Unmanned aerial vehicle charging control module and charging access and safety isolation method thereof
By introducing a drone charging control module that integrates multi-sensor data fusion and intelligent access control, the safety hazards and reliability issues in the drone charging process have been resolved, achieving safe, reliable, and adaptive charging management.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- HEFEI UNIV OF TECH
- Filing Date
- 2026-04-15
- Publication Date
- 2026-07-24
Smart Images

Figure CN122443744A_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This invention relates to the field of drone charging control technology, and in particular to a drone charging control module and its charging access and safety isolation method that features physical-level safety isolation, multi-dimensional access determination, fault self-diagnosis and remote monitoring. Background Technology
[0002] Currently, automatic charging technology for drones mainly relies on mechanical docking after the drone lands to establish circuit continuity. Most existing charging modules use a constant voltage direct output mode, meaning the charging dock is energized immediately upon detecting a drone landing. However, this mode presents significant safety and reliability issues. First, the charging interface is constantly exposed to the elements, making it susceptible to leakage or short circuits due to moisture and dust, lacking a physical-level circuit isolation mechanism. Second, the charging process lacks environmental condition assessment, making it unsuitable for harsh weather conditions such as rain, snow, and high temperatures. Third, charging control relies on a single sensor, making it prone to misjudgments and unable to achieve multi-dimensional access control. Furthermore, the charging module lacks effective self-checking and fault feedback mechanisms, failing to ensure the reliability of the charging circuit. Summary of the Invention
[0003] The purpose of this invention is to overcome the shortcomings of existing technologies, such as low charging safety, poor environmental adaptability, lack of intelligent access mechanisms, and insufficient physical isolation, and to provide a drone charging control module and its charging access and safety isolation method, aiming to achieve safe, reliable, and adaptive drone charging management.
[0004] This invention is achieved through the following technical solution: A drone charging control module includes a microcontroller unit, an environmental perception submodule, a physical isolation execution submodule, a remote communication interface, and a power management unit; The microcontroller unit is electrically connected to the environmental perception submodule, the physical isolation execution submodule, and the remote communication interface, respectively. The power management unit provides power to the microcontroller unit, the environmental perception submodule, the physically isolated execution submodule, and the remote communication interface. The physical isolation execution submodule is used to realize physical-level continuity and adhesion fault self-testing of the charging main circuit; The environmental perception submodule is used to collect multi-dimensional environmental and landing status data and identify the drone; The microcontroller unit performs charging access determination based on the data collected by the environmental perception submodule, controls the physical isolation execution submodule to perform actions, and interacts with the remote monitoring center through the remote communication interface.
[0005] The physical isolation execution submodule includes: A high-power relay, whose normally open contacts are connected in series in the main charging circuit; The driving circuit receives the control signal from the microcontroller unit and drives the coil of the high-power relay. A self-test feedback loop is connected in parallel across the normally open contacts of the high-power relay to detect contact sticking faults.
[0006] The self-test feedback loop consists of two high-resistance voltage divider resistors connected in series and in parallel across the normally open contacts of the high-power relay. The midpoint of the voltage divider is connected to the ADC pin of the microcontroller unit. The voltage value at the midpoint is compared with a preset safety threshold to determine whether the high-power relay has a sticking fault.
[0007] The drive circuit uses a ULN2003A Darlington transistor array to convert the 3.3V logic level of the microcontroller unit into a 24V relay drive signal.
[0008] The environmental perception submodule includes a pressure sensor, a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, and a camera module; The pressure sensors are multiple and are respectively set at multiple locations in the landing area of the charging platform to detect the pressure signals generated by the landing state of the drone. The temperature and humidity sensors are installed inside the charging platform and contact the external environment through heat-conducting holes, and are used to monitor the ambient temperature and humidity. The camera module is used to capture images of the drone landing, and the microcontroller runs a vision algorithm to identify the drone model, landing attitude, and charging port alignment.
[0009] The microcontroller unit uses an STM32F407VGT6 microcontroller.
[0010] The remote communication interface uses an EC200T 4G Cat.1 module, which connects to the microcontroller unit via UART and implements status reporting, command reception, and fault alarm based on the MQTT protocol. The power management unit uses a TPS54560 step-down DC-DC converter to convert a 24V input to 5V and 3.3V outputs.
