Automated Drone Charging Station Using Gravity and Shape of Landing Structure

This paper proposes a novel automated charging station for small drones. This system uses the three-dimensional shape of the landing structure and gravity to guide small drones, which are challenging to control precise landings, to the charging position. It employs a contact-based charging method using a single actuator to drive the vertical one-degree-of-freedom motion of the charging cable, enabling connection to the drone’s charging terminal. The developed system continuously verifies the start of charging and tries to connect the charging cable to the drone until it successfully initiates charging. Performance evaluations demonstrate high charging success rates across various situations, with drones landing on the station at different positions and orientations. Most experiments have achieved successful charging within five attempts to connect the charging cable to the drone. This research demonstrates that mechanical design, utilizing the landing structure’s shape and gravity, can achieve stable drone charging automation. The developed system is simply designed, making it cost-effective and easy to maintain.