The US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is developing an unmanned aircraft called Vulture that is intended to stay airborne for over 5 years. DARPA hopes Vulture will change the paradigm of aircraft by remaining continuously airborne rather than using the traditional launch, recovery, maintenance cycle. Vulture is designed to act as a "pseudo-satellite" operating in the stratosphere at 65,000 feet, which would provide improved communication capabilities over satellites in low earth orbit. Major challenges for engineers are developing power systems for the aircraft's long flights and designing structures that can withstand deterioration in the stratosphere.

1. 9525-47625Source: divice.com/pics/darpa_vulture<br /> Vulture - The Unmanned Aircraft <br />Presently, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) of the United States is making efforts to develop an unmanned aircraft. The main objective behind this creation is to make this aircraft stay in air for a duration of more than five years. According to the DARPA, due to the Persistent Pseudo-Satellite Capability of this aircraft, it will be known as VULTURE.<br />US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency looks forward to push the limits of unmanned aviation to extremes. The latest UAV project of DARPA currently raises eyebrows.<br />Daniel Newman: The Man Behind VULTURE <br />quot;
We want to completely change the paradigm of how we think of aircraft”. It looks that its time to get out of the traditional “launch – recover – maintain – launch cycle of aircrafts.<br />One of the marked difference between the aircraft and satellite is that the former is not regulated by orbital mechanics while the latter is.<br />Concept behind VULTURE:<br />“VULTURE can be thought of as a ‘pseudo-satellite’ whose operation in the stratosphere and not in <br />the low earth orbit, would give a 65dB upgrading in communication capabilities and consequently leading to a considerable increased onboard sensor resolution. VULTURE could be positioned over the battle at 65,000ft versus 260 miles.” stated Wade Pulliam of DARPA.<br />Besides problems with providing power to the craft, engineers are working on maximizing aero-structural efficiency and avoiding the deterioration of materials during their long-time exposure to stratospheric flight. <br />Major Obstacles in project:<br />This will be the one of the best invention but there are also some major problems in order to achieving this project.<br />One of the serious problems for designers is to figure this aircraft in such a way to supply power to this aircraft during the long missions.<br />Another problem is that this aircraft will carry 1000 pound payload in winds at an altitude of 60,000 to 90,000 feet.<br />Links available: <br />www.youtube.com/watch?v=i6nw8nxZD5M<br />The Unmanned Aircraft able to stay in the air for 5 years-Technology-InfoNIAC-Latest Inventions.htm<br />