These aircraft rely on a combination of advanced technologies designed to maximize energy efficiency, minimize weight and ensure stable performance. Key to this is the use of high-efficiency solar panels or modules, often integrated directly into the aircraft's wings to. . Solar-powered aircraft are electric aircraft that can be an airplane, blimp, or airship and use either a battery or hydrogen to store the energy produced by the solar cells and use that energy at night when the sun isn't shining. Solar-powered aircraft do not require fuel, so they don't require. . At Airbus, we are working to use this alternative renewable energy source to power high-endurance stratospheric flight. Our advances in solar cell technology enable unmanned aerial vehicles to stay aloft in the stratosphere for extended periods, using only sunlight as energy.
