Article Posted on : - Mar 15, 2012

Boeing Phantom Eye. Photo: NASA.

EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE (BNS): The Phantom Eye high altitude long endurance (HALE) unmanned aerial vehicle has conducted its first medium-speed taxi test.

The hydrogen-powered aircraft is designed for persistent intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR), and communications.

The test was conducted on March 10 at Edwards Air Force Base in coordination with the NASA Dryden Flight Research Centre, Boeing said.

Phantom Eye, travelling atop its launching cart system, reached speeds of up to 30 knots as ground teams' relayed directions and information using Boeing's advanced Common Open-mission Management Command and Control (COMC2) software.

With its 150-foot wingspan, Phantom Eye is designed to fly at an altitude of up to 65,000 feet and stay airborne for up to four days while carrying a 450-pound payload.

"Phantom Eye's hydrogen-powered propulsion system, matched with its exceptional fuel economy and robust endurance, ushers in a new realm of possibilities for potential customers' long-endurance ISR missions," said James Dodd, Advanced Boeing Military Aircraft vice president, Boeing Phantom Works.