An urban air mobility power supply system includes an urban air mobility (UAM) device and a power supply drone docked with the UAM device using electromagnetic force to supply external power, and a power supply method, in which the UAM device 200 and the power supply drone are accurately aligned with each other using electromagnets provided in the UAM device and the power supply drone to supply power, and the UAM device and the power supply drone can be easily separated from each other using electromagnetic force.

An urban air mobility power supply system includes an urban air mobility (UAM) device and a power supply drone docked with the UAM device using electromagnetic force to supply external power, and a power supply method, in which the UAM device 200 and the power supply drone are accurately aligned with each other using electromagnets provided in the UAM device and the power supply drone to supply power, and the UAM device and the power supply drone can be easily separated from each other using electromagnetic force.

A surveillance drone system is provided herein generally including an UAV, a base power station, and, a tether for connecting the UAV to the base power station to provide electrical power to the UAV when airborne. The base power station may include a cable take-up assembly for releasing and taking up the tether. A plug or power module is provided at the free end of the tether configured to be detachably coupled with the UAV, to transmit electrical power to, and, possibly, data to and from, the UAV. With the plug or power module being detached, the UAV is free to fly unrestricted. This arrangement allows for the UAV to be airborne for prolonged periods to allow for monitoring a region and for release to allow the UAV to investigate anomalies in the monitored region.

A surveillance drone system is provided herein generally including an UAV, a base power station, and, a tether for connecting the UAV to the base power station to provide electrical power to the UAV when airborne. The base power station may include a cable take-up assembly for releasing and taking up the tether. A plug or power module is provided at the free end of the tether configured to be detachably coupled with the UAV, to transmit electrical power to, and, possibly, data to and from, the UAV. With the plug or power module being detached, the UAV is free to fly unrestricted. This arrangement allows for the UAV to be airborne for prolonged periods to allow for monitoring a region and for release to allow the UAV to investigate anomalies in the monitored region.

An exemplary unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) mountable to a conductor of an aerial power transmission line system includes a body having a rotor system, a motivation system attached to the body to motivate the UAV along the conductor, a battery carried by the body and electrically connected to at least one of the rotor system and the motivation system, a monitoring tool mounted with the body and an inductive coil carried by the body and in electric connection with the battery, wherein the inductive coil is configured to harvest electricity from the aerial power transmission line system and charge the battery.

An exemplary unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) mountable to a conductor of an aerial power transmission line system includes a body having a rotor system, a motivation system attached to the body to motivate the UAV along the conductor, a battery carried by the body and electrically connected to at least one of the rotor system and the motivation system, a monitoring tool mounted with the body and an inductive coil carried by the body and in electric connection with the battery, wherein the inductive coil is configured to harvest electricity from the aerial power transmission line system and charge the battery.

A tethered aerial vehicle, connected to an anchorage system in the ground level through a cord, comprising a pair of fixed wings; and a drive assembly. The drive assembly comprises at least two actuators configured to tilt the axle of the propellers. The fixed wings define a center hole located close to a gravitational center of the aerial vehicle. Within the edges of the center hole located close to the gravitational center of the aerial vehicle is a gimbal anchored to the fixed wings' structure. The drive assembly is located within the edges of the center hole and attached to the gimbal in a manner that the gimbal interfaces the connection between the fixed wings and the drive assembly. The drive assembly comprises of at least two propellers mounted on the same axle (“coaxial propellers”) driven by a counter-rotating motor. The coaxial propellers are configured to rotate in opposite directions with respect to each other.

A tethered aerial vehicle, connected to an anchorage system in the ground level through a cord, comprising a pair of fixed wings; and a drive assembly. The drive assembly comprises at least two actuators configured to tilt the axle of the propellers. The fixed wings define a center hole located close to a gravitational center of the aerial vehicle. Within the edges of the center hole located close to the gravitational center of the aerial vehicle is a gimbal anchored to the fixed wings' structure. The drive assembly is located within the edges of the center hole and attached to the gimbal in a manner that the gimbal interfaces the connection between the fixed wings and the drive assembly. The drive assembly comprises of at least two propellers mounted on the same axle (“coaxial propellers”) driven by a counter-rotating motor. The coaxial propellers are configured to rotate in opposite directions with respect to each other.

An electrical power supply system for a tethered small unmanned aerial vehicle has a ground station (1) connected to a universal aerial power supply (13) by a tether (10). The universal aerial power supply is capable of installation into the battery dock of a conventional free flying small unmanned aerial vehicle to deliver power to the small unmanned aerial vehicle systems during flight. The universal aerial power supply is compatible with a range of different small unmanned aerial vehicles and a range of classes of small unmanned aerial vehicles.

An electrical power supply system for a tethered small unmanned aerial vehicle has a ground station (1) connected to a universal aerial power supply (13) by a tether (10). The universal aerial power supply is capable of installation into the battery dock of a conventional free flying small unmanned aerial vehicle to deliver power to the small unmanned aerial vehicle systems during flight. The universal aerial power supply is compatible with a range of different small unmanned aerial vehicles and a range of classes of small unmanned aerial vehicles.