Solar energy is virtually limitless and one of the cleanest forms of renewable energy. So building a machine powered by the sun makes perfect environmental sense.

Solar-powered robots and drones are busy pushing the technological boundaries of flight and space exploration, but they're also working lightly on everything from farming to cleaning up the planet.

        In communications and Earth observation, high-altitude solar-powered drones do the work of satellites without the high cost of space launches. Autonomous unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) powered by solar panels during the day and battery-powered autonomous unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) at night could be in the air for months or even years at a time.

        Google's Skybender project is using thousands of solar-powered drones, each with a wingspan of up to 160 feet (50 meters), to deliver gigabit-per-second 5G networks. Solar-powered drone technology is reaching new limits with the introduction of the PHASA-35 drone, which is designed to fly at altitudes above 55,000 feet for up to a year.

Even higher is a solar-powered rover planned by NASA to help find water on the lunar surface. When they get there, MoonRanger and its smaller mission partner, the CubeRover, will support the astronauts on missions that include exploring ice and transporting cargo.

Engineers from Carnegie Mellon University used solar energy to develop the robotic rover, called Zoe, to detect life in a seemingly lifeless environment.

Meanwhile, robotic explorers equipped with solar panels are mapping Earth's oceans. Saildrone has launched a fleet of autonomous ships that use solar energy to power sensors that measure weather conditions, water chemistry, carbon dioxide levels and marine life.

Three drones left New Zealand in January 2019 for the first-ever autonomous circumnavigation of Antarctica, collecting critical climate data along the way. In January 2021, Saildrone surveyors will follow, equipped with sonars to map the ocean floor to a depth of 7,000 meters.

Autonomous ships are part of a new wave of exploration vehicles in the future. The vessel comes standard with a range of sensors, precision guidance software, and is powered by renewable energy. These include the Mayflower, an autonomous ship piloted by an AI captain; it will celebrate the 1620 journey of the Puritans from England to America and measure the health of the oceans.

Mayflower

But it's not all about making history or pushing boundaries. Sometimes it's just as important to do simple but urgent tasks. For example, Razer is an AI-guided surface drone that cleans the oceans of plastic waste and collects data on pollution.

Engineer checking equipment of solar power plant

       It seems that even cleaning has a dirty side, as hundreds of Indian sewer workers are killed every year by toxic fumes while cleaning and clearing blockages. Civic leaders in Gujarat have vowed to stop this senseless loss of life, deploying a solar-powered robotic cleaner to clear sewers - equipped with gas sensors and cameras, it can even separate out plastic particles, its makers said.
Anyone looking for a healthier use of solar energy should take a look at agricultural robots. Trivial tasks such as mowing and weeding are being automated in the form of the University of Sydney's eco-friendly RIPA to boost productivity.
RIPPA measures soil moisture and temperature, uses high-speed cameras to identify weeds, and delivers highly targeted herbicides and pesticides.
Ladybug is another of the university's solar-powered robots designed to maximize crop yields using lasers, video and hyperspectral cameras. All-wheel steering is less disruptive to cultivated fields and allows the robot to compensate for unevenly planted rows. Ladybugs map each farm, classify crops and spot problems.

On its first outing to a farm growing beetroot, onions and spinach, the ladybug ran for three days on a single battery charge. Just like any other industry, farms have environmental concerns, and solar-powered robots can help unlock sustainable farming and make food more environmentally friendly.

AI service Robot;

AMR Robot;

solar drone.