The world of unmanned aviation technology has entered a new phase of development and commerciality with the launch of the SUNLINK-5 a solar-powered drone aircraft capable of flying all day long at low to medium altitudes.
Developed by Sunlight Photonics Inc., the SUNLINK-5 is being marketed as an ideal solution for wildlife monitoring, border patrol, surveillance, precision agriculture, land surveys and wireless communications, and has been made commercially available by its creators.
Powered exclusively by solar energy, the SUNLINK-5 UAV can fly for longer than any other drone aircraft in its weight class. It is distinct from previous solar-powered drones in that it is a durable aircraft designed for multiple flights, launches and landings, and is capable of flying through strong headwinds, turbulence and demanding weather conditions.
The frame of the SUNLINK-5 has been constructed using integrated solar cells delivering highly efficient solar performance of up to 100 W of power. The aircraft can carry payloads of up to 5kg and operate at altitudes of 10,000 feet. It also comes equipped with remote autopilot, ground control station and relevant software, making it a true plug-and-play addition to the burgeoning industry of solar-powered aviation.
In April, Google bought solar-powered drone company Titan Aerospace in a deal thought to be worth many millions of dollars. That acquisition followed closely on the heels of Facebooks $20 million purchase of Ascenta a U.K.-based aerospace company that has specialized in solar-powered aviation technology for the past few years.
This content is protected by copyright and may not be reused. If you want to cooperate with us and would like to reuse some of our content, please contact: editors@pv-magazine.com.
By submitting this form you agree to pv magazine using your data for the purposes of publishing your comment.
Your personal data will only be disclosed or otherwise transmitted to third parties for the purposes of spam filtering or if this is necessary for technical maintenance of the website. Any other transfer to third parties will not take place unless this is justified on the basis of applicable data protection regulations or if pv magazine is legally obliged to do so.
You may revoke this consent at any time with effect for the future, in which case your personal data will be deleted immediately. Otherwise, your data will be deleted if pv magazine has processed your request or the purpose of data storage is fulfilled.
Further information on data privacy can be found in our Data Protection Policy.