DIY engineer builds a battery-free solar-powered drone — and it flies

An image of the solar powered drone in flight (Luke Maximo Bell; screenshot)

DIY engineer and YouTuber Mike Bell has successfully built and flown a drone powered directly by solar energy, with no batteries or any form of energy storage device. He achieved this by attaching a slat made up of 27 individual solar panels onto a carbon-fiber drone.

Chibuike Okpara, Published 11/02/2025 🇪🇸 🇵🇹 ...

Drone DIY

Just six days after attempting to reclaim the Guinness World Record for the fastest drone by building a 363.5 mph (585 km/h) drone with his father Mike Bell, Luke Maximo Bell has uploaded another YouTube video, showcasing a new drone and sharing plans the for another world record. The new drone relies 100% on solar, with no batteries or any other storage unit.

For this build, Luke used a frame and propellers made of carbon fiber to ensure the drone's structural integrity and lightness. For the power source, he made a slat out of 27 tiny solar panels and connected it directly to the drone without a battery.

After some test flights and fine-tuning, Luke was able to fly the drone around. Though the drone was somewhat unstable and wobbled when faced with a gentle breeze, it flew with solar as a direct power source, smashing the target of the project.

He also revealed plans for a future iteration which will be equipped with more panels, a GPS unit, and autonomous flight software. The aim of the drone will be to break the Guinness World Record for the longest flying drone.

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Source(s)

Luke Maximo Bell (linked above)

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Chibuike Okpara - Tech Writer - 320 articles published on Notebookcheck since 2024

I have always been fascinated by technology and digital devices my entire life and even got addicted to it. I have always marveled at the intricacy of even the simplest digital devices and systems around us. I have been writing and publishing articles online for about 6 years now, just about a year ago, I found myself lost in the marvel of smartphones and laptops we have in our hands every day. I developed a passion for learning about new devices and technologies that come with them and at some point, I asked myself, "Why not get into writing tech articles?" It is useless to say I followed up the idea — it is evident. I am an open-minded individual who derives an infinite amount of joy from researching and discovering new information, I believe there is so much to learn and such a short life to live, so I put my time to good use — learning new things. I am a 'bookworm' of the internet and digital devices. When I am not writing, you will find me on my devices still, I do explore and admire the beauty of nature and creatures. I am a fast learner and quickly adapt to changes, always looking forward to new adventures.

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