Exploring Applications for Solar Electric Aircraft

Solar powered aircraft are typically only used in low wing loading applications, such as atmospheric monitoring, communications, and reconnaissance. They are limited by the fact that as weight increases, more power is required to keep the aircraft aloft than can be generated by the solar array. Solar aircraft are therefore unable to carry heavy payloads for sufficient range or achieve high speeds, rendering them impractical outside of these niche applications. However, solar power remains a favorable clean energy option in today’s warming climate and the ever-growing concern of carbon emissions, which the aviation industry in particular has been pressured to mitigate. This paper aims to explore and facilitate expansion of solar aircraft into more spaces by investigating several mission profiles in which solar aircraft could be viable, including Alaskan feeder routes, pipeline inspections, and disaster relief, and assessing the advantages and limitations of each. A particularly viable mission for which a solar plane is used for carrying cargo is proposed. Antarctic inter-research station cargo delivery is a case which takes advantage of the region’s extended periods of daylight, as well as a solar plane’s ability to land, recharge, and takeoff again with no additional fuel. Preliminary calculations characterizing the performance of an aircraft of this design are discussed. Development of a subscale model aircraft for this design mission is underway to demonstrate feasibility of this concept.