Solar Impulse 2’s Enduring Legacy

Ten Years Later, The Sun Powered Aircraft Continues To Influence Aviation’s Clean Technology Revolution

A decade ago, an unconventional aircraft completed a journey many considered impossible. Solar Impulse 2 circled the globe powered only by sunlight, proving renewable energy could take flight. It’s legacy continues through new technologies reshaping the future of aviation and beyond.

On July 26th, 2016, Solar Impulse 2 returned to Abu Dhabi’s Al Bateen Airport, completing the first round the world flight powered solely by solar energy. Piloted by Swiss pioneers Bertrand Piccard and André Borschberg, the aircraft demonstrated that clean technologies were not simply a vision for the future, but solutions already capable of achieving remarkable results.

The 17 leg journey covered 43,041 kilometers across four continents, two oceans, and three seas over 23 days of flight time. Built after 12 years of development, Solar Impulse 2 carried 17,248 solar cells across a wingspan larger than a Boeing 747, flying day and night without using a single drop of fuel.

For Piccard, the mission became the foundation for the Solar Impulse Foundation, which has since identified more than 1,600 efficient and profitable clean technology solutions. Borschberg continued advancing electric aviation through H55, developing propulsion systems aimed at bringing cleaner aircraft technology into practical use.

Although Solar Impulse 2 was later acquired by Skydweller Aero for autonomous aircraft development, its historic achievement remains unchanged. The aircraft proved that innovation does not always begin with a new invention, but with the courage to demonstrate what existing technology can accomplish when pushed beyond expectations.