Queensland drone manufacturer V-Tol Aerospace announced its Pegasus Mk.I drone has completed a long-endurance flight of almost two hours and more than 75 kilometres, powered by Li-S Energy’s lithium-sulphur batteries and a first-generation array of perovskite modules fabricated by Halocell Energy.
The twin-motor, five-metre wingspan Pegasus combines an airframe and power systems developed by V-Tol with an ultra-lightweight perovskite solar cell array fabricated by Halocell and a 382 Wh lithium sulphur battery pack and management system designed and built by Li-S.
The collaboration, funded by a $1.35 million (USD 940,000) grant under the Australian government’s Emerging Aviation Technology Partnerships (EATP) program, aims to develop drones that could be used for a range of commercial applications, including surveillance and security in remote and regional areas.
V-Tol said the Pegasus recently completed several successful flight programs in Queensland, culminating in a long-endurance flight of almost two hours across 75 km
The drone was fitted with a single Li-S Energy battery pack featuring 10Ah Li-S cells, with a nominal pack voltage of 11.4 V, a capacity of 20 Ah, and a weight of 550 grams at a pack level.
An array of perovskite solar cells manufactured by Halocell at its production facility at Wagga Wagga in New South Wales was integrated directly across the aircraft’s skin. Halocell said its lightweight perovskite modules are well suited to applications like this, where extending endurance without the weight and bulk of conventional panels really matters.
During the flight, V-Tol’s power management system switched between powertrain modes and recovered energy from the solar array when conditions allowed, supplementing the battery and extending the aircraft’s range.
“The Pegasus flew exactly as our team designed it to,” V-Tol Managing Director Mark Xavier said. “Our airframe and power systems performed faultlessly throughout the flight, and pairing them with Li-S Energy’s new lightweight pouch cell battery system gives the platform an endurance advantage operators will immediately recognise.”
“Our focus now turns to the pathway from successful trials to commercial platform sales.”
The initial flights relied on one battery pack, but the Pegasus can hold two. The team calculates that doubling the battery capacity and deploying next-generation solar coatings could transform the drone’s operational footprint. Future models are expected to fly for five to eight hours, covering distances up to 250 km on a single deployment.
V-Tol said this defines the critical pathway of reaching a long-endurance high-range platform that is purpose built for mapping and surveillance for the agricultural, utilities, and environmental industries.
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