Yildiz Technical University Solar Boat Team was founded in 2012 by students of YTU Naval Architecture and Marine Mechanical Engineering departments. The team's primary goal was to participate in international solar boat races showcasing Turkish marine engineering expertise.

The team has competed in the biennial Dutch Solar Race four times since its inception: 2012, 2014, 2016 and 2018. Despite a break due to the pandemic, the team made a triumphant return to the competition by participating in the races. Energy Boat Challenge held in Monaco in 2023. It is a source of pride for us to be the only representative in our country in this field by consistently demonstrating our commitment to innovation and excellence on the global stage.

In 2023, our team participated in the prestigious 10th annual “Monaco Powerboat Challenge”, a landmark event at the heart of the yacht industry. Despite the difficult struggle to prepare for the competition in a short period of two months, our team was determined to commemorate our teammates Hamis Mertcan Güler and Doğukan Alper Azkara, who tragically lost their lives in the Kahramanmaraş earthquake on February 6, 2023. the boat ensures their legacy lives on forever.

Our primary goal was not just to compete, but to pave the way for the future, to prepare our teammates for the 2024 competition and to gain invaluable experience among them. Even though we faced many obstacles and witnessed the elimination of many teams, we persevered and overcame every challenge that came our way.

This year, we are improving our vehicle control system and the purposes of use of the cards designed for VCS are as follows:

CAN Communication Cards: These cards use the CAN (Controller Area Network) communication protocol to communicate with the designed motherboard. This is a powerful method for exchanging data between different components. Communication between the main board and these cards ensures fast and reliable data transfer.

Communication Card with ESP: ESP is a popular platform for wireless communication and is used to communicate wirelessly with the motherboard. This can be used to monitor, control and intervene in data flow.

Voltage and Current Sensor Cards (MPPT): These cards measure voltage and current to monitor the performance of the solar panel system and ensure the MPPT algorithm works efficiently. This data allows necessary corrections to be made for the solar panel to reach maximum efficiency.

Voltage Distribution and Adjustment Card: This is the card that provides voltage distribution between different components of the system and makes the necessary adjustments. It also contains fuses to control and maintain the voltages required for the components. This ensures the safe and healthy operation of the system.

Main Board: Temperature sensors, current and voltage sensors are controlled on the shield main board that we designed for experimental purposes. The necessary filters and modules for these are included in this card. The data required for the boat is received by the GPS module and sent to the cockpit. Additionally, a wifi module is used to connect our designed cards to the WIFI network.

PCBWay's support will enable us to develop more efficient and effective boat technology and inspire the next generation of marine enthusiasts. We are excited about the opportunity to collaborate with PCBWay and achieve our goals with their support.

Our social media accounts:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ytusolarboatteam?igsh=cjF4YnA1eWo5bndt

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/tu-yildiz-solar-boat-teamyt%C3%BC/

• TU Yildiz Solar Boat Team
• Monaco Energy Boat Challange
• Solar Boat