JP7833019B2 - Power supply drone port and power supply drone port system - Google Patents

Description

This invention relates to a drone power supply port and a drone power supply port system for efficiently and reliably charging drones.

A "drone" is a type of small, unmanned helicopter. In recent years, there have been plans to use drones for unmanned transport of small packages, inspection of structures such as bridges, and pesticide spraying. Such drones are called "industrial drones."

As industrial drones become more widespread, there is a growing demand for systems that enable long-distance drone flights.
However, since drones fly by rotating their propellers with power supplied from their onboard batteries, the flight distance depends on the amount of power stored in the batteries. Therefore, in order to achieve long-distance flight of drones, relay points for charging the batteries are necessary along the drone's flight path. Such technology is disclosed, for example, in Patent Document 1.

Patent Document 1 discloses a drone operation system that recovers a drone experiencing flight malfunctions using a recovery mechanism installed on power lines or utility poles. This drone operation system can also charge the drone's battery.

Japanese Patent Publication No. 2018-12477

In order to charge the drone's battery charging means with the battery power supply means provided in the utility pole recovery means of Patent Document 1, the positions of the battery power supply means and the battery charging means must be precisely aligned.
However, during drone landing, the downwash (downward airflow) generated by the drone bounces off the takeoff surface, creating a mixture of downdraft and updraft above the takeoff surface, making attitude control difficult. As a result, drones often land in a position deviating from their intended landing spot.

However, the drone operation system described in Patent Document 1 lacks a means to correct the drone's position. If the drone lands in a poor position, the positions of the battery power supply means and battery charging means become misaligned, reducing power supply efficiency and ultimately preventing the drone from being charged at all. It is not practical for a person to go to the retrieval means installed on power lines or utility poles and correct the drone's position every time it lands in the wrong place.
Therefore, it was difficult to efficiently charge the drone using the drone operation system described in Patent Document 1.

This invention was devised to solve the problems described above. Specifically, the objective of this invention is to provide a drone power supply port and a drone power supply port system that can efficiently and reliably charge drones.

According to the present invention, a landing platform on which a drone can take off and land,
A power supply device that supplies power to the power receiving device of the drone mounted on the landing platform,
The system includes a positioning device for moving the drone or power supply device that has landed on the landing platform to a power supply position where the power supply device and the power receiving device face each other or come into contact,
The landing pad, when viewed from above, has a rectangular shape with opposite sides X extending parallel to the horizontal X direction and opposite sides Y extending parallel to the horizontal Y direction.
The power supply location is the center of the landing pad,
The positioning equipment is,
A pair of X-direction movable plates extending in the Y direction and movable horizontally in the X direction along the upper surface of the landing pad, with both ends located outside the opposite X side,
A pair of Y-direction movable plates extending in the X direction and movable horizontally in the Y direction along the upper surface of the landing pad,
A horizontal movement unit having four connecting plates that diagonally connect both ends of the X-direction movement plate and both ends of the Y-direction movement plate in a plan view,
It includes a unit drive device that drives the horizontal movement unit,
A power supply drone port is provided, in which both ends of the X-direction movable plate, the Y-direction movable plate, and the connecting plate are connected by hinges so as to be freely rotatable about a vertical axis.

According to the present invention, since the power supply drone port has positioning equipment, the drone's position during power supply can be precisely positioned at the power supply location. This allows the position of the power supply device on the power supply drone port and the position of the power receiving device mounted on the drone to be precisely aligned or in contact, ensuring the charging efficiency as designed and enabling reliable power supply to the drone even when the power supply drone port is unmanned.

This is a schematic diagram of the power supply drone port of the first embodiment. This is a side view of the power supply drone port of the first embodiment. This is a plan view of the support base. This is a plan view of the power supply drone port of the first embodiment. This is an explanatory diagram of the unit drive mechanism. This is an explanatory diagram of the fall prevention device's configuration. This is a diagram illustrating the procedure for removing fall prevention devices from the landing pad. This is an explanatory diagram of the power supply drone port of the second embodiment. This is a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view of the power supply drone port of the third embodiment. This is a perspective view of the power supply drone port of the fourth embodiment. This is an explanatory diagram of the operation of the positioning equipment according to the fourth embodiment. This is a perspective view of the power supply drone port of the fifth embodiment. This is a front view of the power supply drone port of the fifth embodiment. This is a right-side cross-sectional view of the power supply drone port of the fifth embodiment. This is an explanatory diagram of the operation of the power supply drone port in the fifth embodiment. This is a perspective view of the power supply drone port of the sixth embodiment. This is an explanatory diagram of the operation of the power supply drone port in the sixth embodiment.

The embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Common parts in each figure are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant explanations are omitted.

(First Embodiment)
Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the power supply drone port 1 of the first embodiment.
In this diagram, 1 is a drone port for power supply, 2 is a drone, 2a is a power receiving device, 3 is a powered support pole, 4 is a landing platform, 6 is a power supply device, 9 is a fall prevention device, 10 is a positioning device, 26 is a transformer, and 27 is a lightning rod.

The power supply drone port 1 in this embodiment is a power supply port for supplying power to a drone 2, provided at the upper end 3a of the power supply support pole 3 to which power is supplied. The power supply drone port 1 comprises a landing platform 4 on which the drone 2 can take off and land, a power supply device 6 that supplies power to the drone 2 placed on the landing platform 4, and positioning equipment 10 for moving the drone 2 or the power supply device 6.

The landing platform 4 is fixed to the upper end 3a of the powered support pole 3 via a support base 5. The powered support pole 3 is a columnar structure to which electricity is supplied, and is envisioned as, for example, a support pole for streetlights or traffic lights, a utility pole, an advertising tower on the roof of a building, or a monument clock or clock tower installed in a park or plaza in front of a train station. These powered support poles 3 are generally installed at a height that people H cannot reach to prevent electric shock from touching power lines, traffic lights, streetlights, or other powered devices. The power supply drone port 1 is installed at the upper end 3a of such a powered support pole 3, so that people H cannot easily reach the landing platform 4.

The power used by the power supply drone port 1 is distributed from the powered support pole 3 to which it is fixed. For example, as shown in this figure, the power supply drone port 1 may be equipped with a transformer 26 that transforms the power distributed from the powered support pole 3. For example, if the powered support pole 3 is a utility pole, it is preferable to receive power from two low-voltage power lines and one low-voltage lighting line, as shown in this figure.

Furthermore, as shown in this figure, it is preferable that a fall prevention device 9 is provided around the landing platform 4 of the power supply drone port 1. The fall prevention device 9 is preferably a net or fence with a mesh size that prevents the drone 2 from passing through. By using a net or fence as the fall prevention device 9, the effects of strong winds on the power supply support pole 3 are minimized, while preventing the drone 2 from being blown off the landing platform 4 by the wind. It is preferable that a portion of the net or fence of the fall prevention device 9 is detachable to facilitate maintenance of the power supply drone port 1 by workers.

Furthermore, it is preferable that the power supply drone port 1 is equipped with a lightning rod 27 on the fall prevention device 9 or landing platform 4. A ground wire 27a is attached to the lightning rod 27.
With this configuration, the presence of the lightning rod 27 protects the drone 2 and the power supply drone port 1 itself from lightning.

The drone 2 has a power receiving device 2a that receives power from the power supply device 6. The power receiving device 2a may be provided, for example, on the underside of the drone 2, as shown in this figure.

The power supply device 6 in this figure is installed on the upper surface 4a of the power supply position 7 of the landing pad 4 and supplies power distributed from the power supply support column 3 upwards. The power supply position 7 is the position where the power receiving device 2a of the drone 2 mounted on the landing pad 4 and the power supply device 6 face each other or are in contact. The power supply device 6 may be a contact power supply device where the power supply side and the power receiving side are in contact, but a non-contact power supply device is more preferable. If the power supply device 6 is a contact power supply type, the power supply position 7 is the position where the connectors on the power supply side and the power receiving side are in contact. If the power supply device 6 is a non-contact power supply type, the power supply position 7 is the position where the transmitting coil of the power supply device 6 and the receiving coil of the power receiving device 2a mounted on the drone 2 face each other coaxially.

Furthermore, the power supply drone port 1 in this figure is equipped with positioning equipment 10 to move the landed drone 2 to the power supply position 7. This allows the position of the drone 2's power receiving device 2a and the power supply position 7 to be aligned by the drive of the positioning equipment 10.

