Solar plane makes inaugural flight

A solar-powered plane that will be taken on a round-the-world journey in 2015 has taken off on its inaugural flight on Monday, BBC News reported.

The Solar Impulse 2 lifted off from Payerne airfield in Switzerland.

It is a larger, upgraded version of the aircraft that flew across America last year with adventurers Bertrand Piccard and Andre Borschbergat the controls.

The two men want to push the boundaries for alternative energy and believe their plane can be a standard bearer.

For the maiden flight, test pilot Markus Scherdel was in the cockpit of the Solar Impulse. Wheels up occurred at about 03:30 GMT (04:30 BST; 05:30 CEST).

It follows weeks of ground and taxi tests, which have seen the vehicle run up to near take-off speed. This had satisfied project leaders that the craft's systems were ready to go airborne.

The carbon-fibre aircraft has a huge wingspan, which at 72m is wider than a Boeing 747 jet. And yet, the vehicle weighs only 2.3 tonnes.

The tops of the wings are covered by 17,000 solar cells, which drive four brushless electric motors at speeds of up to 140km/h (90mph).

During the day, the solar cells will recharge lithium batteries, which can then be used to keep the SI2’s propellers turning through the night.