Multi-path power supply collaborative management system of unmanned aerial vehicle flight controller

By adopting a multi-channel power supply collaborative management system, the reliability and stability issues of the power management system for UAV flight controllers were resolved. This system achieved stable multi-channel output, met the complex power supply requirements of UAVs, improved system reliability, and reduced power consumption.

CN224138766UActive Publication Date: 2026-04-17ZHEJIANG UNIV CITY COLLEGE BINJIANG INNOVATION CENT
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Patent Information

Authority / Receiving Office
CN · China
Patent Type
Utility models(China)
Current Assignee / Owner
ZHEJIANG UNIV CITY COLLEGE BINJIANG INNOVATION CENT
Filing Date
2025-03-10
Publication Date
2026-04-17

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

Existing UAV flight controllers have low power management system reliability and lack intelligent management strategies. Output voltage fluctuations and leakage are prone to occur during power switching, which cannot meet the requirements of long-endurance, all-weather and complex environment operations.

Method used

A multi-power collaborative management system is adopted, including a sampling circuit, a step-down circuit, a power switching management circuit, and an overvoltage and overcurrent protection circuit. Through intelligent power switching and voltage regulation technology, the stability and reliability of the power management system are ensured.

Benefits of technology

It achieves stable multi-channel output, ensuring the normal operation of devices with different power levels, meeting the complex and diverse power supply needs of drones, improving the reliability and stability of the system, and reducing overall power consumption.

✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.

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Abstract

The utility model discloses a multipath power supply cooperative management system of an unmanned aerial vehicle flight controller, comprising a sampling circuit used for obtaining a first input voltage of a lithium battery; the step-down circuit is connected with the sampling circuit and is used for acquiring the input voltage of the sampling circuit and inputting low voltage; and the power supply switching management circuit is connected with the step-down circuit and selectively outputs the low voltage of the step-down circuit or the second input voltage of the USB power supply by a user. Therefore, multi-path stable output can be provided, and normal operation of equipment with different power levels can be ensured, so that complex and diversified power supply requirements of the unmanned aerial vehicle can be met.
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Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and in particular to a multi-channel power supply collaborative management system for UAV flight controllers. Background Technology

[0002] In the field of drones, a reliable power management system is crucial for ensuring the stable operation of flight controllers and the safe flight of drones. Currently, commonly used drone flight control power supply solutions mainly include single-power direct power supply and simple dual-power switching systems. These systems typically use basic voltage regulators and power switching circuits, lacking comprehensive protection mechanisms and intelligent management strategies.

[0003] The power supply solutions in related technologies have the following shortcomings: single-power supply systems have low reliability, and a power failure will paralyze the entire system; simple dual-power switching systems have slow response speeds and lack effective fault diagnosis and early warning mechanisms, which can easily cause instability in the flight control system during power switching. In addition, because the existing power management systems are relatively simple in design, they cannot meet the needs of UAVs for long-endurance, all-weather, and complex environment operations. The flight controller places higher demands on the reliability, stability, and intelligence of the power supply system.

[0004] However, existing power management systems typically lack effective voltage regulation or protection during multi-power supply switching. When significant voltage differences exist between power supplies, output voltage fluctuations can easily occur during switching, making smooth transitions difficult. Furthermore, the load voltage in existing multi-power supply management systems cannot be completely shut off; as long as any power supply is present, the system continuously outputs voltage, leading to system leakage and failing to reduce overall power consumption. Additionally, large voltage fluctuations during switching often result in overshoot or undervoltage, affecting the stability of the flight control system. Utility Model Content

[0005] The main objective of this invention is to provide a multi-channel power supply collaborative management system for unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) flight controllers, aiming to solve the aforementioned technical problems.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention proposes a multi-channel power supply collaborative management system for a UAV flight controller, comprising:

[0007] A sampling circuit is used to obtain the first input voltage of the lithium battery.

[0008] A step-down circuit is connected to the sampling circuit and is used to obtain the input voltage of the sampling circuit and input a low voltage.

[0009] The power switching management circuit is connected to the buck circuit and allows the user to selectively output either the low voltage of the buck circuit or the second input voltage of the USB power supply.

[0010] In one embodiment, the step-down circuit includes a first 5V step-down circuit and a second 5V step-down circuit connected to the sampling circuit. The first 5V step-down circuit is the main power supply circuit, and the second 5V step-down circuit is the auxiliary power supply circuit.

[0011] In one embodiment, the multi-power collaborative management system of the UAV flight controller further includes a first overvoltage and overcurrent protection circuit. The first overvoltage and overcurrent protection circuit is connected to the power switching management circuit and the data transmission interface, so that the first overvoltage and overcurrent protection circuit outputs 5V and 1.5A to the data transmission interface.

