Solar Hotliner Sailplane
01-23-2008, 09:44 PM
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Solar Hotliner Sailplane
I want to build a solar powered sailplane/hotliner that can get up to altitude, ride the thermals, come swooping down at 100 mph, do some loops and rolls, then climb to altitude for another charge. I'm thinking at least 2 meter.
I have flown a Graupner 2 meter with brushless, gearbox and folding prop. It lasts for an hour, but now with the thin film solar, I think it would be fun.
What airframe?
what power requirements?
can I get the film?
Should I use a battery pack or is there a lighter capacitor to charge?
could we put one together in this thread?
Dana From Joplin
2 hour .15 glow undercambered sailplane
Hi-start launch
sailplane lawn dart. Forgot to change model #. Up was Down.
I have flown a Graupner 2 meter with brushless, gearbox and folding prop. It lasts for an hour, but now with the thin film solar, I think it would be fun.
What airframe?
what power requirements?
can I get the film?
Should I use a battery pack or is there a lighter capacitor to charge?
could we put one together in this thread?
Dana From Joplin
2 hour .15 glow undercambered sailplane
Hi-start launch
sailplane lawn dart. Forgot to change model #. Up was Down.
01-24-2008, 12:13 AM
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RE: Solar Hotliner Sailplane
Do the math but I think you're going to find that the power requirements for a typical hotliner with a hotliner level of performance are not going to be met by a typical two meter wing area solar panel unless the model is flying on Mercury. Even to run out a battery pack and then fly slowly enough to recharge it would take significant time and I'm not sure that would even work. A two meter wing probably needs all teh solar juice it can make to just stay in the air let alone re-charge a pack for a second hotliner style performance.
Start with how much wing area you have and how much current at 11'ish volts you can get from that size array. If that isn't up to the task then the project is dead before it starts.
Start with how much wing area you have and how much current at 11'ish volts you can get from that size array. If that isn't up to the task then the project is dead before it starts.
01-31-2008, 02:56 PM
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RE: Solar Hotliner Sailplane
Just building a solar powered elctric glider capable of climbing to atitude would be a chore. I think you'll have to wait for an expotential increase in research of solar panel developemnt and mass production before this will become possible. I hope within our lifetime but I won't hold my breath.
02-15-2008, 01:27 PM
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RE: Solar Hotliner Sailplane
Contact NASA. See if you can get them to give you a contact in Hawaii for a research project they did for just such a concept. it appears that to get to your proposed solution you would need a wing span of about 100' with a cord of about 10'. If you build such a rc glider please let us know. I would like to see it fly and if you have a good project plan with enough research many of us would be willing to donate time and money. You could sell subscriptions and you would with the right planning generate a lot of interest.
