Electric Airplanes and Drones: A History

Man's attempts to harness the use of electricity for his dream to fly go back to well before the 19th century. Until the 1990's, due to battery weight and low energy, electricity could only remain a faithful accessory to piston aircraft, but with the arrival of lightweight construction materials, solar power, improved engines and the LiPo battery, the skies recently opened up to a whole fleet of electric aircraft around the world - from thumbnail insect-styled drones (UAVs) to stratospheric airships. About aviation's third revolution (following heavier-than-air and turbojet), this book also outlines the diversity of future trends for electric aircraft in the 21st century.