Power Supply System of a Tethered Unmanned Aerial Vehicle

Abstract

A power supply system for an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) based on a cable connection with a primary source of electrical energy located on the earth’s surface is described. The ground power source from a standard three-phase network generates a galvanically isolated, constant output voltage that varies in the range of 350–435 V with an average electric power of up to 10 kW. A circuit based on a step-down type pulse current stabilizer with a subsequent link of a current inverter, a matching transformer, and a rectifier was used. The voltage of the ground power source is fed through the cable-rope to the UAV. The UAV power supply lowers the output voltage to 48 ± 2 V, with an output current of up to 135 A. Experimental data on the operation of the system on a load equivalent and UAVs are presented.