[0011] A method for charging access and security isolation of a drone charging control module includes the following steps: 1) After the system is powered on and initialized, it performs a self-test for adhesion, controls the high-power relay to be in the open state, reads the self-test feedback voltage, compares it with the preset safety threshold, and determines whether the physical isolation execution submodule is properly disconnected. If the self-test fails, it enters the fault protection state. 2) In the ready state, continuously collect multi-dimensional status data from the environmental perception submodule to perform charging access determination; 3) After the access judgment is passed, the high-power relay is controlled to engage, and the constant current-constant voltage charging strategy is executed, while the charging parameters are monitored in real time; 4) After charging is complete, disconnect the high-power relay, perform a secondary adhesion self-test, and return to the ready state.
[0012] The multi-dimensional admission determination includes: Pressure threshold determination: The pressure value continuously exceeds the pressure threshold for a preset time, and the readings of multiple pressure sensors show a consistent trend; Drone visual recognition and interface alignment determination: The correct drone model is identified and the charging interface is well aligned, with the offset being less than the preset value; Determining the safe temperature and humidity range: The ambient temperature is within the safe range, and the ambient humidity is less than the safe threshold. Remote command status determination: No remote lock command received; When all conditions are met, the admission decision is passed; The self-test judgment rule for adhesion is as follows: the physical isolation execution submodule is in the disconnected state; the self-test feedback voltage value is read; if the self-test feedback voltage is less than the preset safety threshold, the relay is disconnected normally; if it is greater than or equal to the preset safety threshold, it is judged as contact adhesion.
[0013] The constant current-constant voltage charging strategy is as follows: first, charge in constant current mode; after the battery voltage reaches the set value, switch to constant voltage mode; after the charging current drops to a preset threshold and continues for a set time, determine that charging is complete.
[0014] The advantages of this invention are: by introducing a physical isolation execution submodule with a self-testing feedback loop, the invention achieves absolute physical isolation and fault self-diagnosis of the charging circuit, and adopts an environmental perception submodule with multi-sensor fusion and intelligent access judgment algorithm, which significantly improves safety: by physically disconnecting the charging circuit during the non-charging stage through a high-power relay, and combining the self-testing feedback loop to perform fault diagnosis before power-on, the risk of leakage and short circuit caused by exposed charging interface is fundamentally eliminated, and fault-safety is achieved.
[0015] This invention significantly enhances environmental adaptability and reliability: by fusing data from multiple sensors such as temperature, humidity, pressure, and vision, the system can intelligently determine and refuse to charge in severe weather conditions such as rain, snow, high temperature and humidity, or when the drone fails to land accurately, thus avoiding equipment damage and charging failure. It is particularly suitable for unattended outdoor scenarios.
[0016] This invention boasts a high level of intelligence and automation: the entire charging process, from safety self-inspection and access judgment to charging management and safe return, is completed automatically by the system without human intervention. Simultaneously, it supports remote status monitoring and high-level mandatory control, achieving an organic combination of local autonomy and remote supervision.
[0017] This invention optimizes system reliability and maintainability: the self-test function can detect potential relay faults in advance; the remote communication function enables status monitoring, fault reporting, and remote parameter configuration; and the multi-sensor redundancy design reduces the false alarm rate. These features reduce maintenance requirements and improve the system's mean time between failures (MTBF) and availability.
[0018] This invention offers excellent scalability: its modular design allows for relatively independent upgrades or replacements of each component. For example, it can update to more advanced sensors, upgrade the communication module to support 5G, or incorporate more advanced features such as state of health (SOH) assessment into the algorithm, protecting investment and extending the technology's lifecycle. Attached Figure Description
[0019] Figure 1 This is a block diagram illustrating the working principle of the present invention; Figure 2 This is the circuit diagram of the present invention. Detailed Implementation
[0020] like Figure 1 , 2 As shown, this invention provides an intelligent charging control module for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), including a microcontroller unit (MCU), an environmental perception submodule, a physical isolation execution submodule, a power management unit, and a remote communication interface. The core control method flow includes an adhesion self-check stage, an environmental access determination stage, physical conduction and charging strategy execution, and charging completion and safe return to position. Remote control and collaborative logic support real-time monitoring via a remote web interface.
