Wind Turbine Wireless Charging for Extended Drone Inspection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Aerial vehicles used for acquiring information about wind turbines face inefficiencies due to the need to conserve electric power for travel, limiting the time available for information acquisition.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a wireless charging device at the wind turbine to recharge aerial vehicles, allowing them to extend their flying time for information acquisition without the need for manual charging.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the aerial vehicle secures sufficient electric power for round-trip travel between the wind turbine and parking location, then the reliability of the aerial vehicle is improved, but the time available for flying to obtain information is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The aerial vehicle performs preliminary charging at the wind turbine location before returning to the parking location. This preliminary action of recharging on-site extends the available flight time for information acquisition without compromising the reliability of the aerial vehicle operation
Solution Approach 2:
The aerial vehicle autonomously performs charging operations at the wind turbine location without requiring manual intervention. The vehicle lands on the port, receives charge automatically, and continues its information acquisition mission, enabling self-service operation that extends mission duration
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
Enhances the efficiency of information acquisition by enabling extended flying time for aerial vehicles, particularly when multiple wind turbines are installed or in challenging locations like over water, without requiring manual intervention.
Implementation Method 1
a wireless charging device for charging the aerial vehicle
Data Source
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AI summary
An aerial vehicle obtains information regarding the external condition of a wind turbine. The wind turbine includes a tower, a nacelle rotatably supported by the tower, and a wireless charging device provided in the nacelle for charging the aerial vehicle. The aerial vehicle charged by the wireless charging device can stably acquire information regarding the appearance of the wind turbine without being limited in an available flight time.