294results about "Solar panel attachments" patented technology

A vertical take-off and landing aircraft including a wing structure including a wing, a rotor operatively supported by the wing, and a hybrid power system configured to drive the rotor, the hybrid power system including a first power system and a second power system, wherein a first energy source for the first power system is different than a second energy source for the second power system.

An aircraft has a flying wing and two wingtip hulls installed on the wingtips of the flying wing. Both of the wingtip hulls contain lighter-than-air gas to generate static lift. These wingtip hulls not only contribute to lift-generating but also help the aircraft achieve roll stability and control. Forward propulsion systems are installed at the upper-front positions of the flying wing. When vertical and/or short take-off and landing (V/STOL) capability is required, one or more lift-fan propulsion systems can be installed on the flying wing. The lift-fan propulsion systems can either be driven by their own engines or by the power transmitted from the forward propulsion systems. Payload can be carried inside the flying wing or be hung under or held above the flying wing.

In one aspect, a hybrid airship including an outer shell, a plurality of helium filled gas envelopes, and an all-electric propulsion system may have the shape of a delta-wing. In some embodiments, the hybrid airship may be launched using buoyancy lift alone and aerodynamic lift may be provided by the all-electric propulsion system. In one aspect, a photovoltaic array and a high energy density power storage system may be combined to power the propulsion system making the propulsion system regenerative. The delta-wing shape can provide a surface area large enough to accommodate very large circular or elliptical transmission devices. By continuously recharging the power storage system, the hybrid airship in accordance with some embodiments can stay aloft at an operational altitude of at least about 85,000 ft for months or even years. The hybrid airship may function as an airborne military communications relay platform.

A solar-powered aircraft having a rotating tail assembly and/or a fore assembly is provided. The tail and fore assemblies have solar cells mounted on their upper surfaces and are rotated during flight to track the sun.

There is provided a method of using a device capable of controlled flight in a surrounding environment, the device comprising: lifting means for providing lift to the device; object-retaining means for holding an object to be affixed to a target site; and a dispensing assembly for dispensing an adhesive, wherein the method comprises: controlling the lifting means so as to controllably fly the device in the surrounding environment; and using the device to affix an object held by the object-retaining means to a target site in the surrounding environment by dispensing an adhesive from the dispensing assembly. Thus, an aerial device, for example a robotic device, may be used to fly to a desired location and affix an object at the desired location, by dispensing, ejecting or otherwise applying an adhesive.

An aircraft wing has a plurality of wing segments mounted on a wing spar by joints that allow relative movement between the spar and the wing segments. Tuning of coefficients of thermal expansion is employed to reduce induced stresses from changes in temperature.

A span-loaded, highly flexible flying wing, having horizontal control surfaces mounted aft of the wing on extended beams to form local pitch-control devices. Each of five spanwise wing segments of the wing has one or more motors and photovoltaic arrays, and produces its own lift independent of the other wing segments, to minimize inter-segment loads. Wing dihedral is controlled by separately controlling the local pitch-control devices consisting of a control surface on a boom, such that inboard and outboard wing segment pitch changes relative to each other, and thus relative inboard and outboard lift is varied.

The present invention provides a position control system for a remote-controlled vehicle, a vehicle operated by the control system, and a method for operating a remote-controlled vehicle. An electromagnetic energy receiver is configured to receive an electromagnetic beam. The electromagnetic energy receiver is further configured to determine a position of the remote-controlled vehicle relative to a position of the electromagnetic beam. The vehicle is directed to maneuver to track the position of the electromagnetic beam.

A solar powered air vehicle that can stay aloft for indefinite periods of time. The vehicle employs photovoltaic solar cells for primary power and high speed counter-rotating flywheels for energy storage and steering of the vehicle. The flywheels are placed in the wing to reduce airfoil drag. A control law provides three-axis stabilized control of the vehicle by controlling propeller pitch to vary the speeds of the flywheels.

A solar relay aircraft system includes a solar relay aircraft having an upper surface, and a lower surface, and equipped with a solar radiation receiver on said lower surface and capable of converting solar energy to electrical energy. An electric motor in electrical connection with said solar radiation receiver to receive the electrical energy and drives a propeller to propel the solar relay aircraft. A number of ground-based reflector arrays include a plurality of reflecting mirrors for receiving solar radiation from the sun and direct the solar radiation from the sun towards the solar relay aircraft.

A neutrally buoyant airship, such as a blimp, contains a lifting body which allows the airship to remain neutrally buoyant in air and a fuel cell located in the airship. A method of generating power in the neutrally buoyant airship, comprising providing a fuel and a oxidizer to a solid oxide fuel cell to generate power, and providing heat from the fuel cell to a remotely located lifting body, wherein the lifting body allows the airship to remain neutrally buoyant in air.

Air vehicles and associated aerodynamic structures are provided which include ridged solar panels to both reduce the drag and increase the solar energy harvested by the solar panel. The air vehicle may include an airframe and a solar panel carried by the airframe and defining an exterior surface thereof. The solar panel may include a plurality of ridged structures extending in a lengthwise direction. The ridged structures may be arranged such that a majority of the airflow over the exterior surface flows in the lengthwise direction. The plurality of ridged structures may include a plurality of lengthwise extending projections spaced about by respective valleys.

A solar relay aircraft system includes a solar relay aircraft having an upper surface, and a lower surface, and equipped with a solar radiation receiver on said lower surface and capable of converting solar energy to electrical energy. An electric motor in electrical connection with said solar radiation receiver to receive the electrical energy and drives a propeller to propel the solar relay aircraft. A number of ground-based reflector arrays include a plurality of reflecting mirrors for receiving solar radiation from the sun and direct the solar radiation from the sun towards the solar relay aircraft.

The present invention provides a position control system for a remote-controlled vehicle, a vehicle operated by the control system, and a method for operating a remote-controlled vehicle. An electromagnetic energy receiver is configured to receive an electromagnetic beam. The electromagnetic energy receiver is further configured to determine a position of the remote-controlled vehicle relative to a position of the electromagnetic beam. The vehicle is directed to maneuver to track the position of the electromagnetic beam.

The invention discloses an energy management system of a solar unmanned aerial vehicle. The system comprises a solar battery assembly, a DC-DC converter, a lithium battery assembly, a lithium battery protection circuit, an energy management control module, an unmanned aerial vehicle master control module and an unmanned aerial vehicle power supply unit. The energy management control module comprises a maximum power tracing module, a battery state detection module, an intelligent charging and discharging module and an energy management controller; the solar battery assembly converts solar energy into electrical energy, the lithium battery assembly serves as the energy storage component of the unmanned aerial vehicle, the energy management control module can monitor the operating states of the solar battery and the lithium battery in real time, controls the energy distribution of the unmanned aerial vehicle, and chooses the appropriate power supply mode according to different situations. The energy management system of the solar unmanned aerial vehicle combines the advantages of the solar battery and the lithium battery, reasonably controls and distributes energy sources for use, improves the use ratio of the solar battery and the lithium battery, effectively overcomes the defect of insufficient energy storage of the existing unmanned aerial vehicle, and increases the endurance of the unmanned aerial vehicle.