Autonomous Overhead Powerline Recharging for Uninterrupted Drone Operations - ICRA 2024

We present a fully autonomous self-recharging drone system capable of long-duration sustained operations near powerlines. The drone is equipped with a robust onboard perception and navigation system that enables it to locate powerlines and approach them for landing. A passively actuated gripping mechanism grasps the powerline cable during landing after which a control circuit regulates the magnetic field inside a split-core current transformer to provide sufficient holding force as well as battery recharging.

The system is evaluated in an active outdoor three-phase powerline environment. We demonstrate multiple contiguous hours of fully autonomous uninterrupted drone operations composed of several cycles of flying, landing, recharging, and takeoff, validating the capability of extended, essentially unlimited, operational endurance.

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[gigalapanashvili]

That's how birds recharge actually.

[radeksvoboda]

A fleet of these to steal electricity from power lines and charge my home battery.

[austina]

You've done it. You've given them a way to feed. Now they will multiply, unhindered. You've brought the apocalypse upon us.

[RyanLynch]

this is such a cool idea! i wonder what power companies would think of this though

[ZsomborZsombibi]

I've seen some squirrels overcharged in similar situations.
But, seriously, this is an amazing idea. There's a lot of potential for various purposes.

[cluberic]

this is actually what companies are likely going to implement, use the powerlines as drone highways, requires little infrastructure to be build and maintained and there is usually nothing under powerlines that will get damaged if a drone crashes.

[tracynation]

Drone parking, storage, and charging. Sounds like a million dollar idea. 💙 T.E.N.

[xMonad]

Reminds me of that one UAP / ufo thing from the 1990's 2000s early

[thequantaleaper]

Ignoring the issues with legal restrictions and safety... it would be so cool if you could have a drone that operates remotely using satellite comms anywhere in the world capable of autonomously finding lines and recharging as needed overnight. You could go sight seeing from home, or send small packages to a friend in another country!

[RiverMersey]

How does this charging circuit work with just 1 conductor?!

[garycubby]

California's PG&E needs these things bad! They could prevent wildfires and wind caused power outages. They are using low flying helicopters right now which are expensive, polluting, and cover a very limited area. Get these flying in Northern CA now!

[kurtnelle]

Excellent idea. They fan even be used as security patrol drones for farmers fields.

[jaredz]

What if you flew the quad up there had it sit like its charging but sends down power via an extension cord, could you power other things?

[codylovelace]

Badass. Don't let your electric company see this lol

[absolutnati]

Where's the negative line in the circuit?

[johncgibson]

OMG. Terminator drones are one step closer.

[widyahong]

I never saw low height power line like this, where the location?

[emergcon]

DOD here. Does it work with the parkistani powergrid?

[luke_skywanker]

Hmm... Weren't some UFOs seen operating near/on power lines some years ago. It was as if they were recharging.

[sakudoo]

You harvest the energy by magnetic coupling, don't you?