UAV programme · In development

Phoenix
solar-powered reconnaissance UAV

A solar-powered platform for long daylight endurance — carrying an electro-optical payload with satellite connectivity for live video beyond the reach of ground radios. Conceived for forest-fire overwatch; built with dual-use capability in mind.

Phoenix solar reconnaissance UAV — Aurora heritage
Solar-powered
Extended endurance
Live
Data via satcom
Long range
Beyond line of sight

Persistent eyes when every minute counts

When events unfold over hours, a short battery flight isn’t enough. Phoenix is designed to remain on station through the day, image the scene below, and stream that picture in real time — wherever the aircraft is relative to the nearest tower.

Sunlit landscape from altitude — daylight endurance

Solar endurance

Continuous daylight operation — hours on station, not a brief sortie.

Field satcom terminal under open sky

EO with satcom

Live imaging with a satellite downlink beyond ground-radio range.

Fire-response coordination in the field

Mission-led design

Built for wildfire overwatch — ready for broader security roles.

From the fire line to the wider picture

  • Forest-fire monitoring — daylight overwatch and live imagery for teams coordinating response
  • Situational awareness — evolving views of smoke, access and affected ground as conditions change
  • Defence & security — long-range reconnaissance where endurance and beyond-horizon connectivity matter
Live EO feed of a forest fire from altitude — satcom downlink concept

Phoenix builds on experience from our solar UAV work for the Photon HAPS programme — including the Aurora demonstrator’s long-endurance flights. See the Aurora pathfinder on Photon.

Aurora technology demonstrator — solar UAV heritage for Phoenix

Defining the aircraft that will fly

The programme is in active concept and early design. Airframe, energy budget and the imaging–satcom stack are being shaped together — with manufacturing and electronics handled in-house.

  • Requirements anchored on forest-fire monitoring as the primary mission
  • Solar and systems heritage carried forward from our HAPS development line
  • Open to mission partners and early collaborators

Bring your mission. Shape the platform

Whether you work fire response, environmental monitoring or dual-use ISR — if all-day presence and a live downlink would change how you operate, we’d like to hear from you.

Get in touch