Mini UAV and MAV power plants
A configuration of harnessed lithium polymer cells may be the answer to mini-UAVs. When we compare the voltage output and capacity of wire harness systems and compare the weight of LiPoly cells to NiCd or NiMH cells, you can achieve vastly better results than average fuel and output on an ounce basis. per ounce.
It’s also a reusable issue that the batteries can be recharged and if the UAV-mini’s glide ratio is decent you could use a slight shallow glide with less power as the batteries discharge so that the unit returns home even when the aircraft is no longer capable of climbing or maintaining altitude. Although we are still not convinced that this system is the best, we believe that a battery system of some material may be the best option. For example, the cell phone industry has done wonders and if you remove the plastic casing, you are even lighter. And a tiny, ultra-thin-skinned solar panel could even recharge the battery for the return flight, if that’s a return mission required for reuse. Many of the small engines in model airplanes have good advantages.
Technological advances in batteries due to funding from information technology companies have benefited the possibilities of reusable, rechargeable and recoverable UAV electric craft.
Some of these plastic-polymetal-lithium mixes are just too good to pass up. The way I see it is that once the ship is at altitude, a thin microfilm is needed, the solar cell can be deployed and used to maintain the ship and charge the battery. Maybe adding hours to the flight.
A super-thin solar cell just microns thick can rest on top of the wings and even become the wings. For example, the high pressure area on the wing can be made of a 2-3 micron thin film, and the underside can be made of composite material or molded foam from materials such as stealth aircraft. So you are talking about a plane-UAV that has a weight of 4 to 6 pounds with a payload of 10 to 11 pounds and on a sunny day it can fly for 10 hours or more. I even bet you could fly one around the world or across the Pacific all you need to get on the electric powered jet stream and charge your way across the ocean. Think about this.