The world's first solar-powered airplane was built in the United Kingdom and successfully flew for 15 minutes in London in 1979.
The sun is 150 million kilometers away. the earth and only a very small part of the light reaches the earth. At midday on a sunny day, each square meter of land can produce 1,350 watts of solar energy, almost equivalent to the power of a motorcycle engine. The lift area of a small aircraft (including wings and tail) is about 20 square meters, which means that it can obtain about 27 kilowatts of solar energy, which can fully meet the needs of the low speed flight.
This solar-powered aircraft has a wingspan of 23 meters and a total area of 35 square meters of photovoltaic cells installed on the wings and tail. Thanks to the use of high-efficiency photovoltaic cells, it can provide 6,450 watts of electrical power, an average of185 watts per square meter. Airplane electric motors are built to be very lightweight. It allows a 103-kilogram plane to climb at a speed of 90 meters per minute. The maximum speed is 100 kilometers per hour, the minimum speed is 30 kilometers per hour, and the cruising speed is around 40 kilometers per hour. This solar-powered plane is now used in sports.
Solar planes have a bright future, but they still have a difficult journey. First, the efficiency of current photovoltaic cells in converting light energy into electrical energy is very low, with a general conversion rate of only 12-16%. Electric motors and propellers also lose a tenth of their power. Clouds, fog and lighting angle also have an impact. Therefore, the efficiency of converting light energy into driving force is less than one tenth. Moreover,photovoltaic cells are very expensive. The cost of photovoltaics alone for a single-seat solar aircraft is estimated to be US$100,000.
For various reasons, the widespread application of solar aircraft still requires continuous and in-depth research.
Solar energy is an emerging, non-polluting energy source that is attracting increasing attention. Solar energy is used in the aerospace sector. From the end of the 1970s, solar planes appeared, so people are no strangers to them. The original solar-powered plane could only fly during the day when the weather was clear. On rainy days or at night, he could only “look at the sky and sigh.” However, modern solar-powered aircraft can and do overcome this weakness. basically, fly anytime.
The wings of the solar plane are very large and the whole body is covered with solar cellss. Solar cells convert light energy from the sun into electrical energy, which runs the plane's engine, ensuring that it works. the plane flies in the air.
In general, modern solar planes do not carry people because: first, they stay in the air for a relatively long period of time; second, solar planes must be made from new lightweight composite materials due to their limited energy source, the average solar plane weighs between one hundred and two hundred kilograms.