Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
Small Unmanned Aircraft Sets 56-Hour Flight Record
The Vanilla Aircraft VA001 landed with more than half of its JP-8 fuel still available for a longer mission.
The VA001 is being developed for military surveillance and communications plus commercial missions. (Photo: Vanilla Aircraft)
The VA001 is being developed for military surveillance and communications plus commercial missions. (Photo: Vanilla Aircraft)

The U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (Darpa) and its developer reported this month that a small unmanned aircraft powered by a heavy-fuel engine flew for 56 hours without refueling, setting an apparent flight record for its subclass. Vanilla Aircraft, based at Falls Church in Virginia, is developing the VA001 for military communications and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) missions as well as commercial remote-sensing applications.