NPU’s solar energy Wi-Fi UAV team wins outstanding innovation award

The 47th International Exhibition of Inventions-Geneva was held from April 10 to 14.

Under the patronage of the Swiss Federal Government and the World Intellectual Property Organization, the annual exhibition hosts more than 40 countries and is one of the most important exhibitions of inventions in the world.

More than 800 inventions from 40 countries and regions including 59 inventions from Chinese universities like Tsinghua University, Peking University and Zhejiang University were on display this year.

Solar Energy Wi-Fi UAV researchers from NPU garnered the Outstanding Innovation Award and Gold Medal. Their Wi-Fi UAV called Mei Ying aims to provide an effective practical solution for fast establishment of information networks in remote regions, vast marine areas, disaster sites and so on.

It exploits solar power as the energy source and UAV as the aerial platform carrying wireless router technologies to create a reliable aerial Wi-Fi base station which can work as a mobile and flexible aerial Internet infrastructure.

Mei Ying had been used for protection of wildlife and the environment in Hoh Xil, the Qiangtang basin and elsewhere.

On August 28, 2018, Mei Ying UAV set another flight record of solar-powered UAVs in China with 19 hours and 34 minutes of autonomous flight.