Unmanned aerial vehicle line inspection autonomous endurance device

Abstract

The present application relates to the technical field of unmanned aerial vehicle endurance, and particularly relates to an unmanned aerial vehicle line-patrolling autonomous endurance device, which comprises a CT power-taking module, a wireless power transmission module and an energy storage module, wherein the CT power-taking module is arranged on a preset split conductor of a target tower and is connected with the preset split conductor through the preset split conductor to obtain power on the preset split conductor; the wireless power transmission module is arranged on the preset split conductor, receives power through wireless power transmission, and converts the power into a direct-current signal; and the energy storage module is arranged on a target unmanned aerial vehicle and is connected with the wireless power transmission module to convert the direct-current signal into a charging voltage of the target unmanned aerial vehicle. Thus, the problems of low power-taking efficiency, heavy weight, and insulation problems that need to be considered of the existing autonomous endurance device are solved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of drone endurance technology, and in particular to a drone line patrol autonomous endurance device that utilizes split conductors of high-voltage lines to obtain energy. Background Art

[0002] Drone inspections have become a crucial tool in today's power line inspections. Traditional inspections require workers to ascend heights, which carries risks associated with high-altitude operations. Drones eliminate the need for personnel to enter high-risk areas, significantly reducing operator safety risks. Drones are capable of operating in harsh environments such as rain and snow, mountains, canyons, and rivers, quickly covering large areas and inaccessible power lines. These advantages significantly save manpower, material resources, and even time compared to traditional manual inspections.

[0003] With the increasing maturity of autonomous drone patrol technology, automated line inspection programs for power line inspections are enabling drones to patrol power lines autonomously without the need for on-site personnel, enabling autonomous flight, path planning, and flight control. These systems acquire flight data through onboard sensors (such as GPS and inertial measurement units) and rely on pre-set algorithms and programs for autonomous navigation and flight. Ground operators can control and monitor the drone's flight status from the control room, pre-setting flight paths, mission points, and routes through software. Furthermore, the drones' advanced sensor technologies, such as high-definition cameras, infrared thermal imaging, and lidar, capture high-quality images and data, providing crucial insights for subsequent analysis and decision-making, helping to predict potential failures and optimize maintenance strategies. These significantly improve efficiency compared to manual drone inspections, significantly promoting industry development and driving innovation and advancement in smart grid and facility management technologies.

[0004] However, existing drone endurance technology is far behind the development of autonomous drone patrol technology. Currently, most power line inspection drones still rely on portable batteries for recharging. A typical mission involves carrying three to five battery packs, each providing 30-40 minutes of flight time. This results in drones frequently having to return to recharge even when they're near power lines, creating a dilemma similar to "walking by a river without access to water." This situation significantly reduces the efficiency of drone patrols and significantly restricts the rapidly developing autonomous drone patrol technology.

[0005] Currently, there are several main methods for charging drones: drone nest charging, wireless power transmission, solar charging, and battery replacement. In 2014, a research team at Chiba University in Japan developed a prototype drone nest that enables battery replacement and charging. However, drone nests require high manufacturing costs and are subject to industry restrictions related to "one drone, one nest" communications. Wireless power transmission uses electromagnetic induction to transfer power between drones and ground equipment through inductive coupling. However, traditional wireless power transmission requires ground-based power supply equipment, which, given the inherently low efficiency of wireless power transmission, requires a separate power source, making it less economical and convenient. Solar charging integrates solar panels into the drone's fuselage or wings, converting solar energy into electricity for charging. This method is suitable for drones conducting long-term outdoor inspection missions, especially in remote areas or those without power grid coverage. However, solar power is highly unstable, especially in rainy weather, making stable flight impossible. Finally, battery replacement is the simplest method. Designing a removable battery module allows the drone to return to base or a designated location during flight or between missions for the operator to replace the battery module. However, this method requires additional manpower and operational steps.

[0006] Currently, drone inspections are primarily used in medium- and low-voltage power transmission and distribution systems and substations. However, the need for autonomous drone inspections and flight control is even more pressing in high- and ultra-high-voltage (UHV) applications. These lines are often located in cities with high economic activity and electricity demand, supporting industrial, commercial, and residential needs. They also transmit large amounts of electricity across large geographical obstacles such as rivers, canyons, and mountains. These areas share a common characteristic: a high demand for drone inspections coupled with the difficulty of manual inspections. Therefore, achieving autonomous drone patrols and flight control along HV and UHV lines would significantly reduce the risks and costs of manual transportation, offering extremely broad application prospects and commercial value.

