In recent years, there has been an increasing demand for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) with various capabilities suitable for both military and civilian applications. There is also a substantial interest in the development of novel drones that can fly autonomously in different environments and locations and perform various missions. Nevertheless, current battery-powered UAVs are limited by their flight range. Consequently, several approaches are being developed to enhance the flight endurance of drones, including augmenting the drone with solar power. In this review, the different classifications of drones that have been developed based on their weight and flight range are identified. Then, the design challenges of the electrical systems embedded in the flying drones are explained. Next, approaches used to increase the flight endurance using various types of solar cells with respect to their materials and mechanical flexibility, in addition to various navigation and control approaches, are discussed in detail. Finally, limitations of existing solar-powered UAVs are presented in addition to proposed solutions and recommendations for the next generation of drones.

中文翻译：

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太阳能小型无人机：综述

近年来，对具有各种适用于军事和民用应用的能力的无人机（UAV）的需求不断增加。开发能够在不同环境和地点自主飞行并执行各种任务的新型无人机也引起了人们的极大兴趣。然而，当前的电池供电无人机受到其飞行范围的限制。因此，正在开发几种方法来提高无人机的飞行续航能力，包括用太阳能增强无人机。在这篇评论中，确定了根据重量和飞行范围开发的无人机的不同分类。然后，解释了嵌入在飞行无人机中的电气系统的设计挑战。下一个，除了各种导航和控制方法外，还详细讨论了使用各种类型的太阳能电池在材料和机械灵活性方面增加飞行耐力的方法。最后，除了针对下一代无人机提出的解决方案和建议之外，还介绍了现有太阳能无人机的局限性。