Chinese scientists develop world's lightest solar-powered drone

Photo taken on July 17, 2024 show the world's smallest and lightest solar-powered aerial vehicle in Beijing. (Photo/China News Service)

(ECNS) -- Chinese scientists from Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics in Beijing have successfully developed the world's smallest and lightest solar-powered aerial vehicle - CoulombFly.

The drone is propelled by an electrostatic motor and an ultra-lightweight high voltage power supply. It realizes take-off and prolonged, stable flight under the power of natural sunlight for the first time.

CoulombFly weights 4.21 grams, less than a piece of A4 paper with a palm-sized wingspan of 20 centimeters, making it about 10 times as small and roughly 600 times as light as the previous smallest sunlight-powered aircraft, according to a researcher.

The drone can be used for post-disaster relief work and carry out narrow space patrol and information collection missions.