EFFORTS TO PRODUCE LONG-ENDURANCE SOLAR-POWERED AIRCRAFT WHICH DO OFFER LOCALIZED STATIONKEEPING HAVE BEEN UNDER DEVELOPMENT SINCE THE 1970'S. HOWEVER SOLAR AIRCRAFT HAVE STILL NOT BEEN ENTIRELY SUCCESSFUL DUE IN PART TO THE LARGE AMOUNT OF POWER THAT MUST BE STORED IN BATTERIES TO OPERATE PROPULSION OVERNIGHT. SOLAR AIRCRAFT ARE ALSO LIMITED BY THE SEASONAL AVAILABILITY OF SOLAR ENERGY AND DUE TO INABILITY TO ORIENT WINGS TOWARDS THE SUN TO IMPROVE ENERGY CAPTURE. AEROVIRONMENT'S HELIOS AIRCRAFT AND MORE RECENTLY AIRBUS'S ZEPHYR AIRCRAFT HAVE DEMONSTRATED THAT A SOLAR AIRCRAFT CAN POTENTIALLY EXTRACT ENOUGH SOLAR ENERGY TO REMAIN ALOFT FOR WEEKS. HOWEVER SOLAR AIRCRAFT HAVE NOT DEMONSTRATED ABILITY TO ALSO OFFER SIGNIFICANT LEVELS OF POWER FOR USE BY ONBOARD PAYLOADS. ALSO SOLAR AIRCRAFT ARE EXCEPTIONALLY LIGHT AND HAVE VERY LONG FLEXIBLE WINGS WHICH ARE HIGHLY SUSCEPTIBLE TO WIND GUSTS.