A new but unofficial world record for the longest continuous unmanned flight has been set up by British-built spy plane. The aircraft, which was powered by solar panels and a rechargeable battery at night, remained in air for approximately 82 hours and 37 minutes (three and a half days).

The name of the aircraft has been reported as Zephyr, and this record set by it at US army’s Yuma ground in Arizona, was actually to see its ability to relay ground radio messages. However, in spite of it doubling the record time, all the requirements to fulfill the conditions of a world record was not achieved by Zephyr.

But the aircraft’s designers at the defense firm QinetiQ, in the UK, informed that the plane could fly indefinitely. Paul Davey, Zephyr's business development director at QinetiQ, reported, “We think the aircraft, in future, will be capable of weeks or months duration.”

So far, £20m have been funded in by the Ministry of Defense for the development of Zephyr. Davey also informed, “The challenge had been to make an exceptionally light aircraft - it weighs 30kg (66lbs) - strong enough to carry a payload of up to 2kg to about 60,000ft.”

The flight has a carbon fibre frame and is coated and covered in super-light solar arrays which is even thinner than paper. Zephyr which has been launched by three people has a rechargeable battery, which is twice as efficient as any other in the world.