IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,059,378
Granted Patent B2
US 11,059,378 · App. 15/815,689 · Granted Jul 13, 2021

Charging a rechargeable battery of an unmanned aerial vehicle in flight using a high voltage power line

Inventor: John M. Jaugilas (Englewood, CO)
Assignee: The Boeing Company
B60L53/36B60L53/00B60L53/12B64C39/024G05D1/101G08G5/0021G08G5/0034G08G5/0069G08G5/0086G08G5/0091B64C2201/042B64C2201/066B64C2201/146
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,059,378
App. No.
15/815,689
Granted
Jul 13, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

Methods are presented. A rechargeable battery of an unmanned aerial vehicle is charged using an electromagnetic field of a high voltage power line and a recharging system of the unmanned aerial vehicle. The unmanned aerial vehicle is flown a specified distance from the high voltage power line during the charging.

Claims (57)

1. A method comprising:

charging a rechargeable battery of an unmanned aerial vehicle using an electromagnetic field of a high voltage power line and a recharging system of the unmanned aerial vehicle; and

flying the unmanned aerial vehicle a specified distance from the high voltage power line during the charging,

wherein the specified distance is a maximum length from the high voltage power line while maintaining a pre-defined value for efficiency of the recharging system of the unmanned aerial vehicle, and wherein the pre-defined value for efficiency is a maximum value for efficiency.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein charging the rechargeable battery of the unmanned aerial vehicle uses a flight plan of a flight plan generator that is connected to the recharging system.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the specified distance is selected based on at least one of weather conditions and field strength.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein charging the rechargeable battery comprises generating energy by positioning an inductor of the recharging system into the electromagnetic field of the high voltage power line.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining weather conditions along a path for the unmanned aerial vehicle using a database; and

selecting the specified distance based on the weather conditions.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

detecting a field strength of the electromagnetic field of the high voltage power line; and

determining an operation status of the high voltage power line using the field strength.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

detecting a field strength of the electromagnetic field of the high voltage power line; and

selecting the specified distance from the high voltage power line based on the field strength.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

detecting the high voltage power line using an impact prevention sensor; and

maintaining the unmanned aerial vehicle the specified distance from the high voltage power line during charging using measurements from the impact prevention sensor.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the impact prevention sensor is one of a SONAR sensor, a RADAR sensor, an optical sensor, or a field strength sensor.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein charging the rechargeable battery of the unmanned aerial vehicle using an electromagnetic field of the high voltage power line increases a range of the unmanned aerial vehicle.

11. A method comprising:

charging a rechargeable battery of an unmanned aerial vehicle using an electromagnetic field of a high voltage power line and a recharging system of the unmanned aerial vehicle; and

flying the unmanned aerial vehicle a specified distance from the high voltage power line during the charging,

wherein the specified distance is a maximum length from the high voltage power line while maintaining a pre-defined value for efficiency of the recharging system of the unmanned aerial vehicle, and wherein the pre-defined value for efficiency is a maximum value for efficiency and based on at least one of weather conditions and field strength.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein charging the rechargeable battery of the unmanned aerial vehicle uses a flight plan of a flight plan generator that is connected to the recharging system.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein charging the rechargeable battery comprises generating energy by positioning an inductor of the recharging system into the electromagnetic field of the high voltage power line.

14. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

determining weather conditions along a path for the unmanned aerial vehicle using a database; and

selecting the specified distance based on the weather conditions.

15. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

detecting a field strength of the electromagnetic field of the high voltage power line; and

determining an operation status of the high voltage power line using the field strength.

16. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

detecting a field strength of the electromagnetic field of the high voltage power line; and

selecting the specified distance from the high voltage power line based on the field strength.

17. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

detecting the high voltage power line using an impact prevention sensor; and

maintaining the unmanned aerial vehicle the specified distance from the high voltage power line during charging using measurements from the impact prevention sensor.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the impact prevention sensor is one of a SONAR sensor, a RADAR sensor, an optical sensor, or a field strength sensor.

19. The method of claim 11 , wherein charging the rechargeable battery of the unmanned aerial vehicle using an electromagnetic field of the high voltage power line increases a range of the unmanned aerial vehicle.

20. A method comprising:

charging a rechargeable battery of an unmanned aerial vehicle using an electromagnetic field of a high voltage power line and a recharging system of the unmanned aerial vehicle; and

flying the unmanned aerial vehicle a specified distance from the high voltage power line during the charging,

wherein the specified distance is a maximum length from the high voltage power line while maintaining a pre-defined value for efficiency of the recharging system of the unmanned aerial vehicle, and wherein the pre-defined value for efficiency is a maximum value for efficiency and based on at least one of weather conditions and field strength,

wherein charging the rechargeable battery of the unmanned aerial vehicle uses a flight plan of a flight plan generator that is connected to the recharging system,

wherein charging the rechargeable battery comprises generating energy by positioning an inductor of the recharging system into the electromagnetic field of the high voltage power line, and

wherein charging the rechargeable battery of the unmanned aerial vehicle using an electromagnetic field of the high voltage power line increases a range of the unmanned aerial vehicle.

21. The method of claim 20 further comprising:

determining weather conditions along a path for the unmanned aerial vehicle using a database; and

selecting the specified distance based on the weather conditions.

22. The method of claim 20 further comprising:

detecting a field strength of the electromagnetic field of the high voltage power line; and

determining an operation status of the high voltage power line using the field strength.

23. The method of claim 20 further comprising:

detecting a field strength of the electromagnetic field of the high voltage power line; and

selecting the specified distance from the high voltage power line based on the field strength.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 17, 2017
From: JAUGILAS, JOHN M.
To: THE BOEING COMPANY
Reel/Frame 044163/0829 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20190143827A1 · May 16, 2019