The BBC has an article on a solar powered airplane which can serves as a sensor platform. It has demonstrated the ability to stay up for three days, storing power in batteries during the day to power the system at night. It should be possible for the device to stay in flight for months. While developed for the Department of Defense, the technology should also be available for civilian application.
This technology appears likely eventually to provide a great source of observation data for developing nations for a host of applications, from agriculture, to urban planning, to disaster response.
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