Page 1 - Aerotech News and Review, October 15, 2021

Aerotech News
Aerotech News
Aerotech News

Journal of Aerospace, Defense Industry and Veteran News
and Review
and Review

Sweet success:

Vanilla Unmanned completes 8-day record flight

Air Force photograph by Josh McClanahan
Above: A Vanilla unmanned aircraft system launches from the
Rogers Dry Lakebed on Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., Sept.
24, 2021. The aircraft broke the world record for unrefueled,
internal combustion endurance of an unmanned aircraft with a
total continuous flight time of 8 days, 50 minutes, and 47 seconds,
and 12,200 miles, Oct. 2, 2021. Right: The Vanilla unmanned
aircraft system landed at Edwards on Oct. 2, 2021.

by Giancarlo Casem
Edwards AFB, Calif.
Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., is the place where history was
made.
And that tradition continues in the 21st century as the Vanilla
Unmanned aircraft made history at the base Oct. 2, with a success-
ful eight-day long continuous flight.
The official flight time was 8 days, 50 minutes, and 47 seconds,
and covered 12,200 miles in continuous flight, breaking the world
record for unrefueled, internal combustion endurance of an un-
manned aircraft.
“We are extremely proud of Platform Aerospace’s historic
achievement,” said Lt. Col. Adam Brooks, Emerging Technologies
Combined Test Force Director. “While the world record is excit-
ing in and of itself, it is more important that we realize what this
endurance ability means for our Joint Services who need persistent
ISR capabilities immediately.”
See VANILLA, Page 2
Air Force photograph by Bryce Bennett

October 15, 2021 • Volume 36, Issue 21 Serving the aerospace industry since 1986 Use your smartphone to connect to
www.aerotechnews.com www.facebook.com/aerotechnews our Website.