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Autonomous Overhead Powerline Recharging for Uninterrupted Drone Operations – ICRA 2024

Autonomous Overhead Powerline Recharging for Uninterrupted Drone Operations - ICRA 2024

This video presents the paper "Autonomous Overhead 
Power Line Recharging For Uninterrupted Drone  Operations". The aim of this research is to demonstrate
sustained, uninterrupted drone operations – – by autonomously recharging the drone 
from overhead power lines.   We validate this through multiple cycles of flying and recharging 
over a span of multiple contiguous hours.  The drone system is equipped with an onboard 
perception and autonomy component – – which detects overhead power lines and navigates 
the drone towards them.    The gripper on top of the drone allows it to grasp 
a power line and recharge its batteries. [propeller noise] [50Hz vibration heard from harvester] While recharging, the drone emits a characteristic 
sound from its gripper and energy harvester.

[50Hz vibration continues] [propeller noise] This test, which was carried out over the 
span of two and a half hours –   – shows the system continuously cycle between its flying 
and recharging modes. The drone remained fully autonomous for the duration of the test and also demonstrated a recovery from an  aborted landing. The current in the power 
line was approximately 300 amperes – – from which the energy harvesting device was 
able to charge the battery with 50 watts.

A higher power line current would result 
in a proportionally higher charging power. As future iterations of this system 
become more lightweight and efficient –  – the ratio between time spent flying and time 
spent recharging will significantly increase. In the future, self-recharging drone systems 
could enable long-distance, fully autonomous – – inspection or delivery services with 
minimal human intervention required..

As found on YouTube

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