ECE.04M – DishNEST: A seamless multi-drone wireless power transfer system with integrated communications network

• Abigail Cabrera
• Emilio Garza
• John Mikhail
• Benjamin Shakro
• Jared Tarantino

Drones are used for a variety of purposes from delivery services to surveillance and military applications. Typically, drone missions require fleets of drones operating in tandem to achieve mission success. Current wireless charging methods for drones are outdated due to the need for frequent human intervention and therefore are not maximally efficient. The efficiency issues related to modern drone charging techniques are compounded as the size of the drone fleet increases. The purpose of this project is to present a novel approach to supporting drone fleets via autonomous maneuvering and charging in an IOT-connected network that coordinates movements within the system in an effort to minimize human interaction and maximize mission efficiency. Ideally, the final version of DishNEST would be compatible with a number of drones in order to support drone fleets with varying objectives and utilities. The proposed system addresses the limitations of wireless power transfer with respect to drone battery charging by utilizing a “Yaddish” Antenna. The wireless power transfer system as a whole leverages inductive coupling techniques to achieve efficient wireless power transfer. The problematic necessity of human intervention in existing drone battery charging techniques is circumnavigated through communication between the charging stations and drones within the network that enables autonomous maneuvering and critical information exchange. In tandem with FSM-based logic, the system autonomously coordinates drone charging in a manner unlike existing products. DishNEST can be invaluable to drone technology and expand the limits of drone usage and fleet mission success. The most recent Yaddish antenna design was tested using a network analyzer and an applied RF signal to the TX antenna. The network analyzer results demonstrate that the antenna operates at the expected frequency (437 MHZ). It is also evident that the antenna will transmit as it suprasses the -10 dB mark at the operating frequency. Communication is achieved (without internet access) through MQTT messages between raspberry pis on the drones and nests in the network. To summarize, DishNEST presents an efficient solution to poor current charging methods. It offers a developed way to minimize human intervention and maximize wireless recharging efficiency. The adaptability of DishNEST empowers users to adjust system parameters according to needs, ensuring seamless scalability.