Aerospace Testing InternationalAerospace Testing International
  • News
    • A-E
      • Acoustic & Vibration
      • Avionics
      • Data Acquisition
      • Defense
      • Drones & Air Taxis
      • Electric & Hybrid
      • EMC
      • Engine Testing
      • Environmental Testing
    • F-L
      • Fatigue Testing
      • Flight Testing
      • Helicopters & Rotorcraft
      • High Speed Imaging
      • Industry News
    • M-S
      • Materials Testing
      • NDT
      • Simulation & Training
      • Software
      • Space
      • Structural Testing
      • Supplier News
    • T-Z
      • Technology
      • Telemetry & Communications
      • Weapons Testing
      • Wind Tunnels
  • Features
  • Magazines
    • March 2025
    • Dec 2024/Jan 2025
    • Showcase 2025
    • September 2024
    • June 2024
    • Archive Issues
    • Subscribe Free!
  • Opinion
  • Webinars
  • Events
    • All Events
    • Aerospace Test & Development Show
  • Podcasts
  • Videos
  • Suppliers
    • Supplier Spotlights
    • Press Releases
    • Technical Papers
  • Jobs
    • Browse Jobs
    • Post a Job – It’s FREE!
    • Manage Jobs (Employers)
LinkedIn YouTube X (Twitter)
LinkedIn YouTube X (Twitter)
Subscribe to magazine Subscribe to email newsletter Media Pack
Aerospace Testing InternationalAerospace Testing International
  • News
      • Acoustic & Vibration
      • Avionics
      • Data Acquisition
      • Defense
      • Drones & Air Taxis
      • Electric & Hybrid
      • EMC
      • Engine Testing
      • Environmental Testing
      • Fatigue Testing
      • Flight Testing
      • Helicopters & Rotorcraft
      • High Speed Imaging
      • Industry News
      • Materials Testing
      • NDT
      • Simulation & Training
      • Software
      • Space
      • Structural Testing
      • Supplier News
      • Technology
      • Telemetry & Communications
      • Weapons Testing
      • Wind Tunnels
  • Features
  • Magazines
    1. March 2025
    2. Dec 2024/Jan 2025
    3. Showcase 2025
    4. September 2024
    5. June 2024
    6. March 2024
    7. Archive Issues
    8. Subscribe Free!
    Featured
    19th March 2025

    In this issue: March 2025

    Online Magazines By Ben Sampson
    Recent

    In this issue: March 2025

    19th March 2025
    contents and front cover of magazine

    In this issue: December / January 2025

    19th December 2024
    Showcase 2025

    In this issue – Showcase 2025

    6th November 2024
  • Opinion
  • Webinars
  • Events
    • All Events
    • Aerospace Test & Development Show
  • Podcasts
  • Videos
  • Suppliers
    • Supplier Spotlights
    • Press Releases
    • Technical Papers
  • Jobs
    • Browse Jobs
    • Post a Job – It’s FREE!
    • Manage Jobs (Employers)
LinkedIn YouTube X (Twitter)
Aerospace Testing InternationalAerospace Testing International
Drones & Air Taxis Flight Testing

Hawk30 high altitude drone reaches new heights during test flight

Ben SampsonBy Ben Sampson8th November 20192 Mins Read
Share LinkedIn Twitter Facebook Email
Hawk30 drone
The Hawk30 high altitude persistent drone during its second test flight (Image: NASA/Carla Thomas)

HAPSMobile has flown its solar-powered high-altitude drone higher and for longer time during a second test flight on October 23, 2019 at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in California.

HAPSMobile is a joint venture between Japan’s SoftBank and USA-based aerospace developer AeroVironment. The company is developing a solar-powered unmanned aircraft capable of staying in the air for months at a time.

Hawk30 has a wingspan of 78m, a cruise speed of 110km/h and is designed to fly at altitudes of around 20km in the stratosphere. The drone is intended for applications such as providing communications.

During the test flight the drone reached altitudes higher than those of the previous flight, and flew continuously for around one hour and 30 minutes. The Hawk30 achieved more than two dozen test points, including 180-degree turns and further validation of avionics, power and propulsion performance.

The flight test team also simulated precise landing control on the runway, similar to its commercial operation concept.

Testing of Hawk30 is expected to  shift to the Hawaiian island of Lanai next and is accelerating preparations to perform stratospheric test flights at Lanai by the end of March 2020.

Junichi Miyakawa, representative director and chief technical officer of SoftBank and president and CEO of HAPSMobile said, “We’re extremely pleased that the second test flight was a success. Seeing the HAWK30 fly gracefully, even under greater turbulence at higher altitudes, has given us confidence for future flights.

“We’ll carefully verify the data from this test and move forward with preparations to conduct stratospheric flight tests. We’ll continue to work toward our ultimate goal of bridging the world’s digital divide and revolutionizing mobile connectivity by leveraging the HAPS platform.”

Share. Twitter LinkedIn Facebook Email
Previous ArticleAirbus expands startup program
Next Article Airbus subsidiary demonstrates delivery by drone in France
Ben Sampson

Ben has worked as a journalist and editor, covering technology, engineering and industry for the last 20 years. Initially writing about subjects from nuclear submarines to autonomous cars to future design and manufacturing technologies, he was editor of a leading UK-based engineering magazine before becoming editor of Aerospace Testing in 2017.

Related Posts

Drones & Air Taxis

Wisk and NASA to partner on US autonomous flight operations and standards

20th May 20252 Mins Read
Drones & Air Taxis

Cranfield team advances in global eVTOL challenge

19th May 20253 Mins Read
Drones & Air Taxis

ANRA receives first U-space service provider certificate

15th May 20253 Mins Read
Latest Posts

AIR cargo eVTOL completes night flight testing

22nd May 2025

Astrolight raises €2.8m to build optical space communications network

22nd May 2025

Industry Adoption of 3D Optical Surface Gauges

21st May 2025
Supplier Spotlights
Our Social Channels
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • LinkedIn
Getting in Touch
  • Subscribe To Magazine
  • Contact Us
  • Meet the Team
  • Media Pack
Related Topics
  • Aircraft Interiors
  • Business Jet Interiors
FREE WEEKLY NEWS EMAIL!

Get the 'best of the week' from this website direct to your inbox every Wednesday

© 2023 Mark Allen Group Ltd | All Rights Reserved
  • Cookie Policy
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms & Conditions

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.