Study on Flight Test of Small Solar-Powered UAV

소형 태양광 무인 항공기의 비행실험에 관한 연구

  • An, Il-Young (Dept. of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering, Graduate School, Korea Aerospace University) ;
  • Bae, Jae-Sung (Dept. of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering, Korea Aerospace University) ;
  • Park, Sang-Hyuk (Dept. of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering, Korea Aerospace University)
  • 안일영 (한국항공대학교 항공우주 및 기계공학부 대학원) ;
  • 배재성 (한국항공대학교 항공우주 및 기계공학부) ;
  • 박상혁 (한국항공대학교 항공우주 및 기계공학부)
  • Published : 2012.03.29

Abstract

In the present study, the preliminary study on a small solar-powered RC airplane are performed for the development of a long-endurance solar-powered UAV. Solar energy enables the solar-powered UAV to fly longer or eternally. The solar-powered UAV transfers the solar energy to electric energy and this energy is used for the flight and the battery charge. To increase the flying time, the efficiency of the solar-cell power system must be increased and the required power for flight must be minimized. Hence, the system integration including solar cell and controller, the power system design, and the aerodynamic and structural designs of the UAV is very important. The present study have performed the design, manufacture, and flight test of the small solar-powered UAV for the preliminary study of the long-endurance solar-powered UAV. From this study, the system integration technology of the solar-powered UAV design is established, and the possibility and the issue points for the development of the long-endurance solar-powered UAV are discussed.

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