India plans for solar-powered UAVs to fly few days nonstop

India is currently designing solar-powered UAVs spy plane to fly for several days in the air, after development of its Stealth Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicles. This unmanned solar powered aircraft, in addition to environmentally friendly, it also to cut operating costs and to help India's military intelligence.

The HALE Solar-powered UAVs will offers high-altitude, long endurance, and provide flexible 24x7 ISTAR (intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance), which would be closer orbit to the ground. It is planned to fly continuously for 15 days over a height of 30,000 feet. During the day, drones will harvest the abundant solar energy to be stored in a fuel cell that can be used to power the aircraft electric motor at night.

India will cooperate with companies in the U.S. or Europe to develop solar efficiency in relation to energy use for the completeness of the aircraft such as sensors, cameras and others. Previously UAVs, Nishant which has endurance level up to 4.5 hours also bring the electro-optical, electronic intelligence and communications intelligence payloads.