Drones Would Fly 24/7 Thanks to Autonomous Solution

Drones Would Fly 24/7 Thanks to Autonomous Solution

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A recent patent application by Boeing reveals an autonomous solution that would allow dual-use drones to operate for months, overcoming the battery life problem.

The ‘Vehicle Base Station’ under development is an autonomous battery-swapping device for drones. Its major applications are likely to be civil and commercial—used for firefighting and search-and-rescue, for example—but the patent has a decidedly military slant, says J Vian, a research fellow at Boeing. “The unmanned aerial vehicles may monitor for undesired activity… [which] may be the placement of an improvised explosive device in roadway.”

According to PopSci.com, the patent describes a squad or platoon of perhaps 10 to 30 drones, able to follow targets or perch and observe like a fleet of mobile CCTV cameras. When a drone runs low on power it returns to the base station, which physically replaces the drone’s batteries. With no wait for recharging, the drone can fly off again at once. The autonomous battery-swapping device would “enable long, 24/7, uninterrupted missions,” says Vian.

The patent suggests a solar-powered station could be placed on a rooftop where it cannot be seen. Alternatively, the station may be attached to a power line to suck electricity directly from the grid. It could still be covert, hiding in plain sight; few people pay attention to all those black boxes attached to power lines. If some base stations are lost to enemy action, multiple spares would ensure there was always capacity.

Boeing also envisions a line of base stations positioned at intervals of several miles, like gas stations for drones on long journeys. This would allow them to fly right into a combat zone rather than having to be dropped by aircraft.

The base station could act as a shelter in bad weather for drones. It may also be a communication hub, housing a satellite microwave link to a remote operations center.

In one version of the design, the drones fly missions autonomously, uploading the data they have gathered and receiving fresh instructions each time they return. This would allow them to operate even if all radio signals were being jammed, a growing counter-drone tactic.

The base station might also be able to reload drones with a ‘dispensable payload.’ Fire suppressant is mentioned as an example, though this seems optimistic for small drones–bombs are a more obvious choice.

If the base station moves from concept to reality, it would allow swarms of low-cost drones to carry out missions at long range and over long durations.