Then HB-SIB, Solar Impulse 2, flew around the world in 2015-16.
All this with much fanfare.
Much more discrete was the sale of HB-SIB in September last year to the little known Skydweller Aero Inc. A US company incorporated in Delaware in March 2019 with as business address a building with rental offices in Alexandria VA.
The intention of Skydweller is to develop autonomous drones, referred to as low level satellites with “perpetual” persistence, or more correctly remaining on station for weeks and months relying on the solar energy alone.
Since the purchase of SI2, Skydweller is referred to as a Spanish-US company and the plane is being re-assembled in a temporary hangar at the Albacete airport, known by some as Los Llanos Airbase – now the home base for the NATO TLP.
Leonardo (Finmeccanica / ThalesAlenia / AgustaWestland, …) has acquired a 15% stake in Skydweller.
According to Spanish sources the plane will then be moved to Valdepenas airport, always in Castilla-la Mancha south of Madrid.
https://www.latribunadeciudadreal.es/No ... ar-Impulse
The Skydweller web site is minimal to say the least : https://skydweller.aero/?lang=es
To be followed …
H.A.