Transparent Solar Powered Eco-Plane Wins 1st Place

Roland Cernat, a graduate form the University of Applied Sciences Schwäbisch Gmünd/Germany, has designed an environmentally friendly plane called the Oriens. Oriens is a motor glider concept based on the cradle-to-cradle principle. The design won first prize this year at the Lucky Strike Junior Designer Award 2008.

The Oriens is energy efficient and made of sustainable materials. What exactly is the Oriens made of? It contains solar panels on the wings and the body of the plane. The solar panels provide enough energy to make this plane fly without fuel. For safety reason a fuel engine is installed in the plane and ready to take control if the solar power panels are not able to provide enough energy.

In addition the transparent cockpit is made with polycarbonate, a synthetic material that can be recycled over and over again. The transparency of the cockpit serves a purpose- to reach an intense flight feeling.

The design process is still in the works. To see some of the sketches and for more information visit Roland Cernat's website . Which design do you think is best for this lightweight energy-saving aircraft? Feel free to leave your thoughts in the comments section below.

Via Ecogeek