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 for solar-powered electric aircraft, reaching 9,521 meters (over 31,200 feet) in his SolarStratos HB-SXA plane.
This achievement, which surpasses a 15-year-old record, advances Domjan's mission to demonstrate the capabilities of sustainable aviation and paves the way for future scientific research missions in the stratosphere.

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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.