do you think of the rugged Gravity X Concept? Should Lucid bring it to life? It wouldn’t be surprising to see a new variant hit the market soon.
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This week on Electrek’s Wheel-E podcast, we discuss the most popular news stories from the world of electric bikes and other nontraditional electric vehicles. This time, that includes new e-bikes from Heybike, the Priority Skyline launch, Segway’s new 50 MPH electric scooter, a Bafang hub motor with automatic shifting, and more.
The Wheel-E podcast returns every two weeks on Electrek’s YouTube channel, Facebook, Linkedin, and Twitter.
As a reminder, we’ll have an accompanying post, like this one, on the site with an embedded link to the live stream. Head to the YouTube channel to get your questions and comments in.
After the show ends, the video will be archived on YouTube and the audio on all your favorite podcast apps:
We also have a Patreon if you want to help us to avoid more ads and invest more in our content. We have some awesome gifts for our Patreons and more coming.
Here are a few of the articles that we will discuss during the Wheel-E podcast today:
Here’s the live stream for today’s episode starting at 9:00 a.m. ET (or the video after 10:00 a.m. ET):
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