Textured Solar Sheets for UAV Light Coupling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have limited endurance due to power consumption and battery energy storage capacity, restricting their operational time and range, especially for small and High-Altitude Long Endurance (HALE) UAVs.
Innovation Solution
A solar sheet with thin film solar cells and a flexible polymer sheet featuring prismatic structures on its surface is integrated into UAVs to enhance light collection efficiency, increasing power production and extending flight times without significantly increasing weight or size.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If conventional flat solar sheets are used, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but light collection efficiency is poor especially at high zenith angles
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies curved prismatic structures to the solar sheet surface instead of a flat configuration. These prisms refract incoming sunlight at various angles, directing it onto the solar cells even when the sun is at high zenith angles. The curved geometry captures a broader range of incident light directions, significantly improving light collection efficiency while maintaining manufacturing feasibility through molding or extrusion processes.
2Duration of action of moving object
If solar cell area is increased to extend flight time, then power production increases, but weight and size increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the optical parameters of the solar sheet by incorporating prismatic structures that alter light refraction and reflection patterns. This increases the effective light capture per unit area of solar cells, thereby increasing power production and extending flight time without proportionally increasing the weight and area of the solar sheet assembly.
3Power
If solar cell area is increased to increase power production, then flight time extends, but the UAV structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the protective cover function with the light-capturing function by integrating prismatic structures directly into the solar sheet's transparent cover layer. This combined structure serves both to protect the underlying solar cells and to optimize light collection, eliminating the need for separate complex optical components and reducing overall structural complexity while increasing power production.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution significantly enhances light collection efficiency at high zenith angles, leading to increased power generation and extended flight times for UAVs, addressing the endurance limitations of both small and HALE UAVs while maintaining aerodynamic performance.
Implementation Method 1
The flexible polymer sheet has a plurality of prismatic structures formed in the top surface thereof to improve light collection efficiency
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods are presented including solar cells or solar sheets having textured coversheets that provide increased light collection efficiency. Some embodiments include a textured solar sheet configured for installation on a surface of a UAV or on a surface of a component of a UAV. The textured solar sheet includes a plurality of solar cells and a polymer layer to which the plurality of solar cells are attached. Some embodiments include a kit for supplying solar power in a battery-powered or fuel cell powered unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) by incorporating flexible, textured solar cells into a component of a UAV, affixing flexible, textured solar cells to a surface of a UAV, or affixing flexible, textured solar cells to a surface of a component of a UAV. The kit also includes a power conditioning system configured to operate the solar cells within a desired power range and configured to provide power having a voltage compatible with an electrical system of the UAV.