The Internet, GPS, and microwave ovens are some of the technologies in common use today that were the result of military research and have now been patented by the US Army. a new technology that could also have a big impact in the futureThe U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Research Laboratory, based in Adelphi, Maryland, has patented a system that allows keep drones in the air indefinitely. With serial number #US2024286773, it is designed to expand the capabilities of UAVs by creating New recharging systems using other drones.
According to Interesting Engineering, the system is designed to allow UAV in-flight recharging using a central drone as an ‘external battery’, which could recharge several flight companionssimilar to how an aerial refueling aircraft, such as the KC-135 Stratotanker, can refuel fighter aircraft.
The patent describes ‘a system of deployment and anchoring of drone with power including drone docking/undocking mechanisms that allow docking/undocking of rechargeable drones in flight. A lead drone can carry the drone tether to extend the cable from a base station that supplies power to the drone.so that One or more rechargeable drones can be docked to the docking/undocking mechanisms to chargeand then decouple from the coupling/decoupling mechanisms to perform independent flight tasks‘.
The idea is to make drones fly for longer, eliminating one of the biggest challenges for those powered by electricity: battery lifeThe US Army has shown clear interest in extending the effective flight duration of UAVs, investing in or approving the use of many long-range drones. Since most drones are powered by electricity, they face difficulties in covering long distances, where UAVs powered by gasoline, diesel or jet fuel perform better and can fly farther.
However, if they can be recharged in flight, the potential for electric drones to be used in long-term fixed positions for tasks such as surveillance or communications increases exponentially, giving the U.S. Army greater flexibility in dynamic operating environments. A drone could become a mobile surveillance tower or a completely flexible communications antenna system, be remotely piloted to where it is needed and stay there to be automatically recharged by another UAV.