Photonic Stealth Drone!

The sun, as Earth's closest star.

Its light and heat are the source of all life on Earth.

Through the core's nuclear fusion effect, 4 million tons of mass are completely converted into energy every second.

This energy is scattered into the vast expanse of space in the form of solar radiation.

Even though Earth can only receive one two-billionth of this energy, and 30% of that one two-billionth is reflected back into space by the atmosphere, and 23% is absorbed by the atmosphere.

The remaining 47% reaches the surface.

But even so, its irradiation power reaches 80 trillion KW.

The energy irradiated every second is equivalent to the energy released by burning 5 million tons of standard coal.

The power averaged per square meter of the Earth's surface reaches 630W to 700W, with a daily average exceeding 5 kilowatt-hours.

"A daily average of 5 kilowatt-hours of solar energy, combined with this solar cell film's 84.6% conversion rate."

"This means 1 square meter of area can generate 4.2 kilowatt-hours of electricity per day."

"If the drone is far from the ground, above the clouds, at an altitude of 5000 meters."

"Without cloud obstruction, this 1 square meter of fuselage area should be able to convert over 6 kilowatt-hours of electricity."

"The higher the altitude, the stronger the solar radiation, and the more electricity the drone obtains."

"If we leave the troposphere and enter the stratosphere at an altitude of 10,000 meters, the electricity converted by 1 square meter is estimated to reach 8 kilowatt-hours."

Chen Yi recalled some information parameters about solar radiation hitting planets, took out paper and pen, and wrote down the design points for the Sun Never Sets Drone.

First, the aerodynamic layout must be good; this is the foundation.

The fuselage weight must be controlled to be as low as possible; this is the core.

Finally, the surface area of the fuselage must be as large as possible; this is the key.

Based on these three elements.

Chen Yi pondered for a moment and drew the general configuration of the Sun Never Sets Drone on the blueprint.

It is a flying machine with a length of 2.8 meters, a wingspan of 2.5 meters at its widest point, and a height of 0.54 meters including the landing gear.

It has broad wings, extending vertical and horizontal tail fins, and a streamlined fuselage that conforms to the aerodynamic layout. The overall shape is flat, resembling a manta ray.

After determining the drone's exterior shape.

Chen Yi, based on fluid dynamics equations and data from the previous test flight.

Began to refine the specific parameters of the fuselage's aerodynamic layout.

For example, the angle of the wings, the curvature of the fuselage, the vertical, horizontal, and balance angles of the tail fins, their width and height, etc.

Several hours later, the design of the fuselage's aerodynamic layout was completed.

Chen Yi made a rough calculation of the lift coefficient and drag coefficient of this fuselage structure.

"The theoretical lift coefficient reached 2.38, and the zero-lift drag coefficient for supersonic cruise is as low as 0.028."

"Next is the fuselage material.

This time, a solar cell film will be added, so the fuselage will use a three-layer composite material.

The innermost layer will be a carbon fiber base skeleton, the middle layer will be a solar cell film.

The surface will be a layer of transparent beryllium oxide ceramic, serving as thermal barrier protection and physical protection.

The engine also needs further improvement.

In addition to increasing the engine size, electric field propulsion replacing combustion for work is fundamentally different from ordinary combustion engines, and some details need to be modified.

Because the burst of ion propulsion is insufficient, the ram structure of the intake duct needs to be enlarged by 2%, reducing intake resistance.

The combustion chamber is replaced by electric field acceleration; without combustion expansion, the subsequent nozzle channel needs to be reduced by 2.5%.

The electric field acceleration chamber in the middle also needs to be lengthened."

After the Rongfei incident.

Chen Yi had gained much experience in the structure of large drones and the design of large engine cores.

Although this Sun Never Sets Drone, less than 2.8 meters long and 2.5 meters wide, is far from being called "large."

Compared to the drones he had designed and manufactured before, none exceeding two meters, this is already a significant improvement.

It can be said.

This time, in addition to building a Sun Never Sets Drone.