[0007] Various attempts have been made both domestically and internationally to achieve autonomous flight for drones based on autonomous cruising. To achieve autonomous flight, both the energy source for the drone and the charging station are essential. Depending on the combination of the power source potential of the transmission line and the potential of the drone's power supply platform, drone power supply solutions can generally be implemented in various combinations, such as "low-power, low-use," "high-power, low-use," or "high-power, high-use."

[0008] The easiest to think of and the easiest to implement is the "low-voltage low-use" type, where both energy extraction and drone charging are placed on low-voltage poles. This is not only easy to install but also eliminates the need to consider insulation issues. The most commonly used low-voltage energy extraction method is solar energy extraction. Figure 1As shown, solar panels are mounted on transmission towers to capture solar energy. The panels are then connected to batteries for energy storage, which is then used to power the drone nest. However, the disadvantages of this approach are that the drone nest will "go on strike" if the battery is low due to prolonged rainy weather. Furthermore, in actual use, bird droppings may cling to the solar panels over time, significantly reducing their effective light-collecting area. Workers will also need to regularly climb the towers to remove foreign matter. Furthermore, as a new product, drone nests have yet to be deployed on such a large scale, and the commercial "one drone, one nest" restriction significantly reduces the practicality of this solution. Furthermore, placing the relatively expensive drone nests directly on towers in remote areas poses a risk of theft.

[0009] Compared with solar power, CT (Current Transformer) power generation has the advantage of inexhaustible energy. Figure 2 As shown, the CT energy harvesting system in actual use, like the transmission lines, is at a high potential, while the transmission towers supporting the drone nests are at a low potential. Therefore, combining CT energy harvesting with drone nest power supply constitutes a "high-voltage, low-power" model. The CT energy harvesting system on the high-voltage side undergoes rectification and high-frequency inversion to generate high-frequency AC power. This power is then connected to the drone nest on the low-voltage side via a metal flange insulator. The insulator consists of ten layers of wireless power transmission coils, spaced 10 cm apart. This provides both insulation and a layered approach to energy transfer between the CT energy harvesting system and the drone nest. However, in practical applications, this multi-relay WPT system currently can only transmit very limited energy, effectively blocking the otherwise continuous CT energy source for powering the drone nest. Therefore, this solution is currently difficult to implement in practice.

[0010] Considering that insulation will be a difficult problem to solve whether the UAV is powered by building a wireless charging platform or a UAV nest, if CT is still used for power, the ideal situation is to make the CT open and install an adjustable mechanical arm directly on the top of the patrol UAV. Figure 3 As shown, the drone's power-harvesting mode works as follows: when the drone's battery level drops below a threshold, it automatically searches for the nearest power line, with its gripper remaining open during this approach. When the gripper approaches the power line, it quickly engages. Finally, when the CT and the power line are fully aligned, the gripper automatically closes, allowing the drone to hang directly on the power line and draw power via electromagnetic induction. Once the power level reaches full, the drone flies away from the power line in the reverse order and resumes patrolling. However, the biggest problem with this solution is the excessive weight of the CT core, which places excessive strain on the patrol drone. Furthermore, this drone's endurance method theoretically constitutes "stealing electricity" from the State Grid, and its practical application presents numerous non-technical challenges.

[0011] In summary, the existing technical solutions have the following disadvantages: the "low taking and low using type" has low photovoltaic power taking efficiency, the photovoltaic panel needs to be cleaned regularly, and the unmanned aerial vehicle has the risk of being stolen; the "high taking and low using type" needs to consider the insulation problem, the transmission power of the wireless power transmission insulator is very limited, and the technology is not mature; the on-board scheme is that the CT body is heavy, the aircraft load needs to be considered, and there may be non-technical commercial promotion risks in the future. SUMMARY

[0012] The application provides an unmanned aerial vehicle line patrol autonomous endurance device to solve the problems of low power taking efficiency, heavy on-board, and the need to consider the insulation problem of the existing autonomous endurance device.

[0013] The application provides an unmanned aerial vehicle line patrol autonomous endurance device, which comprises a CT power taking module, a wireless power transmission module, and an energy storage module.

