ПОДЗАРЯДКА БЕСПИЛОТНЫХ ЛЕТАТЕЛЬНЫХ АППАРАТОВ С ВЕРТИКАЛЬНЫМ ВЗЛЕТОМ-ПОСАДКОЙ НА КОНТАКТНЫХ ПЛАТФОРМАХ С АДАПТИРУЕМОЙ ШИРИНОЙ КОНТАКТНЫХ ПОЛОС

Abstract

Relevance The article describes one of the modifications of ground charging platforms for electric unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) with vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL). It belongs to the class of charging platforms with open pads. The previously described platforms with coplanar band parallel electrodes (CBPE) have multiple parallel strip electrodes with alternating polarity, isolated from each other by narrow dielectric separators. The corresponding on-board electrodes of the multi-rotor UAV with a symmetrical frame are proposed to be arranged at the ends of the support legs under the bearing beams of the engine-propeller groups. Thus, the contact points for the quadrocopter will be at the vertices of the square. With certain geometric relationships between the width of the ground electrodes and the interelectrode distances of the on-board electrodes for any UAV position on the platform, almost 100% different polarities of the on-board electrodes is ensured after landing, and as a consequence, the ability to bring the voltage from the ground DC source to the on-board battery charger. The advantages of such platforms are: relative simplicity of design, independence of maintenance from the accuracy of landing and the ability to charge several UAVs at the same time. However, UAVs may have various sizes and therefore various interelectrode distances, which may violate the condition of different polarities of on-board electrodes after landing. Therefore, it is important to find a solution in which reliable service of the CBPE platform for UAVs of different sizes is possible. Aim of research Finding a technical solution for adaptive band width change of a CBPE landing platform that allows charging UAVs of different sizes. Research methods Prototyping the adaptable CBPE platform and pilot study of its operation. Results The proposed modification of the platform consists in arranging the switching of bands in such a way that alternating groups of bands of one polarity are formed. Bands can be grouped into 1, 2, 3, 4, etc. Such a group works as a single band of appropriate width, which can be changed discretely. In this way, it is possible to adapt the width of the platform stripes depending on the type of vehicle coming for landing. An experimental landing platform for multicopters and a variant of implementing a commuting device for platform adaptive configuration are described.