Hello, Transferring You to the Air Force Management Center

It was a little past 4 AM.

Chen Yi finished the final spraying process.

This was a 0.34-millimeter layer of beryllium oxide ceramic.

Thanks to the ceramic material's excellent high-temperature resistance, the drone could easily isolate itself from the heat of supersonic thermal barriers.

At the same time, the transparent and thin beryllium oxide would not affect the solar cell film's absorption of sunlight.

"The high-temperature performance of the solar cell film is much better than the resin in carbon fiber materials."

"This thermal barrier protective coating reduced the thickness by 0.28 millimeters."

Chen Yi looked at the new drone, crafted over more than ten hours from 3 PM yesterday to this morning, a hint of joy in his eyes.

[Item: Beyond Endurance--Light Energy Ghost Drone!]

[Attributes: Energy x49.1, Speed x10.3, Quality x29, Stability x43, Strength x21, Communication x31.7, Radar Imaging x36.6, Avionics x34.5, Aesthetics x11.8, Endurance Supplement x69.6]

[Note: This is a drone that surpasses endurance and imagination. Its energy does not come from the ground, but from the fiercely burning sun, 150 million kilometers away.

With an average daily endurance supplement of over 70 kilowatt-hours for ten hours, as long as the speed and consumption are slightly controlled, it can become an almost permanent aerial fortress.

Of course, the light conversion rate, which has nearly reached the physical limit of materials, combined with the concentrating structure's unpredictable distortion of incident and reflected light angles.

This grants it optical stealth capabilities, allowing it to conceal most of its form. Whether detected by radar or observed by the human eye, it appears as a blurry, ghost-like presence.]

"Truly monstrous."

Chen Yi looked at the drone's description and removed his immersive AR glasses, which were the sunglasses model for today.

The drone, which had been clear moments before.

Suddenly became blurry and flickering.

The overall impression was like a mosaic, constantly flickering and shifting, completely losing all original details.

One could imagine

that even if a radar scan swept over such a drone.

It would be naturally filtered out as environmental clutter, and no signal would be detected at all.

After all, radar detection systems are not AI veterans; they haven't mastered the supreme realm of having nothing in their hearts.

"When I have more drones in the future, I must build a museum to store every drone I've designed over the years."

"From low altitude to high altitude to space, from sonic to supersonic to near-light speed, from planets to star systems to the universe. None will be spared; I want them all, have them all!"

Chen Yi put on his AR glasses again, holding the drone as he began testing.

After a series of tests, Chen Yi confirmed the drone's basic parameters.

Thanks to its flat, manta ray-like shape and slightly increased quality attribute.

After applying the thermal barrier protective coating, along with a fully loaded battery and filled xenon propellant.

The drone's total weight reached only 42.8 kilograms, less than 3 kilograms heavier than the previous ion propulsion drone.

If the battery weight, which had increased to 18 kilograms, was excluded.

The airframe this time was even slightly lighter than the previous model.

The engine performance, due to the larger engine size and optimized structural improvements, had a 23% increase in combined thrust compared to the previous ion thruster, and a 6.3 percentage point increase in energy efficiency.

The battery parameters, with the energy attribute increased to 49.1, nearing the limit of silicon-carbon lithium batteries.

The energy density had surpassed 5900Wh/KG, reaching 5980Wh/KG.

With 18 kilograms of battery, the total capacity reached an astonishing 107kWh.

Combined with a stronger aerodynamic layout, the flight efficiency improved by 4 percentage points, and the flat, manta ray design of the airframe was more suitable for high-altitude gliding.

Chen Yi made a rough estimate.

With the improved aerodynamic layout efficiency, engine efficiency, and increased battery capacity.

Calculating at 30% low speed, 30% subsonic, and the remaining 40% supersonic.

This drone's range easily surpassed 4000 kilometers.

Combined with unpowered gliding flight, the overall range would increase seven to eightfold, easily exceeding 20,000 kilometers.

