The FAI has officially confirmed that the Swiss SolarStratos plane set a new altitude record for crewed solar-powered electric flight. Pilot Raphael Domjan reached 9,640 meters on August 12, 2025, beating the previous certified record of 9,235 meters by more than 400 meters. The five-hour, nine-minute flight took off from Sion airport and relied on warm air thermals to climb. SolarStratos is a carbon fiber aircraft with a 24.8-meter wingspan and 22 square meters of solar panels. It can take off at just 50 kph and cruises at around 80 kph. Domjan's next goal is a crewed solar-powered flight into the stratosphere, which starts at roughly 10,000 to 12,000 meters at Switzerland's latitude. For anyone tracking electric aviation and solar innovation, this is a verified milestone that moves the discussion beyond concept videos. The FAI certification gives the achievement an official baseline, which matters for future record attempts and for measuring real progress in solar-powered flight.
