STAFF REPORT ISB: The Air University, Islamabad, has achieved a high objective as its final year students have successfully flown countrys first-ever solar energy-powered Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV).

The Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC), Kamra, and the Tesla Solar-PV Technologies helped the Air University students develop the UAV as a commercial product for applications requiring extended duration flights.

According to Aamir Hussain, Chief Executive Officer of Tesla Solar-PV Technologies, the UAV has taken successful flight in design, build and fly contest (DBFC) arranged by the Ghulam Ishaq Khan Institutes American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) Chapter in solar-powered UAV category.

The Air University team, which clinched the distinction comprised four students – Abdullah Tariq, Osama Gillani, Abdullah Mahmood and Ghulam Jahania – from the Department of Electrical Engineering and a student, Yasir Ali, from the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering.

The team was supervised by Sohail Khalid from the Department of Electrical Engineering and Dr. Ibraheem Haneef from the Institute of Avionics and Aeronautics.

GIKIs AIAA Chapter has been arranging the DBFC since 2005 and this years contest was 9th in the series. DBFC normally invites electric-powered UAVs/RC planes to participate in the contest. This year, solar power-assisted UAV category was introduced for the first time in addition to electric UAVs.

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