SiFly sets 3-hour flight record with electric multirotor as it targets U.S. BVLOS market
SiFly said its Q12 prototype flew for 3 hours and 11 minutes, setting a new world endurance record for a small electric multirotor drone.
The flight took place on July 26 at Amaral Ranches in California's Salinas Valley and was certified by Guinness World Records. The company said the mark beat the previous record by nearly an hour. The Q12 is a prototype quadcopter built for missions that require much longer time aloft or greater reach than most commercial drones, which typically fly for 20 to 30 minutes in standard operations.
SiFly is positioning the aircraft for a market expected to expand as the United States moves toward broader beyond-visual-line-of-sight drone operations. The company said the Federal Aviation Administration's proposed Part 108 framework could enable routine long-duration commercial BVLOS flights, reducing reliance on on-site visual observers and increasing the role of cloud connectivity over 5G links. SiFly said the all-electric, modular Q12 can carry a 10-pound payload, cover 90 miles, hover continuously for two hours, or fly a straight mission for three hours on a single charge.
The company is pitching the Q12 as a new class of vertical takeoff aircraft that could sit between conventional drones and light helicopters in capability while operating at lower cost. Target missions include drone as first responder, search and rescue, firefighting, large-scale surveying, and extended infrastructure inspection. SiFly said it has already secured pre-orders and letters of intent for hundreds of Q12 units from customers in public safety, infrastructure inspection, mapping, and agriculture ahead of initial deliveries planned for early 2026.
The record matters beyond the headline number. If BVLOS rules in the United States are finalized as expected, aircraft that can stay airborne for hours could significantly widen the commercial drone market and raise pressure on rivals to build UAVs designed for persistent aerial presence rather than short-hop flights.