via IEEE Spectrum
It functions a bit like a satellite, except substantially cheaper and much more versatile.
The largest robot in the AUVSI expo hall last week belonged to Titan Aerospace. It was a model of their Solara 50 robotic atmospheric satellite, and they had to chop off the tail and most of the wings to get it to fit. The Solara is intended to lift a payload to 20,000 meters and then keep it there for five years, running entirely on solar power. It functions a bit like a satellite, except substantially cheaper and much more versatile. And, you can get it back when you’re done.
It’s a little bit hard to tell from the video, but these UAVs are big. The Solara 50 is 15 meters long with a wingspan of 50 meters, and there’s an even larger one called the Solara 60, with a 60-meter wingspan. Despite its size, the Solara 50 only weighs 160 kilograms, and it can carry a 30 kg payload, which is fairly respectable.
What makes the Solara actually functional as an atmospheric satellite are two things. The first is the altitude that it’s designed to fly at: at 20,000 meters, you’re above pretty much everything. You’re looking down on clouds and weather, and the winds and temperatures are generally very stable, or at least predictable. Being that high also gives you a field of view encompassing about 45,000 square kilometers. If you were to, say, mount a cellular base station on a Solara, it would take over for a hundred cell towers on the ground.
The second thing that makes Solara work is that it’s solar powered. Every available surface on the wings and tail are covered in solar panels, and there are batteries inside the wings. During the day, Solara generates kilowatts of power, and there’s enough left over in the batteries to provide hundreds of watts all night.
The Latest Bing News on:
Solar-Powered UAV
- Hydrogen powered drones keep getting better and better thanks to Heven Droneson December 1, 2023 at 7:24 am
The pioneer in H2 drone innovation has unveiled a groundbreaking new series. Heven Drones, an Israel-based company with a mission to maximize the potential and power of hydrogen powered drones, has ...
- Airbus’s High Altitude Aircraft Looks to Challenge Musk’s SpaceXon December 1, 2023 at 6:12 am
An Airbus SE unit developing high altitude, solar powered drones that offer communications services said it plans to build its first hub in Kenya as it looks to begin commercial operations. AALTO ...
- Potential Starlink Rival to Beam Internet Service Using High-Altitude Planeson November 30, 2023 at 4:00 pm
To bridge the digital divide, Airbus subsidiary AALTO HAPS wants to use high-altitude, solar-powered drones to act as mobile cell towers. I've been with PCMag since October 2017, covering a wide ...
- Global Solar Powered UAV Market Size will Increasing CAGR value During Forecast Years 2024 to 2030on November 30, 2023 at 4:00 pm
Global Solar Powered UAV Market: Drivers and Restrains: The Solar Powered UAV industry research report encompasses a comprehensive analysis of various factors influencing the market’s growth.
- Hedcor deploys drones for solar plant maintenanceon November 29, 2023 at 4:42 pm
Hedcor Inc., a subsidiary of Aboitiz Power Corp. (AboitizPower), said it is deploying drones to assist in the maintenance of its solar power plants in Negros Occidental and Pangasinan.
- Hydrogen-Powered Drones Could Fly Longer, Fartheron November 28, 2023 at 4:00 pm
Hydrogen-powered drones could potentially fly farther and carry bigger payloads than those relying on heavy electric batteries. That opens doors to new uses, like advanced logistics. Driving the news: ...
- Hydrogen-powered drones could fly longer, fartheron November 26, 2023 at 4:01 pm
Hydrogen is having a moment, thanks to Biden administration incentives to boost production — and that's spurring development of hydrogen-powered transport, including drones. Why it matters: ...
- Hedcor utilizes drones to oversee renewable energy assetson November 26, 2023 at 8:25 am
Cayanga-Bugallon Solar Power’s operations and maintenance team excels with drone precision, boosting maintenance efficiency. Aboitiz Power Corporation (AboitizPower) subsidiary Hedcor surveys its ...
The Latest Google Headlines on:
Solar-Powered UAV
[google_news title=”” keyword=”Solar-Powered UAV” num_posts=”10″ blurb_length=”0″ show_thumb=”left”]
The Latest Bing News on:
Atmospheric satellites
- Tracking methane in the atmosphere with satellite imageryon December 6, 2023 at 6:45 am
Methane emissions and more specifically methane leaks are being discussed at the COP28 climate summit in Dubai. Reducing their prevalence is relatively straightforward, thanks to low-cost leak ...
- Construction begins on weather satellite networkon December 5, 2023 at 6:18 pm
Cultivate Space, a Beijing-based private satellite company, has begun construction on a meteorological satellite network, according to a company executive. The first satellite in the network, Tianyan ...
- Gushing rain, flooding to continue as atmospheric river slowly shifts in Northweston December 5, 2023 at 10:01 am
As a firehose of rain, known as an atmospheric river, continues in western Washington and Oregon into Wednesday, small streams and rivers will become raging torrents and pose significant threats to ...
- Geomagnetic storm could impact satellite operations Tuesday. Here's what to know.on December 5, 2023 at 9:39 am
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Space Weather Prediction Center predicted a minor geomagnetic storm for Tuesday, here's what that means.
- ‘Atmospheric River’ storm will eventually be a doozy around Michigan, Great Lakes regionon December 5, 2023 at 6:45 am
This atmospheric river is hitting the Pacific Northwest with flooding rain. The current satellite loop easily shows you the atmospheric river and how active the weather is in this atmospheric river.
- CERES 1 rocket developed by private Beijing company deploys two satelliteson December 4, 2023 at 9:04 pm
Galactic Energy, a private rocket maker in Beijing, launched the 11th flight mission of its CERES 1 rocket on Tuesday morning to deploy two satellites into orbit.
- Satellite images: Developing ‘Pineapple Express’ hits Pacific Northweston December 4, 2023 at 5:08 pm
Satellite imagery provided by NASA gives a clear picture of the atmospheric river actively flowing into the Pacific Northwest, supplying the region with warmer temperatures and inches of rain.
- NASA’s SunRISE Mission: Six Mini-Satellites Set To Illuminate Solar Mysterieson December 3, 2023 at 4:00 pm
Once launched, these six small satellites, or SmallSats, will work together to act like one giant radio antenna in space. The mission will study the physics of explosions in the Sun’s atmosphere in ...
- How long can a satellite stay in low Earth orbit?on December 2, 2023 at 4:00 pm
Factors Influencing Satellite Lifespan in LEO: 1. Atmospheric Drag: One of the primary factors affecting a satellite’s lifespan in LEO is atmospheric drag. Even at altitudes where LEO satellites ...
- Satellites are the new climate police for oil and gas polluterson December 2, 2023 at 8:04 am
Michael Bloomberg pledged $40 million to a new climate initiative that will use satellites to ensure 50 oil and gas companies are cutting methane emissions.
The Latest Google Headlines on:
Atmospheric satellites
[google_news title=”” keyword=”atmospheric satellites” num_posts=”10″ blurb_length=”0″ show_thumb=”left”]
