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| Boeing's Phantom Eye |
Boeing’s massive unmanned, liquid hydrogen-fueled Phantom Eye drone completed its first demonstration flight on June 1 at NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center at Edwards Air Force Base in California.
The Phantom Eye Unmanned Airborne System (UAS) has a 150-foot wingspan and is capable of carrying a 450-pound payload, according to the company.
The aircraft’s 28-minute flight began at 6:22 a.m. Pacific time as the liquid-hydrogen powered aircraft lifted off its launch cart, said the company in a June 4 statement. Phantom Eye climbed to an altitude of 4,080 feet and reached a cruising speed of 62 knots, it said, but sustained damage when it landed on a dry lakebed and its landing gear became embedded in the ground and broke, according to the company.
"This day ushers in a new era of persistent Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) where an unmanned aircraft will remain on station for days at a time providing critical information and services," said Darryl Davis, president, Boeing Phantom Works. "This flight puts Boeing on a path to accomplish another aerospace first -- the capability of four days of unrefueled, autonomous flight."
Phantom Eye, said the company, is the latest in a series of Boeing-funded rapid prototyping programs, which include Phantom Ray, Echo Ranger, ScanEagle Compressed Carriage, and an associated Common Open Mission Management Command and Control (COMC2) system capable of managing all of the company's unmanned assets.
The flight took place after a series of April taxi tests that validated ground guidance, navigation and control, mission planning, pilot interface and operational procedures, said the company.
"This flight demonstrated Phantom Eye's initial handling and maneuverability capabilities," said Phantom Eye program manager Drew Mallow. "The team is now analyzing data from the mission and preparing for our next flight. When we fly the demonstrator again, we will enter higher and more demanding envelopes of high-altitude flight."
The company said Phantom Eye's innovative liquid-hydrogen propulsion system will allow the aircraft to stay on station for up to four days while providing persistent monitoring over large areas at a ceiling of up to 65,000 feet, creating only water as a byproduct.
