Sol R Project
With his association Association Endlessflyers, Stéphane collaborates with 15 students from various High Schools in France : INSA, X, EPF, UTC Compiègne.
The objective is to make a self-sufficient blimp, a blimp propelled with its own energy resources. It is equiped with photovoltaic panels, batteries Li-Po and electrical motors. With the collaboration of designer Truong Minh-Lôc, Stephane and the students developed a particular design which gives the blimp an exemplary stability in the air. The team hopes to build the balloon and to carry out the first autonomous flight in 2009, and of course… to cross the English Channel.
Stephane’s experience with the pedal powered blimp is very useful for this solar challenge as far as low power is concerned. On the long term, this project could be used to realise stratospheric blimps for telecommunication (low altitude relays less expensive than the communication satellites).
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