XSun solar drone
Fully autonomous solar drones optimized for high altitude and distance operations.
XSun is a solar aircraft company, based in France, working to become one of the leading companies in the solar drone industry. Their energy-independent drones are designed to be fully autonomous so it can operate without any human intervention.This double-support wing drone has been designed optimizing aerodynamics and aircraft performance for long-range and high-altitude operations. The aerodynamic design together with the use of the latest manufacturing techniques for manufacturing leads to a highly optimized system in compliance with the most demanding requirements of solar drones.
Solar drone systems imply several challenges considering the long endurance flights and the low temperatures at high flight altitudes. From the control point of view, the Veronte Autopilot has been intensively tested for performing operations in these harsh conditions.
Veronte Autopilot in XSun solar drones
In order to warrantee the reliability of the Veronte Autopilot when flying at high altitudes, low-temperature climate chamber testing has been performed on autopilot electronics. All Veronte Autopilot units are coated with a protective film. The protective film isolates the electronic components from water condensed due to the low temperatures. The IP67 protective casing in Veronte Autopilot also permits to isolate the electronics from external factors. Such as rain, dust or electromagnetic interferences (EMI / EMC).
The high endurance and long-range flights performed with XSun solar drones require high reliability in the autopilot hardware and software. Veronte Autopilot units are continuously tested in the Embention’s testing lab for ensuring performance in long endurance operations. These units are tested for several weeks or months of continuous operation. On these tests, both, software and hardware are evaluated for ensuring compatibility with solar drone operation requirements.
Communications
From the communications point of view, XSun solar drones must be connected to a remote-control center located hundreds of kilometers from the drone. For this, both, 4G and Satcom modules are installed within the plane. So the operation can be monitored and controlled from the ground control center.
X-Sun has become a reference in solar drone aircraft development. At Embention we love the enthusiasm of Benjamin (CEO at XSun) and are glad to share efforts to bring the project to success.
