Boeing Phantom Eye Preps For Ground Testing

Aviation Week and Space Technology ^ | 7/13/2010 | Amy Butler

[ErnstStavroBlofeld]

Boeing’s hydrogen-powered, high-altitude Phantom Eye unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) demonstrator will be shipped to NASA’s Dryden Flight Research Center at Edwards AFB, Calif., in preparation for a series of ground tests this summer.

The company unveiled the aircraft to employees during a ceremony July 12 in St. Louis.

First flight of the aircraft, expected to last up to 8 hr., is slated for early 2011. Prior to that milestone, officials will run the aircraft through ground and taxi tests. The ultimate goal is to fly the aircraft for 96 hr., possibly next spring. Objective altitude is around 65,000 ft.

Powered by two 2.3-liter, four-cylinder engines designed for use on the Ford Ranger truck, Phantom Eye is targeting fuel-efficient, long-endurance design, says Darryl Davis, president of Boeing’s Phantom Works advanced concepts group. During brief remarks to employees July 12, Davis said that the Phantom Eye could lead to an objective system capable of achieving 24-hours-a-day, seven-days-a-week coverage of an area year round with up to four aircraft.

“Such an aircraft would immediately eliminate the current need to base aircraft in theater, thereby eliminating the need for global basing and a global supply chain,” Davis told employees.

[ErnstStavroBlofeld]

Ping

[MrPiper]

Powered by two 2.3-liter, four-cylinder engines designed for use on the Ford Ranger truck, Phantom Eye is targeting fuel-efficient, long-endurance design, says Darryl Davis, president of Boeing’s Phantom Works

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[taildragger]

No, from the pictures shown on one mil type website, they look like the "Duratec" InLine fours. Or, is that a smoke-screen for the 2.2 / 2.3L Eco-Boost that will be used this fall in 2011 Explorer and Edge.

Either way, Ford who's CEO Mulally came from Boeing, is now a Military/UAV engine supplier albeit this maybe a one-off. I do not know the production intent.

If production is reached, what is good for the supplier is the spare parts buys that accompany the initial run rates.

IMHO big Kudo's for Ford engines can declare airborne status given the duty cycle the that piston aviation engines run at. Not all auto engines make good aircraft engines, the conversion process can reveal design flaws or the conversion itself can have issues of it's own.

Either way, I do not see a DCC or GM engine in a Military/UAV app.

Big bragging rights IMHO

[GonzoGOP]

Strange looking bird. Kinda like a balloon on a stick.

[MrPiper]

No, from the pictures shown on one mil type website, they look like the "Duratec" InLine fours.

That was a quote from the article,, I found that a little strange.