King Abdulaziz University has conducted a successful experiment with a solar-powered unmanned aircraft, reports said on 10 June. The project was initiated last year as a cooperative research project with Tokai University to design and build a drone aircraft powered by solar power to be used for civil defence and other peaceful purposes during the holy rituals.The aircraft can also be used to conduct research and experiments in aviation and solar energy, train national staff and establish a laboratory for the scientific field of engineering. The team includes 14 members of the two university faculties and 32 students from the engineering department.
The experiment was implemented at the campus in the presence of Osama bin SadiqTayeb, the rector of the university, Adnan bin Hamza Mohammed Zahid, vice president of Graduate Studies and Research, Abdullah bin Omar Pavel, the agent responsible for projects at the university, and a research team at the university, headed by Wael bin Ismail Hrsana.