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US 9,067,668 B2Granted
Adaptable solar airframe with a flexible photovoltaic system
AssigneeSunlight Photonics Inc.
InventorsJohn Peter Moussouris, Sergey V. Frolov, Michael Cyrus
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Methods and apparatus for an adaptable solar airframe are provided herein. In some embodiments, an adaptable solar airframe includes an expandable body having an aerodynamic cross-section that reduces parasitic air drag at any given thickness of the body, further being able to change its shape in flight in response to changes in the relative position of the sun; and a flexible solar PV system attached to the surface of the expandable body.
Claims20
An adaptable solar airframe comprising:
- an expandable body configured to expand during flight while maintaining an aerodynamic cross-section profile of an aerofoil that includes a larger cross-sectional width over a center portion of the aerofoil than at leading and trailing portions of the aerofoil;
- and
- a flexible solar photovoltaic (PV) system attached to a surface of the expandable body, wherein changes in shape of the expandable body are based on variable incident angle sunlight conditions during flight to optimize a capture area of the flexible solar PV system during flight.
An adaptable solar airframe comprising:
- an expandable body configured to expand during flight while maintaining an aerodynamic cross-section profile of an aerofoil that includes a larger cross-sectional width over a center portion of the aerofoil than at leading and trailing portions of the aerofoil;
- and
- an integrated solar power system comprising thin-film photovoltaic (PV) solar cells and modules integrated with a surface of the expandable body, wherein changes in shape of the expandable body are based on variable incident angle sunlight conditions during flight to optimize a capture area of the integrated solar power system during flight.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.