UAV Wireless Charging via Rechargeable Drone Intermediary
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Solution Overview
Problem
Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) face limitations in endurance due to limited battery size and weight, requiring frequent physical charging, which disrupts mission continuity and is costly to implement a static charging system.
Innovation Solution
A dynamic charging system for UAVs that includes a battery residual quantity detector, communicator, and processor to detect low battery levels, communicate with a rechargeable UAV, and perform wireless charging or battery replacement when close, maintaining operational routes and ensuring continuous mission capability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Duration of action of moving object
If a battery is mounted on the UAV with limited size and weight, then the UAV can maintain compact dimensions and acceptable payload capacity, but the energy storage capacity is limited and endurance time cannot be increased
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary detection of battery residual quantity and proactively communicates with rechargeable UAVs before complete battery depletion occurs. This allows the UAV to plan charging or replacement actions in advance, ensuring continuous operation without interruption to the mission.
Solution Approach 2:
A communication system acts as an intermediary between the UAV and rechargeable UAVs in the surrounding area. This intermediary enables the UAV to detect and communicate with potential charging sources, facilitating coordinated charging or battery replacement actions that extend endurance without requiring the UAV to carry excessive battery capacity.
2Use of energy by moving object
If the UAV performs charging by physically approaching a static charging system, then the battery can be recharged, but the continuity of mission capability is disrupted and additional cost is incurred
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions from static charging infrastructure to dynamic charging where rechargeable UAVs move freely in the operational area. The charging capability becomes dynamic as the UAV can receive power from any rechargeable UAV that approaches within communication range, eliminating the need to deviate from the mission route to access fixed charging points.
Solution Approach 2:
Rechargeable UAVs in the area serve as mobile charging sources for other UAVs. Instead of requiring a dedicated static charging system, the UAV can utilize the battery capacity of other UAVs that are already performing missions in the area, allowing self-service charging that maintains mission continuity for all participants.
3Ease of operation
If a static charging system is established to recharge the UAV, then charging can be performed, but significant cost is consumed to separately establish the charging system
Solution Approach 1:
Rechargeable UAVs serve multiple functions: they perform their own mission tasks while simultaneously serving as mobile charging sources for other UAVs. This eliminates the need for dedicated charging infrastructure, as the charging capability is distributed across multiple UAVs that are already part of the operational system.
Solution Approach 2:
The charging function is merged with the mission execution function. Instead of having separate charging infrastructure and mission UAVs, the system combines these functions by using rechargeable UAVs that both perform missions and provide charging services, thereby reducing overall system complexity and eliminating dedicated charging system costs.
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 long endurance of UAVs, ensuring continuous mission capability while reducing the need for costly static charging systems by implementing wireless charging or battery replacement within the UAV's operation route.
Implementation Method 1
a communicator configured to perform communication with a rechargeable unmanned aerial vehicle used in charging or replacement of the battery
Implementation Method 2
control to wirelessly charge the battery by the power supplied from the rechargeable unmanned aerial vehicle
Data Source
AI summary
An unmanned aerial vehicle is provided. The unmanned aerial vehicle includes: a battery; a battery residual quantity detector configured to detect a residual quantity of the battery; a communicator configured to perform communication with a rechargeable unmanned aerial vehicle used in charging or replacement of the battery; and a processor configured to control the communicator to transmit its operation information to the rechargeable unmanned aerial vehicle detected within a predetermined distance when the detected residual quantity of the battery is less than the predetermined reference quantity and control to wirelessly charge the battery by the power supplied from the rechargeable unmanned aerial vehicle to maintain an operable state of the unmanned aerial vehicle or replace the battery to a new battery provided from the rechargeable unmanned aerial vehicle when being close to the rechargeable unmanned aerial vehicle receiving the operation information.