More importantly, it is to verify his progress and gains over the past twenty-odd days.

"Finally, there is the most crucial part: the solar cell film."

At 8 PM, all module designs were completed.

Chen Yi turned his gaze to the solar cell film on the other side.

"Read information!"

Boom! A dense stream of information bloomed in his mind.

Chen Yi struggled to process it.

He discovered that apart from external parameters like melting point, viscosity, and toughness of the materials, he was completely clueless about the actual conversion principles and manufacturing processes. It was like trying to understand the universe with just a glance.

"These processes and principles must be some kind of quantum technology. Through special quantum processing, they maximize the photoelectric effect, reduce internal resistance, and simultaneously create microscopic light-gathering structures."

"With this knowledge base, I could start building Dyson Spheres and playing with Sophons."

Chen Yi rubbed his throbbing head, feeling a bit speechless.

"It seems I'll have to start with II-V group gallium nitride solar panels as a base and then adjust and upgrade them."

Chen Yi imported the drone blueprints into the printer to print them, but he wasn't too surprised.

Ever since he tested the solar battery film's conversion rate at 84.6%, Chen Yi knew this was likely a technology that involved fields of knowledge he completely didn't understand, surpassing the current limits of technological foundations.

Watching the printer work normally, Chen Yi went downstairs.

He arrived at the newly expanded laboratory behind the warehouse.

He opened the professional-grade chemical synthesis equipment and began preparing the II-V group gallium nitride compound materials.

Originally, Chen Yi wouldn't have known how to perform these chemical synthesis procedures.

But after several virtual learning sessions with a virtual teacher, he had become proficient through their professional training, instruction, and in-depth guidance.

After preheating the materials and mixing them according to the ratio, a vigorous chemical reaction caused liquid to seep out.

Chen Yi wiped away the seeping liquid, then added the initial seeds and injected the reducing agent. Now, all that was left was to wait for the compound to grow naturally.

"Done."

Observing through the equipment's observation window, he confirmed that the reaction and growth inside the equipment were stable.

Chen Yi also took the time to make another unstable and unsafe battery.

[Item: Ultra-high energy carbon-silicon lithium battery]

[Attributes: Energy x41.1, Safety x10 (-7.8), Strength x19.2]

Still the same unpretentious three core attributes.

The safety attribute, which had changed from -8.8 to -8.4 and then to -7.8, represented the progress in Chen Yi's manufacturing techniques.

"Not bad, my skills have improved. I really am a genius."

Chen Yi admired his improved skills, carefully moved the battery onto a hand pallet truck, and then, carrying a fire extinguisher, cautiously proceeded to the second-floor workspace.

Back in the workspace, various drone components had already been printed.

Chen Yi inspected them, reset the printing for a few flawed components, and then returned to the first floor.

He took the prepared solar panels and dried off any residual moisture.

Chen Yi then began slicing, shaping, connecting, splicing, layering, and encapsulating them according to the fuselage's dimensions to manufacture the final product.

After scrapping over a dozen battery films, two sets, one on the top and one on the bottom, resembling the drone's protective armor, the solar battery modules that almost perfectly fit the fuselage were officially completed.

Holding the solar battery armor, carbon fiber components, engine components, communication, radar, and Hydraulic Wheel Set accessories upgraded with some consciousness wave layering, and the unsafe battery.

After some assembly.

Soon, a drone entirely black and shaped like a manta ray appeared before Chen Yi.

[Item: Photonic Stealth Drone]

[Attributes: Energy x41.1 (!), Speed x10.3 (-3.8), Mass x21 (-5), Stability x35 (-19), Strength x13, Communication x31.7, Radar Imaging x36.6, Avionics x34.5, Aesthetics x11.8, Endurance Replenishment x44.6]

[Note: This is a wildly imaginative, ion-propelled stealth aircraft designed with photonic energy.

Unfortunately, the unstable energy increases its risk of exploding upon takeoff by ten thousand times.

The added photonic energy kit is too cumbersome, affecting its speed, stability, and mass.]