US military pushes wireless remote charging technology for military drones
In order to be able to carry out long-term missions with drones, the energy supply must be secured during flight. DARPA is supporting corresponding research.
The US military's MQ9 Reaper drone could be recharged in flight in the future.
(Image: General Atomics)
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), the military research arm of the US military, is supporting the further development of wireless remote charging technology for recharging (military) drones in flight. Around 250,000 US dollars will go to a researcher from the University of Texas. She had already received prize money of 500,000 dollars for her research into long-distance wireless charging technology.
Ifana Mahub, assistant professor at the University of Texas at Dallas, has developed a wireless technology to transmit electromagnetic waves over long distances. This bower beaming technology should make it possible to transport energy over long distances to charge unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in flight, such as those used by the military. The drones would then not have to land to recharge, but could remain in the air and continue their mission.
Directed energy beam
One of the greatest challenges in wireless energy transmission over long distances is preventing scattering effects of the electromagnetic waves on their way to their destination. Mahub and her team of scientists therefore use phased array antennas, a system of transmitters and small antennas that can be used to direct the electromagnetic waves along a predetermined path.
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"The signal can go in unwanted directions", says Mahub. "Our goal is to shape the waveform so that we can minimize path loss."
The researchers also use a telemetry system. This allows the movements of a UAV to be tracked in real time. This ensures that the energy signal reaches its target at all times and thus supplies the drone with power.
The US military sees great military potential in remote charging technology, for example to send electrically powered drones on long-range missions. However, civilian application scenarios are also conceivable. For example, electric cars could be charged while driving on highways. Mahub is also currently working on extending this wireless remote charging technology to the medical sector. The team wants to adapt the charging technology to an approved low-frequency level to be able to charge medical implants in a person's body.
(olb)