[0014] Optionally, the CT power taking module comprises a CT power taking device, a front transient overvoltage protection circuit, a rectifier filter circuit, and a DC-DC conversion circuit, wherein the CT power taking device is sleeved on the preset split conductor to obtain alternating current on the preset split conductor through the principle of electromagnetic induction; the front transient overvoltage protection circuit is connected with the CT power taking device to absorb and transfer the transient overvoltage on the preset split conductor; the rectifier filter circuit is connected with the front transient overvoltage protection circuit to convert the alternating current into pulsating direct current; and the DC-DC conversion circuit is connected with the rectifier filter circuit to convert the pulsating direct current into power meeting the requirements of a target load.

[0015] Optionally, the wireless power transmission module comprises a high-frequency inverter, a wireless charging platform, a transmitting coil, a receiving coil, and an AC-DC rectifier, wherein the high-frequency inverter is connected with the wireless charging platform to convert the direct current into high-frequency alternating current; the transmitting coil is connected with the high-frequency inverter to generate a high-frequency alternating magnetic field; the receiving coil is connected with the transmitting coil to generate a high-frequency alternating current; and the AC-DC rectifier is connected with the receiving coil to convert the high-frequency alternating current into direct current.

[0016] Optionally, the wireless power transmission module comprises a high-frequency inverter, a wireless charging platform, a transmitting coil, a receiving coil, and an AC-DC rectifier, wherein the high-frequency inverter is connected with the wireless charging platform to convert the direct current into high-frequency alternating current; the transmitting coil is connected with the high-frequency inverter to generate a high-frequency alternating magnetic field; the receiving coil is connected with the transmitting coil to generate a high-frequency alternating current; and the AC-DC rectifier is connected with the receiving coil to convert the high-frequency alternating current into direct current.

[0017] The high-frequency inverter is connected to the CT energy acquisition module to convert the electrical energy into high-frequency alternating current; the wireless charging platform is built on the preset split conductor and connected to the high-frequency inverter to provide a landing point for the target UAV; the transmitting end coil is arranged on the wireless charging platform to generate an alternating magnetic field according to the high-frequency alternating current; the receiving end coil is arranged at the bottom of the target UAV to receive the alternating magnetic field and convert the alternating magnetic field into an alternating current signal through electromagnetic induction; the AC-DC rectifier is connected to the receiving end coil to convert the alternating current signal into the direct current signal.

[0018] Optionally, when the preset split conductor is a two-split conductor, the wireless charging platform is formed by connecting a four-split spacer rod with a CT energy acquisition device sleeved on the two-split conductor.

[0019] Optionally, when the preset split conductor is a four-split conductor, the wireless charging platform is formed by connecting two four-split spacers with a CT energy acquisition device sleeved on the four-split conductor.

[0020] Optionally, the wireless charging platform is provided with a plurality of magnetic devices.

[0021] Optionally, the energy storage module includes a DC-DC voltage regulation circuit and a battery, wherein:

[0022] The DC-DC voltage regulating circuit is connected to the wireless power transmission module and the battery respectively to convert the DC power signal into a charging voltage for the target UAV according to the target demand of the battery.

[0023] The autonomous endurance device for drone line inspection proposed in the embodiment of the present invention is applied to split-conductor high-voltage or ultra-high-voltage transmission lines. It is equivalent to setting up a drone charging point on the transmission line, and the cost is greatly reduced compared to solutions such as building a photovoltaic energy acquisition device on the tower and adding a drone nest to charge the autonomous cruising drone. Especially for power line inspection in mountainous areas, there is no need for people and vehicles to cooperate with the drone to work. It is only necessary to let the drone with autonomous cruising function patrol along the transmission line on its own. When the endurance is insufficient, it can be charged close to our device. After it is fully charged at the charging point, it will continue to patrol the line until the entire line is inspected. The device solves the autonomous endurance problem under the background of the increasingly mature autonomous cruising technology of drones, can greatly reduce the manpower and material costs of power inspection, bring about a major earthquake in the power line inspection industry, and truly realize low-cost, fully unmanned, and large-scale application prospect autonomous endurance based on the autonomous cruising of drones in the power inspection industry.

