EV helps launch solar plane

A fully electric car has been used to help get a solar-powered aircraft off the ground for its Southern Alps flight.

Christchurch-based Archibalds Audi was delighted to supply an e-tron Sportback for the launch after Kea Aerospace, which has its headquarters in the city, got in touch.

The vehicle was used for the Kea Atmos Mk1 to sit atop and, after reaching take-off speed, the unmanned plane was released for testing. 

Kea Aerospace is the only high-altitude flight company based in the southern hemisphere. It hopes its aircraft will be New Zealand’s first capable of flying continuously in the stratosphere for months at a time to collect frequent high-resolution aerial images. 

Archibalds was contacted by a representative of the company in January 2023 with its proposition.

“When they reached out to us, we jumped at the opportunity to assist them in launching the Kea Atmos Mk 1,” says Mark Lincoln, marketing manager at Archibalds Audi. “The e-tron, with its electronic drive, smooth suspension and advanced technology, was the obvious choice.”

On a cold morning last month, Lincoln and Audi centre manager Elliot Smyth – both overdressed in business attire among gumboot-clad Kea Aerospace engineers – met at Springfield Aerodrome, a grassy airstrip in the foothills of the Southern Alps that’s popular with glider enthusiasts.

“Surrounded by frosted mountains and with the sunrise creating a perfect backdrop, it was an incredible experience to see the e-tron silently roll along the runway and launch the Kea Atmos Mk 1 into a cloudless sky,” says Lincoln.

“We were humbled by the experience and thank Kea Aerospace for inviting us to play a small, but important, role in this historic flight. We look forward to seeing what comes next for them.”

New Zealand’s first solar-powered stratospheric aircraft will be a game-changer for collecting high-resolution aerial data, according to Kea Aerospace.

Its uncrewed Kea Atmos Mk 1 has a wingspan of 12.5m, weighs less than 40kg and will cruise at altitudes higher than commercial airliners – up to 50,000ft.

“It’s an exhilarating year for the company as we undertake a range of challenging flight tests on our journey to the stratosphere,” says Mark Rocket, chief executive officer.

The company has been making and flying a range of electric-powered aircraft and high-altitude balloons as part of its programme to build a global fleet of solar-powered uncrewed craft.

In February 2022, its X10 was in the air for 36 hours non-stop and proved perpetual flight capability at low altitudes. Each aircraft will carry a suite of aerial imagery equipment offering advances for many industries and vastly improving data available for use in environmental monitoring, precision agriculture, disaster management and maritime awareness.

Rocket adds: “The Kea Atmos is the first solar-powered stratospheric aircraft designed and built in the southern hemisphere. It’s an incredible challenge to make the aircraft as lightweight as possible to fly in less than 10 per cent of the air density we have at sea level. At the same time, it must be tough enough to handle flying through the fast jet streams.”