Projects SOLAR RC AIRCRAFT

vrajp434

New Member
I have solar cells attached to wings of an RC aircraft. After cell connections are made, they should output about 11 A and 22 V at best conditions. However I am not sure how to charge the aircraft LiPo from the solar cells. The LiPo is rated 3200mAH 50C 6S 22.2 V. It is powering a max capacity 60 A motor. I need to find an optimum solution to charge the LiPO in flight or even provide power directly to the motor. Any suggestions ?
 

Yank1454

New Member
I have solar cells attached to wings of an RC aircraft. After cell connections are made, they should output about 11 A and 22 V at best conditions. However I am not sure how to charge the aircraft LiPo from the solar cells. The LiPo is rated 3200mAH 50C 6S 22.2 V. It is powering a max capacity 60 A motor. I need to find an optimum solution to charge the LiPO in flight or even provide power directly to the motor. Any suggestions ?
What about something like this.

 

D.O.G.

Goblin 380 Supporter
:welcome1:vrajp434. Sounds like a very interesting craft you have their. Can you post up a pic. if you can :).
 

RandyDSok

Well-Known Member
I certainly don't know about how to go about doing anything solar, much less applying that tech to an RC aircraft. I can however bring up some points that I think may be relevant and could lead to you having something to look into in order to see if they are helpful.

The first point and where I'd start my information gathering... would be in other areas that do use solar energy such as how it is applied to homes, business's or other locations such as remote information gathering sites and such. What is recommended in those areas would also apply here only at a different scale.

I suspect that you will also need an isolation circuit so energy from the batteries doesn't feedback into the solar array leaching off any power you may already have in the batteries. This can likely be done simply by using a set of diodes so the energy can only flow from the charge circuit and not back into the charger and solar array or its required electronics. Again, this is where looking at the existing tech for clues on what they use and applying in this situation.

Weight of the required equipment may also impede the progress you have. I know in any aircraft, there is a point of diminishing returns when you start adding too much weight and start exceeding the amount of lift the aircraft produces. To put that another way, the weight you add, the more you have to offset that weight with more power or more lift.

On an airplane, the wing loading determines how much lift the wing can produce. On the TV shows demonstrating solar in aircraft in real life that I've seen, most are using glider type designs because of the amount of lift those types of wings can produce. So look at aircraft with high wing loading attributes, glider types or similar, so you have more room for adding more weight to the design you choose.

Hopefully, that will give you some areas to investigate because this sounds like a fun and interesting project to take on.
 

Yank1454

New Member
If another ch available and room, tie negative together and use servo change power to motor ONLY.
Preferably with relay,don't kill receiver.

Lol, why I'm called potato planter.
 
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