Maximum power point tracking controller for solar powered mUAV

Inage of Green energy revolution, solar energy comes into prominence in aerospace for providing fuel requirements for mini Unmanned Air Vehicle (mUAV). Conversion of this abundant solar energy into useable form will reduce the dependence on battery which is used in mUAV, while increasing the energy on board. In this work, an attempt has been made to model and simulate a photovoltaic cell with MPPT module and DC-DC converter. Photo voltaic cell works at highest efficiency when it is operating at its maximum power point. A DC-DC converter is used between the solar cell and the load as an interface. A boost converter is implemented as it serves the purpose of operating over the entire range of PV cell. The duty cycle is varied so that the impedance matching between the cell output and the load is achieved, by tracking the maximum power point of the cell. The idea is to ensure maximum performance of the setup, irrespective of the changes in physical conditions. Analysis is carried out with and without MPPT module to calculate efficiency. PV cell based renewable energy is more efficient with MPPT module as compared to without MPPT module.