Figure 2 is a side view of the power supply drone port 1 of the first embodiment. In this figure, 4 is the landing platform, 4a is its upper surface, 5 is the support base, 6 is the power supply device, 6a is the transmitting coil, 9 is the fall prevention device, 10 is the positioning equipment, 13 is the horizontal movement unit, 11 is the X-direction movement plate, 24 is the unit drive device, 24a is the drive plate, and 24b is the horizontal movement fitting. Note that the drive plate drive device 25 is omitted in this figure.

Whether the power supply device 6 is a contact power supply device or a non-contact power supply device, efficient power supply is not possible unless the positions of the power receiving device 2a mounted on the drone 2 and the power supply device 6 mounted on the power supply drone port 1 are precisely aligned.

For example, if the power supply device 6 is a non-contact power supply device, an electromagnetic induction method may be used. In this case, the transmitting coil 6a of the power supply device 6 and the receiving coil 2b of the power receiving device 2a face each other coaxially, and electricity flows to the receiving coil 2b due to the magnetic field 35 generated by the energization of the transmitting coil 6a. This allows power to be supplied from the power supply device 6 to the power receiving device 2a even if the transmitting coil 6a and the receiving coil 2b are separated.

Thus, for the power supply drone port 1 to charge the drone 2, it is crucial to accurately position the drone 2 during power supply.

Furthermore, a support base 5 is fixed to the upper end 3a of the energized support pole 3, and the landing platform 4 is fixed to this support base 5. The landing platform 4 is positioned above the support base 5 at a distance, and the space between the landing platform 4 and the support base 5 serves as a space for arranging various devices.

Figure 3 is a plan view of the support base 5.
The support base 5 may consist of a cylindrical column mounting portion 5a fixed to the upper end 3a of the energized support column 3, and a structural steel 5b horizontally assembled on top of the column mounting portion 5a. The structural steel 5b may be assembled in a grid pattern, for example.
The support base 5 supports the landing platform 4 with connecting fittings 5c extending upward from both ends in the X direction in this figure, at regular intervals in the vertical direction. In this example, the six connecting fittings 5c are located only at both ends in the X direction of the landing platform 4 and the support base 5, and a hollow space free of interference in the X and Y directions is formed between the left and right connecting fittings 5c.

Figure 4 is a plan view of the power supply drone port 1 of the first embodiment. In this figure, 4a is the upper surface of the landing platform 4, 4b is the X opposite side, 4c is the Y opposite side, 5 is the support base, 6 is the power supply device, 7 is the power supply position, and 10 is the positioning equipment. The fall prevention device 9 is omitted in this figure.
Furthermore, in the positioning equipment 10, 13 is a horizontal movement unit, 11 is an X-direction movement plate, 14 is a Y-direction movement plate, 15 is a connecting plate, and 16 is a hinge.

The landing pad 4, when viewed from above, is a rectangular plate with an X-side 4b extending parallel to the horizontal X-direction and a Y-side 4c extending parallel to the horizontal Y-direction. Furthermore, the power supply device 6 in this embodiment is located at the center of the landing pad 4, with the power supply position 7 positioned at the center M of the landing pad 4.

The positioning equipment 10 in this figure has a horizontal movement unit 13 that can move horizontally along the upper surface 4a of the landing platform 4. The horizontal movement unit 13 has the function of moving the drone 2 horizontally to the center M of the upper surface 4a.
In this example, the horizontal movement unit 13 has a pair of X-direction movement plates 11, a pair of Y-direction movement plates 14, and four connecting plates 15.

A pair of X-direction movable plates 11 extend horizontally in the Y direction in this figure, with both ends 11a located outside the X-opposite side 4b.
A pair of Y-direction moving plates 14 extend horizontally in the X direction in this figure.
The four connecting plates 15 diagonally connect both ends 11a of the X-direction moving plate 11 and both ends of the Y-direction moving plate 14 in a plan view.
Furthermore, both ends of the X-direction movable plate 11, the Y-direction movable plate 14, and the connecting plate 15 are connected by hinges 16 so that they can rotate freely around a vertical axis.

