Ben CoxworthNovember 16, 2015Volta Flyer is made to teach kids about solar-powered flight

The Volta Flyer toy airplane is powered by the sun (Credit: ToyLabs)

Whether they've been crossing the English Channel, traversing the Alps, or attempting to fly around the world, solar-powered planes have been in the news a lot this year. While the aircraft are certainly fascinating and inspiring, there's no way that most of would ever be able to afford one 鈥?or is there? If a new Kickstarter campaign is successful, you'll be able to get a Volta Flyer solar airplane for just US$40. The only thing is, it'll be a little on the small side.

The 16.5-inch (419-mm)-wingspan Volta Flyer was designed by the team at ToyLabs, who also brought us the Volta Racer. The latter is a foam-bodied motorized toy car that children (or not-so-children) put together themselves, and which is powered by an onboard flexible solar panel. As long as the sun keeps shining on that panel and no obstacles get in its path, the car keeps going.

By contrast, the Volta Flyer uses its thin-film solar panel to charge two built-in capacitors 鈥?a full charge takes about 90 seconds, in direct sunlight. Users then just power up its motor and hand-launch the plane into the air. Its whizzing rear-mounted propeller should keep it flying for about 30 seconds, with its flight trajectory determined by how its stabilizers have been set 鈥?sorry, but it's not remotely-controlled.

"I like to think about it as a modern day balsa flyer, like the ones you built and hand-launched as a kid 鈥?but a much more technically advanced version," ToyLabs founder Tim Curley tells us.

As with the Volta Racer, the Flyer's 3.9-gram body is put together by the user without the need for any tools. It's made from a combination of Depron foam and balsa wood, with the wings held on by polystyrene joiners 鈥?in the event of a crash, those joiners allow the wings to come off instead of breaking.

If you're interested in getting one of the li'l airplanes, a pledge of $40 is required. Shipping is planned for next March, if all goes according to plans.

Source: Kickstarter

Volta Flyer面向儿童的太阳能飞行器

本coxworthnovember 16，2015volta飞了教授关于太阳能flight

沃尔特飞鸟玩具飞机的孩子是由太阳（来源：toylabs）

是否已经越过英吉利海峡，穿越阿尔卑斯山，或试图环球飞行的太阳能飞机，在今年的新闻很多。而飞机肯定是有趣的和鼓舞人心的，没有办法，大多数能买得起鈥？还是在那儿？如果一个新的Kickstarter的运动是成功的，你就可以得到一个次飞行太阳能飞机仅40美元。唯一的问题是，这将是小了点。

的16.5-inch（419毫米）-翼展沃尔塔传单是由toylabs团队设计，也给我们带来了沃尔特的赛车。后者是一种泡沫体的电动玩具车，儿童（或不那么儿童）放在一起，这是由一个板载灵活的太阳能电池板。只要阳光闪耀在面板和它的路径没有障碍，汽车不断。

相反，沃尔特旅客使用其薄膜太阳能电池板充电2内置电容鈥？一个完整的充电需要大约90秒，在阳光直射下。用户然后才把它的电机和手发射到空中的飞机。它呼啸后置螺旋桨应该保持约30秒的飞行，其飞行轨迹取决于其稳定剂已设置鈥？对不起，但这不是远程控制。

“我想它是一个现代的轻飞，就像你建立和手作为一个孩子鈥推出？但一个更先进的版本，“toylabs创始人提姆科里告诉我们。

与沃尔特的赛车手，传单的3.9-gram体放在一起，用户不需要任何工具。它是由泡沫板和木材，用翅膀上举行鈥聚苯乙烯加入？在碰撞发生时，这些员工让翅膀来代替破坏。

如果你得到的一个小飞机感兴趣，一个40美元的承诺是必需的。运输计划于明年三月，如果一切按计划。

来源：Kickstarter