01
Autonomous flight
Fully autonomous, thanks to an advanced autopilot.
CUPID · since 2024
A drone with solar cells
in its wing
A research project developed together with the LiftUP team. The goal: to stay airborne for many hours without external recharging.
CUPID, Composite Unmanned Photovoltaic Innovative Drone, is a University of Padua student project: a composite drone with photovoltaic panels built into its structure, to stretch flight time far beyond traditional electric drones.
It isn’t designed for a competition. It’s a modular experimental platform for testing materials, energy layouts, solar-cell integration techniques and energy-management systems.
In the future this base could serve environmental monitoring, civil protection, wildfire detection with infrared sensors and, more generally, any mission that needs a light, autonomous aircraft able to fly for a long time.
First prototype goal
Six hours aloft on a one-hour battery
The first prototype is for studying how solar cells behave in flight. Perfect aerodynamics is not the priority: it needs a solid structure to mount them on and take measurements.
How it works
The energy
system
From the solar cells, through the MPPT, to the motor and the battery.
Light
Sun
The energy comes from the sun: output changes with clouds and the angle of the wing.
In the wing
Solar cells
SunPower cells built into the wing: we expect to start with about 40.
MPPT
Genasun GV-5
The planned model: it always draws the maximum power from the cells, whatever the light or angle.
Output
Motor and battery
Energy spins the propeller; the surplus charges the battery.
The CUPID concept: solar cells run along the whole wing.
Final goal
An autonomous,
self-sufficient drone
02
Its own energy
High-efficiency solar cells built into the wing produce energy during flight.
03
Long missions
Many times the endurance of a normal electric drone.
04
Swappable sensors
Different kinds of sensors on board: a modular platform for future applications.
An aircraft that stays airborne for many hours becomes a base for any payload: infrared sensors to monitor wildfires, cameras for environmental surveys, LiDAR, research instruments. CUPID was conceived as a technology demonstrator, to test new solutions for energy, aerodynamics and flight control.
Technical challenges
Five design
choices
Every technical choice affects the others: the system has to be designed as a balance between weight, energy efficiency, aerodynamics and reliability.
How many solar cells
More cells produce more power, but they add weight and drag; and more weight needs more energy to stay airborne. The goal is the point where the energy produced exceeds what it takes to carry the extra weight: a loop to solve with models, simulations and tests.
Motor and propeller
The motor must keep the aircraft flying on the least possible energy, stay light, work well with the propeller and fit the voltage range of panels and battery. Propeller diameter, pitch and material set the efficiency: it needs a prop optimised for low RPM and maximum efficiency.
The MPPT controller
An MPPT (Maximum Power Point Tracker) always draws the maximum available power, whatever the aircraft’s angle, the clouds or the cell temperature. The candidate is the Genasun GV-5, compact and efficient for low-voltage systems: the final choice depends on how many cells we use and how we wire them.
Weight and structure
The first prototypes will have a polystyrene core and a fibreglass skin: light, stiff enough and easy to modify. Carbon fibre comes later. The material decides where the cells go, how weight is spread, how much load the wing takes and how much room is left for electronics and sensors.
Sensors and payload
The first planned payload is an infrared camera, easy to integrate and inexpensive. Every sensor adds power draw, weight, a centre of gravity to balance, electromagnetic interference and drag: that’s why the airframe has to be designed from the start to take new sensors without a full redesign.
The plan
Project
milestones
The first planned step is to test the solar cells on Zephira, a proven drone from our fleet, to get real data straight away. Then digital model, prototype, first flight and continuous improvement.
2024
The project starts
CUPID starts as an internal LiftUP research platform to study the endurance of electric drones with built-in solar panels. The first ideas take shape.
2025
Preliminary study and first purchases
Analysis of wing surfaces and solar layouts, a first CAD model with geometry, internal volumes and component layout. The first electronic parts are bought for testing.
Winter 2026/27
The Zephira phase
Planned: the first solar cells on the wing of Zephira, one of the fleet’s working drones, with in-flight MPPT tests under real sun and vibration to measure energy produced and aerodynamic impact.
After the Zephira phase
Data-driven design
From the Zephira data, the final CUPID 3D model: the right balance between a wide wing, which hosts the cells, and overall efficiency. Then the choice of avionics, motors and the first payload, with the infrared camera.
2027 · Q1
Building the prototype
The first CUPID airframe: polystyrene core and fibreglass skin. On board: solar panels, MPPT, BMS, battery, flight controller and motor-propeller unit.
2027 · Q1
Maiden flight
Short flights first, for stability, handling and battery endurance; then longer and longer flights, towards six hours aloft.
From 2027
Carbon fibre and real missions
A carbon structure for a better power-to-weight ratio, infrared cameras and precision sensors: environmental monitoring, infrastructure inspection, search and rescue.
They supported CUPID