[0012] In one embodiment, the multi-power collaborative management system of the UAV flight controller further includes a second overvoltage and overcurrent protection circuit. The second overvoltage and overcurrent protection circuit is connected to the power switching management circuit and other output interfaces, so that the second overvoltage and overcurrent protection circuit outputs 5V and 1A to the data transmission interface.

[0013] In one embodiment, the multi-channel power collaborative management system of the UAV flight controller further includes a first dual-channel low-dropout linear regulator circuit, which is connected to the power switching management circuit and outputs 3.3V, 300mA to the FMU module and the IMU module.

[0014] In one embodiment, the multi-power collaborative management system of the UAV flight controller further includes a third overvoltage and overcurrent protection circuit, which is connected to the second 5V step-down circuit.

[0015] In one embodiment, the multi-power collaborative management system of the UAV flight controller further includes an ESC electronic speed controller module.

[0016] In the technical solution of this utility model, the multi-channel power collaborative management system for the UAV flight controller includes:

[0017] A sampling circuit is used to obtain the first input voltage of the lithium battery.

[0018] A step-down circuit is connected to the sampling circuit and is used to obtain the input voltage of the sampling circuit and input a low voltage.

[0019] The power switching management circuit is connected to the buck circuit and allows the user to selectively output either the low voltage of the buck circuit or the second input voltage of the USB power supply.

[0020] In one embodiment, the step-down circuit includes a first 5V step-down circuit and a second 5V step-down circuit connected to the sampling circuit. The first 5V step-down circuit is the main power supply circuit, and the second 5V step-down circuit is the auxiliary power supply circuit.

[0021] Therefore, this technical solution can provide multiple stable outputs and ensure the normal operation of devices with different power levels to meet the complex and diverse power supply needs of drones. Attached Figure Description

[0022] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this utility model or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this utility model. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on the structures shown in these drawings without creative effort.

[0023] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the multi-channel power supply collaborative management system of the UAV flight controller according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 2 This is a circuit diagram of the power switching management system according to an embodiment of the present utility model;

[0025] Figure 3 The circuit diagrams for the first overvoltage and overcurrent protection circuit and the first dual-channel low-dropout linear voltage regulator circuit are shown in this embodiment of the present invention.

[0026] Figure 4 The circuit diagrams are for the second and third overvoltage and overcurrent protection circuits according to embodiments of this utility model.

[0027] Reference numerals: 10, Sampling circuit; 20, First 5V step-down circuit; 30, Second 5V step-down circuit; 40, USB power input; 50, Power switching management circuit; 60, First overvoltage and overcurrent protection circuit; 70, Second overvoltage and overcurrent protection circuit; 80, First dual-channel low-dropout linear regulator circuit; 90, Second dual-channel low-dropout linear regulator circuit; 100, Third overvoltage and overcurrent protection circuit; 110, ESC electronic speed controller module.

[0028] The realization of the purpose, functional features and advantages of this utility model will be further explained in conjunction with the embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings. Detailed Implementation

[0029] The technical solutions of the present utility model will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings of the embodiments. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present utility model, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present utility model, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the protection scope of the present utility model.

[0030] It should be noted that all directional indicators (such as up, down, left, right, front, back, etc.) in this utility model embodiment are only used to explain the relative positional relationship and movement of each component in a certain specific posture (as shown in the figure). If the specific posture changes, the directional indicator will also change accordingly.

[0031] Furthermore, in this utility model, the use of terms such as "first," "second," etc., is for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying their relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of that feature. In the description of this utility model, "multiple" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0032] Furthermore, the technical solutions of the various embodiments of this utility model can be combined with each other, but only if they are based on the ability of those skilled in the art to implement them. When the combination of technical solutions is contradictory or cannot be implemented, it should be considered that such combination of technical solutions does not exist and is not within the protection scope claimed by this utility model.

[0033] This invention provides a multi-channel power supply collaborative management system for a drone flight controller.

[0034] like Figure 1-4 As shown, the multi-channel power supply collaborative management system for the UAV flight controller provided in this embodiment includes:

[0035] Sampling circuit 10 is used to obtain the first input voltage of the lithium battery;

[0036] A step-down circuit is connected to the sampling circuit 10 and is used to obtain the input voltage of the sampling circuit 10 and input a low voltage.

[0037] The power switching management circuit 50 is connected to the step-down circuit and allows the user to selectively output either the low voltage of the step-down circuit or the second input voltage of the USB power supply.

[0038] In this embodiment, multiple power inputs are designed, including a drone lithium battery input V1 and a USB power input 40V2. Intelligent power switching is achieved through a power coordination control circuit, which selects the most suitable power source to supply power to the system devices based on power priority. The power coordination control circuit has three priority levels.