Furthermore, in this figure, both ends 11a of a pair of X-direction movable plates 11 are fixed to four horizontally movable fittings 24b that are movable in the X direction. In addition, the four horizontally movable fittings 24b are located outside the X-opposite side 4b.

With the configuration described above, by moving the four horizontal moving fittings 24b inward in the X direction in synchronous manner, a pair of X-direction moving plates 11 can be moved inward in the X direction from the standby position (solid line) to the center position (dashed line) while maintaining parallelism with each other.
Furthermore, in conjunction with this, a pair of Y-direction movable plates 14, which are connected by a connecting plate 15 and a hinge 16, can be moved inward in the Y direction while maintaining parallelism with each other.

Figure 5 is an explanatory diagram of the unit drive device 24.
Figure 5(A) is a view along the line A-A in Figure 2, and Figure 5(B) is a view along the line B-B in Figure 5(A).
In this figure, the positioning equipment 10 further includes a unit drive device 24 that drives the horizontal movement unit 13.

In this example, the unit drive device 24 has a pair of drive plates 24a and a drive plate drive device 25.
A pair of drive plates 24a are located between the landing platform 4 and the support platform 5, and are connected to both ends 11a of a pair of X-direction moving plates 11 via horizontal moving fittings 24b so as to be able to rotate freely around a vertical axis.
Furthermore, the drive plate drive device 25 is provided on the support base 5 and synchronously drives a pair of drive plates 24a horizontally in the X direction. In this example, the drive plate drive device 25 consists of a pair of linear guides 25a and a pair of ball screw drive devices 25b.
A ball nut that meshes with the ball screw of the ball screw drive device 25b is fixed to the drive plate 24a, and the ball nut is driven horizontally in the X direction via the ball screw.

With the configuration of the positioning equipment 10 described above, the drive plate drive device 25 synchronously drives a pair of drive plates 24a horizontally in the X direction, thereby enabling the four horizontal moving fittings 24b to move in the X direction in sync with each other.
Therefore, a pair of X-direction moving plates 11 can be moved inward in the X direction while maintaining parallelism, and at the same time, a pair of Y-direction moving plates 14 can be moved inward in the Y direction while maintaining parallelism. As a result, the X-direction moving plates 11 and the Y-direction moving plates 14 can be moved along the upper surface 4a of the landing platform 4 from the standby position to the center position that closely surrounds the power supply position 7, and the drone 2 placed on the upper surface 4a can be moved horizontally to the center M of the upper surface 4a.
Preferably, the drone 2 is configured to move freely along the upper surface 4a of the landing platform 4.

The space between the landing platform 4 and the support base 5 also houses the power supply device 6, control device 8, and communication device 17. The power supply device 6 may be located below the landing platform 4, or it may be flush with the upper surface 4a of the landing platform 4, or exposed to the upper surface 4a, as long as the magnetic field 35 reaches above the upper surface 4a of the landing platform 4. The power supply device 6 is connected to the power lines wired to the energized support pole 3 and supplies power from the energized support pole 3 to the power receiving device 2a of the drone 2 mounted on the landing platform 4. Furthermore, the positioning equipment 10 and control device 8 are also operated by power supplied from the energized support pole 3.

The control device 8 controls the operation of the power supply drone port 1. The power supply device 6, the drive plate drive device 25, and the communication device 17 are also connected to the control device 8 and receive their control.

In this configuration, the control device 8 guides the drone 2 to land by communicating with the drone 2 via the communication device 17. After detecting the landing, it drives the drive plate drive device 25 to move the drone 2 horizontally to the power supply position 7. Next, it supplies power to the power supply device 6, which then powers the power receiving device 2a of the drone 2.

After detecting that the drone 2 is charged, the control device 8 drives the drive plate drive device 25 again to move the horizontal movement fitting 24b from the center position to the standby position, and moves the pair of X-direction movement plates 11 outward in the X direction while maintaining parallelism to each other, thereby releasing the drone 2.

This allows the drone's battery to be automatically charged at the power supply drone port 1 installed on the upper end 3a of the power supply support pole 3.

