Development and Flight Testing of the Gamera-S Solar Powered Helicopter

Gamera-S, a solar powered helicopter designed and constructed by undergraduate students at the University of Maryland flew several times in 2016 with a maximum recorded flight time of 9 seconds with a pilot on board. Using highly efficient rotors and airframe, the vehicle was able to achieve liftoff with 1.6 horsepower supplied directly from on-board solar panels. Gamera-S is a significant step towards green aeronautics.