Meet Brian

Nagonic was founded in 2020 by electronics engineer and outdoorsman Brian Shingleton. Passionate about remote camping away from the crowds, he installed a leisure battery in his little campervan that was charged using a 100W portable solar panel. On a reasonable sunny day, the solar panel would just about fully charge the leisure battery supplying power to the all-important 12v fridge, 240v inverter, USB outlets, and lighting.  But it was necessary to keep the solar panel facing the sun during the day. Pretty tricky when he was out for the day walking or cycling.

This is when Brian came up with an idea to design a product that would automatically rotate the solar panel in step with the sun. The Solar Lander was conceived!

The first prototype

A number of design ideas were explored in developing the initial Solar Lander prototype. The design needed to meet certain criteria:

  • Low power consumption.

  • Ability to rotate a solar panel weighing up to 12kg.

  • Collapsible for minimal stowage space.

  • Innovative design to meet low production cost.

  • Northern / Southern hemisphere operation (reverse rotation)

The first prototype was inspired by a classic turntable. Testing on trips away with partner Liz was a great success. Charging efficiency was up by almost 40% and they could even grind fresh coffee on the go!

Proudly made in the UK

Three years of development and plenty of camping trips later, the Solar Lander® is production ready.

Designed, engineered, tested, and ultimately manufactured in the UK, the Solar Lander® has been created with the greatest attention to the impact it has on the environment.

Our long-term plan is to develop further products and smart accessories that maximise the potential of your solar gear so you have the power you need wherever you need it.