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Design and implementation of a solar-powered multirotor UAV
Thesis (MEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2023.
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| Other Authors: | |
| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | English |
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Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
2025
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| _version_ | 1867613820535439360 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Lourens, Daniel |
| author2 | Jurgens, Christiaan Johannes |
| author_browse | Jurgens, Christiaan Johannes Lourens, Daniel |
| author_facet | Jurgens, Christiaan Johannes Lourens, Daniel |
| author_sort | Lourens, Daniel |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | Stellenbosch University |
| description | Thesis (MEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2023. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/134207 |
| institution | Stellenbosch University (South Africa) |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:42:12.448Z |
| license_str | Other — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| publishDate | 2025 |
| publishDateRange | 2025 |
| publishDateSort | 2025 |
| publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| publisherStr | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| spelling | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/134207 Design and implementation of a solar-powered multirotor UAV Lourens, Daniel Jurgens, Christiaan Johannes Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Engineering. Dept. of Civil Engineering. Drone aircraft Photovoltaic power generation Finite element method Solar vehicles UCTD Thesis (MEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2023. ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This thesis investigates a method of prolonging the flight time of multirotor Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). This is achieved by incorporating Photo-voltaic (PV) cells on the vehicle for onboard energy production and optimising the weight of the vehicle to reduce the power required to hover. A mathemat-ical model of the power generated and required is developed and acts as the basis for the design. The solar irradiation available is estimated using an Ineichen-Perez model cal-ibrated to Stellenbosch, South Africa. The power generated is then calculated by considering the efficiency of the selected PV cells. The power required to hover is calculated with a modified momentum theory model. The calculation yields the power required to generate a range of thrust values using the efficiency of a selected motor at 50% maximum thrust as the design condition. The power generated and required is then combined with an estimate of the vehicle weight to yield the available operating range of the vehicle over a year. Suitable lightweight materials were identified for the construction of the test vehicle. The vehicle frame was designed and optimised using Finite Element Analysis (FEA) to ensure that structural requirements were met while min-imising the weight of the frame. A test vehicle was constructed and performance data was gathered in order to compare the performance of the vehicle to the modelled performance. The test flight was performed on the 18th of February 2022 at Stellenbosch University. The test vehicle weighed 2.72 kilograms and flew for five minutes with a hybrid solar-battery design. The PV array generated 180 watts of the 289 watts required to hover which constituted 61.2% of the required power. Constructing a vehicle within the designed weight limitations proved difficult as a commercial Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) was used to man-age the PV cells. The increase in weight above the designed weight led to an increase in power consumption emphasising the need to optimise vehicle weight. Comparing the modelled performance of the test vehicle (considering its final properties) showed that the model was able to predict the operating range and power required to hover with a sufficient degree of accuracy. AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Geen opsomming beskikbaar. Masters 2025-10-22T10:39:11Z 2025-10-22T10:39:11Z 2023-03 Thesis https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/134207 en Stellenbosch University xii, 92 pages : illustrations application/pdf Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| spellingShingle | Drone aircraft Photovoltaic power generation Finite element method Solar vehicles UCTD Lourens, Daniel Design and implementation of a solar-powered multirotor UAV |
| title | Design and implementation of a solar-powered multirotor UAV |
| title_full | Design and implementation of a solar-powered multirotor UAV |
| title_fullStr | Design and implementation of a solar-powered multirotor UAV |
| title_full_unstemmed | Design and implementation of a solar-powered multirotor UAV |
| title_short | Design and implementation of a solar-powered multirotor UAV |
| title_sort | design and implementation of a solar powered multirotor uav |
| topic | Drone aircraft Photovoltaic power generation Finite element method Solar vehicles UCTD |
| url | https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/134207 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT lourensdaniel designandimplementationofasolarpoweredmultirotoruav |