Pilot Claims Altitude Record for Electric Solar Plane

Swiss aviator Raphaël Domjan, founder of the SolarStratos project, reaches an altitude of 9,521 meters or over 31,200 feet.

Jack Daleo

Friday, August 15, 2025 at 03:00 PM ET

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Jack Daleo

Swiss pilot Raphaël Domjan reaches an altitude of 9,521 meters in an electric, solar-powered aircraft. [Courtesy: SolarStratos]

Key Takeaways:

Swiss pilot Raphaël Domjan claims to have set a new altitude record of 9,521 meters (over 31,200 feet) for an electric, solar-powered aircraft, surpassing the previous 2010 record.
This flight is part of Domjan's SolarStratos project, which aims to demonstrate the capabilities of sustainable aviation and plans a future "stratospheric odyssey" for scientific atmospheric measurements.
The HB-SXA aircraft, designed for extreme high-altitude conditions, utilizes over 230 square feet of solar cells, lithium-ion batteries, and a double electric motor for zero-pollution propulsion.
The record attempt highlights advancements in sustainable aviation, occurring amidst increasing regulatory openness and governmental support for new flight technologies like electric and hydrogen-powered aircraft.

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A Swiss pilot claims to have broken the more than 15-year-old altitude record for electric, solar-powered aircraft.

Raphaël Domjan on Tuesday flew an electric plane propelled by solar cells, registered HB-SXA, to an altitude of 9,521 meters, or over 31,200 feet, according to his SolarStratos project. At that altitude, SolarStratos said, Domjan soared over the Swiss Alps and even crossed paths with a commercial airliner.