Fly-by-Sun

Gamera-S is a student-run project with a goal to fly by harnessing the power of the sun. We’ve already set world records. And we aim to set more.

HISTORY

  • The Gamera project began as an attempt to win the American Helicopter Society’s famed Sikorski Prize. The human-powered Gamera project went through many iterations, eventually achieving flight for more than 60 seconds and a height of almost 10 feet.
  • The requirements to win the Sikorsky Prize include achieving a flight duration of 60 seconds and reaching an altitude of 3m (9ft 10 in). At the same time the aircraft must prove that it is controllable by remaining within a 10m (32ft 10in) circle.
  • Since the University of Maryland’s mascot is a terrapin turtle, we named the craft Gamera. This is a reference towards a popular Japanese Kaiju series of films featuring a flying turtle. What a fitting name!
  • In August/September of 2012, the team flew Gamera II, an upgraded version. One flight surpassed the AHS Sikorsky Competition requirement for a 60-second flight with a duration of approximately 65 seconds, while staying within a 10m square area (another requirement), setting a world record.

TRANSITIONING TO GAMERA S

Gamera transitioned to Gamera-S in May of 2014, marking a new frontier for solar-powered aviation. On August 26, 2016, the solar powered Gamera-S flew for 9 seconds with pilot Michelle Mahon at the controls. Gamera-S is a modification of the human powered Gamera helicopter, designed to be capable of carrying a person while being powered solely by solar power. A team of undergraduate students carried out modifications to the vehicle including the selection and attachment of solar panels to the truss structure, replacing the manual string transmission with a compact electric motor and gearbox system, and a simple electronic control system that appropriates power flow to the motors. Gamera-S retains some key features such as baseline structure, rotor hub and rotor blades.

The future is bright for Gamera-S. The team has goals to achieve flight of at least one minute, but the limits are endless. Some future side projects to achieve this include upgrading solar cells, mini drone prototype, and a feedback control system to stabilize the vehicle.