1. Electrical Components
Solar Plane
Stephen Hornish
Science Discovery & The Universe
Computer Science
Goal
Electrical Components
The goal of my Capstone was to design, build and fly a Solar powered plane. This goal was an extremely difficult one that required a ton of work and dedication from myself and my mentor Michael Fechtmann. The project was divided into three parts. The first was to research the internet for people who have completed similar projects and learn from their successes and failures. Next was to calculate what parts would work together and how much power was expected from the solar cells. The last step was the actual construction, testing, and flight.
It is possible to build a solar plane but the limitations are immense compared to traditional battery powered aircrafts . The biggest problems found were power management and the sheer size. Power management was a huge issue for this project because the cells themselves produce around 3.5amps at 0.5 volts so all the cells had to be in series to yield 15v at 3.5 amps for a total power output of around 52 watts. This fed into an MPPT converter that used the solar power to charge a lithium battery which powered the motors. The control surfaces and receiver were powered off of a smaller separate battery that was independent of the solar cells so if the sun went away the plane could still glide to earth. To fit all the cells the plane had to have a giant wingspan of 9feet.
Conclusions
Tests
The plane was the result of various tests. Each test was another stepping stone that allowed for the next phase of construction to commence or allowed me to find a problem before it was finalized into the plane. The first test that took place involved testing various air foils and wingspans to find the optimal angle of attack. This was done using open source software which tested the airfoils. Next I tested various cells for their flexibility size and output before deciding on a cell to work with. Each cell had to be tested for power output to make sure all connections were good because if one cell was bad it would significantly drop the voltage since all the cells are in series. Once the cells were secured the RPM and life time of the battery had to be tested by running the motors and recording the time. Finally the plane had to be flown.
The project overall was a massive success . The plane did fly for a short period of time and worked perfectly on the ground. The project however does not end with conclusion of this capstone project. The plane still requires a lot of work to have it optimally flying, as there are existing problems with the rudder and weight management. Arduino control board and onboard camera are to be added in the near future. Over the course of completing this project I learned a lot about electrical circuits, solar power, radio signals, and design process. I would like extend thanks to my mentor Michael Fechtmann and the SDU Scholars Director Dr. Allan Peel.
Special thanks to Michael Fechtmann  and Dr. Alan Peel
Check out the build log at imgur.com/gallery/a9Ahe/new