Alteon is developing a drone that can remain airborne for months over the ocean without refueling or ground recharging. The aircraft uses dynamic soaring, a technique inspired by albatrosses, to extract energy from wind speed differences at various altitudes above the sea surface.
The drone features a wing span of approximately three meters. It maintains flight by cyclically gaining altitude and then descending through air layers of different speeds, which compensates for aerodynamic losses with wind energy and minimizes engine use.
The company has already tested the system over the the Bay of Bengal. During these tests, the drone independently completed seven cycles of dynamic soaring, reaching speeds exceeding 100 km/h and occasionally flying as low as one meter above the water surface.
The startup's next goal is to achieve fully energy-neutral dynamic soaring, where the drone performs cycles without any engine assistance. The team also plans to implement wind turbines in thes propellers to charge batteries during flight using excess energy.
If scaled, these drones will be able to patrol remote marine areas for months. Alteon identifies potential applications such as border surveillance, monitoring fishing vessels, and collecting meteorological and oceanographic data.
