Can Tethered Drones Be the Answer to Drone’s Short Battery Life?
© Cyphy
One of the main challenges facing the drone industry is the short battery life found in most drones available today. On average, most drones will stay airborne for 20 to 30 minutes after which you have to recharge or swap out a battery. One startup has come up with an interesting method to solve this problem. CyPhy Works, a startup based in Danvers, Massachusetts thinks the best way to fly a drone is by tying it to the ground. The company has designed a system where a tether is used to connect the drone to a power source on the ground. According to the CTO of CyPhy Works, the system allows them to fly drones continuously up to two weeks without coming down!
While this system may not seem practical for many drone applications such as delivering fast food or exploration, it could come in handy for some drone operations such as military organizations, or first responders who need a constant bird’s eye view of an area. Tethered drones could also be used for recording live events such as sporting events. As an added bonus, the tether can be used to transfer data from the sky without relying on wireless signals making it a little more secure.
CyPhy Works designed the drone for long term flights, with circuitry and motors that don’t wear out to quick;y. The drone has a small battery pack on board to provide enough power to land in case there is an issue with the tether. The battery also provides some extra power for the motors in strong wind conditions. The drone is about four feet wide and comes with six rotors. According to FAA regulations, the drone can fly up to 400 feet. It can carry a camera with a 30X optical zoom which provides great vision for up to a 10 mile radius depending on the weather.
One of the main potential applications for the tethered drone is restoring communication services in areas affected by natural disasters. Such a system would have come in handy in Florida where Verizon was slow to restore service after Hurricane Michael. CyPhy’s system can be set up quickly in about 10 minutes. CyPhy Works continues to work on the drone and are aiming to scale up to allow the users to use more powerful cameras, radios, environmental sensors, and more.
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