DARPA, the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, has set a seemingly impossible task, known as the Vulture program, by calling for an aircraft which can remain in the sky for five years while generating five kilowatts of power for a 1,000 pound payload. The Odysseus by Aurora Flight Sciences, which has been selected as one promising design by DARPA, doesn't appear capable of flight at all to many onlookers. The odd Z-shaped wing is actually three separate machines which can change their combined shape in order to catch the suns rays throughout the day and flatten out at night, when the Odysseus would fly on battery power alone. Together, the three sections would span almost 500 feet. Advanced composite materials and double-sided solar panels are employed to make the concept appear possible. If DAPRA's vision proves successful, aerial vehicles like these could take the place of satellites for surveillance and communications purposes.

[Sources: Flight Global, Gizmag]

Well, today must come to an end, and so must my posts about alternative forms of transportation. But, I couldn't let the day go by without mentioning the last frontier of transportation: flight.

I am sure that you already know that the average jet engine is not really friendly to the environment, and a great deal of work will have to be done before planes are flying on biofuels. Also, if you plan on flying solely on human-power, don't expect to get very far. But, what about solar? Is solar-powered flight just a dream, or could it someday be a reality? Well, check this out before you decide. Yes, I know that this is just a model, and a very small one at that. But, this is a good first step, wouldn't you say? You should really check the thread out, it's well worth your time to read. A thanks goes out to Kert for sharing the link with us.

[Source: RC Groups forum]

I just ran across this very in-depth article that introduces us to a new team, the Technion Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, who hopes to rewrite the record books when it comes to solar aviation. They are doing so with a rather small airplane (compared to previous solar fliers) known as SunSailor.

The article goes on to give a primer on past solar flight attempts and triumphs. UAVs, or unmanned aircrafts, hold out an intriguing possibility for military use, as UAVs can spare the lives of pilots who can control the vehicles from the ground. Aircrafts powered solely by solar energy is something that is of interest to the green community, due to their lack of emissions.

Lastly, an interview is conducted with the team that designed and built the SunSailor. Specifically, Professor Omri Rand, head of the faculty of Aerospace Engineering at the Technion and Idan Regev, of the students involved with the SunSailor project. Hope you enjoy reading it.

[Source: The Future of Things]