The United States Air Force (USAF) has revealed a new reconnaissance drone that is capable of operating for up to 80 hours in the air without refuelling.

The Unmanned Long-endurance Tactical Reconnaissance Aircraft (ULTRA) was conceived by the Air Force Research Laboratory Center for Rapid Innovation and developed in conjunction with DZYNE Technologies Incorporated.

In tests, ULTRA was capable of carrying over 180kg of payload while flying for 80 hours continuously. The USAF said this makes the drone an “economical” option compared to other surveillance operations that can require multiple aircraft to ensure continued coverage. The drone houses a variety of electro-optical/infrared, radiofrequency and other low-cost sensors to aid in intelligence collection, and can be controlled anywhere on the globe through satellite-based commands.

ULTRA was developed by repurposing a commercial sport glider that is normally manned and converting it to a military unmanned air vehicle. The reliance on...