The longest an airplane has remained in the air is 9 days and that was accomplished by Burt and Dick Ruton’s Voyager back in 1986. The plane had flown around the world without refueling for nearly 25,000 miles. Records are made to be broken and the Odysseus hopes to break this record over 20 years later.

Pentagon’s advanced-research organization, Darpa, has opened a competition challenging the aviation industry to make them an aircraft that would not just break the Voyager’s record but put it to shame. The Vulture program invites the creation of unmanned surveillance and communication crafts that would stay airborne for five years and be completely solar powered.

The Odysseus, designed by Aurora, is made of three pieces, each 164 foot wide, and has a cruising speed of 140mph at 70,000ft. The three pieces of the folding plane would take off separately and dock at a calmer atmosphere, after which it can continue flying for the desired amount of time. The three-piece structure of the craft would make it easier for repairs in case of damage or upgrades and also allows it the ability to shift shape to catch maximum solar energy through the solar panels (layering on top of the plane).

Via: PopSci