Lockheed Martin Stalker VXE Drone sets world record 39-hour flight in its class

1 min read

Lockheed Martin Stalker VXE Drone sets world record 39-hour flight in its class

The Lockheed Martin Stalker VXE drone has set a world record in February by flying for 39 hours non-stop. The Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI) has received Lockheed’s submission for the endurance record in the Group 2 (5 to <25-kilogram) category. The company says the flight was possible with its external, wing-mounted fuel tank.

Lockheed Martin Skunk Works demonstrated the expanded endurance capabilities of a specially configured Lockheed Martin Stalker VXE Drone through a world record endurance flight on Feb. 18, 2022, at the Santa Margarita Ranch in California.

Lockheed Martin Stalker VXE Drone sets world record 39-hour flight in its class

The flight establishes a new record in the Group 2 (5 to <25-kilogram) category with a flight time of 39 hours, 17 minutes and 7 seconds. The flight has been submitted for certification to the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI), the world sanctioning body for aviation records, through its U.S. affiliate, the National Aeronautic Association.

Lockheed Martin Stalker VXE Drone sets world record 39-hour flight in its class

A production Stalker VXE was modified with an external, wing-mounted fuel tank for this record-setting flight. The flight provided valuable insight for improvements to Stalker VXE to scale its mission capabilities for the future.