A Novel Energy Harvester for Powering Small UAVs: Performance Analysis, Model Validation and Flight Results

The proposed work aims at exploring and developing new strategies to extend mission parameters (measured as travel distance and mission duration (MD)) of a new class of unmanned vehicles, named Micro Air Vehicles (MAVs). In this paper, a new analytical model, identifying all factors, which determine...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Rocco Citroni, Franco Di Paolo, Patrizia Livreri
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2019-04-01
Series:Sensors
Subjects:
MAV
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/19/8/1771
Description
Summary:The proposed work aims at exploring and developing new strategies to extend mission parameters (measured as travel distance and mission duration (MD)) of a new class of unmanned vehicles, named Micro Air Vehicles (MAVs). In this paper, a new analytical model, identifying all factors, which determine the MAV power consumption, is presented. Starting from the new model, the design of a nanoarray energy harvester, based on plasmonics nano-antenna technology is proposed. The preliminary study was based on a 22,066,058 22,066,058 × 62,800-dipole rectenna array producing an output power level of 84.14 mW, and an energy value of 2572 J under a power density of 100 mW/cm² and a resonant frequency of 350 THz as input conditions. The preliminary analytical results show a possible recharge of an ultra-fast rechargeable battery on board of a MAV and an MD improvement of 16.30 min.
ISSN:1424-8220