Aerospace, Military & Defence
Powering the battlefield of the future
CIE Magazine talks to Joe Dussi, senior regional marketing manager, Vicor Corporation, about delivering power to unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in military and defence applications
CIE: What are the advantages and disadvantages for both tethered and untethered UAVs in military and defence applications? Joe Dussi: With any military operation it is critical to select the right tools to help improve your odds of mission success. As drones have evolved they have split into two distinct categories, tethered and untethered. Each type has its own distinct benefits for defence operations. We can see this playing out real time in the war in Ukraine where drones are being used extensively on both sides of the conflict. Tethered drones can be described as the “sentinels of the sky” because of their ability to stay in flight for extended periods of time without having to refuel. These drones can be equipped with an array of sensors (infrared, optical, etc.) and cameras that make them the perfect watchdog for military bases. Tethered drones are also used as portable wireless communications hubs that enable critical communications to the frontline warfighters. They are portable and can be quickly and easily deployed in any terrain or weather.
Untethered drone footage is what usually grabs the news headlines. These versatile and effective drones are used for a variety of battlefield applications that include monitoring of enemy troop movements, targeting enemy personnel and equipment, delivering medical supplies to forward operating bases, security and surveillance and in some cases as loitering munitions or kamikaze drones. This type of drone is more versatile, but is limited by battery life. The universal benefit of drone is that they are accomplishing risky activities that typically were done by the troops. As the battlefield of the future becomes more technologically sophisticated, drones will continue to play a greater role in how these conflicts are decided.
26 July/August 2022
How important of a role does the power delivery network play in a UAV?
Everything needs some source of power to function. More importantly it is how you manage and distribute that power to achieve maximum output. When designing a power delivery network (PDN) it is important to understand the critical design and operational parameters of your system early in the design phase. By addressing the power needs up front you can optimize your design for peak efficiency and performance. When designing a PDN for a UAV the first thing to consider is that lack of design space and the importance of keeping things as light as possible to help extend flight time or to increase payload capacity. You also want to be forward looking in your design ensuring your PDN is both flexible and scalable to support
Components in Electronics
next-generation features and faster time to market. Vicor power modules deliver the highest power density and efficiency within the smallest footprint in the industry allowing engineers to achieve their design objectives without having to compromise performance.
Why is it better to run higher voltages supplies in tethered UAVs? At first blush you would say, I have an unlimited power source so who cares about that stuff? Taking a closer look it’s in your best interest to design tethered UAVs with a higher voltage source, typically over 400V in some cases, to minimize distribution loss through the tether. On–board the UAV choosing power components with the highest power density possible and highest efficiency helps improve size and weight constraints that directly impact your
overall payload capacity. When designing a tethered drone it is vitally important to consider the length, diameter and overall weight of the tether and its effect on the UAVs mobility. The heavier the tether the more power you need to keep it in the air. In the best case scenario you would want to supply the highest voltage possible to your power delivery network that allows you to compensate for the higher losses inherent with lighter cabling. By addressing the tether and UAV as a complete system you can carry heavier payloads at higher altitudes making the tethered UAV more versatile.
Can a UAV be tethered and untethered if necessary? How does this impact operations? In this instance the phrase “having the best of both worlds” applies. Dual
www.cieonline.co.uk
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