System and method for wireless power transmission

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12444976-B2
Application number	US-202217876415-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 28, 2022
Priority date	Jul 28, 2021
Publication date	Oct 14, 2025
Grant date	Oct 14, 2025

Abstract

A system for wireless power transmission is disclosed, and includes a plurality of UAVs, each having a transfer medium reservoir, an onboard power conversion unit, a communication module, a navigation module, a power delivery interface, and at least one sensor. Each UAV is configured to interface with a transfer medium source, receive a chemical power transfer medium into the transfer medium reservoir, fly to a target area containing a power recipient having a power demand, identify and land within a landing zone, provide chemical power transfer medium to an endpoint power conversion, and evaluate at least one directive to decide what action to take based on feedback. The system also includes a fleet control system communicatively coupled to the plurality of UAVs and configured to operate the plurality of UAVs as a swarm, generate at least one directive, and distribute the directive to the communication module of each UAV.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for wireless power transmission, comprising:
a plurality of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), each comprising a transfer medium reservoir, an onboard power conversion unit comprising a fuel cell, a communication module, a navigation module, a power delivery interface having a range, and at least one sensor, each UAV of the plurality of UAVs configured to:
autonomously interface with a transfer medium source;
autonomously receive a chemical power transfer medium into the transfer medium reservoir of the UAV, the chemical power transfer medium being hydrogen gas produced by the transfer medium source;
autonomously fly to a target area centered on a power recipient having a power demand, the target area having a size based at least in part on the range of the power delivery interface of the UAV, the UAV being guided by the navigation module, wherein the flight of the UAV is powered by the onboard power conversion unit fueled by chemical power transfer medium obtained from the transfer medium source;
autonomously identify a landing zone at least partially overlapping with the target area using at least one sensor, the landing zone sized and shaped to contain at least the smallest area required by the UAV for landing and takeoff;
autonomously land within the landing zone;
provide chemical power transfer medium to the onboard power conversion unit in fluidic communication with the transfer medium reservoir, the onboard power conversion unit being communicatively coupled to the power recipient; and
evaluate at least one directive to decide what action to take based on feedback received from at least one of the communication module, the navigation module, and at least one sensor;

a fleet control system communicatively coupled to the plurality of UAVs, the fleet control system configured to operate the plurality of UAVs as a swarm to meet the power demands of a plurality of power recipients, the fleet control system configured to:
generate at least one directive whose evaluation, for a state of the swarm, will result in the allocation of UAVs to each power recipient of the plurality of power recipients such that the power demands of the plurality of power recipients are met, wherein the at least one directive is generated using a mean-field model; and
distribute the at least one directive to the communication module of each UAV of the swarm, such that all UAVs in the swarm are evaluating the same at least one directive.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the power delivery interface is wireless and uses near-field electromagnetic power transmission.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein each UAV is further configured to leave the transfer medium reservoir and the onboard power conversion unit within the target area to power the power recipient while the UAV takes off and continues to evaluate the at least one directive.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein each UAV of the plurality of UAVs is further configured to put the power delivery interface in fluidic communication with one of the endpoint power conversion unit and another transfer medium reservoir.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the transfer medium source is separated from the power recipient by more than 1000 km.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of UAVs is heterogeneous, comprising at least one vertical takeoff and landing UAV and at least one horizontal takeoff and landing UAV.

7. A system for wireless power transmission, comprising:
a plurality of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), each comprising a transfer medium reservoir, an onboard power conversion unit, a communication module, a navigation module, a power delivery interface having a range, and at least one sensor, each UAV of the plurality of UAVs configured to:
interface with a transfer medium source;
receive a chemical power transfer medium into the transfer medium reservoir of the UAV, the chemical power transfer medium being produced by the transfer medium source;
fly to a target area containing a power recipient having a power demand, the target area having a size based at least in part on the range of the power delivery interface of the UAV, the UAV being guided by the navigation module;
identify a landing zone at least partially overlapping with the target area using at least one sensor, the landing zone sized and shaped to contain at least the smallest area required by the UAV for landing and takeoff;
land within the landing zone;
provide chemical power transfer medium to an endpoint power conversion unit in fluidic communication with the transfer medium reservoir, the endpoint power conversion unit being communicatively coupled to the power recipient; and
evaluate at least one directive to decide what action to take based on feedback received from at least one of the communication module, the navigation module, and at least one sensor;

a fleet control system communicatively coupled to the plurality of UAVs, the fleet control system configured to operate the plurality of UAVs as a swarm to meet the power demands of a plurality of power recipients, the fleet control system configured to:
generate at least one directive whose evaluation, for a state of the swarm, will result in the allocation of UAVs to each power recipient of the plurality of power recipients such that the power demands of the plurality of power recipients are met; and
distribute the at least one directive to the communication module of each UAV of the swarm.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the at least one directive is generated by the fleet control system using a mean-field model and wherein each UAV of the plurality of UAVs evaluates the same at least one directive distributed by the fleet control system.

9. The system of claim 7 , wherein the chemical power transfer medium is hydrogen gas.

10. The system of claim 7 , wherein each UAV is further configured to interface with the transfer medium source, receive the chemical power transfer medium into the transfer medium reservoir, fly to the target area, identify the landing zone, and land within the landing zone autonomously.

11. The system of claim 7 , wherein the onboard power conversion unit is a fuel cell.

12. The system of claim 7 , wherein, for each power recipient, the endpoint power conversion unit is the onboard power conversion unit of at least one UAV.

13. The system of claim 7 , wherein, for each UAV of the plurality of UAVs, the flight of the UAV is powered by the onboard power conversion unit fueled by chemical power transfer medium obtained from the transfer medium source.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the at least one directive comprises a directive requiring departure from the landing zone before the chemical power transfer medium inside the transfer medium reservoir has been depleted beyond a critical fuel level.

15. The system of claim 7 , wherein the at least one directive comprises a directive resulting in a subset of UAVs flying in a formation when flying to the same location.

16. The system of claim 7 , wherein the power delivery interface is wireless and uses near-field electromagnetic power transmission.

17. The system of claim 7 , wherein each UAV is further configured to leave the transfer medium reservoir and the onboard power conversion unit within the target area to power the power recipient while the UAV takes off and continues to evaluate the at least one directive.

18. The system of claim 7 , wherein each UAV of the plurality of UAVs is further configured to put the power delivery interface in fluidic communication wit

Assignees

• Fortunato Christian
• Ermanoski Ivan
• Berman Spring
• Univ Arizona State

Inventors

• Fortunato Christian
• Ermanoski Ivan
• Berman Spring

Classifications

• H02J2101/30

  Fuel cells · CPC title

• G05D1/695

  for maintaining a fixed relative position of the vehicles, e.g. for convoy travelling or formation flight · CPC title

• B64D47/00

  Equipment not otherwise provided for · CPC title

• G05D1/104

  involving a plurality of aircrafts, e.g. formation flying (traffic control systems for aircraft G08G5/00) · CPC title

• B64U2201/102

  adapted for flying in formations · CPC title