Case Study: Solar Impulse achieves solar-powered aircraft design and flight readiness with Dassault Systèmes' 3DEXPERIENCE

Solar Impulse - Customer Case Study

Solar Impulse set out to design, build and fly a solar‑powered airplane around the world, facing extreme constraints on weight, energy efficiency, cockpit ergonomics and long‑duration reliability. To tackle this challenge they partnered with Dassault Systemes and used the 3DEXPERIENCE® platform (including CATIA) for digital design and assembly simulation.

Using Dassault Systemes' 3DEXPERIENCE and CATIA, Solar Impulse digitally tested configurations, optimized the 72 m wingspan for a 2,300 kg aircraft, refined cockpit ergonomics, and defined carbon‑fiber plies and tooling—avoiding costly physical prototypes and assembly issues. The result: Solar Impulse 2 completed its maiden flight in June 2014 and advanced toward its planned 35,000 km, five‑month circumnavigation, demonstrating faster, first‑time‑right development and reduced program risk.

Solar Impulse

André Borschberg

Co-founder, CEO and Pilot