Solar power

[G Lee]

When do the solar powered drones go on Market. I've read enough about batteries and distance[emoji12]

g lee

 

[DocDiggler]

Tesla drones?


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[Richard R]

Tesla drones?


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Yeah, just beam the power directly to the drone! Nikola would be thrilled!

 

[Quamera]

When do the solar powered drones go on Market. I've read enough about batteries and distance

g lee

Not anytime soon. A P4 is drawing an average of about 240 watts from the battery while it is flying, even using the most efficient panels it takes than a square metre of solar panel to produce that sort of power and then the poor thing has to carry the panels. Now there have been some big advances in making thin, flexible and light panels but until they can use much more than the visible light spectrum and achieve 200 or 300% efficiency (as measured by todays standard) instead of 25 to 35% there is a snowballs chance in hell of a solar powered UAV

 

[Richard R]

Not anytime soon. A P4 is drawing an average of about 240 watts from the battery while it is flying, even using the most efficient panels it takes than a square metre of solar panel to produce that sort of power and then the poor thing has to carry the panels. Now there have been some big advances in making thin, flexible and light panels but until they can use much more than the visible light spectrum and achieve 200 or 300% efficiency (as measured by todays standard) instead of 25 to 35% there is a snowballs chance in hell of a solar powered UAV

Not a quad anyway. NASA and other are doing research with solar powered UAVs, but those are fixed wing and can produce lift with power off (gliding). Something quads can't do. Having to produce lift by constant prop power just takes too much power.

 

[Quamera]

Not a quad anyway. NASA and other are doing research with solar powered UAVs, but those are fixed wing and can produce lift with power off (gliding). Something quads can't do. Having to produce lift by constant prop power just takes too much power.

Yes although slightly off topic there have been a number of piloted fixed wing solar powered aircraft built since the 80's, they won't break any speed or payload records but can fly continuously during cloudless daylight hours so a fixed wing UAV would be fairly straight forward but maybe not too exciting (apart from the flight time).

 

[dwallersv]

Not anytime soon. A P4 is drawing an average of about 240 watts from the battery while it is flying, even using the most efficient panels it takes than a square metre of solar panel to produce that sort of power and then the poor thing has to carry the panels. Now there have been some big advances in making thin, flexible and light panels but until they can use much more than the visible light spectrum and achieve 200 or 300% efficiency (as measured by todays standard) instead of 25 to 35% there is a snowballs chance in hell of a solar powered UAV

Just FYI, anything over 100% efficiency is a nonsensical statement. I think I know what you meant (2-3x more efficient than current panels), however "efficiency" refers to the amount incident electromagnetic radiation striking the panels being converted into electrical energy. You can not convert more than 100% of anything into anything else -- all there is is 100% of the source!

 

[elarryland]

Here's the mod we need!
Upgraded hydrogen powered drone smashes multirotor endurance - sUAS News - The Business of Drones


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[Quamera]

Just FYI, anything over 100% efficiency is a nonsensical statement. I think I know what you meant (2-3x more efficient than current panels), however "efficiency" refers to the amount incident electromagnetic radiation striking the panels being converted into electrical energy. You can not convert more than 100% of anything into anything else -- all there is is 100% of the source!

Actually what I meant was able to utilize more of the available spectrum, current panels are limited to most of the human visible light which is only a small part of the total electromagnetic spectrum. So if the imaginary panel was 75% efficient over 4 times the width of the current photovoltaic spectrum then I was calling that 300% efficient compared to the current 30%. Not 100% technically correct but the best way of explaining the situation.

 

[amirs]

It doesnt have to fly on solar rather being charged by solar after landing for a few hours.