XSun

In 2017, the market of professional drones is projected to increase to 3,7 billion of euros (Gartner source). Services associated to drones grow up and the autonomy of the machines is optimized. From design offices to operating departments, what are the appropriate devices for collecting data?

What applications can be predicted? Which territories can be covered and how long?

XSun is a start-up that designs new types of solar UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) for long range which opens doors to continuous flights.

Walking in the footsteps of Bertrand Picard Solar Impulse Adventure, XSun is concentrating and developing innovations from different worlds: Aerospace, Formula-E, Yachting Competition. The objective is the create a machine with the maximum level of autonomy (both in Energy an in Decision) in order to release the full potential of drones.

For XSun, these new automated solar flying machines can only be controlled by aerospace professional’s engineers and aircraft pilots, with a similar approach than Satellites Operations Concepts. They are at a convergence point between aeronautics and aerospace.

First end users will be companies already using services for their daily needs, but their vision is to open these new remote services to new users. These autonomous flying platforms will bring airborne services to several needs:

• Terrestrial Infrastructures and Networks:  Monitoring of large industrial networks and energy distribution, pipeline, railways and power grids
• Environmental monitoring:  natural sites, Civil security and search & rescue
• Agriculture, for monitoring and predictive analysis, optimizing farm operation
• Maritime border surveillance, monitoring and detection of species

Their approach is based on a multi-configuration payload solar UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) with an innovative architecture able to carry a large variety of sensors. Thanks to solar renewable energy, this flying machine is designed to cover long distances.

The design of the flying machine fully made of composite allows the implementation of a wide surface of solar panel, giving then enough energy to make the UAV highly autonomous in energy.

The global operation will be done using a network of ground control stations, monitoring then the drones for their long distance missions.

Xsun supports UN Sustainable Development Goal 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure) and SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) by developing cutting-edge, energy-independent aerial solutions that strengthen infrastructure and enhance safety, resilience, and sustainability in both urban and rural settings. Its SolarXOne drone, powered entirely by solar energy, operates autonomously and leverages an advanced network of sensors to collect and analyze data for applications such as precision agriculture, maritime operations, and land monitoring. By fostering innovation, enabling smarter decision-making, and reducing environmental impact, Xsun contributes to more efficient resource management and the development of sustainable, future-ready communities.

To meet the challenges that Xsun faces, Dassault Systèmes provides the 3DEXPERIENCE plaform with a range of solutions. Benjamin David, CEO and Co-founder explains how it takes advantage of this 3DEXPERIENCE Platform:

“3DEXPERIENCE enables us to design and consolidate all our data on a single platform, to keep a unique, clear and clean configuration of all the subsystems.”

If you want to know more about XSUN and how they leverage the power of the 3DEXPERIENCE Platform, visit the XSUN Customer Story.