On August 19, SiFly announced that its Q12 drone had “officially broken the Guinness World Record for the longest duration flight of an electrically powered prototype multirotor/drone (5 - 20 kg).” The company reported that the Q12 “flew for 3 hours, 11 minutes, 54 seconds which beat the previous record by nearly 1 hour.” The flight took place on June 26 in California’s Salinas Valley.

Remarking on the accomplishment, Brian Hinman, Founder & CEO of SiFly, said, "This world record goes far beyond endurance—it signals a fundamental shift in what's possible for drones.” Hinman went on to say that "With helicopter-level performance at drone economics, the Q12 creates entirely new markets, redefining industry expectations. Our growing order book already validates that customers see the value. We believe this achievement will inspire a new wave of innovation, transforming drones from niche devices into essential tools."

SiFly reported that “the record-setting flight was achieved using SiFly's patented Q12 system, a next-generation vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) drone designed to unlock long duration hover flights along with long range forward flight operations.” Setting the record, the company asserted, “underscores the Q12's capacity to support missions that demand a persistent aerial presence, such as Drone-as-First Responder (DFR) programs, large-scale surveying, and extended infrastructure inspections.”

Source: Press Release