Drone with wingspan of Boeing 747 flies 74 hours non-stop using only solar power

Planes need fuel. Lots of it. This solar-powered drone, called Skydweller, doesn’t.

The US-built drone just stayed in the sky for more than three days straight – no gas, no pit stops. Just sunlight and batteries doing their thing.

Its wings stretch wider than a Boeing 747, which is insane when you remember it’s not even carrying people.

And the craziest part? The makers are aiming for flights that last months, not days.

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The record-breaking solar-powered drone

Built by US-based aerospace startup Skydweller Aero, Skydweller is the biggest solar-powered aircraft in the world. 

In recent tests, the solar-powered drone refused to come down. 

One mission lasted 73 hours, the next 74. After four flights, it racked up 222 hours… without burning a drop of fuel.

But how? The answer is its carbon fiber body with 17,000 solar cells built into the wings, pushing out up to 100 kilowatts. 

By day, the sun runs the propellers and charges a 1,400lb battery pack. At night, the drone runs off batteries until the sun’s back. Rinse and repeat.

The idea is ‘perpetual flight’ – and it’s not just a stunt – Skydweller reckons its drones could stay airborne 30, 60, maybe even 90 days before touching down for maintenance. 

And this isn’t a paperweight. It can carry almost 900lbs of gear – a huge leap compared to earlier solar drones, which could barely lift anything beyond a camera.

Think of a flying satellite that doesn’t cost a rocket launch.

The US Navy is already testing the Skydweller. And compared to the Global Hawk, a jet drone that tops out at 30 hours, it’s basically god-tier. 

Plus, it runs AI on board, so it can sift through data before sending anything home. 

Longer flights = smarter flights.

Drones rewriting what’s possible

Skydweller might be chasing forever, but drones everywhere are smashing limits. 

A UK-built explorer drone just flew into parts of Antarctica people couldn’t reach, coming back with fresh maps and data that could rewrite Earth’s history books.

Over in Abu Dhabi, an autonomous AI drone straight-up beat human pilots in a race. Not practice. Not a demo. A proper championship. And the robot won.

And the same city also pulled off the first passenger-carrying drone flights, with real people on board. 

Skydweller’s record might be one of the wildest yet, but it’s just one chapter. The sky’s already full – and it’s not just planes up there anymore.

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