[0024] Additional aspects and advantages of the present invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows and, in part, will be obvious from the description which follows, or may be learned through practice of the present invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025] The above and / or additional aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent and readily understood from the following description of the embodiments in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0026] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the autonomous power supply device for a "low-power, low-use" drone;

[0027] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the autonomous power supply device for a "high-power, low-use" drone;

[0028] Figure 3 Schematic diagram of the working mode of the self-charging drone with a robotic arm, where (a) shows the gripper in the open state, (b) shows the gripper power supply connected, and (c) shows the gripper in the closed state;

[0029] Figure 4 This is a structural diagram of an autonomous navigation device for patrolling a line by a UAV according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0030] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the single and double air gap energy-taking power of an energy-taking CT provided according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0031] Figure 6 Schematic diagram of energy extraction power under different primary currents of the energy extraction CT double air gap model provided according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0032] Figure 7 A schematic diagram of the coupling between a drone and a wireless charging platform according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0033] Figure 8 A schematic diagram of an autonomous endurance device for a UAV based on four split conductors according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0034] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of another autonomous endurance device for a UAV based on four split conductors according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0035] Figure 10 Schematic diagram of a UAV autonomous endurance device based on two split conductors according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0036] Description of reference numerals:

[0037] 40-UAV line patrol autonomous endurance device, 41-CT energy acquisition module, 411-CT energy acquisition equipment, 412-pre-transient overvoltage protection circuit, 413-rectifier filter circuit, 414-DC-DC conversion circuit, 42-wireless power transmission module, 421-high frequency inverter, 422-wireless charging platform, 423-transmitter coil, 424-receiver coil, 425-AC-DC rectifier, 43-energy storage module, 431-DC-DC voltage regulation circuit, 432-battery, 44-preset split conductor, 45-target UAV, 46-four-split spacer and 47-magnetic device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0038] The following describes embodiments of the present invention in detail, examples of which are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals throughout represent the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are intended to be used to explain the present invention, and are not to be construed as limiting the present invention.

[0039] The following describes an autonomous line patrol device for a drone according to an embodiment of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0040] Figure 4 The present invention provides a schematic structural diagram of an autonomous navigation device for patrolling a line by a UAV according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0041] like Figure 4 As shown, the autonomous endurance device 40 for UAV line patrol includes: a CT energy acquisition module 41 , a wireless power transmission module 42 and an energy storage module 43 .

[0042] The CT energy acquisition module 41 is mounted on a pre-split conductor 44 of the target tower to capture electrical energy from the pre-split conductor, which can be a two-split conductor or a four-split conductor. A wireless power transmission module 42 is mounted on the pre-split conductor 44 and the target drone 45, receiving electrical energy via wireless power transmission and converting it into a direct current (DC) signal. An energy storage module 43 is mounted on the target drone 45 and connected to the wireless power transmission module 42 to convert the DC signal into a charging voltage for the target drone 45.

[0043] In some embodiments, the CT energy acquisition module 41 includes a CT energy acquisition device 411, a pre-transient overvoltage protection circuit 412, a rectifier filter circuit 413 and a DC-DC conversion circuit 414, wherein:

[0044] The CT energy acquisition device 411 is connected to the preset split conductor 44 to obtain alternating current on the preset split conductor 44 through the principle of electromagnetic induction; the front transient overvoltage protection circuit 412 is connected to the CT energy acquisition device 411 to absorb and transfer transient overvoltages on the preset split conductor 44; the rectifier and filter circuits 413413 are connected to the front transient overvoltage protection circuit 412 to convert alternating current into pulsating direct current; the DC-DC conversion circuit 414 is connected to the rectifier and filter circuit 413 to convert pulsating direct current into electrical energy that meets the target load.

[0045] Specifically, multiple CT energy acquisition devices 411 are connected to the preset split conductor 44. The multiple CT energy acquisition devices 411 obtain energy from the preset split conductor 44 through the principle of electromagnetic induction to obtain alternating current. The specific number of CT energy acquisition devices 411 is determined based on a comprehensive consideration of the energy acquisition size and economic applicability. Generally, 2 or 4 are installed (an even number is considered for balance).

[0046] It should be noted that, in order to demonstrate and further improve the performance of the CT energy acquisition device 411, the embodiment of the present invention uses finite element simulation software such as Ansys Electronics and Altair Flux to simulate and analyze the relationship between the core material, core air gap structure, secondary side turns, primary side current and secondary side load of the energy acquisition CT and the output power of the energy acquisition CT, and completes the optimization design of the CT core part based on the simulation results.

[0047] Based on the conductor dimensions of the high-voltage transmission line, the basic core dimensions are set to: R = 142 mm, r = 60 mm, and H = 50 mm, where R, r, and H represent the core's outer diameter, inner diameter, and thickness, respectively. Silicon steel sheets are used as the core material, with 1 and 130 primary and secondary turns, respectively.