[0039] The step-down circuit includes a first 5V step-down circuit 20 and a second 5V step-down circuit 30 connected to the sampling circuit 10. The first 5V step-down circuit 20 is the main power supply circuit, and the second 5V step-down circuit 30 is the auxiliary power supply circuit.

[0040] Please refer to Figure 1 The multi-channel power collaborative management system of the UAV flight controller also includes a first overvoltage and overcurrent protection circuit 60. The first overvoltage and overcurrent protection circuit 60 is connected to the power switching management circuit 50 and the data transmission interface, so that the first overvoltage and overcurrent protection circuit 60 outputs 5V and 1.5A to the data transmission interface.

[0041] The multi-channel power collaborative management system of the UAV flight controller also includes a second overvoltage and overcurrent protection circuit 70. The second overvoltage and overcurrent protection circuit 70 is connected to the power switching management circuit 50 and other output interfaces, so that the second overvoltage and overcurrent protection circuit 70 outputs 5V and 1A to the data transmission interface.

[0042] Please refer to Figure 3 The multi-channel power collaborative management system of the UAV flight controller also includes a first dual-channel low-dropout linear regulator circuit 80, which is connected to the power switching management circuit 50 and outputs 3.3V, 300mA to the FMU module and the IMU module.

[0043] The circuit uses the BQ24313 as the main core component. By configuring the overcurrent protection threshold of resistor R617, a fault signal from the FAULT pin is sent to the MCU. D600 is a dual-channel diode connected to the second dual-channel low-dropout linear regulator circuit 90, which is identical to the first dual-channel low-dropout linear regulator circuit 80.

[0044] Please refer to Figure 4 The multi-power collaborative management system of the UAV flight controller also includes a third overvoltage and overcurrent protection circuit 100, which is connected to the second 5V step-down circuit 30. As shown in the figure, this circuit uses two BQ24315 as core components, and controls the overcurrent protection threshold by configuring resistors R613 and R614 respectively, and brings out the FAULT pin fault signal to the MCU.

[0045] The multi-power collaborative management system of the UAV flight controller also includes an ESC electronic speed controller module 110.

[0046] In this application:

[0047] Priority 1: The first 5V step-down circuit 20, which is input from the lithium battery, is used first to reduce the voltage of the lithium battery to 5V.

[0048] Priority 2: When the first power supply is abnormal, the system will automatically switch to the backup second 5V step-down circuit 30 to continue supplying power to the system.

[0049] Priority 3: When only USB power input 40 is connected, the system enters debug mode. The USB power supply provides a low-power output of 5V / 500mA, mainly used to power low-power devices such as flight controllers, communication modules, and sensors. At this time, the system will automatically stop supplying power to high-power devices such as servos and motors to avoid overload operation.

[0050] Please refer to Figure 2 The circuit uses the LTC4417 as its main core component, and the three-input switch is implemented by three pairs of dual-channel MOSFETs NTHD4102. The three inputs are the aforementioned 5V power supply converted from lithium battery, the backup 5V power supply, and the USB power supply, respectively. After selection, a single 5V power supply is output. The resistors and capacitors on the left are used to control the range of power supply validity, and the interface on the right is connected to the MCU to provide a validity signal.

[0051] Power Availability Feedback: The power coordination control circuit feeds back the availability of each power supply to the flight controller master via the VALID pin. When the voltage of a power supply exceeds or falls below the valid range, the flight controller receives the validity signal and immediately takes measures to switch to the next priority power supply to ensure continuous power supply to the system.

[0052] The system monitors the lithium battery's output current in real time via a current sampling circuit 10. This module collects current data signals through a shunt resistor and transmits the voltage signals to the flight controller's main controller, enabling the software control algorithm to analyze the current state. Based on the collected current data, the flight controller's main controller determines the system's current consumption. If overcurrent is detected, the software control algorithm issues an alarm to ensure the safe operation of the entire system.

[0053] Specifically, the overvoltage and overcurrent protection circuit includes a high-power device protection circuit and a low-power device protection circuit. Both circuits use external resistors to set overcurrent protection thresholds and integrate overvoltage protection functionality. When the input voltage exceeds the set overvoltage threshold, the protection circuit immediately cuts off the power supply to prevent damage to the equipment due to excessive voltage. When the current exceeds the set overcurrent threshold, the protection circuit quickly responds and cuts off the power supply to ensure that the equipment is not damaged due to excessive current. The high-power device protection circuit is used to protect high-power devices such as motors and servo motors, while the low-power device protection circuit is suitable for low-power devices such as communication modules and data interfaces. Both protection circuits integrate thermal shutdown functionality, automatically shutting down the circuit when the temperature exceeds the safe range and sending a fault signal to the main controller after detecting a fault. The high-power device protection circuit uses the BQ24313 chip, and the low-power device protection circuit uses the BQ24315 chip.

