500 Wh/kg Batteries Could Keep Solar Aircraft's Flying for Months
Researchers say batteries must reach 500 watt-hours per kilogram before solar stratospheric aircraft can support months-long flights and lower-cost climate monitoring.
4 Articles
4 Articles
Researchers establish performance targets for next-generation solar aircraft batteries
A sleek, pilotless, solar-powered airplane that soars through the atmosphere to monitor climate or track wildfires was once just an idea. Now, these high-altitude specialty aircraft are advancing from early prototyping demonstrations toward potential commercial applications, supported by decades of research and development involving Harvard scientists, aerospace engineers and industry collaborators.
Better batteries could keep solar aircraft flying through the night for months
Solar-powered aircraft could stay aloft for weeks or months, but making that possible depends heavily on the batteries carrying them through each night. A new study identifies a battery target that could make persistent flight practical across much wider areas. The researchers found an important threshold near 500 watt-hours per kilogram of battery-cell mass. At […]
Harvard researchers have calculated when batteries are no longer the biggest bottleneck, which could expand the use of solar aircraft.The article 500 Wh/kg: Why this number decides on the future of solar aircraft first appeared on ingenieur.de - Job Market and News Portal for Engineers.
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