Project Sol’R: A solar-powered blimp to cross the English Channel

A team of French engineers are all set for a test flight across the English Channel in a solar powered blip. The outer layer of this 72 feet long blip is wrapped with flexible solar panels that are capable of generating 2.4 kilowatts to power the two big red propellers. The Projet Sol’R, led by INSA Lyon and ESSEC Business School made the aluminum frame and covered it in an outer wrap made from nylon and polyethylene. Once completed; this blip will certainly have many applications including those in the military. The American military was looking for something like this to have an economical and eco-friendly way to spy on other countries and this blip certainly looks like a winner. It travels at 25mph which should approximately take an hour to cross s the English Channel if things go well during the test flight. Until then, we have our fingers crossed.
[Wired]