Solar-Powered UAV, Puma AE, achieved a continuous flight for nine hours.
· Ground-breaking development in the evolution of small unmanned aircraft systems; advanced solar cells increase hand-launched Puma AE™ endurance by 350 per cent
· Far-reaching implications for small UAS utility in military, public safety and commercial uses
· Alta Devices cutting-edge mobile power technology produces ample power with minimal added weight
AUVSI conference brought the UAS community highly interesting news. AeroVironment, Inc. announced that their UAV prototype called Puma AE just crossed the boundary of nine hours of continuous flight. This duration is quite a lot longer that what is currently normal in the field.
It seems that it is the cooperation with Alta Devices that made such a massive improvement possible. Thanks to their technology (flexible portable power supply). Alta Devices currently manufactures the world’s thinnest and highest efficiency solar cells using Gallium Arsenide. With the help of this technology the battery life of any portable power supply can be extended significantly. In some cases the efficiency of the solar panels allows for complete removal of the device form power grid; it is because the panels generate enough energy to fully supply the device.
AeroVironment senior vice president, Roy Minson said that:
“The solar Puma AE is the latest example of AeroVironment’s longstanding commitment to deliver, important, innovative solution that meets our customers’ needs. Our integration of this cutting-edge technology dramatically increases Puma’s current flight endurance using a clean, renewable power source.”
He added that he hopes that discoveries like these will reduce operating and acquisition costs for UAVs. Minson stated that solar powered solutions for UAS in the past were either too heavy or too inefficient to carry whole UAV but Puma AE changes everything.
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