UAV-UGV Base Station With Automated Battery Swapping and Unified Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current UAVs and UGVs are limited by battery technology, requiring manual power system exchange and separate command-and-control systems, hindering their commercial use and wide adoption due to the need for a man in the loop for every flight or mission.
Innovation Solution
A base station integrates UAV and UGV systems, providing a single command-and-control platform with automated power supply swapping and simultaneous charging, enabling coordinated deployment and real-time data streaming.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Duration of action of moving object
If manual power system exchange is used for UAVs and UGVs, then battery technology limitations are addressed, but operational efficiency decreases and requires human intervention
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables automated power exchange where the UAV autonomously docks with the base station and exchanges power cartridges without human intervention. The base station automatically detects power needs, retrieves charged cartridges, and swaps them with depleted ones, allowing continuous operation while eliminating manual intervention requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple charged power cartridges are pre-loaded into the base station before UAV deployment. This preliminary preparation ensures that when the UAV returns for power exchange, charged cartridges are immediately available, eliminating waiting time and enabling rapid turnaround between missions.
2Ease of operation
If separate control systems are used for UAVs and UGVs, then system simplicity is maintained, but operator workload increases and coordination efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The base station integrates unified command-and-control functionality for both UAV and UGV operations. A single operator interface manages both vehicles, coordinating their deployment, monitoring their status, and controlling their operations simultaneously. This consolidation reduces operator workload while enabling efficient multi-vehicle coordination.
Solution Approach 2:
The base station serves multiple functions: it acts as a launch platform for both UAV and UGV, provides power exchange for the UAV, charges the UGV, and serves as a unified control center. This multi-functional design consolidates operations that would otherwise require separate systems and operators.
3Productivity
If automated power exchange is implemented, then operational continuity is improved, but base station complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The power exchange system is divided into modular components: removable power cartridges, a docking mechanism, and an automated exchange system. This segmentation allows the base station to achieve automated power exchange functionality through standardized, interchangeable parts rather than a monolithic complex system.
Data Source
AI summary
Integration between unmanned aerial system and unmanned ground robotic vehicle are disclosed herein. One variation of a robotic system may generally comprise an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), an unmanned ground vehicle (UGV), and a base station configured to receive the UAV and replace a spent power supply cartridge from the UAV and further having a charging mechanism configured to wirelessly transfer power to the UGV when the UGV is positioned in proximity to the charging pad.