Figure 6 is an explanatory diagram of the configuration of the fall prevention device 9. Figure 6(A) is a side view of the fall prevention device 9.
It is preferable that the fall prevention device 9 is designed to be foldable and removable from the landing platform 4. For example, in the case of the fall prevention device 9 shown in Figure 6(A), the net surrounding the landing platform 4 is divided into multiple parts 9a and 9b, which are connected by metal fittings. In the case of the fall prevention device 9 shown in this figure, vertically adjacent parts 9a and 9b are connected by hinges 29, and horizontally adjacent parts are connected by detachable connecting devices 30. The connecting devices 30 that connect the horizontally adjacent parts 9a and 9b may be, for example, a fastener or a snap lock. Note that the connection between vertically adjacent parts 9a and 9b does not necessarily have to be by hinges 29, but may also be by connecting devices 30.

The fall prevention device 9 is fixed to the landing platform 4 with a gap 31 through which the horizontal movement fitting 24b passes. It is preferable to use a detachable hinge 28 to connect the fall prevention device 9 and the landing platform 4.
Figure 6(B) is an explanatory diagram of the detachable hinge 28. The detachable hinge 28 may have a knob 28c that slides the shaft 28b inside the tube 28a, for example, as shown in this figure. In this case, when removing the fall prevention device 9, the shaft 28b can be detached from the tube 28a by moving the knob 28c axially inward. One wing 28d of the detachable hinge 28 is fixed to the fall prevention device 9, and the other wing 28d is fixed to the landing pad 4. To make it easier to attach the fall prevention device 9 to the landing pad 4, it is preferable that the knob 28c be located inside the fall prevention device 9.

Figure 7 is an explanatory diagram of the procedure for removing the fall prevention device 9 from the landing platform 4. The procedure proceeds from Figure 7(A) to Figure 7(E). When a worker performs maintenance on the power supply drone port 1, it is necessary to temporarily remove the fall prevention device 9. Since the worker works at a height while taking care not to come into contact with surrounding power lines, the ease of attaching and detaching the fall prevention device 9 is important.
First, the worker releases the connecting device 30 of the upper part 9a of the fall prevention device 9 (Figure 7(A)). As a result, the upper part 9a folds outwards from the fall prevention device 9 by the hinge 29 and hangs down from the upper end of the lower part 9b by the hinge 29 (Figure 7(B)).

Next, with the upper part 9a still folded, the connecting device 30 of the lower part 9b is released (Figure 7(C)), and the lower part 9b is rotated from front to bottom (Figure 7(D)), exposing the knob 28c of the detachable hinge 28 within reach of the worker (Figure 7(D)).
This allows the worker to approach the knob 28c without difficulty. The worker moves the knob 28c and detaches the lower part 9b from the landing platform 4 (Figure 7(E)).

Thus, the fall prevention device 9 is detachable, and parts 9a and 9b can be folded compactly, making it easy to work at high altitudes without touching power lines, even when they are nearby. Therefore, maintenance work on the power supply drone port 1 can be performed safely.

Furthermore, the power supply drone port 1 of this embodiment may be equipped with a bird alarm device (not shown). The bird alarm device may determine whether an object approaching from the air is a drone 2, and if the object is not a drone 2, it may emit a warning sound that birds dislike (for example, a crow's alarm call, a bird of prey's cry, etc.).
This prevents birds from nesting on the landing platform 4.

In this embodiment, the power supply drone port 1 is fixed to the upper end 3a of the power supply support pole 3, making it difficult for a person H to easily approach the power supply drone port 1. Therefore, the theft of the drone 2 and the cargo it carries can be prevented, ensuring the safety of both the drone 2 and the cargo.

Furthermore, since the power supply drone port 1 is installed on the power supply pole 3, the power required for the power supply drone port 1 can be supplied from the power supply pole 3 on which it is installed. Therefore, the cost of supplying electricity to the power supply drone port 1 can be kept low, and power transmission losses can be minimized.

Furthermore, since the power supply poles 3 are installed over a wide area throughout Japan, by installing the drone power supply ports 1 on these poles 3, numerous charging relay points can be secured, making it easy to achieve long-distance flights of the drone 2.

Furthermore, since the power supply drone port 1 has positioning equipment 10, the position of the drone 2 during power supply can be precisely positioned. This allows for accurate alignment between the position of the power supply device 6 on the power supply drone port 1 and the position of the power receiving device 2a mounted on the drone 2, thereby ensuring the charging efficiency as designed.

