Distributed Drone Parking Pads for Rapid Power Replenishment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Drones have limited flight range and response time due to battery capacity limitations and high power consumption, and existing solutions do not effectively address these issues, leading to delayed service delivery when drones need to operate over long distances.
Innovation Solution
A distributed system of parking pads with integrated power refill modules, communication networks, and control modules that allow drones to land, recharge, and refuel securely, using wireless or contact-based charging, and a master controller to manage drone operations and assignments for efficient power management and rapid deployment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of moving object
If battery capacity is increased to extend flight range, then flight range is improved, but drone weight and power consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the drone's operational lifecycle into segments: flight phases and refueling phases. Instead of requiring a single large battery for extended range, the drone uses a smaller battery and periodically refuels at distributed parking pads, effectively segmenting the energy replenishment process across multiple locations rather than carrying all energy from a single source.
Solution Approach 2:
Distributed parking pads act as intermediary refueling stations between the drone's home base and distant service locations. These pads provide localized energy replenishment, allowing the drone to extend its effective range without carrying proportionally larger batteries, thus reducing weight while maintaining extended operational capability.
2Area of stationary object
If drone flies from far away location to meet service request, then service coverage area is improved, but response time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by strategically positioning drones at distributed parking pads closer to service locations before requests are made. The master controller monitors service requests and dispatches the nearest available drone, which may have recently refueled at a local pad, rather than always returning to a central base. This preliminary positioning reduces response time while maintaining broad service coverage.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from a centralized hub model to a distributed network model, adding the dimension of spatial distribution across multiple parking pads. This transforms the drone deployment strategy from radial (all drones returning to central base) to a mesh network where drones can be dispatched from multiple nearby locations, significantly reducing average response time while expanding effective service coverage area.
3Productivity
If distributed parking pads are deployed across geographic area, then drone availability and response speed are improved, but system complexity and infrastructure cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The parking pads are designed as multi-functional units that can serve multiple drones simultaneously, provide refueling for different drone types, and potentially offer other services like maintenance or data transfer. The master controller and communication network provide universal management capabilities across the entire distributed system, allowing a single control architecture to manage many pads and drones, thereby reducing per-unit complexity despite system-wide deployment.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback loops where the master controller continuously monitors drone locations, battery levels, and service requests, dynamically optimizing drone dispatch and pad utilization. This feedback mechanism allows the system to adapt to changing conditions, improving drone availability and response speed while efficiently managing the complexity of the distributed infrastructure through intelligent coordination rather than brute-force scaling.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables drones to be fully charged and quickly respond to service requests, reducing response times and increasing operational efficiency by ensuring continuous availability and rapid power replenishment across a geographic area.
Implementation Method 1
The power refill module can be a wireless electrical charger that wireless charges the battery pack of a parked drone
Implementation Method 2
an electrical contact-based charger with two or more electrical contact areas of two opposing polarities which charges a parked drone when the drone is parked properly and establishes electrical connections between the corresponding electrical contact areas of the drone and of the power refill module
Data Source
AI summary
This invention discloses a distributed parking system for drones comprising a network of parking pads for drones distributed over a geographic area, each of which comprising a parking surface of one or more parking spots on which a drone can land and park securely, a power refill module that replenish the power source of a parked drone, a control module that controls functions of the parking pad, and a communication module through which the control module is connected to a communication network; and a master controller that controls functions of the parking pads and communicates commands to and receives reports from the parking pads through the communication network.