[0048] The magnitude of the current flowing through split conductors 44 depends on multiple factors, such as the transmission line load, design capacity, and line length. For example, the design capacity of a 500kV transmission line is typically between 1000MVA and 3000MVA. Therefore, the current flowing through each of the four split conductors 44 is approximately between 288.7A and 866A. Assume that the primary current is AC with a frequency of 50Hz and an effective value of 390A, and the air gap width is 1mm. The loads are set to 1-100Ω.

[0049] like Figure 5As shown in the figure, simulations show that for both the single-gap and dual-gap models, the core operates in the linear region when the load resistance is small. The secondary output power of the core increases with increasing load resistance, initially reaching a maximum value and then gradually decreasing. The single-gap CT energy-harvesting model has an optimal load value of approximately 35Ω, with a single CT capable of maximizing power draw exceeding 120W. The dual-gap CT model, which better reflects actual CT conditions, has an optimal load value of approximately 17Ω, with a single CT capable of maximizing power draw of nearly 60W. This further validates the rationale of CT energy harvesting as a front-end power supply method for the wireless charging platform 422.

[0050] like Figure 6 As shown in the figure, the simulation selected a more realistic double-air-gap model and varied the primary current to observe how the power drawn by a single CT changes with increasing load. It can be seen that when only the primary current is varied, the optimal load point for maximum power remains essentially unchanged. Furthermore, maximum power increases with increasing primary current, reaching a maximum power point of nearly 90W at a primary current of 500A.

[0051] Furthermore, during actual operation of high-voltage transmission lines, lightning strikes, power switch operation, or other electrical faults can cause a transient increase in line current, which in turn instantly raises the induced voltage on the secondary side. This entire process, while brief, can cause significant damage to downstream circuits. Therefore, to ensure that the CT energy extraction device 411 can function normally without damaging downstream circuits even when struck by lightning or short-circuited, this embodiment of the present invention incorporates a pre-transient overvoltage protection circuit 412, which is connected to the CT energy extraction device 411.

[0052] It should be noted that common transient overvoltage protection components include metal-oxide varistors (MOVs), gas discharge tubes (GDTs), and transient voltage suppressors (TVSs). However, since the secondary side output of the CT energy acquisition device 411 is an AC voltage, the embodiment of the present invention selects a bidirectional TVS for overvoltage protection.

[0053] Furthermore, an embodiment of the present invention designs a semi-active rectifier and filter circuit 413, and connects the rectifier and filter circuit 413 to the pre-transient overvoltage protection circuit 412. The rectifier link uses a diode to convert AC power into pulsating DC power, and the filter link smoothes the pulsating DC power through a capacitor to reduce ripple; the voltage stabilization link maintains the output voltage stable through an integrated voltage stabilizer.

[0054] Furthermore, in the CT energy acquisition device 411, the DC output voltage after the rectification, filtering and voltage stabilization circuit 413 is generally not equal to the voltage required by the specified load, and the former is often greater than the latter. Therefore, another stage of DC-DC conversion is required to meet the load requirements. Therefore, the embodiment of the present invention connects the DC-DC conversion circuit 414 to the rectification and filtering circuit 413 to convert the pulsating DC power into electrical energy that meets the target load.

[0055] In some embodiments, the wireless power transmission module 42 includes a high-frequency inverter 421, a wireless charging platform 422, a transmitting coil 423, a receiving coil 424 and an AC-DC rectifier 425, wherein:

[0056] The high-frequency inverter 421 is connected to the CT energy acquisition module 41 to convert electrical energy into high-frequency alternating current; the wireless charging platform 422 is built on the preset split conductor 44 and connected to the high-frequency inverter 421 to provide a landing point for the target drone 45; the transmitting end coil 423 is set on the wireless charging platform 422 to generate an alternating magnetic field based on the high-frequency alternating current; the receiving end coil 424 is set at the bottom of the target drone 45 to receive the alternating magnetic field and convert the alternating magnetic field into an alternating current signal through electromagnetic induction; the AC-DC rectifier 425 is connected to the receiving end coil 424 to convert the alternating current signal into a direct current signal.