Furthermore, by fixing the drone's legs 2d with the positioning equipment 10, or by surrounding the landing platform 4 with fall prevention devices 9, the drone 2 can be prevented from falling from the landing platform 4.

(Second Embodiment)
Figure 8 is an explanatory diagram of the power supply drone port 1 of the second embodiment. Figure 8(A) is a schematic longitudinal section view, and Figure 8(B) is a perspective view of the landing platform 4. In this figure, 4 is the landing platform, 4a is the upper surface of the landing platform 4, 4d is the inclined surface, 5 is the support base, 6 is the power supply device, 6a is the transmitting coil, 9 is the fall prevention device, and 10 is the positioning equipment.
The positioning equipment 10 in this embodiment is the inclined surface 4d of the landing platform 4, which slopes downward toward the power supply position 7. In this figure, the power supply position 7 is at the center M of the landing platform 4, but the power supply position 7 in this embodiment is not limited to this. The power supply position 7 may be at the edge of the landing platform 4, as long as the drone 2 does not fall from the landing platform 4.

Preferably, the lower end of the legs 2d of the drone 2, which is charged using this power supply drone port 1, is fitted with a freely rotatable roller 2c. Preferably, the roller 2c is rotatable in all directions, like a caster.

The positioning equipment 10 in this embodiment does not have a drive mechanism because it is an inclined surface 4d. This means that the positioning equipment 10 does not require electricity to operate, thus reducing the maintenance costs of the power supply drone port 1 and decreasing the frequency of maintenance. Furthermore, its simple configuration makes the power supply drone port 1 less prone to damage. Since motors and actuators are unnecessary, manufacturing costs can also be reduced. Additionally, because the system utilizes the fact that the drones 2 roll down the inclined surface 4d under their own weight, all drones 2, regardless of their size, can be gathered at the power supply position 7.

In this embodiment, the power supply drone port 1 may, for example, detect that no other drones 2 have landed on the landing platform 4 and land on the landing platform 4 on its own without guidance from the power supply drone port 1. When the drone 2 lands on the landing platform 4, the rollers 2c at the tips of the legs 2d roll on the inclined surface 4d due to gravity, and the drone 2 moves to the power supply position 7.
If the power supply device 6 is a non-contact power supply type, the control device 8 may start up and begin supplying power to the transmitting coil 6a when it senses that the transmitting coil 6a of the power supply device 6 and the receiving coil 2b of the power receiving device 2a of the drone 2 are facing each other. If the power supply device 6 is a contact power supply type, the contact between the power receiving device 2a and the power supply device 6 may be used as a trigger to start the control device 8.
Other configurations and effects of this embodiment are the same as those of the first embodiment.

(Third Embodiment)
Figure 9 is a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view of the power supply drone port 1 of the third embodiment.
As shown in this figure, the power supply drone port 1 of this embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that the power supply device 6 is located at a distance above the upper surface 4a of the landing platform 4 and supplies power laterally. If the contactless power supply device 6 of this embodiment is, for example, an electromagnetic induction type, then magnetic flux is generated from the power supply device 6 in a direction directly to the side. The power receiving device 2a of the drone 2 that is powered by this power supply device 6 is attached to the side of the drone 2.

Preferably, the power supply device 6 is fixed in a position that faces or contacts the power receiving device 2a when the drone 2 in the positioning equipment 10 is at the power supply position 7. For example, if the positioning equipment 10 is the same as in the first embodiment, the power supply device 6 may be fixed to the center of the X-direction moving plate 11 or the Y-direction moving plate 14.
This makes it easy to position the power supply device 6 so that it faces or touches the power receiving device 2a when the drone 2 is positioned at the power supply position 7. The power supply device 6, facing or in contact with the power receiving device 2a, supplies power to the power receiving device 2a in a lateral direction.

Drone 2 has a built-in magnetic compass sensor that detects its orientation (north, south, east, or west), allowing it to land with the power receiving device 2a facing the desired direction. Therefore, only one power supply device 6 is needed. For example, if all power supply drone ports 1 are configured so that the power supply device 6 is located to the north, the drone 2 can easily align the power receiving device 2a and the power supply device 6 by always landing with the power receiving device 2a facing north.