[0054] This dual-channel low-dropout linear regulator circuit provides a stable 3.3V output for low-power devices, with each channel delivering 300mA. It is suitable for low-power devices such as flight controllers, IMU sensors, and memory. The circuit features high-precision output, providing stable power support under various load conditions. Its low-noise output and fast response ensure stable output even under significant load fluctuations. Furthermore, the regulator circuit integrates short-circuit protection and thermal shutdown functions; it automatically shuts down to protect the system in case of a fault or excessive temperature. The dual-channel low-dropout linear regulator circuit can also be enabled by the main controller. The MIC5332 is used as the chip in this dual-channel low-dropout linear regulator circuit.

[0055] The drone's lithium battery input V1 is the primary power input, utilizing 3S to 6S lithium battery packs with a voltage range of 11.1V to 25.2V. This provides the system with high energy density and stable power support. The lithium battery input is suitable for the drone's main power needs, providing ample power to high-power devices such as motors and servos, ensuring reliable system operation.

[0056] The 40V USB power input provides power to onboard equipment when the drone is not in flight and the lithium battery is not connected. The 40V USB power input provides 5V with a current not exceeding 500mA and is only suitable for powering low-power devices such as flight controllers, communication modules, and sensors. Due to the limited power of the USB power supply, the system automatically identifies the power supply mode. When only USB power is connected, the system enters debug mode, disabling high-power devices (such as motors and servos) to prevent overload or insufficient power. In this mode, the USB power supply provides stable power to low-power onboard modules, facilitating equipment debugging and functional verification by R&D personnel on the ground. This reduces reliance on lithium batteries, improves debugging efficiency, and avoids the inconvenience of frequent charging or battery replacement.

[0057] Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) systems have diverse power requirements, with varying voltage and current demands from different devices. To ensure stable operation of these devices during complex flight missions, the power management system must be capable of providing different levels of voltage and current output to meet the diverse needs of everything from low-power sensors to high-power motors. Existing integrated flight control technologies primarily require multiple 5V power supplies, multiple 3.3V power supplies (including embedded chips and 3.3V sensors), and direct power output from Vbat lithium batteries to meet the power supply needs of different devices within the system.

[0058] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present utility model and does not limit the patent scope of the present utility model. All equivalent structural transformations made under the concept of the present utility model and using the contents of the present utility model specification and drawings, or direct / indirect applications in other related technical fields, are included in the patent protection scope of the present utility model.

Claims

1. A multi-path power coordination management system of a UAV flight controller, characterized in that, The multi-channel power collaborative management system of the UAV flight controller includes: The sampling circuit (10) is used to obtain the first input voltage of the lithium battery; A step-down circuit is connected to the sampling circuit (10) and is used to obtain the input voltage of the sampling circuit (10) and input a low voltage. The power switching management circuit (50) is connected to the step-down circuit and allows the user to selectively output either the low voltage of the step-down circuit or the second input voltage of the USB power supply.

2. The coordinated multi-path power management system for a drone flight controller of claim 1, wherein, The step-down circuit includes a first 5V step-down circuit (20) and a second 5V step-down circuit (30) connected to the sampling circuit (10). The first 5V step-down circuit (20) is the main power supply circuit, and the second 5V step-down circuit (30) is the auxiliary power supply circuit.

3. The coordinated multi-path power management system for a drone flight controller of claim 1, wherein, The multi-channel power supply collaborative management system of the UAV flight controller also includes a first overvoltage and overcurrent protection circuit (60), which is connected to the power switching management circuit (50) and the data transmission interface, so that the first overvoltage and overcurrent protection circuit (60) outputs 5V and 1.5A to the data transmission interface.

4. The coordinated multi-path power management system for a drone flight controller of claim 3, wherein, The multi-channel power supply collaborative management system of the UAV flight controller also includes a second overvoltage and overcurrent protection circuit (70), which is connected to the power switching management circuit (50) and other output interfaces, so that the second overvoltage and overcurrent protection circuit (70) outputs 5V and 1A to the data transmission interface.

5. The coordinated multi-power supply management system of claim 1, wherein, The multi-channel power collaborative management system of the UAV flight controller also includes a first dual-channel low-dropout linear regulator circuit (80), which is connected to the power switching management circuit (50) and outputs 3.3V, 300mA to the FMU module and the IMU module.

6. The coordinated multi-path power management system of claim 2, wherein, The multi-power collaborative management system of the UAV flight controller also includes a third overvoltage and overcurrent protection circuit (100), which is connected to the second 5V step-down circuit (30).

7. The coordinated multi-path power management system for a drone flight controller of claim 1, wherein, The multi-power collaborative management system of the UAV flight controller also includes an ESC electronic speed controller module (110).