The Green Falcon – A UAV powered by solar energy

An unmanned vehicle in the air monitoring forest conditions is the newest desire of Queensland University of Technology, Australia. This light weight vehicle uses solar energy to power itself up. It will be available in 24 months after flight tests are carried out. Known as the Green Falcon, this UAV is capable of providing round the clock service with the added benefits of zero emission and pollution. The vehicle is also suitable for use in coastal and border surveillance, forestry, atmospheric conditions etc. The Green Falcon has a wingspan of 2.5m and weighs around 4kg. The UAV is powered using 28 monocrystalline solar cells and a lithium ion battery. It also packs a maximum power point tracker and an energy management system making it efficient and practical for use.

The testing of this project will cost $45,000-75,000 for resources like wireless cameras and electronics. This innovation should help make surveillance a whole lot easier.
[Flightglobal]