Drone Recharging Station

Abstract

A drone recharging station comprising a housing carried by a base; one or more photovoltaic panels carried by the housing; an electrical energy storage assembly located within the housing, the electrical energy storage assembly having an electrical input and an electrical output, wherein the or each photovoltaic panel is electrically connected to the electrical input of the electrical energy storage assembly; a drone receiving platform carried by the housing which is configured to receive thereon a drone; and a power coupling electrically connected to the electrical output of the electrical energy storage assembly, wherein the power coupling transfers electrical energy from the electrical storage assembly to a drone in use.

Claims

1. A drone recharging station comprising a housing carried by a base; one or more photovoltaic panels carried by the housing; an electrical energy storage assembly located within the housing, the electrical energy storage assembly having an electrical input and an electrical output, wherein the or each photovoltaic panel is electrically connected to the electrical input of the electrical energy storage assembly; a drone receiving platform carried by the housing which is configured to receive thereon a drone; and a power coupling electrically connected to the electrical output of the electrical energy storage assembly, wherein the power coupling transfers electrical energy from the electrical storage assembly to a drone in use.

2. A drone recharging station according to claim 1, wherein the base is a wheeled base.

3. A drone recharging station according to claim 1, wherein the electrical energy storage assembly includes one or more rechargeable batteries.

4. A drone recharging station according to claim 3, wherein the electrical energy storage assembly includes a power input conditioner which conditions the electrical energy generated by the or each photovoltaic panel to a voltage and/or current which is suitable for supply to the or each battery.

5. A drone recharging station according to claim 3, wherein the electrical energy storage assembly includes a power output conditioner which conditions the electrical energy supplied by the or each battery to a voltage and/or current which is suitable for supply to a drone.

6. A drone recharging station according to claim 3, wherein the or each rechargeable battery is enclosed within a polymeric barrier.

7. A drone recharging station according to claim 1, wherein the housing is thermally insulated.

8. A drone recharging station according to claim 1, wherein the power coupling forms one part of an inductive charging arrangement and includes an induction coil configured to generate an alternating electromagnetic field.

9. A drone recharging station according to claim 8, wherein the induction coil is carried by the drone receiving platform.

10. A drone recharging station according to claim 1, wherein the power coupling includes an electrical charging lead which terminates in an electrical plug or socket, wherein the electrical charging lead is configured to connect to an input of drone power supply.

11. A drone recharging station according to claim 10, wherein the electrical charging lead is secured within the housing when not in use.

12. A drone recharging station according to claim 1, wherein the power coupling includes an electrical cable which electrically connects the power supply of the drone to the electrically output of the electrical energy storage assembly.

13. A drone recharging station according to claim 12, wherein the electrical cable forms part of a cable arrangement which further includes a tether cable to tether a drone to the housing.

14. A drone recharging station according to claim 1, wherein the drone receiving platform extends horizontally outwardly from the housing.

15. A drone recharging station according to claim 14, wherein the drone receiving platform is hinged relative to the housing and has a use configuration in which the platform extends horizontally outwards from the housing; and a transport configuration in which the platform lies parallel to a respective side wall of the housing.

16. A drone recharging station according to claim 1, wherein the drone receiving platform is carried by a top panel of the housing and the or each photovoltaic panels are carried by one or more side walls of the housing.

17. A drone recharging station according to claim 1, wherein the photovoltaic panel(s) are the sole source of electrical energy.

18. A drone recharging station according to claim 1, wherein the housing carries two or more photovoltaic panels.

19. A drone recharging station according to claim 18, wherein the housing carries at least one fixed photovoltaic panel and at least one movable photovoltaic panel which has a variable orientation.

20. A drone recharging station according to claim 1, wherein the or each photovoltaic panel is flexible.

21. A drone recharging station according to claim 1, wherein the or each photovoltaic panel is coated with a polymeric barrier layer.

22. A drone recharging station according to claim 1, wherein the drone recharging station further includes a GPS location device electrically connected to the electrical output from the electrical energy storage assembly.

23. A drone recharging station according to claim 1, wherein the drone recharging station further includes a wireless communications receiver/transmitter.

24. A drone recharging station according to claim 1, wherein the housing defines therein a drone storage chamber, which is accessed via a door.

25. A drone recharging station according to claim 24, wherein the door is electrically, hydraulically or pneumatically operated.

Description

[0034] An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

[0035] FIG. 1 is a plan view from above of an embodiment of a drone recharging station according to the first aspect of the invention; and

[0036] FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the drone recharging station shown in FIG. 1.

[0037] For the avoidance of doubt, the skilled person will appreciate that in this specification, the terms “up”, “down”, “front”, “rear”, “upper”, “lower”, “width”, etc. refer to the orientation of the components as found in the example when installed for normal use as shown in the Figures.

