Years-Long Flight Without Landing

Zenith Aerospace emerged from Stanford's H4D program in Spring 2016, where co-founders Yitao Zhuang and Raphaël Nardari identified military requirements for extended high-altitude missions. What began as a student project addressing operational needs for persistent aerial platforms evolved into developing disruptive aerospace technology capable of flying for years without landing.

Current Mission

Zenith Aerospace develops high-altitude, long-endurance aerial platforms that can remain airborne for extended periods measured in years rather than hours or days. This technology addresses critical defense requirements for persistent surveillance, communications relay, and intelligence gathering missions that require continuous presence over specific geographic areas.

Scale and Impact

The company has raised $7.9 million in outside funding to advance their technical capabilities and meet defense sector demands. Zenith's approach to ultra-long-endurance flight represents a potential paradigm shift in how military operations approach persistent aerial missions, offering alternatives to traditional satellite and aircraft deployment cycles.

Defense Innovation Legacy

Zenith Aerospace demonstrates how CMP's structured methodologies can help students identify and validate complex operational requirements that lead to breakthrough technologies. Their disciplined approach to understanding military needs for extended high-altitude missions enabled them to secure significant funding while developing aerospace capabilities that could reshape persistent surveillance and communications missions. The company continues pursuing the challenging technical and regulatory requirements necessary to operationalize years-long flight capabilities.