direct power supply for an autonomous quadcopter UAV

[hdkepon]

Hello all,

I am trying to power my quadcopter system using a 50 foot cable and a 12 volt battery (in a running car) rather than using the onboard battery.

The quadcopter has four dc brushless motors, two GoPro cameras, and a flight control board.

I am still in the design phase and have not yet decided on my copter or flight controller.

My concerns: Power loss over the long cable, and inductance in the cable's spooling reel.

Can use a 12 volt battery to power this system? How can I accomplish these goals?

Thanks

 

[don_resqcapt19]

I would be surprised if the copter could support the extra weight of the power cord. I expect that the cord would weigh more than the batteries that would normally power the copter.

 

[rlundsrud]

Inductance won't apply as it is DC power supply. That aside, this is just a bad idea. Use lithium ion or whatever rc batteries you prefer. If you need more flight time, get replacement battery packs and swap them out.

 

[GoldDigger]

Unless you are just planning to pop the quad up 20 feet vertically above the car to look over hedges, the weight of wire and its effect on the copter's handling will make wire impractical

 

[John120/240]

Hello all,

I am trying to power my quadcopter system using a 50 foot cable and a 12 volt battery (in a running car) rather than using the onboard battery.

The quadcopter has four dc brushless motors, two GoPro cameras, and a flight control board.

I am still in the design phase and have not yet decided on my copter or flight controller.

My concerns: Power loss over the long cable, and inductance in the cable's spooling reel.

Can use a 12 volt battery to power this system? How can I accomplish these goals?

Thanks

Welcome to the Forum

I don't wish to discourage You, but there is a reason that this hasn't been done before. It s not practical.

 

[junkhound]

Say about 20A/12V for your copter? If you use 18 or 20 AWG Ni plated wire, one bare, the other thin TFE insulation, you will only have to lift an extra 12-14 oz.

If designing from scratch with brushless dc motors, use 270 Vdc brushless motors and 30 AWG wire, and a 12V to 270 Vdc dc/dc converter on your vehicle.

Obviously, don't fly near overhead power lines, eh? Probably hard to stay on station with extra drag in any breeze over a few MPH.

50 ft antenna will make a nice EMI antenna attached to 270 Vdc brushless motor drives. <g>

 

[mgookin]

What voltage is the copter?

 

[hdkepon]

Reasons for our design

Reasons for our design

So this design is intended to be integrated with an autonomous ground vehicle in an orchard.

Our reasons for wanting to avoid Li Ion batteries are: the inability of an autonomous system to easily swap batteries, the long operational periods needed for orchard work, and the limited lifetime of Li Ion batteries.

Fifty feet of cable is ideal but 20 ft would work for our orchard navigation purposes.

I know this is possible and feasible as multiple companies have already built prototypes, using special microfillament, that can sustain unlimited flight at high altitudes for surveillance purposes.

These companies have much more funding; however, we have quite a bit of funding as well so I am open to suggestions.

Thanks

 

[K8MHZ]

Why not just put the cameras on a 20 ft. pole attached to the vehicle? If a wire can stay attached it would seem that there would be no problem with a pole or a mast.

 

[K8MHZ]

Or how about a gas powered drone? I see some that go 3 hours without modifications.

 

[rlundsrud]

As long as we're going this route, why not a helium balloon?

 

[John120/240]

................

Fifty feet of cable is ideal but 20 ft would work for our orchard navigation purposes.



Thanks

What exactly in the orchard are you trying to surveillance ? Bugs ?

 

[Phil Corso]

Hdkepon....

This month's (Feb '15) issue of the magazine,"Spectrum.IEEE.ORG", features a tethered drone. Unlike your proposal it has on-board energy source to keep it elevated at about 450 ft! What is very unique is that the tether is a "hairlike filament including a fiber-optic cable... which doesn't restrict the drone!"

It was invented in 2008 by the company "Cyphy Works", located in Denvers Mass, USA!

Regards, Phil Coro

 

[mgookin]

Hdkepon....

This month's (Feb '15) issue of the magazine,"Spectrum.IEEE.ORG", features a tethered drone. Unlike your proposal it has on-board energy source to keep it elevated at about 450 ft! What is very unique is that the tether is a "hairlike filament including a fiber-optic cable... which doesn't restrict the drone!"

It was invented in 2008 by the company "Cyphy Works", located in Denvers Mass, USA!

Regards, Phil Coro

Just found this too http://www.droneaviationcorp.com/tethered-drone.html

 

[hdkepon]

more info and updates

more info and updates

In reply to some of the comments: the copter is much better than cameras on a pole because of the mobility. Transmitting high voltage through the tether will allow us to use thin wires that will not impede the copter's flight. People replying saying this is not feasible or useful: you are wrong but thanks for the effort.

Anyways, We are planning to use the flamewheel F450 quadcopter with the PIXHAWK onboard flight controller. Spec sheets are available online. I attached some info for the F450 copter.
The voltage supplied by the car battery will be stepped up to at least 40 V and transmitted through wire to the copter. An onboard circuit will step the voltage back down to 12 V and supply it to the components.
I am anticipating using Battend Eliminator Circuits to supply proper voltage to the devices but I am unfamiliar with these.
We need help designing the onboard power distribution circuit, and I am open to recommendations for dc-dc step up converters.
Obviously the step up circuit can be heavy but the onboard circuit must be light.

Thanks