History of solar flight

Boucher, Robert

doi:10.2514/6.1984-1429

Cited by 60 publications

(40 citation statements)

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“…Data provided by Boucher [9] is used to estimate the empty mass per unit wing area and maximum flight dynamic pressure of the Solar Challenger and the Gossamer Albatross. Helios data is provided from a NASA Dryden factsheet.…”

Section: A Baseline Configuration Specificationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Novel Approach to High-Altitude, Long-Endurance Stationkeeping

Engblom¹

2012

30th AIAA Applied Aerodynamics Conference

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A new concept for achieving high-altitude, long-endurance (HALE) flight is proposed and evaluated, which features two unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) connected via a long tether which effectively sail backand-forth using stratospheric wind velocity gradients. The potential of a baseline configuration to stationkeep (i.e., stay within a prescribed radius above a specific ground site) based on measured steady wind profiles is predicted analytically based on yearly sets of bi-daily wind profiles, and using a constrained optimization technique. The sensitivity of system operability to key configuration parameters (i.e., tether diameter, geometric scale, and wing loading) is evaluated.

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Section: A Baseline Configuration Specificationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Novel Approach to High-Altitude, Long-Endurance Stationkeeping

Engblom¹

2012

30th AIAA Applied Aerodynamics Conference

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“…It derived a power of about 450W from the 4096 solar cells installed [2]. In spite of its good inaugural flights, it underwent serious damages when flying through a sand storm.…”

Section: Solar Powered Planesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It was the time when Ni-Cd batteries with high power densities, started hitting the market. With the availability of these batteries, in the year 1972, Militky developed the first radio-controlled aircraft model [2]. Finally, using the same batteries he prepared the first manned electric aircraft, which was a modified motor glider MB-E1 and took the first flight on Even the Airbus had made its debut entry into the electric propulsion era with its E-fan.…”

Section: Battery Powered Electrical Planesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Electrical Flight Technology-A Short Review and Challenges

al.¹

2017

IJMPERD

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Aircrafts are mainly powered by carbon-based fuels such as aviation gasoline or kerosene. But with the declining of oil resources and the increasing in the hydrocarbon emissions into the atmosphere by the aircrafts, the whole world especially the aviation industry is looking for an alternative power source. Also the aviation industry looks for aircraft that are much quieter and more fuel efficient than the aircrafts which are currently in use. This paper gives a brief review on the electrical flight technology. It also highlights the advantages as well as the challenges in the electrical flight technology.

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“…The solar-powered UAV has the potential of reaching the ultimate goal of continuous flight, because the energy source (sunlight) is considered inexhaustible. Development of solar-powered aircraft has attracted the attention of several research and design centers over the decades, since the successful flight of Sunrise (the first solar-powered aircraft), which was developed by Astroflight, Inc. [3,4]. Gossamer Penguin, Solar Challenger, Pathfinder, Centurion, and Helios are some notable solar-powered aircraft [5,6].…”

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confidence: 99%

Optimal Sizing and Cruise Speed Determination for a Solar-Powered Airplane

Shiau

Chiu

et al. 2010

Journal of Aircraft

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This paper presents the use of a genetic algorithm to optimize the size and cruise speed of a solar-powered unmanned aerial vehicle named Xihe. A conceptual aerodynamic configuration design is conducted first to obtain the initial size of the aircraft and the performance parameters. The optimization process then searches for optimal solutions for minimum energy operation. To minimize the number of decision variables, the aspect ratio of the wing and the fuselage design are fixed during optimization. The mass of the Xihe aircraft is then parameterized as a function of two performance parameters: wing reference area and cruise speed. With the parameterization results, a fitness function that links the optimization problem and the genetic algorithm is then established. The genetic algorithm searches for the optimal results for minimum energy operation. This optimization process reduces the referenced wing area of the Xihe aircraft from 5:63 m 2 in the conceptual design to 4:91 m 2 , which allows the reduction of the solar cell panel by 12.79%, reducing the costs. Optimization reduces the mass of the aircraft from 24.96 to 22.47 kg: a 9.98% reduction. The cost of the complex materials used would be less than originally required, and the cruise speed would increase from 10.93 to 11:23 m=s (the cruise speed for minimum power consumption).

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History of solar flight

Abstract: This paper discusses the Seven solar powered aircraft flown to date. The characteristics of these airplanes are reviewed, ar.d the prospects for future advancements in solar flight are addressed.

Cited by 60 publications

References 0 publications

Novel Approach to High-Altitude, Long-Endurance Stationkeeping

Novel Approach to High-Altitude, Long-Endurance Stationkeeping

Electrical Flight Technology-A Short Review and Challenges

Optimal Sizing and Cruise Speed Determination for a Solar-Powered Airplane

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