However, the configuration of the power supply drone port 1 is not limited to this.
For example, multiple power supply devices 6 may be provided so as to surround the power supply position 7. For example, if the positioning equipment 10 is the one of the first embodiment, power supply devices 6 may be provided in the center of all the X-direction moving plates 11 and Y-direction moving plates 14. This makes it easy to align the positions of the power receiving device 2a and the power supply devices 6, regardless of which direction the drone 2 is facing when it lands, simply by the positioning equipment 10 moving the drone 2 horizontally to the power supply position 7.
Alternatively, the power supply drone port 1 may be equipped with a rotating device, and the drone 2 may be rotated so that the power receiving device 2a faces the power supply device 6.

With the above configuration, the power supply device 6 can be positioned above the upper surface 4a of the landing pad 4. This prevents the generation of a magnetic field 35 near the upper surface 4a and prevents the power supply connector from being exposed to the upper surface 4a. This prevents heat generation due to power supply to dissimilar metals.

In other words, in the cities and mountains where drone 2 flies, there are birds, like crows, that have a habit of collecting shiny objects. These birds often pick up glass and metal and hide them in rain gutters or take them back to their nests. Therefore, even though the power supply drone port 1 is at a height that is out of reach of people H, there is a possibility that metal objects such as nails, hairpins, and coins may be placed on the landing platform 4.
For example, if the power supply device 6 is a non-contact power supply type, if there is a metal object near the transmitting coil 6a, it will generate heat due to the magnetic field 35. If the power supply device 6 is a contact power supply type, if dissimilar metals are in contact with the power supply side connector and the power supply device 6 supplies power, the connector and the dissimilar metals will generate heat due to the Peltier effect.

In this embodiment, the power supply drone port 1 is positioned away from the upper surface 4a of the landing platform 4, so that metal objects lying on the landing platform 4 are not affected by the magnetic field 35, or come into contact with the connector on the power supply side.
Therefore, the power supply drone port 1 can prevent unexpected heat generation due to dissimilar metals.
Other configurations and effects of this embodiment are the same as those of the first embodiment.

(Fourth Embodiment)
Figure 10 is a perspective view of the power supply drone port 1 of the fourth embodiment. In this figure, 10 is a positioning device, 11 is a moving plate in the X direction, 12 is a belt conveyor, 21 is a moving plate drive device, and 22 is a conveyor drive device. Note that the control device 8 and the fall prevention device 9 are omitted from this figure. This figure also illustrates the case where the power supply position 7 is the center M of the landing platform 4.
The configuration of the positioning equipment 10 in the power supply drone port 1 of this embodiment differs from that of the first or third embodiment.

In this embodiment, the landing pad 4, when viewed from above, has a parallelogram shape with an X-side 4b extending parallel to the horizontal X-direction and a Y-side 4c extending parallel to the horizontal Y-direction. The landing pad 4 may also have a rectangular shape when viewed from above, as shown in the figure.

The positioning equipment 10 of this embodiment comprises an X-direction moving plate 11, a belt conveyor 12, a moving plate drive device 21, and a conveyor drive device 22.

The X-direction moving plate 11 extends horizontally in the Y direction in this figure, with both ends 11a located outside the X-opposite side 4b, and is provided to be horizontally movable along the upper surface 4a of the landing pad 4. In this figure, the power supply device 6 is attached to the X-direction moving plate 11.
Furthermore, in this embodiment, not only the upper surface 4a of the landing platform 4, but also the upper surface of the belt conveyor 12 serves as the takeoff and landing surface for the drone 2.

In this diagram, a pair of X-direction moving plates 11 are arranged to move horizontally in synchronous motion, but this is not limited to this configuration. For example, if the power supply position 7 is at one end of the landing platform 4 in the X direction, it is preferable that one X-direction moving plate 11 is arranged to reciprocate between the two ends of the landing platform 4 in the X direction, and that a fixed plate is fixed to the other end of the landing platform 4 in the X direction, crossing the landing platform in the Y direction. In this case, the fixed plate on the belt blocks the movement of the drone 2, which is pushed by the X-direction moving plate 11.