[0021] I. Overall Structure / Process Overview The UAV charging control module may include: a microcontroller unit 1, an environmental perception submodule 2, a physically isolated execution submodule 3, a remote communication interface 4, and a power management unit 5. The microcontroller unit 1, as the control core, is electrically connected to the environmental perception submodule 2, the physically isolated execution submodule 3, and the remote communication interface 4, and is responsible for coordinating the work of each submodule, processing sensor data, executing control algorithms, and managing communication. The power management unit 5 provides a stable and reliable power supply to the entire control module.
[0022] This drone charging control module can be a standalone embedded system, installed inside an outdoor drone charging platform, to achieve intelligent and safe control of the drone charging process. Alternatively, the module can be integrated into the main control board of the charging platform as its core functional component.
[0023] II. Detailed Description of Each Component / Method / Step The components mentioned above will be explained in detail below.
[0024] (I) About the microcontroller unit (1) The microcontroller unit 1 is the control center of this embodiment, and it uses STMicroelectronics' STM32F407VGT6 microcontroller. This MCU is based on the ARM Cortex-M4 core, has a main frequency of 168MHz, 1MB of built-in Flash memory and 192KB of RAM, and has abundant peripheral resources to meet the needs of complex control algorithms.
[0025] Specifically, the local microcontroller unit 1 connects to each submodule through its peripheral interface: it controls the drive circuit in the physically isolated execution submodule 3 through multiple general purpose input / output (GPIO) pins. The self-test feedback loop signal in the physically isolated execution submodule 3 and the analog signal from the pressure sensor in the environmental perception submodule 2 are read through the analog-to-digital converter (ADC) pin. The temperature sensor and humidity sensor in the environmental perception submodule 2 are connected through the I2C interface. The camera module in the environmental perception submodule 2 is connected through the digital video port (DVP) interface. The remote communication interface 4 is connected through the UART interface.
[0026] The microcontroller unit 1 has a built-in control program that implements the charging access and safety isolation methods, which will be described in detail later. The MCU collects data from various sensors in real time, executes a multi-dimensional judgment algorithm, and controls the actions of the physical isolation execution submodule 3 accordingly. At the same time, it maintains data interaction with the remote monitoring center through the remote communication interface 4.
[0027] (II) About the Environmental Perception Submodule (2) The environmental perception submodule 2 is used to collect multi-dimensional status data of the charging environment, providing a basis for charging access decisions. This submodule includes a pressure sensor, a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, and a camera module.
[0028] The pressure sensor uses an Interlink Electronics FSR406 circular force-sensitive resistor sensor with an effective sensing diameter of 18mm and a resistance range from infinity (no pressure) to several hundred ohms (maximum pressure). This sensor is placed under the four corners of the charging platform's landing area. A voltage divider circuit converts the pressure signal into a 0-3.3V analog voltage signal, which is then connected to the ADC pin of the microcontroller unit 1. When an object lands on the platform, the readings of the four pressure sensors change sequentially within a millisecond time window. Multi-point detection improves the accuracy of the judgment.
[0029] The temperature and humidity sensors are Sensirion SHT35-DIS-B digital sensors, connected to the microcontroller unit 1 via an I2C interface. The sensors measure temperature from -40℃ to +125℃ with an accuracy of ±0.2℃; and humidity from 0 to 100%RH with an accuracy of ±1.5%RH. The sensors are mounted inside the charging platform near the charging interface, but maintain contact with the external environment through thermal vents to accurately reflect ambient temperature and humidity conditions.
[0030] The camera module uses an OmniVision OV2640 image sensor with a resolution of 2 megapixels and connects to the microcontroller unit 1 via a DVP interface. The camera is mounted at a suitable position above the charging platform, covering the entire landing area. The microcontroller unit 1 internally runs a lightweight computer vision algorithm to identify the drone's model, landing attitude, and the alignment of the charging port. The algorithm first determines the drone's outline through background subtraction and edge detection, then extracts SIFT feature points and matches them with a pre-stored drone template, and finally uses Hough transform to detect the precise location of the charging port.