[0057] Specifically, if Figure 4 and 7 As shown, the input end of the wireless power transmission module 42 is the stable direct current provided by the last-stage DC-DC conversion circuit 414 of the previous CT energy acquisition module 41. The direct current is then converted into high-frequency alternating current through a high-frequency inverter 421. After being compensated by a compensation network, the wireless power transmission transmitting coil 423 mounted on the split conductor 44 is connected. The high-frequency signal generates an alternating magnetic field through the transmitting coil 423. The magnetic field propagates in the air. The receiving coil 424 at the bottom of the drone receives the magnetic field. The transmitting coil 423 and the receiving coil 424 are coupled and matched, and the magnetic field is converted into an alternating current signal through electromagnetic induction. Finally, a stable output direct current signal is obtained through the AC-DC rectifier 425.

[0058] In some embodiments, when the pre-set split conductor 44 is a four-split conductor, the wireless charging platform 422 is formed by connecting two four-split spacers 46 with the CT energy extraction device 411 sleeved on the four-split conductor.

[0059] Specifically, the quad-split conductor 44 is a specially designed high-voltage transmission line, typically used for ultra-high voltage transmission lines of 500 kV and above. Compared to a traditional single conductor, it transmits current through four split conductors, thereby reducing resistance losses and improving the stability and reliability of the transmission line.

[0060] like Figure 8 As shown, when the pre-set split conductor 44 is a four-split conductor, two four-split spacers 46 are used. Each four-split spacer 46 has four vertices, and the two four-split spacers 46 together have a total of 8 vertices. As needed, a CT energy extraction device 411 is extended from an even number of vertices (selected according to actual energy extraction needs) to extract electrical energy from the transmission line; a power electronic device is added between the two four-split spacers 46 and encapsulated with gum or other materials. The two four-split spacers 46 together form a rectangular parallelepiped, and a wireless power transmission platform is built between the two. Figure 9 As shown, if the drone is small, the bottom can be made into a wireless power transmission platform, and the front and back sides can be encapsulated into a grid shape to facilitate ventilation and water leakage. If the drone is large and difficult to enter, the top can be transformed into a wireless power transmission platform, and the landing point of the drone can be hollowed so that the four legs of the drone can be inserted into the wireless power transmission platform for fixed charging.

[0061] In addition, a communication device can be set inside the four-split spacer rods 46 at both ends for information transmission between the drone and the drone-like nest, such as the transmission of pictures and videos during line inspection.

[0062] In some embodiments, when the pre-split conductor 44 is a two-split conductor, a four-split spacer 46 is connected to the CT energy extraction device 411 sleeved on the two-split conductor to form a wireless charging platform 422 .

[0063] In some embodiments, the wireless charging platform 422 is provided with a plurality of magnetic devices 47 .

[0064] Similar to the quadruple-split conductor, the two-split conductor is a specially designed transmission line used for high- and ultra-high-voltage transmission lines. Compared to a traditional single-strand conductor, the two-split conductor transmits current through two separate strands, reducing resistance losses and improving line stability and reliability.

[0065] like Figure 7 and 10 As shown, a four-split spacer 46 is placed horizontally, and the center area of ​​the four-split spacer 46 is transformed into a wireless power transmission platform. Multiple magnetic devices 47 are used to fix the drone. The remaining CT energy acquisition devices 411 are similar to the drone autonomous endurance device on the four-split conductor.

[0066] It should be noted that the two four-split spacers 46 play a role in mechanical support and positioning in the four-split conductors. They not only fix the position of the conductors, but also ensure the correct spacing and arrangement between the conductors to prevent mutual contact or interference between the conductors (the spacing between the four conductors is 450 mm).

[0067] The four-split spacer 46 is usually made of insulating material and is used to provide electrical insulation protection between the conductors. This is crucial to prevent electrical short circuits or leakage between the conductors. Especially in high-voltage transmission lines, the effectiveness of insulation is crucial to the safety and stability of the system.

[0068] In high-voltage transmission systems, the design of the quadruple spacer 46 optimizes electric field distribution. Proper design and placement of the quadruple spacer 46 can reduce electric field concentration on the conductor surface, helping to mitigate the risk of partial discharge and electrical breakdown, and improving the system's withstand voltage capability.

[0069] The four-split spacers 46 can also serve as a support structure for additional equipment, such as integrating drone charging equipment into the machine nest. They can provide a stable support platform so that additional equipment can be safely and stably installed on the four-split conductor.

[0070] If the charging equipment is integrated into the spacer, the four-split spacer 46 can also provide convenient installation and maintenance channels. This is especially important for equipment installation and maintenance operations at high altitudes and in complex environments.

