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Wider Applications
The mission demonstrated the capability of a solar-powered flying wing, carrying downsized digital imaging systems, to collect and quickly deliver high-resolution imagery over a localized agricultural area, while overcoming challenging conditions posed by tropical cloud dynamics. An additional significant achievement of this mission was safe flight in U.S. National Airspace under supervision of FAA air traffic controllers based in Honolulu.
With continued evolution of regenerative power systems, solar-powered aircraft similar to Pathfinder-Plus could spend long periods over the ocean, monitoring storm developments to provide more accurate hurricane predictions. They may monitor regional croplands to provide timely data on crop condition, serve as early warning systems in forest fire management, provide extended surveillance of key national assets and critical infrastructure, and deliver imagery to guide relief workers in areas struck by natural or manmade disasters.
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