Drones Modern Flying News

SiFly Shatters Drone Endurance Record

Company’s all-electric Q12 completes a 3-hour, 11-minute flight, beating the previous benchmark by nearly one hour.

Thursday, August 21, 2025 at 07:00 AM ET

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SiFly’s Q12 completed a 3-hour, 11-minute flight to claim the Guinness World Record for longest flight by an electric drone. [Courtesy: SiFly]

Key Takeaways:

SiFly's Q12 electric drone set a new Guinness World Record for its class (5-20 kg) with a flight lasting 3 hours and 11 minutes, significantly enhancing the endurance benchmark for quadcopters.
This achievement is critical for the expanding commercial drone market, especially with the FAA nearing a final rule on Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) operations (Part 108), which will enable more expansive and longer-duration missions.
SiFly achieved this extended endurance through key innovations including an optimized battery weight fraction (60% of the drone's weight) and aerodynamically efficient, large, low-disc-loading propellers, aiming for "helicopter performance with drone economics."
The Q12 drone is poised for applications in agriculture and public safety, offering capabilities for advanced mapping, inspection, and acting as a scout for larger drones in tasks like spraying or search and rescue.

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As the FAA nears a final rule on beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) drone operations that could unlock more expansive commercial missions, a California-based startup has set a new benchmark for the longest flight of a prototype electric drone weighing 5-20 kilograms.

Uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS) developer SiFly, which emerged from stealth in May, this week said Guinness World Records validated a 3-hour, 11-minute flight of its Q12 drone, eclipsing the previous high by nearly one hour. With the record-setting flight, the company believes it is close to unlocking the full potential of quadcopters, which are characterized by a quartet of rotors.

Jack is a staff writer covering advanced air mobility, including everything from drones to unmanned aircraft systems to space travel—and a whole lot more. He spent close to two years reporting on drone delivery for FreightWaves, covering the biggest news and developments in the space and connecting with industry executives and experts. Jack is also a basketball aficionado, a frequent traveler and a lover of all things logistics.