Managing available energy among multiple unmanned aerial vehicles

• Main Authors: Hardee, Christopher J, Greenberger, Jeremy A
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 12.10.2021
• Subjects: AEROPLANES; AIRCRAFT; AVIATION; CALCULATING; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTINGELECTRIC POWER; COMPUTING; CONTROLLING; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER; COSMONAUTICS; COUNTING; DATA PROCESSING SYSTEMS OR METHODS, SPECIALLY ADAPTED FORADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL, SUPERVISORYOR FORECASTING PURPOSES; ELECTRICITY; GENERATION; HELICOPTERS; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PHYSICS; REGULATING; SIGNALLING; SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE,COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL, SUPERVISORY OR FORECASTINGPURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEMS; TRANSPORTING

Management of available energy among multiple unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) is provided by identifying tasks to be completed by the multiple UAVs, and determining energy requirements of one or more UAVs of the multiple UAVs to facilitate completing one or more tasks of the tasks to be completed by the multiple UAVs. Further, the approach includes identifying an energy sharing approach for completion of the task(s) by the UAV(s) where one or more other UAVs of the multiple UAVs transfer energy in operation to the unmanned aerial vehicle(s) to facilitate completion of the task(s). In operation, the multiple UAVs may be detachably coupled, and the approach may include implementing the energy sharing approach by transferring energy from the other UAV(s) to the UAV(s) to facilitate completion of the task(s), for instance, prior to decoupling of the other UAV(s) from the UAV(s).