[0071] Therefore, the four-split spacer 46 in the four-split conductor is not just a simple mechanical support structure, but also a key electrical and mechanical component in the entire power transmission system. Its design and function directly affect the safety, reliability and operating efficiency of the power transmission system.

[0072] Furthermore, multiple connection modes can be planned for the wireless charging platform 422:

[0073] For small drones that can directly hover inside the two four-split spacer rods 46, the wireless charging platform 422 will be planned at the bottom of the "basket", such as Figure 8 As shown, the front and rear sides are sealed with mesh fittings to allow rain to leak in without causing the charging drone to become unstable. For large drones that are difficult to enter the "basket", the basket is designed to hover at the top. Then, the fittings are encapsulated at the top and four holes are drilled to allow the drone's four legs to be fully in contact with the wireless charging platform 422 to maintain stable charging. Figure 9 shown.

[0074] In addition, considering the possible problems of bird nesting and snow melting, the wireless charging devices on some lines can be designed to be flat rather than basket-shaped according to actual conditions. Only the upper two wires of the four-split wire are used to lay the wireless charging platform 422. Magnetic devices 47 are added to the four legs of the drone and the corresponding landing points of the wireless charging platform 422 to ensure that the drone can land stably on the platform for charging. The same applies to the two-split wire. Figure 10 shown.

[0075] Furthermore, QR code verification is set on the bottom of the drone and the wireless charging platform 422 respectively. When the drone lands and docks to charge, it must first hover to perform QR code docking. Only drones that have successfully verified can land and charge at a fixed point.

[0076] Furthermore, after constructing and trial-operating the wireless charging platform 422 on the transmission line for CT energy extraction, the embodiment of the present invention uses mathematical modeling and optimization algorithms to formulate a feasible machine nest layout plan to achieve possible subsequent large-scale application; overcome the coordination difficulties of real-time monitoring and scheduling between the drone dispatch center, charging platform and drones, and solve the challenges in resource management and decision support; improve the coverage of drone cruising, reduce costs, and maximize efficiency.

[0077] In some embodiments, the energy storage module 43 includes a DC-DC voltage regulating circuit 431 and a battery 432, wherein the DC-DC voltage regulating circuit 431 is connected to the wireless power transmission module 42 and the battery 432, respectively, to convert the DC power signal into a charging voltage of the target drone 45 according to the target requirements of the battery 432.

[0078] Specifically, if Figure 4 As shown, the energy storage module 43 first provides a charging voltage suitable for the target drone battery through the DC-DC voltage regulator circuit 431 according to the needs of the battery 432. In order to protect the battery from being damaged by excessive charging current, a current limiting circuit or a voltage stabilizing circuit is usually required for protection, and the current must be adjusted to ensure that the charging current is within the safe charging range of the battery.

[0079] The energy storage module 43 may also include: a charging management circuit and multiple protection circuits, wherein the charging management circuit controls the charging mode (such as constant current and constant voltage mode) to ensure that the correct charging method is used in different charging stages (such as the initial charging stage, the middle charging stage, and the full charge), and monitors the battery voltage and temperature in real time to prevent overcharging or overheating; the multiple protection circuits may be an overcharging protection circuit, a short circuit protection circuit, a temperature protection circuit, etc.

[0080] The following is a further description of the autonomous navigation device for patrolling a line by a drone proposed in an embodiment of the present invention through a specific embodiment.

[0081] The energy collection end is close to the transmission line and uses a CT energy collection device 411 (the number of CTs is determined according to the energy collection size to ensure sufficient energy). The energy is collected and passed through the pre-transient overvoltage protection circuit 412 to solve the problem of excess energy discharge, ensuring circuit stability; stable direct current is obtained through the rectifier and filter circuit 413 and the DC-DC conversion circuit 414; the stable direct current passes through the high-frequency inverter circuit and then through the compensation network to supply energy to the wireless charging platform transmitter coil 423 built on the split conductor 44; after the drone lands on the wireless charging platform 422, the receiving end coil 424 at the bottom of the aircraft receives the energy transmitted by the wireless power and finally passes through the rectifier circuit and DC-DC voltage regulation circuit 431 to power the drone battery 432.

[0082] In summary, the autonomous endurance device for patrolling a line by a drone according to the embodiments of the present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0083] (1) Using split conductors of high-voltage lines to obtain energy refers to using split conductors as the source for CT energy extraction, and also refers to using split conductors as the application scenario to build a wireless charging platform on the split conductors to dock and charge drones.