[0031] The sensor data of each sensor in the environmental perception submodule 2 are periodically collected and processed by the microcontroller unit 1. The sampling frequency varies depending on the sensor type: the pressure sensor samples once every 100ms, the temperature and humidity sensor samples once every 5 seconds, and the camera starts continuous acquisition after detecting a pressure change, with a frame rate of 15fps.
[0032] (III) Regarding the Physical Isolation Execution Submodule (3) The physical isolation execution submodule 3 is the core component for achieving charging safety. It includes a high-power relay, a drive circuit, and a self-test feedback loop, which together realize physical-level on / off control and status monitoring of the main charging circuit.
[0033] The high-power relay is a TE Connectivity T92S7D12-24 power relay with a rated contact capacity of 30A@24VDC and a coil drive voltage of 24V. The normally open contact of this relay is connected in series in the main charging circuit. Specifically, the positive terminal of the external 24V DC power supply is connected to one end of the relay contact, and the other end of the contact is connected to a current sampling resistor, which then outputs to the positive charging contact of the charging platform.
[0034] The driving circuit converts the 3.3V logic level signal output by the microcontroller unit 1 into a 24V signal capable of driving the relay coil. The driving circuit uses a Darlington transistor array ULN2003A. The GPIO pins of the microcontroller unit 1 (e.g., PC13) are connected to the input pins of the ULN2003A, and the output pins of the ULN2003A are connected to one end of the relay coil. The other end of the coil is connected to a 24V power supply. When the PC outputs a high level, the internal transistor of the ULN2003A conducts, energizing the relay coil and closing the contacts; when the PC outputs a low level, the transistor is cut off, the coil is de-energized, and the contacts release.
[0035] The self-test feedback loop is a key innovation of this invention, used to detect whether a high-power relay contact has experienced a sticking fault. The self-test feedback loop includes a high-resistance voltage divider network connected in parallel across the normally open contacts of the relay. This network consists of two 1MΩ metal film resistors connected in series, with the midpoint of the voltage divider network connected to the ADC pin (e.g., PA0) of the microcontroller unit 1.
[0036] The self-test principle is as follows: When the relay is in the theoretically open state, the impedance across the contacts should be infinite. At this time, the external 24V power supply voltage is divided by two 1MΩ resistors, and the theoretical voltage generated at the midpoint of the voltage divider is 12V. However, since the input impedance of the microcontroller unit 1's ADC is typically 100MΩ, much greater than 1MΩ, its effect on the voltage divider is negligible. Therefore, the actual measured voltage value V is... check It can be calculated using the following formula: R par =(R×R ad ) / (R+R ad ) V check =V source ×R par / (R+R par ) Among them, V source =24V is the power supply voltage, R=1MΩ is the resistance value of the voltage divider resistor, R ad R is the input impedance of the ADC. par Let V be the parallel equivalent resistance. Substituting into the calculation, we get V. check ≈12V.
[0037] If the relay experiences a sticking fault, the contacts are actually in a conductive state, and the midpoint of the voltage divider is directly short-circuited to ground by the relay contacts. The equivalent impedance is approximately 0Ω. check ≈0V.
[0038] Microcontroller 1 compares the measured voltage V check With the preset safety threshold V th =1V, the relay status can be determined: if Vcheck If the voltage is less than 1V, it is determined to be an adhesion fault; if the voltage is less than 1V, it is determined to be an adhesion fault. check If the voltage is ≥1V, it is considered a normal disconnection.
[0039] The current sampling resistor is a precision alloy resistor with a resistance of 0.01Ω and a power rating of 5W, used to monitor the charging current. The voltage drop across the resistor is amplified by a differential amplifier circuit and then sent to another ADC pin of the microcontroller unit 1 for real-time monitoring of the charging process.
[0040] (iv) Regarding the remote communication interface (4) The remote communication interface 4 uses Quectel's EC200T 4G Cat.1 communication module, which connects to the microcontroller unit 1 via a UART interface, with a baud rate set to 115200bps. This module supports the TCP / IP protocol stack and has a built-in MQTT client function.
[0041] Remote communication interface 4 is responsible for the following communication tasks: Regularly report system status, sensor data, and charging parameters to the remote monitoring center. Receive control commands from the remote monitoring center Send emergency alarm messages in the event of a failure. Communication data is encapsulated in JSON format and published to a specified topic via the MQTT protocol. To ensure communication reliability, a heartbeat mechanism (every 60 seconds) and a command confirmation mechanism are designed.
