Automated Charging and Docking Station for Security UAVs

The deployment of UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles) is becoming a standard practice to perform routine/labour-intensive tasks. These tasks include surveillance, construction monitoring, logistics, crop spraying etc. This work focuses on the application of UAVs in the security industry. Since the deployment of drones is becoming more common it is important to investigate how ground stations can be used to optimize the deployment of these drones. It was found that the recommended core functions of a ground control station should consist of the following: charging or replacing the battery of the drone after landing, compensating for the variation in the landing position, storing the drone safely, and lastly, being able to communicate with the drone. After reviewing existing systems, several concept designs were developed to perform the core functions of the docking station. After the concept design was completed, one overall design was selected and a plan to implement it was created. The docking station has since been built and tested to confirm that performance measures have been reached.