Tiny flyers levitate on the Sun's heat alone
11 days ago
- #physics
- #aerospace
- #nanotechnology
- Ben Schafer and his team developed a tiny, unpowered flying device that levitates using sunlight.
- The device is inspired by the Crookes radiometer, utilizing a two-layered wafer made with nanofabrication techniques.
- The wafer's design includes a transparent top layer and a chromium-coated bottom layer to absorb sunlight and generate lift.
- Gas molecules hitting the heated bottom layer create upward momentum, enabling flight in the mesosphere (50-100 km above Earth).
- Perforations in the layers allow gas molecules to move, enhancing lift similar to a helicopter's rotor.
- Potential applications include exploration of Earth's upper atmosphere with no moving parts or external power.