Photos: One ultralight, 160 AA batteries
Tech students in Japan load a lightweight aircraft with one pilot and lots and lots of batteries.
![bill-detwiler.png](https://www.zdnet.com/a/img/resize/af8b24752cf6b167db8b41c347e1940798e87431/2013/04/04/651150fe-1175-11e4-9732-00505685119a/bill-detwiler.png?auto=webp&fit=crop&frame=1&height=192&width=192)
![18746.jpg](https://www.zdnet.com/a/img/resize/df3503be3c9a45b6be6b568bec4900446fc2e690/2014/08/29/c9fc1f4d-2f4a-11e4-9e6a-00505685119a/18746.jpg?auto=webp&width=1280)
1 of 3 Bill Detwiler/ZDNET
Tokyo students set up ultralight
There's hardly a gadget in the world today that doesn't require AA batteries--but 160 of them? That's how many it takes to power this ultralight being set up for launch by students of the Tokyo Institute of Technology on Saturday.
2 of 3 Bill Detwiler/ZDNET
Checking the power levels
Here, a student checks the power levels of the Panasonic Oxyride batteries before Saturday's test flight. The aircraft's length is a little more than 30 feet, and it has a wingspan of about 100 feet. The material used to construct the plane included carbon fiber and Styrofoam.
3 of 3 Bill Detwiler/ZDNET
A test flight
In the test flight, at the Fuji River glider port in Kambara, Japan, the manned ultralight traveled all of a couple hundred meters.
Related Galleries
Holiday wallpaper for your phone: Christmas, Hanukkah, New Year's, and winter scenes
![Holiday lights in Central Park background]()
Related Galleries
Holiday wallpaper for your phone: Christmas, Hanukkah, New Year's, and winter scenes
21 Photos
Winter backgrounds for your next virtual meeting
![Wooden lodge in pine forest with heavy snow reflection on Lake O'hara at Yoho national park]()
Related Galleries
Winter backgrounds for your next virtual meeting
21 Photos
Holiday backgrounds for Zoom: Christmas cheer, New Year's Eve, Hanukkah and winter scenes
![3D Rendering Christmas interior]()
Related Galleries
Holiday backgrounds for Zoom: Christmas cheer, New Year's Eve, Hanukkah and winter scenes
21 Photos
Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6: Electric vehicle extravaganza
![img-8825]()
Related Galleries
Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6: Electric vehicle extravaganza
26 Photos
A weekend with Google's Chrome OS Flex
![img-9792-2]()
Related Galleries
A weekend with Google's Chrome OS Flex
22 Photos
Cybersecurity flaws, customer experiences, smartphone losses, and more: ZDNet's research roundup
![shutterstock-1024665187.jpg]()
Related Galleries
Cybersecurity flaws, customer experiences, smartphone losses, and more: ZDNet's research roundup
8 Photos
Inside a fake $20 '16TB external M.2 SSD'
![Full of promises!]()