Feature: Avionics


Figure 1-3: A new class of drones


for hover-in-place communications and surveillance applications


F


Powering hover- in-place tethered drones


By Tom Curatolo,


Senior Principal Applications Engineer, Vicor


ixed-wing, airplane-style drones have been in the skies for many years, widely used for military applications where unmanned flight is important, particularly for long-duration missions. But, whilst fixed-wing drones can traverse airspace at high speed, they aren’t


equipped for applications requiring stationary flight, which is especially important for long-term airborne surveillance and communication relays.


Tethered aircraft Early experimentats with tethered, unmanned blimps revealed their relative inability to remain stationary in high-wind conditions. A new approach to unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) was needed, and Dragonfly Pictures Inc (DPI) developed a new class of drone, the hover-in- place tethered drone; see Figures 1-3. Unlike battery-powered multirotor drones which require


battery change every 20 minutes, tethered drones receive their power through a cable connected to their base station. This enables them to stay aloft for hours, even days. DPI’s tethered multirotor drones are designed to hover


above their mobile host platforms including ships, boats, trucks and other vehicles and surfaces. They offer several benefits over fixed-wing drones, including vertical take-off and landing without a launcher or recovery equipment. Unlike a blimp, they achieve persistent, stationary positioning – even during turbulent weather and fast- changing wind speeds. Tested extensively in real-world operating conditions,


DPI tethered drones are qualified for use by the US Navy, in maritime environments for intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, communications and video applications. They are commonly employed as mobile masts or “instant towers”, to support RF communications over long distances with unmanned vessels monitoring for security threats.


38 September 2023 www.electronicsworld.co.uk


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