TECH

Russian military wants to develop drone that uses electric power transmission lines to refuel

Russian military developers have proposed a design for an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) capable of recharging a power line battery (PTL). This solution is expected to significantly increase the drones' battery life.

According to RIA Novosti, the UAV concept was developed by experts at Tyumen Higher Command School of Military Engineering in honor of RF Ministry of Defense Engineering Troop Marshal Proshlyakov. Information about the invention is published on the Rospatent website.

The idea is to equip the drone with a special disconnectable circular magnetic circuit. These are current clamps with which the drone can connect to power lines to replenish the battery's power reserve.

For the drone, it is proposed to use the multicopter architecture, that is, a project with multiple rotors. The possibility of recharging transmission lines will allow the drone, for example, to recon the terrain for a long time and at long distances from the takeoff point.

''Such a helicopter presumably works as follows: the drone's remote operator points his “clamps” at the power line and gives a command to close them. The drone then charges upside down. After charging the battery, the helicopter's engines turn on – and the “tweezers” open the electric wire, the drone returns to its original position and continues its flight'', – says the publication of” RIA Novosti

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