Students at the Terrassa School of Industrial and Aeronautical Engineering (ETSEIAT) at the Technical University of Catalonia (UPC) are currently developing a trial model for a solar powered plane called, ‘Solar Endeavour,’ with a hope of accomplishing the longest possible air flight.
GTD Sistemas de Información, a company, which has sponsored the project, is also providing the services of an engineer to teach and assist the students while utilizing the technology developed by the seven students.
The students had bought a small commercial plane in February 2010 and are currently devising the intricate modifications needed to fly it with solar power. The team is facing challenges in the fixing of solar cells over the wings and in designing of an energy management system (EMS) to ensure independence of the aircraft and in finding maximum power generating solar cells that are light weight, and lithe to fit into the curvature of the plane wings comfortably.
Though the expertise required to fix the solar cells over the wings of the plane does exist and used before in earlier projects such as ‘Solar Impulse’ and ‘Zephyr-6’, the used technologies were not made public, the students need to make their own research for the project. The students are also required to supply the technology needed for designing an EMS, which supplies the energy stored in lithium batteries for the working of the engine ensuring its performance in all type of weather conditions. The prototype of Solar Endeavour will incorporate the required telemetry and remote control systems to ensure the flying of the plane on course.
The aircraft already underwent an experimental flight without using a motor to authenticate the functioning of systems such as its servo control mechanisms, landing gear, flight mechanics and the needed aerodynamic modifications for a make over of the glider into a solar plane.
The Trencalòs Team anticipates making the Solar Endeavour to be ready to perform its first flight by August this year.