Technology

DARPA intends to wirelessly charge drones while in flight by power-beaming

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The MQ9-Reaper – which uses an internal combustion engine currently – at this altitude pictured here simply illustrates the feat that Dr. Ifana Mahbub is trying to overcome with power-beaming technology
General Atomics
Dr. Ifana Mahbub uses a Millibox to check the antenna's over-the-air performance
The University of Texas, Dallas
From left, Dr. Ifana Mahbub and her team of researchers, Adnan Patwary, Rafsan Mahin, and Dr. Sunanda Roy
The University of Texas, Dallas
An MQ9-Reaper drone, while using a 950-shaft-horsepower (712-kW) turboprop engine in it's current configuration, could be a future-use candidate for being battery powered with the power-beaming technology Dr. Ifana Mahbub is developing
General Atomics
The MQ9-Reaper – which uses an internal combustion engine currently – at this altitude pictured here simply illustrates the feat that Dr. Ifana Mahbub is trying to overcome with power-beaming technology
General Atomics
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DARPA has committed further funding for far-field wireless power transfer – or power-beaming – to wirelessly charge drones in flight without them ever having to abandon mission to recharge or swap out dead batteries, potentially saving critical missions.

Dr. Ifana Mahbub, an assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering at The University of Texas, had already received the Young Faculty Award from DARPA in 2021, giving her US$500,000 over two years for her project. The fellowship offers an additional $250,000 in funding to continue development of the power-beaming technology.

You may already be familiar with wireless charging technology; some cell phones already use near-field wireless technology to top up your battery by using low-frequency electromagnetic waves over a very short distance. It seems like black magic, but in practice, it's not all that complicated. The charging unit is a coil that creates an electromagnetic field and the receiving end – like the coil in your phone – captures the electromagnetic waves which creates an electrical current that is then fed into the battery.

Mahbub and her team are researching far-field technology to send electromagnetic waves much further. Specifically to eliminate entirely the need for a drone to return to base (RTB) for a battery swap or to be charged, which can waste valuable time and resources, not to mention potentially being detrimental to the mission at hand. Why recall a UAV when you can simply charge its battery while it's still in flight?

Dr. Ifana Mahbub uses a Millibox to check the antenna's over-the-air performance
The University of Texas, Dallas

One of Mahbub's biggest hurdles is preventing electromagnetic beams from scattering and losing power over large distances. Mahbub has come up with a clever idea of using phased-array antennas; a system of transmitters and smaller antennas to direct the electromagnetic beam along a specific path. The tech she's creating uses the telemetry of a UAV in real-time to ensure line-of-sight connection for maximum charging.

"The signal can go in undesired directions,” Mahbub says. “Our goal is to engineer the waveform so that we can minimize the path loss."

Military drones such as Medium Altitude, Long Endurance (MALE) UAVs are designed to fly as high as 25,000 ft (7,620 m), while High Altitude, Long Endurance (HALE) drones often operate at a 50,000-ft (15,240-m) ceiling. Tactical Drones will generally fly anywhere from 2,000 ft (610 m) to 5,000 ft (1,524 m).

An MQ9-Reaper drone, while using a 950-shaft-horsepower (712-kW) turboprop engine in it's current configuration, could be a future-use candidate for being battery powered with the power-beaming technology Dr. Ifana Mahbub is developing
General Atomics

There are numerous other applications this technology could be used for. Think of electric cars traveling down the freeway while being charged. Mahbub is also working on wireless charging technology that could be used at a low-frequency, safe, FCC-approved level that could potentially charge medical implants in people.

While it might sound scary to be sending these electromagnetic waves strong enough to charge a small aircraft through the air, we've already been doing similar for many years. Radio broadcasting, television broadcasting, cell phone service, radar, Wi-Fi, and even GPS uses electromagnetic waves.

It would probably be ill-advised to stand between the transmitter and the drone while charging, though.

Source The University of Texas, Dallas

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4 comments
Global
Direct line of sight, with cloud cover, or precipitation will have a big impact, not to mention anything else flying into the invisible beam. At least with lasers you can usually see them.
Brian M
'we've already been doing similar for many years. Radio broadcasting, television broadcasting, cell phone service, radar, Wi-Fi, and even GPS uses electromagnetic waves.'

Although yes similar, there is a massive difference in power levels at the receiving end, compared to often the kW outputs of TV transmitters etc. You are fighting the inverse square law, so easy when close, but gets harder quickly as distance increases. Hence charging phones is relatively easy compared to this.

Judging by our TV reception (or lack of!) when it rains, the system is going to be rather weather dependent.


Be great if her team can achieve it but its a hard ask. Perhaps the technology could be used to top up drones by 'tanker' drones in closer proximity, but contactless?
Magnetron
How about line-of-sight microwave transmission for charging? I’ve read about them in this very publication, the original idea was to supply power over non-grid locations.
WONKY KLERKY
Anyone for microwaved partridge?
(Other fowl dishes to be served from time to time in season)
AND
WOT ABOUT THE WANDERING, PROBABLY LIGHT, AIRCRAFT THAT MIGHT FLY BETWEEN THE SENDING STATION AND THE TARGET?
AND
WOT ABOUT WHEN THE SEND BEAM TOTALLY MISSES THE TARGET?
AND
WOT ABOUT THE REST OF THE DRONES ELECTRONICS -
ARE THEY GOING TO BE IMPERVIOUS TO THE BLAST DRIFTING OFF RECEPTOR?
AND
Oh sod it, that's enough.
Send me a Postal Order for 10/6d if you want any more.