Micro hybrid generator system drone
An unmanned aerial vehicle comprising at least one rotor motor. The rotor motor is powered by a micro hybrid generation system. The micro hybrid generator system comprises a rechargeable battery configured to provide power to the at least one rotor motor, a small engine configured to generate mechanical power, a generator motor coupled to the small engine and configured to generate AC power using the mechanical power generated by the small engine, a bridge rectifier configured to convert the AC power generated by the generator motor to DC power and provide the DC power to either or both the rechargeable battery and the at least one rotor motor, and an electronic control unit configured to control a throttle of the small engine based, at least in part, on a power demand of at least one load, the at least one load including the at least one rotor motor.
1. An unmanned aerial vehicle comprising:
a propeller;
a rotor motor to drive rotation of the propeller;
a hybrid energy generation system comprising
a rechargeable battery configured to provide electrical energy to the rotor motor,
an engine configured to generate mechanical energy,
a generator configured to convert the mechanical energy generated by the engine into electrical energy, and
a flexible coupling device that directly couples a rotor of the engine to the generator, the flexible coupling device including a heat transfer system disposed between the engine and the generator and configured to transfer heat away from the hybrid energy generation system; and
a control unit configured to control a throttle of the engine such that a first portion of the electrical energy produced by the generator is provided to the rechargeable battery and a second portion of the electrical energy produced by the generator is provided to drive the rotor motor based on an energy demand of the rotor motor.
2. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the heat transfer system comprises a fan.
3. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the flexible coupling device comprises a polyurethane coupling device.
4. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the electric energy output of the hybrid energy generation system is configured to provide at least two hours of flight time for the unmanned aerial vehicle.
5. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising a power distribution system configured to distribute electrical direct current from both the rechargeable battery and the generator to the rotor motor.
6. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the control unit is configured to control the throttle of the engine based on a level of charge of the rechargeable battery.
7. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the unmanned aerial vehicle comprises a single engine corresponding to the engine.
8. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the generator is configured to convert the mechanical energy generated by the engine into electrical alternating current.
9. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 8 , wherein the hybrid energy generation system comprises a rectifier configured to convert the electrical alternating current into electrical direct current.
10. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 9 , wherein the electrical direct current is provided to one or more of the rechargeable battery and the rotor motor.
11. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising a cooling component disposed on one or more of the engine or the generator, the cooling component being configured to cause dissipation of heat from the hybrid energy generation system.
12. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 11 , wherein multiple fins are formed on a surface of the cooling component, the fins configured to cause dissipation of heat from the hybrid energy generations system.
13. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising an energy absorbing connector, wherein the hybrid energy generation system is connected to a frame of the unmanned aerial vehicle through the energy absorbing connector.
14. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the hybrid energy generation system is attached to a frame of the unmanned aerial vehicle through a vibration damping system.
15. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the engine includes a fly wheel, the fly wheel being configured with a sensor that generates a voltage based on a spinning speed of the fly wheel.
16. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the hybrid energy generation system is configured to provide a third portion of electrical energy produced by the generator to an external load.
17. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 16 , wherein the unmanned aerial vehicle is in a non-flight mode.
18. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 17 , wherein at least one of the first portion of electric energy and the second portion of electric energy are diverted to the external load.
19. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 18 , wherein at least one of the first portion of electrical energy and the second portion of the electrical energy are diverted to the external load when the unmanned aerial vehicle is in a non-flight mode.
20. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 16 , wherein the unmanned aerial vehicle is in a flight mode.
21. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 16 , wherein the external load is electrically connected to an output of the generator, a direct current to alternating current converter, the rechargeable battery, or to a power tether.
22. A method comprising:
operating a hybrid energy generation system to provide electrical energy to a rotor motor configured to drive rotation of a propeller of an unmanned aerial vehicle, comprising:
generating mechanical energy in an engine of the hybrid energy generation system;
in a generator of the hybrid energy generation system, converting the mechanical energy generated by the engine into electrical energy;
providing at least some of the electrical energy produced by the generator to a rechargeable battery of the hybrid energy generation system;
providing electrical energy to the rotor motor, including one or more of (i) providing at least some of the electrical energy produced by the generator to the rotor motor and (ii) providing electrical energy to the rotor motor from the rechargeable battery; and
cooling the hybrid energy generation system by a heat transfer system disposed between the engine and the generator and configured to transfer heat away from the hybrid energy generation system, wherein a flexible coupling device that directly couples a rotor of the engine to the generator includes the heat transfer system.
23. The method of claim 22 , wherein the heat transfer system comprises a fan.
24. The method of claim 22 , comprising distributing electrical direct current from both the rechargeable battery and the generator to the rotor motor.
25. The method of claim 22 , comprising controlling a throttle of the engine based on a value of the electrical energy provided to the rotor motor by the rechargeable battery.
26. The method of claim 22 , wherein converting the mechanical energy generated by the engine into electrical energy comprises converting the mechanical energy into electrical alternating current.
27. The method of claim 26 , comprising converting the electrical alternating current into electrical direct current in a rectifier.
28. The method of claim 27 , comprising providing the electrical direct current from the rectifier to one or more of the rechargeable battery and the rotor motor.
29. The method of claim 22 , further comprising providing at least a portion of the electrical energy produced by the generator to an external load.
30. The method of claim 29 , wherein the unmanned aerial vehicle is in a non-flight mode.
31. The method of claim 29 , wherein the unmanned aerial vehicle is in a flight mode.
32. The method of claim 29 , wherein the external load is electrically connected to an output of the generator, a direct current to alternating current converter, the rechargeable battery, or to a power tether.