Skydweller Aero continues autonomous maritime patrol aircraft flight tests

Skydweller Aero, an aerospace company developing a fleet of solar-powered uncrewed aircraft capable of performing extreme endurance flights with heavy, powerful payloads, has continued autonomous maritime patrol aircraft (AMPA) flight tests of the Skydweller unmanned aerial system (UAS) with operational military payloads integrated onboard.

Skydweller is conducting flight tests out of Stennis International Airport in the U.S. in preparation for operations in 2025, Robert Miller, CEO and Co-Founder of Skydweller Aero, revealed, adding: “The resilience and robust design of our aircraft allow us to operate a multi-INT sensor suite of payloads throughout the winter, and we expect to conduct multi-day demonstrations in early 2025 over operationally relevant areas.”

These flights follow autonomous flight trials conducted in late summer and fall of 2024. As disclosed, the company completed six flights between August 22 and September 22, four of which were fully autonomous. The longest missions lasted 16 and 22.5 hours respectively, demonstrating the aircraft’s operational effectiveness over land and offshore environments, as well as at altitudes of up to 33,000 feet.

“The aircraft maintained an impressive operational tempo, flying on average one mission every five days. This performance showcases the reliability and ease of maintenance of our platform. Flying in close proximity to Mississippi thunderstorms allowed us to test and enhance our weather-avoidance systems, Skydweller’s ability to navigate these conditions highlights its operational value, especially in tropical regions during hurricane and typhoon seasons,” Miller stated.

“This ability to navigate around dynamic weather patterns is vital for missions that require flight in challenging environments; avoiding sudden thunderstorms is similar to evading air defenses. And unlike many other uncrewed aircraft, we are not limited to clear-sky operations in controlled environments, like the Arizona or New Mexico deserts, but will operate in operationally relevant theaters.”

Note that, according to the company, the Skydweller is distinguished by its “durable design, exceptional payload capacity and substantial power output for mission-critical systems,” offering kilowatts of continuous power for payloads.

Barry Matsumori, President & COO of Skydweller Aero, said: “Skydweller’s capabilities have been consistently validated through rigorous flight testing, achieving significant milestones without any safety incidents. By leveraging our team’s deep expertise in aeroelastics, flight control systems, mission systems, and autonomy, we are developing what we believe to be the world’s first operationally viable perpetual flight platform—designed to serve the needs of both government and commercial markets.”