The Role of Machine Learning in Enhancing Battery Management for Drone Operations: A Focus on SoH Prediction Using Ensemble Learning Techniques

This study considers the significance of drones in various civilian applications, emphasizing battery-operated drones and their advantages and limitations, and highlights the importance of energy consumption, battery capacity, and the state of health of batteries in ensuring efficient drone operation and endurance. It also describes a robust testing methodology used to determine battery SoH accurately, considering discharge rates and using machine learning algorithms for analysis. Machine learning techniques, including classical regression models and Ensemble Learning methods, were developed and calibrated using experimental UAV data to predict SoH accurately. Evaluation metrics such as Root Mean Squared Error (RMSE) and Mean Absolute Error (MAE) assess model performance, highlighting the balance between model complexity and generalization. The results demonstrated improved SoH predictions with machine learning models, though complexities may lead to overfitting challenges. The transition from simpler regression models to intricate Ensemble Learning methods is meticulously described, including an assessment of each model’s strengths and limitations. Among the Ensemble Learning methods, Bagging, GBR, XGBoost, LightGBM, and stacking were studied. The stacking technique demonstrated promising results: for Flight 92 an RMSE of 0.03% and an MAE of 1.64% were observed, while for Flight 129 the RMSE was 0.66% and the MAE stood at 1.46%.