Researchers at Beihang University in China have unveiled a proof-of-concept device called the CoulombFly, a lightweight drone with a strange appearance that operates 100% off of solar energy. Created with the idea that modern commercial drones are too restricted by a limited amount of flight time, the CoulombFly is designed to maximize its airtime by minimalizing its weight and simplifying design. In theory, the CoulombFly could stay airborn forever by soaking in solar energy during the day, which it would then expend continuously.
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Weighing in at only 4 grams, New Scientist reports that the CoulombFly is the smallest solar-powered aerial vehicle to take flight. Lead researcher Mingjing Qi and his team attacked the problem of diminishing returns, common in solar-powered flight, by replacing the more common electromagnetic motor with a electrostatic propulsion system to power a 10 cm rotor.
“The operating current is extremely low for the same power output, resulting in almost no heat being generated by the motor. The high efficiency and low power consumption of the motor allow us to power the vehicle with a very small solar panel,” says Qi. “We have managed to get a micro-aerial vehicle to fly using natural sunlight for the first time. Before this, only very large, ultralight aircraft could achieve this.”
