How To Make Moving Parts With Solar Panels

[Derpy Pigs]

HOW TO MAKE MOVING PARTS WITH SOLAR PANELS

It's really easy. In this example, I make a probe that lifts itself off the ground.

You just angle the solar panels at the surface you want to push yourself away from (the ground, in this case). Just to prove it works, here's a picture of it deployed:

Hope this helps you make some pretty cool contraptions!

[Captain Sierra]

You gotta be careful with those. This is an advantage of moving parts as the collision model moves with them. Unfortunately, all part positions are in relation to the root part, not their parent part (or the specific mesh of the parent part if it has multiple) which is the technical reason for why this works but surface mounting to movable parts does not.

Be careful with this trick as solar panels are fragile and it's super easy to break them doing this in higher gravity. Also, imagine what will happen when wind is implemented!

[Javster]

Might try it. Good discovery.

[LarryWallwart]

I could use that idea to turn over the rovers that are always flipping on me.

[LarryWallwart]

is there a way to activate all solar panels at the same time?

[Tokay Gris]

is there a way to activate all solar panels at the same time?

Asign a hotkey.

[federicoaa]

is there a way to activate all solar panels at the same time?

action groups

[Javster]

Currently using landing legs for a cargo bay.

Tweakables make is easy to see the result when the legs are extended.

Then I unbind the gear action group and rebind to a number.