[0084] (2) By installing a CT energy harvesting device at the apex of the split conductor, electric energy can be directly drawn from the preset split conductor to supply energy for the subsequent wireless charging platform. Compared with traditional photovoltaic energy harvesting methods, this solves the problem of insufficient power for traditional UAVs during long-distance and long-term line patrols, and realizes long-term autonomous cruising.

[0085] (3) A wireless power transmission platform is established on the split conductors, which can achieve effective wireless charging regardless of the size of the drone. When the drone and the drone charging platform are connected through weak coupling, it can flexibly cope with drones of different sizes, ensuring that they can be charged and resupplied when needed.

[0086] In the description of this specification, the description with reference to the terms "one embodiment", "some embodiments", "example", "specific example", or "some examples" means that the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described in conjunction with the embodiment or example are included in at least one embodiment or example of the present invention. In this specification, the schematic expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Moreover, the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described can be combined in any one or N embodiments or examples in a suitable manner. In addition, those skilled in the art can combine and combine different embodiments or examples described in this specification and the features of different embodiments or examples without contradiction.

[0087] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be understood to indicate or imply relative importance or implicitly specify the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature specified as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one such feature. In the description of the present invention, "N" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise specifically defined.

Claims

1. An autonomous endurance device for UAV line patrol, characterized in that: include: A CT energy acquisition module, wherein the CT energy acquisition module is arranged on a preset split conductor of the target tower to obtain electrical energy from the preset split conductor, wherein the preset split conductor is a two-split conductor or a four-split conductor; A wireless power transmission module is provided on the preset split conductor and the target UAV, receives the electrical energy through wireless power transmission, and converts the electrical energy into a direct current signal, wherein the wireless power transmission module includes a high-frequency inverter, a wireless charging platform, a transmitting end coil, a receiving end coil and an AC-DC rectifier, wherein, The high-frequency inverter is connected to the CT energy acquisition module to convert the electrical energy into high-frequency alternating current; The wireless charging platform is built on the preset split conductor and connected to the high-frequency inverter to provide a landing point for the target UAV; The transmitting end coil is arranged on the wireless charging platform to generate an alternating magnetic field according to the high-frequency alternating current; The receiving end coil is arranged at the bottom of the target UAV to receive the alternating magnetic field and convert the alternating magnetic field into an alternating current signal through electromagnetic induction; The AC-DC rectifier is connected to the receiving end coil to convert the AC signal into the DC signal; An energy storage module is provided on the target UAV and is connected to the wireless power transmission module to convert the DC power signal into a charging voltage for the target UAV.

2. The autonomous endurance device for UAV line patrol according to claim 1, characterized in that: The CT energy acquisition module includes a CT energy acquisition device, a pre-transient overvoltage protection circuit, a rectifier filter circuit and a DC-DC conversion circuit, wherein: The CT energy acquisition device is sleeved on the preset split conductor to obtain alternating current on the preset split conductor through the principle of electromagnetic induction; The front transient overvoltage protection circuit is connected to the CT energy acquisition device to absorb and transfer the transient overvoltage on the preset split conductor; The rectifier and filter circuit is connected to the pre-transient overvoltage protection circuit to convert the alternating current into pulsating direct current; The DC-DC conversion circuit is connected to the rectifier and filter circuit to convert the pulsating direct current into electrical energy that meets the target load.

3. The autonomous navigation device for UAV line patrol according to claim 1, characterized in that: When the preset split conductor is a two-split conductor, the wireless charging platform is formed by connecting a four-split spacer rod with a CT energy acquisition device sleeved on the two-split conductor.

4. The autonomous endurance device for UAV line patrol according to claim 1, characterized in that: When the preset split conductor is a four-split conductor, the wireless charging platform is formed by connecting two four-split spacers with a CT energy acquisition device sleeved on the four-split conductor.

5. The autonomous endurance device for UAV line patrol according to claim 1, characterized in that: The wireless charging platform is provided with a plurality of magnetic devices.

6. The autonomous endurance device for UAV line patrol according to claim 1, characterized in that: The energy storage module includes a DC-DC voltage regulating circuit and a battery, wherein: The DC-DC voltage regulating circuit is connected to the wireless power transmission module and the battery respectively to convert the DC power signal into a charging voltage for the target UAV according to the target demand of the battery.

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