In one way or another, every device that depends on a battery needs to restore its charge. From software optimizations to ready-to-use external units, we have adopted every conceivable technique and trick, but a group of engineers at the University of Southern Denmark decided to focus on the method, not the battery. Their result is a vampire drone that can recognize power lines and automatically hang from them to recharge its internal batteries.
If we ignore all references to video games like Breath of the Wild and Kerbal Space Program, the Web shows us several results related to the concept of perpetual flight. Developing a vehicle that can stay in the air without needing to land to refuel is certainly tempting, and that is how we get to the University of Southern Denmark, which presented a vampire drone with the potential to fly forever.
A Drone That Charges Its Batteries With High-Voltage Lines
The team responsible explains that this drone can operate near power lines and remain there for long periods of time, without human intervention. The project took its first steps in 2017, when Professor Emad Ebeid had the idea of combining drone applications with the traditional process of inspecting lines, which requires the use of helicopters and a high level of preparation. Drones emerge as a natural alternative, but their limited autonomy (between 30 and 40 minutes) would force keeping a team on the ground. By taking advantage of the high-voltage lines themselves, the autonomy problem is eliminated from the equation.
Obviously, the next step was not easy at all, because drones are not designed to interact with other elements (other than air and ground, of course), but the engineers came up with a solution that combines sensors, artificial intelligence, and an electromagnetic coupling mechanism. The drone approaches from below the line, and when the sensors detect that it is in the correct position, the mechanism closes immediately.
Now, how can they charge the drone without turning it into a ball of fire? In a word, induction. A coil allows it to get energy from the magnetic field surrounding the cable, and depending on its voltage, the drone’s battery will take between 30 minutes and 6 hours to recover its charge. Initial tests have been very positive (it has accumulated five recharging sessions and two hours of flight without human intervention), but now it’s time to protect the whole system from the hostility of the weather.
Source: FastCompany Access the study: Click here