Even with full supersonic flight, occasionally engaging in ultra-high-speed maneuvers, the range was around 900 to 1300 kilometers.

If gliding flight were combined with charging from the solar cell film, the endurance would further skyrocket, making circling the planet a dream.

Even upon landing.

It wouldn't be impossible to continue flying; it would be human endurance that couldn't keep up.

What!

The sun sets?

Given Earth's rotational speed of 466 meters per second, after charging, supersonic flight could catch up to sunset in minutes, then glide to charge, then fly to catch up to the sun, then glide again...

Having confirmed the performance of this latest Sun Never Sets Drone, Chen Yi took out a multi-axis aircraft he had used for test flights when he was operating drones previously.

Multi-axis aircraft.

This refers to drones where multiple axes are joined together, with each axis carrying a propeller.

The well-known DJI company in the industry uses such multi-axis aircraft for all its models.

Chen Yi dismantled the multi-axis aircraft's shell, replaced the communication module inside, and installed a silicon-carbon lithium battery.

He then adjusted and optimized the structure, upgraded the avionics program and stability, and finally installed the positioning chip.

In less than half an hour.

An aerial signal relay drone was fresh out of the oven.

Compared to the fixed-wing remote-controlled aircraft used as signal relays during the previous Lunar Lander Drone mission.

This multi-axis aircraft, capable of hovering and with longer endurance, was undoubtedly more suitable for signal relay.

"Depart!"

Seeing the eastern sky already showing the first signs of dawn.

Chen Yi felt that his all-nighter of "cultivating immortality" was going well this time. He was in a good mood and didn't feel like resting.

He took out his phone and dialed the Air Traffic Control Bureau for pre-flight notification.

"Hello, this is Air Traffic Control 0A987, how may I help you?"

The call was answered in less than three seconds, and a standard Mandarin female voice came through.

"Hello, I'd like to apply for a test flight for drones, identification numbers 0A01 and 0A02."

Chen Yi thought the voice on the phone sounded somewhat familiar but couldn't recall who it was. He then ignored it and stated his situation.

"Identification number 0A01."

On the other end of the line.

Lin Xiaobei's expression froze when she heard the identification number. She then took a deep breath and professionally replied.

"Hello, please wait a moment, I will transfer you to the Air Force Management Center and the Space Administration."

"."

This time, it was Chen Yi's turn to be taken aback.

Was it really that big of a deal?

They were immediately connecting him to the Air Force Management Center and the Space Administration.

"Uh, there's no need for such a fuss. I've learned to be low-key this time. I'm not flying to the moon."

At this moment, Chen Yi finally remembered the identity of the person on the phone.

It was the air traffic control operator he encountered during the previous lunar test flight notification.

"Okay, may I ask for the test flight area and the route destination?"

Lin Xiaobei hesitated for a moment before starting to record the area and route Chen Yi was applying to test fly.

"Takeoff from Penghai, coordinates E114,05,51.17, N22,38,18.79.

First, ascend vertically, pass through the clouds, enter the high-altitude stratosphere, and then glide westward.

Pass through Guangxi Province, Yunnan Province, enter the Hengduan Mountains, and the Himalayas. The destination is to check in at Mount Everest."

Chen Yi thought for a moment and then stated his test flight plan for this time.

To verify the performance of the Sun Never Sets Drone, the direction had to be from east to west, flying ahead of the sun.

On the other end of the phone.

Lin Xiaobei was stunned.

She knew she shouldn't have believed Chen Yi's claims of having learned to be low-key.

How could someone who could livestream a sprint into space, livestream a moon landing, and was under special surveillance by his superiors, possibly be low-key?

After a moment of silence.

Lin Xiaobei's tone carried a hint of resignation as she calmly and professionally replied.

"Hello, please wait a moment. Based on your requested route, I will transfer you to the Air Force Management Center."