Rastreador do ponto de máxima potência para um veículo aéreo não tripulado (VANT) do tipo quadrimotor alimentado somente por energia fotovoltaica

Abstract

Today, the world has faced several difficult challenges, with environmental pollution and the energy crisis topping that list. Against this backdrop, many efforts have been and continue to be made by several countries in order to use energy from sustainable sources, with solar energy being one of the most advantageous of them. Solar energy is considered the most reliable source for the future, and its application for flight is one of the most promising uses of renewable energy, which has attracted countless researchers in recent years. Because it is an inexhaustible source, it has the ability to extend the autonomy of the aircraft. Another contributing factor is to maximize the use of solar energy when it is available. To ensure that the maximum power is absorbed by the cells, a type of maximum power point tracking algorithm (MPPT) is generally incorporated into the photovoltaic system. Based on this, the objective of this study is to develop an MPPT circuit that allows the use of photovoltaic solar energy as a clean energy source to supply a four-engine unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), without the use of other energy sources (batteries or fuels). From this research, the selection of the MPPT algorithm that best suited the UAV prototype was also carried out, enabling high efficiency and a low response time. The performance of the tests demonstrates that it is possible to power an unmanned aerial vehicle of the four-engine type, by means of solar energy. The study also showed that for the prototype to take off from the ground, the thrust ratio of the engines and weight must be greater than 1. The data simulated using the Proteus software, allowed the verification of the MPPT algorithms and their power gain.