Praxis Aeronautics – Port Adelaide, South Australia

The Adelaide based startup #PraxisAeronautics specialises in the design and manufacture of #SolarEnergy Harvesting Composite structures, using a process that directly encapsulates solar cells inside composite material and the first structural solar cell encapsulation system on the market.

Solar-powered Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV), commonly known as drones, are traditionally made using prefabricated solar panels fixed or adhered to the wings or body of the structure. The panels add weight to the aerodynamically sensitive structure and the quantity of solar panels is dictated by the vehicle or wingspan rather than the required power. The shape and size of the pre-made solar panels also influence the design of the UAV. So while the solar panels power the vehicle’s energy system, they also limit its functionality and design.

Cameron Donaldson, Founder and Director of Innovation and Manufacturing of Praxis, reasoned that incorporating solar cells into the vehicle’s structure would solve these limitations by offsetting the weight of the cells, enabling an increase in power without a weight or aerodynamic penalty. Applying his knowledge of composite materials gained during a 20 year career as a boat builder, Cameron invented the first proprietary structural solar cell encapsulation #technology.

In 2016, Cameron tested his idea in the #AustralianeChallenge, the competitive entrepreneurial program run by the #UniversityofAdelaide and won his category. A grant from the South Australian Government provided the means to test the concept’s technical and manufacturing feasibility and practical potential. Through further research and experimentation, Praxis made design improvements and weight savings that can increase the flying time of a #UAV by up to 200-300 per cent more than non-solar variants.

Based in Adelaide, South Australia, Praxis Aeronautics is a technology and manufacturing company that specialises in using composites to harvest energy from the sun for air, land and sea applications. Cameron’s sister, Katie Donaldson, joined the company in 2018 as business partner and Managing Director. Cameron and Katie have since built a team of professionals with wide ranging technical and business skills including composite design and manufacturing, aeronautical and structural engineering and electronic and software engineering. Together they have refined the Praxis process to structurally integrate solar cell chemistry into a shaped composite component that is aerodynamically efficient and waterproof, while also developing custom electronics to complement the power management of the solar arrays.

“While we’re confident that our Praxis Technology heralds a step-change in solar-powered drones, the journey from idea to commercial outcomes has presented lots of challenges”; explained Katie. “In the process of proving and refining our technology, we’ve collaborated with a number of organisations including Gurit which has a key focus on innovation in sustainability and solar technology.”

Praxis was also contracted by XTEK Ltd, the listed ballistic armour and advanced composites manufacturing company that provides acquisition and in-service support to the Department of Defence Small Unmanned Aerial Systems (SUAS) section. The XTEK Logistics team provided engineering and technical support on the structural integrity of the SUAS and conducted the flight performance trials that led to the Praxis solar wing system certification.

“With drones fast becoming the autonomous workhorses of the air and sea, our ultimate goal is to create multifunctional autonomous vehicles that can operate in daylight for an unlimited number of hours while the batteries kept at their highest charge state and optimum performance for longer and solar composites, allow us to do this,” advises Katie.

Praxis has a number of transformative commercial and defence contracts under consideration.