Dronebox Will Allow Months’-long Drone Operation

Dronebox Will Allow Months’-long Drone Operation

This post is also available in: heעברית (Hebrew)

Just last month, Singapore’s H3 Dynamics revealed a solution that could allow unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) to work nonstop for months. The autonomous UAV charging station will allow UAVs to charge with no assistance or intervention from humans.

Dronebox, as the solution is called, works completely off-grid. When a drone lands on the platform, it’s charged using the Dronebox’s solar panels. Using either an internet connection, or a satellite link if the Dronebox is in a particularly remote location, the UAV can relay data and metrics to a central server.

The Dronebox could prove particularly useful in sensitive, hard-to-access areas that humans seldom reach.

These “remote areas where industrial assets, borders, or sensitive installations require constant monitoring,” but are difficult or even dangerous to access are precisely where UAVs are most needed. By “pre-deploying Dronebox systems at the right locations, travel to remote areas is no longer required, charging or handling drone batteries is eliminated, and sensor data is simply sent through a network for easy access and processing,” the release statement reads.

For particularly challenging installation, the company also offers a Remobox. This additional system offers a small back-up fuel cell system “for year long availability in mission critical locations,” and more advanced communication equipment that should satisfy the demands of even the most advanced installations.

H3 Dynamics envisions many applications for the Dronebox, including wildlife protection, border and perimeter security, large-scale agriculture, maintenance of critical infrastructure, and more. In these contexts, having the ability to remotely and consistently control drones, with little need for maintenance, could definitely be a game changer.