An aerial vehicle electrical power system for use with a tethered aerial vehicle, and related methods are provided. The aerial vehicle electric power system includes a plurality of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) carried by an aerial vehicle. At least one electrical circuit is carried by the aerial vehicle. The at least one electrical circuit has a DC buck converter electrically in series with at least a portion of the plurality of LEDs. A tether is connected between the aerial vehicle and a power source positioned remote from the aerial vehicle. Electrical power is transmitted to the aerial vehicle and at least a portion of the plurality of LEDs through the tether. The electrical circuit minimizes variances in power supplied to the aerial vehicle and the plurality of LEDs.

An aerial vehicle electrical power system for use with a tethered aerial vehicle, and related methods are provided. The aerial vehicle electric power system includes a plurality of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) carried by an aerial vehicle. At least one electrical circuit is carried by the aerial vehicle. The at least one electrical circuit has a DC buck converter electrically in series with at least a portion of the plurality of LEDs. A tether is connected between the aerial vehicle and a power source positioned remote from the aerial vehicle. Electrical power is transmitted to the aerial vehicle and at least a portion of the plurality of LEDs through the tether. The electrical circuit minimizes variances in power supplied to the aerial vehicle and the plurality of LEDs.

A UAV tether management system comprising: a tether-wound spool rotatably mounted on a base station, a free-pivoting angle arm, and an angle arm encoder, wherein the tether is configured to transfer power from the base station to the UAV while the UAV is in flight, and the angle arm comprises a tether guide mounted to a proximal end of the angle arm such that the tether passes through the tether guide as the tether pays out of, or is taken up by, the spool, wherein the angle arm further comprises a counter weight mounted to a distal end of the angle arm such that a center of mass of the angle arm is aligned with the spool's axis of rotation, and wherein the angle arm encoder is configured to measure an offset angle of the angle arm.

A drone includes a propulsion system, a processing unit, and a power system having a battery and a power connection port. The power system is configured to receive packetized electrical power over a tether including an air-to-ground power feed attachable to the power connection port. The power system is also configured to supply electrical power to the processing unit, the battery, and the propulsion system. The processing unit is configured to acknowledge receipt of the packetized electrical power. A power delivery system includes a packetized electrical power transmitter and a processing unit. The processing unit is configured to operate the packetized electrical power transmitter to transmit packets of electrical power over a power feed within a tether attached to a drone. The processing unit is also configured to monitor a communication channel within the tether for acknowledgements indicating the drone has received the transmitted packets of electrical power.

Systems and methods associated with electrical systems of aircraft are disclosed. A method disclosed herein comprises generating electricity using an electric generator operatively coupled to an engine of the aircraft, supplying the electricity generated using the electric generator to a baseline power bus; generating electricity using an electric starter generator operatively coupled to the engine; and supplying the electricity generated using the electric starter generator to a supplemental power bus independent from the baseline power bus.

Systems and methods associated with electrical systems of aircraft are disclosed. A method disclosed herein comprises generating electricity using an electric generator operatively coupled to an engine of the aircraft, supplying the electricity generated using the electric generator to a baseline power bus; generating electricity using an electric starter generator operatively coupled to the engine; and supplying the electricity generated using the electric starter generator to a supplemental power bus independent from the baseline power bus.

Systems and methods associated with electrical systems of aircraft are disclosed. A method disclosed herein comprises generating electricity using an electric generator operatively coupled to an engine of the aircraft, supplying the electricity generated using the electric generator to a baseline power bus; generating electricity using an electric starter generator operatively coupled to the engine; and supplying the electricity generated using the electric starter generator to a supplemental power bus independent from the baseline power bus.

Systems and methods associated with electrical systems of aircraft are disclosed. A method disclosed herein comprises generating electricity using an electric generator operatively coupled to an engine of the aircraft, supplying the electricity generated using the electric generator to a baseline power bus; generating electricity using an electric starter generator operatively coupled to the engine; and supplying the electricity generated using the electric starter generator to a supplemental power bus independent from the baseline power bus.

An electric power tethering system for an aircraft having a vertical takeoff and landing flight mode including a takeoff phase and/or a hover phase includes a surface power source and a power tether having a surface end configured to couple to the surface power source and an aircraft end configured to couple to the aircraft. The power tether is configured to transmit power from the surface power source to the aircraft in the takeoff phase and/or the hover phase. The power tether is detachable to decouple the surface power source from the aircraft in response to a power tether release event during flight.

An electric power tethering system for an aircraft having a vertical takeoff and landing flight mode including a takeoff phase and/or a hover phase includes a surface power source and a power tether having a surface end configured to couple to the surface power source and an aircraft end configured to couple to the aircraft. The power tether is configured to transmit power from the surface power source to the aircraft in the takeoff phase and/or the hover phase. The power tether is detachable to decouple the surface power source from the aircraft in response to a power tether release event during flight.