UAM Power Cable Supply Architecture for Lighter Takeoff Batteries
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Solution Overview
Problem
Urban air mobility (UAM) devices face challenges with battery weight and energy consumption, particularly during takeoff, which limits flight distance and requires a method to increase energy density while reducing battery weight.
Innovation Solution
A power supply system comprising a charging station, a UAM power supply mobility device, and auxiliary mobility devices that stabilize the power cable path during takeoff and landing by using distributed electric propulsion and controlled cable management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If battery capacity is increased to extend flight distance, then energy supply is improved, but device weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The power supply system is divided into multiple segments: ground-based power supply station, mid-air power supply device, and portable power supply device. This segmentation allows the UAM device to receive power from multiple sources throughout the flight journey, eliminating the need for a single large-capacity battery while extending flight distance.
Solution Approach 2:
A power transmission cable acts as an intermediary between the ground-based power supply station and the UAM device. This cable enables direct power transmission during takeoff and initial flight, reducing the battery capacity needed in the UAM device while maintaining sufficient energy supply.
2Use of energy by moving object
If more batteries are mounted to increase energy density, then energy supply is improved, but device weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The power supply function is segmented across multiple devices and locations (ground station, mid-air device, portable device), allowing the UAM device to use smaller, lighter batteries while maintaining high energy density through external power supplementation.
Solution Approach 2:
The power supply configuration is dynamic rather than static. The UAM device transitions between different power supply modes (ground-based, mid-air, portable) depending on flight phase, allowing optimization of battery weight for each specific operational requirement rather than designing for maximum capacity throughout.
3Weight of moving object
If power cable is used to supply power from ground, then battery weight is reduced, but cable path control becomes complex
Solution Approach 1:
The mid-air power supply device serves as an intermediary that manages the power cable connection. It receives the cable from the ground station and maintains it during ascent, reducing the control burden on the UAM device itself while ensuring stable power transmission.
Solution Approach 2:
The power cable is pre-positioned and deployed from the ground station before the UAM device begins its ascent. This preliminary preparation simplifies the control process by establishing the power connection in advance, allowing the UAM device to simply follow the predetermined cable path during takeoff.
Data Source
AI summary
A power supply system for an urban air mobility (UAM) device includes a charging station provided on the ground and including a power cable for supplying power, a UAM power supply mobility device configured to be anchored at the charging station and provided with the power to charge a battery therein or to supply the power to the UAM device separated from the charging station using the power cable while flying with the UAM device, and an auxiliary mobility device configured to control a path of the power cable to keep the power cable in a preset space while flying between the charging station and the UAM power supply mobility device.