2026 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition
Embedding Renewable Energy and Propulsion Design in Engineering Technology Education: A Solar–Electric Hybrid UAV Capstone Project
Presented at ECCNED Technical Session 3: Renewable Energy Design, Prototyping, and Capstone Learning
Work-in-Progress:
This paper presents an ongoing senior design project conducted by a team of three undergraduate students that focuses on the design, modeling, and experimental evaluation of a solar–electric hybrid propulsion architecture for a micro-class unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). The solar–electric hybrid configuration was selected to investigate onboard energy balance and power-sharing strategies between photovoltaic energy harvesting and battery-based electrical propulsion, rather than to demonstrate continuous flight. A 24-hour endurance target was adopted as a design benchmark to motivate analysis of diurnal energy availability, storage requirements, and power-management constraints commonly encountered in long-endurance UAV concepts, while acknowledging that full-duration flight testing is beyond the scope of a single senior design project.
The project integrates renewable-energy conversion, hybrid power management, and propulsion system analysis within an Engineering Technology curriculum to enhance student understanding of sustainable aerospace systems. The hybrid UAV concept employs solar photovoltaic energy harvesting, modular battery storage, and high-efficiency brushless DC propulsion. To date, the team has completed system-level modeling, component selection, and preliminary ground-based testing, with experiments conducted under simulated day-and-night operating conditions to evaluate solar energy harvesting performance, thrust generation, battery state of charge, and energy-conversion efficiency, while following laboratory safety protocols, including the use of personal protective equipment such as safety glasses. Analytical and simulation tools—including computer modeling, iterative design, system optimization, and performance prediction—are used to support design trade studies and validate measured results.
Educational objectives emphasize experiential learning through applied, project-based design activities aligned with ABET Engineering Technology Accreditation Commission (ETAC) baccalaureate outcomes. Through the hybrid propulsion system design process, students strengthen their ability to integrate theory with practice, apply modern engineering tools, and communicate technical findings effectively. The project draws upon multidisciplinary principles from thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, electronics, and energy systems to address a broadly defined aerospace engineering technology challenge, while documenting practical constraints, design trade-offs, and lessons learned that are directly transferable to future capstone projects.
As a work in progress, this project supports ECCNED’s goals by integrating renewable energy technologies, energy-conversion systems, and curriculum innovation within engineering education. The broader impact lies in establishing a scalable, ABET-aligned educational framework for hybrid energy propulsion design in UAV systems that can be extended across multiple senior design cohorts, enabling sustained incorporation of renewable-energy concepts into engineering technology curricula.
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Dr. Faruk Yildiz Sam Houston State University [biography]
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Dr. Michael Ulan Genialovich Dakeev Sam Houston State University [biography]
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Gabriel Smith Sam Houston State University [biography]
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Fletcher Plank Sam Houston State University [biography]
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Tanner Stevens Sam Houston State University [biography]
The full paper will be available to logged in and registered conference attendees once the conference starts on June 21, 2026, and to all visitors after the conference ends on June 24, 2026