Flight Time Extension for Drones

Hybrid power system for aviation applications that uses a parallel connection of supercapacitors and batteries to improve power supply characteristics, endurance, and fuel efficiency compared to using just batteries. The system has an engine, fuel tank, hybrid energy storage system (HESS), motor group, propellers, clutch, rectifier, inverter, electronic speed regulator, SOC estimation unit, and control unit. The HESS has supercapacitors and batteries in parallel, replacing just batteries in a typical hybrid system. This provides dynamic power benefits from the supercapacitors and extends battery life. The system manages the power output of the HESS components using optimization to balance engine and HESS power, track aircraft power needs, and restrict battery power output.

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Method to improve the night flight capability of solar-powered drones. The method involves calculating the remaining flight time of a solar drone when there is no sunlight to land predictions, power consumption optimization, and adaptive flight profiles. This ensures the drone can fly through the night relying solely on batteries. The calculation considers factors like propulsion, payload, and altitude changes. The drone can adjust flight paths, speeds, and altitudes based on weather and power levels to extend night flight times.

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Power management system for two-part flying vehicles that can transition between ground and air travel. The system coordinates power sources like batteries and range extenders between the land and air sections to meet the total power demand. It uses a voltage converter to switch power flow between the sections as needed. The conversion allows the higher capacity flight battery to provide power to both land and air equipment when insufficient power is available from the land battery. If that's still not enough, the range extender supplements power. This allows leveraging the higher capacity flight battery to provide power to both land and air sections when needed.

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Distributed multi-propeller vertical take-off and landing aircraft hybrid power system for long range flight with improved endurance. The system has a parallel hybrid setup with multiple engines, generators, batteries, and motors. The engines, generators, and batteries are integrated and share cooling/lubrication. The system intelligently manages power allocation between engines, batteries, and motors based on flight mode and accelerator position. In vertical takeoff/landing, all engines start and provide peak power. In hover/cruise, batteries power the motors until needed, then engines ramp up. This allows smaller engines for cruising and avoids oversizing. In emergency, a failed engine is disconnected and batteries/adjacent engine take over.

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A large multi-copter that can lift heavy payloads and fly long distances, it has enhanced safety and security features. The multi-copter has two sets of propellers—large lift propellers for generating thrust and smaller control propellers for maneuvering. This configuration allows efficient flight without overloading the control motors. The multi-copter also has an onboard computer to aid stability and control. To enhance safety, the control system is encrypted to prevent unauthorized access or tampering.

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Distributed hybrid electric aircraft with reliable power and high endurance. The aircraft has multiple distributed flight units with electric lift fans, each with a rechargeable battery and connected to nearby units. A central second power supply provides additional power. The power management system regulates battery charging, fan power, and balances loads. This allows optimized power distribution for normal flight versus burst needs. The distributed power reduces weight and reliability issues of central batteries. The central power provides backup and charging. The system can have redundant power sources like fuel cells or hydrogen tanks.

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A drone with extended flight time can be used by multiple removable battery packs that can be connected in series. The drone has a fuselage with openings between the arms, where battery packs can be inserted. Each battery pack contains multiple battery blocks connected in series. When multiple packs are inserted, their blocks are automatically connected in series to provide higher voltage and endurance.

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Intelligent power management for drones using reinforcement learning to adaptively adjust the output power of the lithium battery based on flight status and power supply conditions. It separates the power management into decision, control, and physical layers for flexibility. The reinforcement learning solver optimizes power control based on predicted battery state and flight mission. This allows minimizing lithium battery energy consumption while completing missions.

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A power system for a hydrogen fuel cell drone that efficiently manages the energy distribution between hydrogen fuel cells and lithium batteries to extend flight time. The system has a charging module, power supply module, and control module. The control module collects real-time drone parameters and optimizes the charging and discharging of the batteries based on that data. This allows the drone to intelligently balance the power between the fuel cells and batteries during flight to maximize endurance.

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A flying robot that can project video onto its body to provide a high-visibility display and human interaction. The robot has a separate movable end with projectors, sensors, and flight control components and a fixed end with processing, charging, and communication components. The cooperative design allows lightweight, long-duration flight with distributed functionality. The projectors can display images on the flexible main body. The fixed end sends control commands and receives sensor data wirelessly.

