Drones charge ahead - Princeton Engineering

Drone flying over a field on a partly sunny day.

Working with Assistant Professor Minjie Chen, Princeton University undergraduate researchers are developing a system that would allow drones to automatically recharge their batteries at solar-powered charging stations (the stations are also designed to work for cellular phones.)

The work, aimed at extended drones’ operation time, is part of the Andlinger Center’s effort to find sustainable alternatives for resource-intensive tasks. The project is supported in part by the Peter B. Lewis Fund for Student Innovation in Energy and the Environment and the Dede T. Bartlett P03 Fund for Student Research in Energy and the Environment, both managed by the Andlinger Center.

The students working on the research project are Abdulghafar Al Tair, Alex Ju and Fida Newaj.

(Video by Aaron Nathans, Office of Engineering Communications, with footage from the Power Electronics Lab at Princeton University.)

Professor writes on white board while talking with grad student.

Electrical and Computer Engineering

Improving human health, energy systems, computing and communications, and security

Small, efficient sensors help drones fly in high winds

Using drones and lasers, researchers pinpoint greenhouse gas leaks

The science of static shock jolted into the 21st century

Bird wings inspire new approach to flight safety

For these little robots, two heads are better than one

Leaner large language models could enable efficient local use on phones and laptops

Electrical and Computer Engineering

Engineering Newsletter Signup