BAE Systems acquires solar drone partner Prismatic

The Phasa-35 project has been underway since May of last year, and over this period BAE and Prismatic have built two full-scale prototypes with 35m wingspans which are now undergoing systems integration tests at BAE’s facility in Wharton, Lancashire, ahead of planned flight trials early next year. Financial details of the acquisition of Prismatic have not been disclosed, but Paul Brooks, founder and chief executive of the Alton, Hampshire-based company says the transition to a subsidiary of BAE Systems gives his staff access to expertise in systems integration, productionisation and other disciplines that will help the project reach its deployment phase much faster.

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Further reading

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Weighing just 150kg, Phasa-35 (Phasa stands for persistent high altitude solar aircraft) is powered by solar panels during the day which charge batteries that run the engines at night. Operating in the upper regions of the Earth’s atmosphere, the aircraft has the potential to deliver 5G network connectivity, as was providing services such as persistent surveillance, and much less than the cost of deploying a satellite.