Stennis, Mississippi – In a landmark demonstration of endurance and autonomy, the U.S. Navy, in collaboration with Skydweller Aero, has completed a 73-hour non-stop flight of a solar-powered drone designed for long-range maritime intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) missions.
The flight, conducted by the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWCAD) from the Naval Air Facility in Stennis, Mississippi, marks a significant milestone in the development of energy-independent unmanned aerial systems. The successful test highlights the drone’s ability to maintain a positive energy balance throughout day and night cycles without any external refueling or human intervention—even in challenging weather conditions.
Derived from the Solar Impulse 2, the Skydweller platform is a next-generation autonomous aircraft optimized for wide-area maritime surveillance. It features a wingspan of 72 meters and is covered in over 17,000 photovoltaic cells capable of generating up to 100 kilowatts of solar power. This energy is stored in 635 kg of lithium-ion batteries, enabling uninterrupted flight through night operations.
Weighing approximately 2,500 kg at takeoff, Skydweller can carry a mission payload of up to 360 kg, including electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) sensors, maritime radar, AIS receivers, and communications relay systems. Operating at altitudes between 7,500 and 13,500 meters, the aircraft is designed for mission durations exceeding 30 days.
The Navy has been working with Skydweller Aero since 2020 under U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) to address persistent maritime surveillance needs, including counter-narcotics operations, border monitoring, and surveillance in logistically constrained environments. The drone’s lightweight carbon fiber structure, quad-redundant flight control systems, and self-healing code capabilities ensure resilience in degraded or contested conditions.
“Skydweller demonstrates how innovation and strategic partnerships can rapidly translate into practical operational capabilities,” said Rear Admiral Todd Evans, Commander of NAWCAD. “This successful test is a step forward in achieving persistent, distributed, and resilient ISR operations.”
The Skydweller platform’s minimal logistical footprint, combined with its renewable energy architecture, makes it ideal for forward-deployed operations in areas lacking infrastructure or where access to bases is limited. Its integration into the Navy’s ISR architecture supports a broader vision of a layered surveillance network, enhancing situational awareness while optimizing the use of manned and unmanned assets.
Further flight evaluations are scheduled for the summer in SOUTHCOM’s area of responsibility. As global maritime threats evolve and the demand for continuous ISR increases, Skydweller stands as a promising solution for sustained surveillance with reduced dependency on fuel and logistics chains.
