Solar Drone Succeeds In Carrying More Load Than Similar US Models

After more than ten years of unremitting efforts, the 11th Academy of Solar UAV team has solved key technical problems such as overall, aerodynamics, structure, flight control, and efficient application of energy and power, and has initially established the design and test methods of solar vehicles. It is reported that this type of solar drone has more load carrying capacity than similar solar drones in the United States. On this basis, soon large-scale high-performance practical solar drones will soar in the sky. This is the first large-scale, long-duration, near-space solar unmanned aerial vehicle successfully developed in China, which has filled China ’s technological gap in this field. All core key technologies and equipment have been domestically produced. It is an important basic means to support the development and utilization of near-space in China. It marks that China has become the third country in the world after the United States and Britain to master the technology of near-space solar drones. It has entered the "first echelon" in this field and is another classic made in China.

With the development of solar energy and new energy fields, solar vehicles have become an emerging field of world aviation industry's key research. As the name suggests, a solar powered UAV drone is an UAV drone that uses solar energy as its energy source. During the day, solar powered UAV drone rely on the photoelectric conversion effect of solar cells to provide energy for power systems, avionics, and mission loads, while storing excess energy in batteries. At night, it continues to fly through the power of the battery. Compared with traditional chemical fuel-powered UAV drone, solar-powered UAV drone do not pollute the atmosphere and are truly green and environmentally friendly UAV drone.

Solar unmanned aerial vehicles can have cruising capabilities of up to 20-30 kilometers and super long periods (months), which are irreplaceable for other high-altitude and long-duration unmanned aerial vehicles. At present, the universal high-altitude and long-duration drones in the world mostly use suction engines to provide power. When the air is thin at high altitudes, the engine power will be greatly reduced and the fuel consumption will increase. Therefore, the current fuel-consumption UAV drone ’s flight height and endurance It is difficult to further improve the capabilities, and solar-powered UAV drone can completely make up for these shortcomings and fly higher and farther.

Shi Shiwen said that solar UAV drones can be used as "atmospheric satellites" to replace some of the functions of low-orbit satellites. Solar drones fly at a higher altitude than ordinary UAV drone, have a long battery life, and can partially replace higher-cost satellites, forming continuous surveillance and information relay capabilities in some areas. Compared with the periodic visits of satellites, solar drones can achieve long-term resident presence in the area. Its time / space resolution for monitoring tasks is higher, regional communication capabilities are stronger, the landing and landing sites are simple, and launch and operation costs are higher.

The Eleventh Academy of Aerospace has started research in the field of solar drones since the Tenth Five-Year Plan. So far, it has gone through the stages of platform concept research and development of small-scale verification machines, key technology research and scheme demonstration, structural prototype trial production and testing, and technology verification machines at low altitude test flights. The main achievements include: completed the technical verification and system development of the flight platform; explored the comprehensive management and integration of the energy system; preliminary mastered the overall parameter optimization design method of solar UAV drone; preliminary mastered the design and manufacturing process method of ultra-lightweight structure; The flight strategy of the real environment of the UAV drone; preliminary exploration of the key technical points faced by solar UAV drone.

The 11th Academy of Aerospace has gone through stages of platform concept research and development of small-scale verification machines, key technology research and scheme demonstration, and low-altitude and high-altitude flight tests of more than 40 meters wingspan large-scale technology verification machines. Progress is being made towards highly durable flying in close proximity.