Phantom Eye, United States of America

A high-altitude long-endurance unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), the Phantom Eye is designed and manufactured by Boeing Phantom Works, US. The UAV will perform intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) missions in Afghanistan for US defence forces. It is the first fixed-wing UAV to utilise a liquid hydrogen fuel system.

The maiden flight of the Phantom Eye is scheduled for early 2011. It will last for four to eight hours. Flying at a maximum altitude of 65,000ft (19,812m), the UAV can provide its operators with real-time intelligence data by performing surveillance, reconnaissance and communication over a large area.

The UAV is derived from its predecessor, the Boeing Condor, which has the recorded highest altitudes and endurance tests in late 1980.

Stratospheric operations

Phantom Eye is designed to operate in the stratosphere over a specific area. It can be used for both military and commercial application by making a few modifications in the payloads. About 60%-70% of the UAV is designed as an objective system.

The UAV can carry 450lb (204kg) of payload and its wingspan is 150ft (46m). The fuselage circumference can be increased to accommodate two 2.4m diameter hydrogen tanks.

Altitude chamber testing

The turbo chargers and engine control system completed 80 hours of testing in an altitude chamber in March 2010. The testing has allowed the engine to be fitted on the Phantom UAV. Development of the Phantom Eye began in March 2010 after undergoing five years of technical development.

Phantom Eye was first unveiled to the public on 12 July 2010 at the Boeing facility in St Louis, Missouri, US. It will be transferred to Nasa's Dryden Flight Research Center at Edwards Air Force Base in September 2010 to carry out ground and flight testing. Phantom Eye is expected to enter into service in 2012. The fighter-sized HALE UAV, Phantom Ray will be developed by the Boeing Phantom Works as an extended version of the Phantom Eye. It will carry a 2,000lb payload for ten days and serve as a test bed for modern technologies.

Phantom Ray is derived from the X-45C programme. The UAV was launched in May 2010 to meet US Air Force requirements and its maiden flight is scheduled for December 2010.

Manual and auto control

The Phantom Eye UAV can be controlled either manually from the ground control station or through autonomous mode. It will be incorporated with an automatic launch and recovery (ALR) system which aids in automatic safe landing in the event of communication failure with the GCS.

Electro-optical sensors

The UAV will be equipped with EO (electro-optical) and IR (infrared) sensors. Light rays will be converted into electronic signals by electro optical sensors for capturing images, real-time data and videos.

Engines

The UAV will be powered by two Strap-on Ford 2.3l motor vehicle engines. Each engine will produce 150hp (111kW) of output power. The propulsion system will feature four cylinders and an array of hydrogen fuel cells. The hydrogen-powered engine will be fuel efficient and reduce the carbon footprint by emitting water rather than carbon dioxide or carbon monoxide.

Ground control station

The real-time data provided by the Phantom Eye will be retrieved, processed and stored at the ground control station (GCS). The GCS is being manufactured by Boeing Phantom Works, US. The  captured real-time intelligence data will be transmitted to the ground control station through a satellite communication datalink.

Phantom Eye performance

The UAV can fly at a maximum cruise speed of 277km/h. Its maximum endurance will be four or eight hours. The maximum take-off weight of the Phantom Eye UAV will be 204kg.

Contractors

Aurora Flight Sciences is the prime contractor involved in the manufacture of wings for the Phantom Eye. Ball Aerospace and Turbosolutions Engineering will construct fuel tanks and turbochargers respectively. Propulsion controls will be developed by Mahle Powertrain.