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Flying robot that uses a distributed architecture with a fixed base and a detachable flying component. The fixed base provides power, control, and communication while the flying component performs flight and interaction. This reduces weight for longer flight times. The flying part has projectors that display on its spherical body. The fixed base controls the flying part wirelessly and receives data from its sensors.

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Long-endurance unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) hybrid power system that combines a lithium battery with a fuel engine and generator for efficient and lightweight power. The system uses a flight control system to optimize power usage based on altitude and load. It starts with the battery providing power during takeoff, then charges during flight. At high altitudes, the engine shuts off and the battery powers the UAV. This avoids inefficiencies of always using the engine. The engine restarts when descending to recharge the battery. It also uses high-altitude restart and short-term motor overload to save weight. The system switches between subsystems based on sensors like altitude and temperature.

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Flying object control system that optimizes power management and reduces wear on the power sources. It intelligently manages charging and discharging of the battery and generator to balance power needs, prevent overcharging/discharging, and minimize fuel consumption. It calculates the required battery charge level for takeoff based on the flight plan, predicts when to charge from the generator, and initiates generator power at that time. This avoids constant charging/discharging cycles that can degrade the battery and engine.

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Combined vertical takeoff and landing UAV that overcomes the limitations of existing unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for long-range missions. It involves connecting a small UAV to a large UAV using a clamping and magnetic adsorption device. The large UAV can hover at high altitudes and act as a relay to extend the range and endurance of the small UAV. The connecting device allows stable and reliable connection between the UAVs.

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Rationally managing charging and discharging of the battery of an electric aircraft to extend battery life. The method involves instructing the aircraft to fly a route that passes through a charging facility based on the remaining battery charge and estimated power consumption for the flight. This allows the aircraft to charge at the facility instead of depleting the battery completely, avoiding excessive charge/discharge cycles that accelerate battery degradation.

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Aircraft propulsion system that reduces battery size and extends battery life compared to conventional systems. The system uses a gas turbine engine connected to a generator to power the propellers. During load fluctuations like takeoff/landing, the system avoids rapid fuel flow changes that can't keep up. Instead, it moves the operating points of the gas turbine and generator to match the load without exceeding fuel limits. This lets the turbine torque increase while the generator torque decreases. This allows quicker load following with less battery use and smaller battery size compared to systems that rely on fuel flow changes.

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An automated energy management system for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) operating in near space that enables extended flight times. The system uses both solar power and fuel engines to balance energy generation and storage. It intelligently switches between solar and fuel power based on real-time consumption and availability. This allows the UAV to fly continuously for 24 hours at high altitudes by leveraging both power sources optimally. The system monitors energy needs and dynamically adjusts power generation and storage to maintain flight capability.

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Efficiently managing battery usage in hybrid electric aircraft engines to improve performance and enable removal of auxiliary power systems like ram-air turbines. The method involves optimizing battery charging and discharging based on flight plan data and real-time flight conditions. It determines waypoints for when to apply electric power from the battery during the flight, updates them during flight based on received data, and maintains battery charge above emergency reserve levels. This allows efficient use of electric power during low thrust stages like taxiing, and ensures adequate reserve charge for emergency landings.

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A method to optimize energy consumption in hybrid electric aircraft by recovering energy during gliding phases when the turbomachines are off. The method involves using the reversible electric motors associated with the turbomachines to generate electrical energy during gliding flight by autorotating the fans or rotary wings. This energy is stored in onboard batteries. This allows recovering energy during gliding to supplement the turbomachines' thermal energy.

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Hybrid power supply system for unmanned aerial vehicles that allows the UAV to fly longer by efficiently managing power sources. The system has a power generation unit like solar panels or fuel cells, and a charging unit like batteries. A distribution unit intermittently switches power between the generation and charging units based on their states. This ensures the charging unit stays full while avoiding over-discharging the gen unit. A control module optimizes power allocation. If the gen unit fails, an emergency control supplies power from the charged unit. If an emergency is detected, it lands the UAV. The gen and charging units report power levels to a UAV controller.

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