New solar-powered airship stays airborne for 12 days at 52,000-ft altitude in test: The company’s airships could eventually fly for years at a time, providing crucial data for disaster response. (Chris Young, Apr 14, 2026, Interesting Engineering)
According to a press statement, Sceye’s airships are designed to stay aloft for months or even years at a time. The 270-ft-long SE2 has solar cells on its upper side that generate power to charge lithium-sulfur batteries. These 425-Wh/kg batteries provide power for an electrically driven tail-mounted propeller.
During its 12-day journey, SE2 completed one full day-night diurnal cycle over New Mexico and three consecutive diurnals off the Brazilian coast. Sceye claimed that it now has all the data its needs to advance to months-long flights.