Boeing [BA] is shooting for a flight test for its Phantom Eye hydrogen powered, high-altitude, long-endurance (HALE) unmanned aerial vehicle prototype by the end of 2012, according to a company spokeswoman.
The Phantom Eye performed its first low-speed taxi test on March 10 at Edwards AFB, Calif. Boeing spokeswoman Deborah VanNierop said yesterday in an email the Phantom Eye needs to complete a second medium-speed taxi test and a high-speed taxi test before the company can schedule a test flight.
“Currently, we don’t have a date for the first flight,” VanNierop said. “We are looking to conduct that later this year.”
Mike Rinn, vice president of Boeing’s directed energy systems, told reporters yesterday the Phantom Eye has proceeded through preliminary tests quickly.
“They’ve gone through engine tests, system level tests, all the things you’d imagine to start an unmanned aerial vehicle,” Rinn said. “So it’s happening very rapidly.”
Boeing created the Phantom Eye with the goal of selling it to the U.S. military to fill a capability gap. Rinn said the company is in discussions right now with the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) to show it what capabilities the Phantom Eye can provide. VanNierop wouldn’t comment on why MDA would be interested in a HALE UAV.
“Eventually, we have visions of even crossing over into my world beyond sensors into directed engine systems,” Rinn said.
During its low-speed taxi test traveling atop its launching cart system, the Phantom Eye reached speeds of up to 30 knots as ground teams relayed directions and operations using Boeing’s Common Open-mission Management Command and Control (COMC2) software, according to a company statement.
With its 150-foot wingspan, the Phantom Eye is designed to fly at an altitude of 65,000 feet and stay airborne for as many as seven to 10 days, depending on payload, according to Rinn.