[0042] (V) Regarding the power management unit (5) The power management unit 5 uses TI's TPS54560 step-down DC-DC converter to convert the externally input 24V DC power supply into 5V and 3.3V to power the various components in the system. The 5V power supply drives the relays and camera module, while the 3.3V power supply powers the microcontroller unit 1 and the digital sensors. The power management unit 5 has overcurrent protection, overvoltage protection, and overheat protection functions to ensure the stability and safety of the system power supply.
[0043] III. Overall Workflow Description 1. System Power-On and Initialization: When the system is connected to a 24V power supply, the power management unit 5 starts working, providing stable voltage to all components. The microcontroller unit 1 starts up, performs peripheral initialization, including configuring interfaces such as GPIO, ADC, I2C, and UART, and initializing each sensor.
[0044] 2. Adhesion Self-Test Procedure: After initialization, the local microcontroller unit 1 immediately executes the adhesion self-test program. First, it ensures that the GPIO output of the control relay is low (the relay is in the released state), then delays for 100ms to wait for the relay state to stabilize. Next, it reads the self-test feedback voltage V through the ADC pin PA0. check Assuming V is measured check =0.6V, less than the safety threshold of 1V, self-test passed, system enters ready state. Microcontroller unit 1 sends a status message to the remote monitoring center via 4G module: {"status": "ready", "fault_code": 0}.
[0045] 3. Environmental Monitoring and Access Determination: The system continuously monitors environmental data in the ready state. Assuming a drone begins landing, the pressure sensor detects a pressure value gradually increasing from 1023 (the raw ADC value when there is no pressure) to 2500 (approximately 5 kg pressure), and the readings from all four sensors show a consistent trend. The microcontroller unit 1 triggers the camera to start working, and the visual algorithm identifies it as a DJI M300 drone, with the charging port and platform interface offset less than 3 mm, indicating good alignment. Simultaneously, the temperature and humidity sensors read the following data: temperature 28℃, humidity 45%RH.
[0046] Microcontroller 1 executes the admission determination algorithm: Pressure Judgment: If the pressure value continuously exceeds the threshold of 1500 for 500ms, it will be detected. Visual judgment: The correct drone model was identified and the interface was properly aligned. Temperature assessment: 28℃ is within the safe range [0℃, 45℃], according to... Humidity assessment: 45%RH is less than the safe threshold of 80%RH, passing the test. Remote command check: No remote lock command received. All conditions were met, and the admission decision was passed.
[0047] 4. Physical Connection and Charging Process: After successful access detection, the microcontroller unit 1 controls the GPIO to output a high level, driving the relay to engage and physically connecting the charging circuit. At the start of charging, a constant current charging mode is used, with the charging voltage controlled by a PID algorithm to stabilize the charging current at 5A. The microcontroller unit 1 monitors the battery voltage in real time. When the voltage reaches 23.6V, it switches to a constant voltage charging mode, maintaining the voltage at 23.6V, at which point the current gradually decreases. Throughout the charging process, the system reports the charging status every 10 seconds via the 4G module: {"status": "charging", "voltage": 23.6, "current": 4.9, "temperature": 29.5}.
[0048] 5. Charging Completion and Safe Return: Charging is considered complete when the charging current drops to 0.5A and remains so for 2 minutes. Microcontroller 1 first controls the GPIO output to go low, disconnecting the relay and ensuring the charging circuit is physically disconnected. Then, it sends a charging completion signal to the drone (via a specific flashing pattern on the platform's LED indicator) and waits for the visual sensor to confirm the drone has flown away. Finally, the system performs another adhesion self-check, confirms safety, and returns to the ready state, awaiting the next charging task.
Claims
1. A drone charging control module, characterized in that, It includes a microcontroller unit, an environmental perception submodule, a physically isolated execution submodule, a remote communication interface, and a power management unit; The microcontroller unit is electrically connected to the environmental perception submodule, the physical isolation execution submodule, and the remote communication interface, respectively. The power management unit provides power to the microcontroller unit, the environmental perception submodule, the physically isolated execution submodule, and the remote communication interface. The physical isolation execution submodule is used to realize physical-level continuity and adhesion fault self-testing of the charging main circuit; The environmental perception submodule is used to collect multi-dimensional environmental and landing status data and identify the drone; The microcontroller unit performs charging access determination based on the data collected by the environmental perception submodule, controls the physical isolation execution submodule to perform actions, and interacts with the remote monitoring center through the remote communication interface.
