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By: 17th January 2016 at 19:39 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
-UAV gliders working together to find the best thermal spots
https://defensesystems.com/articles/2016/01/08/onr-penn-state-sailplanes-thermals.aspx
Posts: 593
By: Sanem - 13th September 2015 at 14:55
I've been looking at RC gliders of late, and their potential for UAV missions.
To get a feel of the potential, here's an RC glider going 505 mph:
This NASA project studied if you can use an autopilot on a powered glider to extend its range by riding thermal lift:
The Airbus Perlan project to fly a manned glider at 90,000 ft:
Also from Airbus is the Zephyr 7, a motorised glider using solar power, flew for two weeks, up to 70,000 ft:
So I was thinking, a glider would make an interesting UAV: it can fly for an extended period of time, it has no motor or fuel problems to worry about, and it can get very high.
The main issues I see are power for sensors and the operating system, and payload limitations.
The Zephyr solves these issues by using very light sensors, solar panels and a number of electric engines.
But I was wondering, would it be possible to equip the glider with rotor at the front, that would be used to generate energy from wind resistance? Alternatively it could be a small engine, used to get to altitude, and once there the engine is turned off and the rotation works like a windmill, generating electricity.
The advantage compared to the Zephyr is that you can do with less engine power, so you need less engines, no solar panels... All of which allows for a lighter and cheaper deisgn.