This drone is a "flying battery" that can stay in the sky for 2 hours

A big inconvenience for drone owners is the little time you can keep your bird in the sky before the juice runs out.

Most today's remote-control copters can only stay in the sky about 30 minutes high, so buying a few extra batteries is a necessity for most pilots who order their machines.

But Impossible Aerospace says it can change all that.

The start-up based in Sunnyvale, Calif., Announced Monday a battery-powered quadcopter capable of staying in the sky for two hours on a single charge, or 78 minutes with a payload of 3 pounds.

Designed by experienced Tesla and SpaceX engineers, the US-1 drone is, in simple terms, a battery with propellers. Indeed, the "battery first" approach was essential to the development of the machine.

"The US-1 is more than just a drone – it's the first aircraft designed to be electric, using existing battery cells without compromise," Spencer Gore, CEO of Impossible Aerospace, said in a statement. communicated. "It's not really an airplane but a flying battery, exploiting an energy source that also serves as the main structure."

The CEO said that this is how electric planes will have to be built to compete with conventional designs and replace petroleum-based fuels in aviation. Gore alluded to plans to integrate technology into larger aircraft, which could lead to a major change in the aviation industry.

The drone US-1

With its 26-inch frame, the US-1 has a top speed of 42 mph and weighs 15.7 pounds, which makes it about five times heavier than the DJI Phantom 4 Pro. ionic battery

Founded in 2016, Impossible Aerospace is targeting its machine on the commercial market and claims to have already received orders from firefighters, police and search and rescue teams. Major accessories such as optical and thermal sensors are also part of the US-1 offering and delivery to customers is expected later this year.

An advantage for companies concerned with privacy and national security issues is that the US-1 will be designed and assembled entirely in the United States.

But at $ 7,500 for the base model, the drone is not cheap. If potential customers are attracted by the extended flight time of the US-1, for example, DJI's Inspire 2, which offers 27 minutes of flight at less than half the cost, could be the key to the success of the drone.