2. The UAV charging control module according to claim 1, characterized in that, The physical isolation execution submodule includes: A high-power relay, whose normally open contacts are connected in series in the main charging circuit; The driving circuit receives the control signal from the microcontroller unit and drives the coil of the high-power relay. A self-test feedback loop is connected in parallel across the normally open contacts of the high-power relay to detect contact sticking faults.
3. The UAV charging control module according to claim 2, characterized in that, The self-test feedback loop consists of two high-resistance voltage divider resistors connected in series and in parallel across the normally open contacts of the high-power relay. The midpoint of the voltage divider is connected to the ADC pin of the microcontroller unit. The voltage value at the midpoint is compared with a preset safety threshold to determine whether the high-power relay has a sticking fault.
4. The UAV charging control module according to claim 2, characterized in that, The drive circuit uses a ULN2003A Darlington transistor array to convert the 3.3V logic level of the microcontroller unit into a 24V relay drive signal.
5. A drone charging control module according to claim 1, characterized in that, The environmental perception submodule includes a pressure sensor, a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, and a camera module; The pressure sensors are multiple and are respectively set at multiple locations in the landing area of the charging platform to detect the pressure signals generated by the landing state of the drone. The temperature and humidity sensors are installed inside the charging platform and contact the external environment through heat-conducting holes, and are used to monitor the ambient temperature and humidity. The camera module is used to capture images of the drone landing, and the microcontroller runs a vision algorithm to identify the drone model, landing attitude, and charging port alignment.
6. The UAV charging control module according to claim 1, characterized in that, The microcontroller unit uses an STM32F407VGT6 microcontroller.
7. The UAV charging control module according to claim 1, characterized in that, The remote communication interface uses an EC200T 4G Cat.1 module, which connects to the microcontroller unit via UART and implements status reporting, command reception, and fault alarm based on the MQTT protocol. The power management unit uses a TPS54560 step-down DC-DC converter to convert a 24V input to 5V and 3.3V outputs.
8. A charging access and security isolation method based on the UAV charging control module according to any one of claims 1-6, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: 1) After the system is powered on and initialized, it performs a self-test for adhesion, controls the high-power relay to be in the open state, reads the self-test feedback voltage, compares it with the preset safety threshold, and determines whether the physical isolation execution submodule is properly disconnected. If the self-test fails, it enters the fault protection state. 2) In the ready state, continuously collect multi-dimensional status data from the environmental perception submodule to perform charging access determination; 3) After the access judgment is passed, the high-power relay is controlled to engage, and the constant current-constant voltage charging strategy is executed, while the charging parameters are monitored in real time; 4) After charging is complete, disconnect the high-power relay, perform a secondary adhesion self-test, and return to the ready state.
9. A charging access and safety isolation method for a drone charging control module according to claim 8, characterized in that, The multi-dimensional admission determination includes: Pressure threshold determination: The pressure value continuously exceeds the pressure threshold for a preset time, and the readings of multiple pressure sensors show a consistent trend; Drone visual recognition and interface alignment determination: The correct drone model is identified and the charging interface is well aligned, with the offset being less than the preset value; Determining the safe temperature and humidity range: The ambient temperature is within the safe range, and the ambient humidity is less than the safe threshold. Remote command status determination: No remote lock command received; When all conditions are met, the admission decision is passed; The self-test judgment rule for adhesion is as follows: the physical isolation execution submodule is in the disconnected state; the self-test feedback voltage value is read; if the self-test feedback voltage is less than the preset safety threshold, the relay is disconnected normally; if it is greater than or equal to the preset safety threshold, it is judged as contact adhesion.
10. A charging access and safety isolation method for a drone charging control module according to claim 8, characterized in that, The constant current-constant voltage charging strategy is as follows: first, charge in constant current mode; after the battery voltage reaches the set value, switch to constant voltage mode; after the charging current drops to a preset threshold and continues for a set time, determine that charging is complete.