[0038] The embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 show a drone recharging station 2 comprising a housing 4 carried by a base 6.

[0039] The base 6 is supported by four outwardly extending legs 8 to provide the housing with additional security.

[0040] The skilled person will appreciate that the drone recharging station 2 shown in the Figures is intended to be a permanent or semi-permanent station, as the base is not wheeled and the station 2 is intended to be transported on the back of a flat-bed lorry or similar transport vehicle.

[0041] Five photovoltaic panels 10, which together are capable of generating 500W of power, are carried by the housing 4. It will be noted that the photovoltaic panels 10 are shown in the figures as being arranged in a substantially planar array. However, the photovoltaic panels 10 may be arranged in any number of different configurations and may include a mixture of moveable panels and fixed panels.

[0042] As shown in FIG. 2, the photovoltaic panels 10 are mounted for rotation about a pivot 12, which allows the angle of the panels 12 relative to the top surface of the housing 4 to be varied. The ability to vary the angle of the panels 10 allows an optimum light-strike on the panels 10 to be obtained. The panels 10 are moved via an adjustment arm 14, which in turn is connected to an electric motor (not shown) by an orientation rod 16. The orientation rod 16 is rotated by the motor, which causes a corresponding movement of the adjustment arm 14 and the change in angle of the panels 10.

[0043] The interior of the housing 4 is sized to receive therein a plurality of rechargeable batteries (not shown) and an input controller (not shown) to control the flow of electrical energy to the batteries from the photovoltaic panels 10. The rechargeable batteries can be any known type of rechargeable batteries, but as the station 2 is intended for outdoor use in a variety of different ambient conditions, the batteries are encased in a polymeric insulating material. The casing for the batteries further includes an exhaust conduit to prevent the build-up of any gases generated by the recharging of the batteries in use. The exhaust conduit passes through a wall of the housing 4 so that the gases may be vented to the external environment. The skilled person will appreciate that input controllers which condition the electrical energy from the photovoltaic panels 10 are well known and need not be described in detail herein.

[0044] The housing 4 may be insulated. In such embodiments, the housing 4 may include a double-skinned wall, wherein the insulation is provided by an air gap between the skins of the walls. Instead of an air gap, an insulation material may be located between the skins of the walls.

[0045] Alternatively, each wall of the housing 4 may include an insulation material laminated to the inside and/or outside surface of each wall.

[0046] The rechargeable batteries are electrically connected to an output from the photovoltaic panels 10 via the input controller. The input controller conditions the electrical energy received from the panels 10 and the conditioned electrical energy is stored by the rechargeable batteries for use in recharging the on-board battery or batteries of a drone.

[0047] The housing 4 further carries a drone landing platform 18. The landing platform 18 comprises a substantially planar rectangular sheet which is hinged to an upper portion of the housing 4 via a hinge 22 provided along one of the side edge portions of the platform 18. A support arm 20 connects an intermediate portion of the platform 18 to the housing 4.

[0048] Embedded within the platform 18 is an induction coil (not shown) which is electrically connected to the or each rechargeable batteries via an output controller (not shown) located within the housing 4. The output controller conditions the electrical energy from the rechargeable batteries to generate a desired alternating electromagnetic field from the induction coil. As with the input controllers, suitable output controllers are also well known to those skilled in the art of conditioning or controlling a flow of electrical energy.

[0049] The platform carries one of more sensors (not shown) which sense the presence of a drone on the landing platform 18. Such sensors may include load sensors which detect the weight of a drone on the platform 18, proximity sensors, such as ultrasonic sensors which detect the proximity of a drone to the platform 18, or any other suitable type of sensor. The or each sensor is electrically connected to the output controller such that the output controller only connects the induction coil carried by the platform 18 to the batteries within the housing 4 when a drone is sensed on the platform 18. Such an arrangement minimises energy wastage and the undesired draining of electrical energy from the batteries when a drone is not present on the platform 18.

[0050] A drone that is recharged from the station 2 includes a second induction coil connected to its on-board battery system. The second induction coil carried by the drone generates an electrical current when located within the alternating electromagnetic field generated by the induction coil carried by the platform 18. The generated electrical current is then used to recharge the on-board battery system of the drone.

[0051] When the drone has been recharged, it leaves the platform 18. The sensors of the platform detect the drone leaving the platform and isolate the induction coil from the rechargeable batteries.

[0052] The housing 4 may further have located therein a wireless communications access point (not shown) which is able to connect to a wireless network. In this way data from the station 2 can be transmitted to a remote location. The data may include, for example, the condition of the batteries, the charge remaining within the batteries, the electrical energy being generated by the photovoltaic panels 10, and such like.

[0053] Additionally or alternatively, the housing 4 may include a GPS receiver/transmitter (not shown) such that the precise location of the station 2 may be known.