Both ends 11a of the X-direction movable plate 11 are fixed to four horizontally movable fittings 24b, which are movable in the X direction, similar to the first embodiment. Furthermore, the four horizontally movable fittings 24b are located outside the X-opposite side 4b and protrude inward in the X direction from the X-direction movable plate 11.

The movable plate drive device 21 moves the horizontal movable fitting 24b in the X direction.
In the example shown in this figure, the movable plate drive device 21 includes a pair of guide rails 21a, a pair of endless chains 21b, and a chain rotation actuator 21c.

A pair of guide rails 21a guide the horizontal moving fittings 24b in the X direction. A pair of endless chains 21b pull the four horizontal moving fittings 24b, moving them inward in the X direction while synchronizing them with each other. A pair of endless chains 21b are provided at both ends of the power supply drone port 1 in the Y direction and are wrapped around a pair of shafts 21d extending in the Y direction at both ends in the X direction. One of the horizontal moving fittings 24b located on both sides in the X direction (the horizontal moving fitting 24b on the right in the figure) is connected to the upper chain of the wrapped endless chain 21b, and the other (the horizontal moving fitting 24b on the left in the figure) is connected to the lower chain.
The chain rotation actuator 21c rotates the endless chain 21b.

With this configuration, the chain rotation actuator 21c rotates one of the endless chains 21b, causing the pair of endless chains 21b to rotate synchronously, and enabling the pair of X-direction moving plates 11 to reciprocate between the inward and outward directions in the X-direction while moving synchronously.
Therefore, the moving plate drive device 21 can move the X-direction moving plate 11 to the power supply position 7 in the X direction. In addition, since the horizontal moving fitting 24b protrudes inward in the X direction from the X-direction moving plate 11, it is possible to prevent the drone 2 that has landed on the Y-direction end of the landing platform 4 from being pushed by the X-direction moving plate 11 and falling from the Y-direction end.

Furthermore, the configuration of the movable plate drive device 21 in this embodiment is not limited to this, and may be the same as that of the unit drive device 24 in the first embodiment.

The horizontal movement of the drone 2 in the Y direction after it has landed on the landing platform 4 is performed by the conveyor belt 12.
The belt conveyor 12 is positioned so that the belt 12a passes through the power supply position 7. If the power supply position 7 is at the center M of the landing pad 4, the belt conveyor 12 is also located at the center in the X direction of the landing pad 4, and if the power supply position 7 is at the end in the X direction of the landing pad 4, the belt conveyor 12 is also located at that end.
The belt 12a of the belt conveyor 12 extends in the Y direction and rotates in the Y direction by the conveyor drive device 22. It is preferable that the belt 12a be weather-resistant. It is also preferable to install brushes on the underside of the belt 12a to keep the landing platform 4 in good condition at all times.

Both the conveyor drive unit 22 and the chain rotation actuator 21c are controlled by the control device 8. It is preferable that the conveyor drive unit 22 and the chain rotation actuator 21c are waterproof motors.
With the configuration described above, the positioning equipment 10 moves the drone 2 horizontally to the power supply position 7 using the X-direction moving plate 11 and the belt conveyor 12.

Figure 11 is an explanatory diagram of the operation of the positioning equipment 10 of the fourth embodiment. In this figure, the propellers of the drone 2 and the moving plate drive device 21 are omitted. Figure 11 shows the progression of time from Figure 11(A) to Figure 11(D). Also, Figures 11(E) and 11(F) are plan views of the power supply drone port 1 when the positioning equipment 10 has two belt conveyors 12.
As shown in Figure 11(A), the drone 2 uses a magnetic orientation sensor to orient the power receiving device 2a toward the X-direction moving plate 11 on the side to which the power supply device 6 is attached (the X-direction moving plate 11 on the right side of this figure) and lands on the landing platform 4.

The control device 8, after detecting the landing of the drone 2 via the communication device 17, moves the X-direction moving plate 11 to move the drone 2 (Figure 11(B)). It then moves the moving plate drive device 21 until it encloses both sides of the drone 2 (for example, until resistance is encountered in the movement of the chain rotation actuator 21c). As a result, as shown in Figure 11(C), with the power receiving device 2a facing to the right in the figure, the drone 2 is surrounded on the belt 12a by the pair of X-direction moving plates 11 and the horizontal moving fitting 24b. In this state, the drone 2's movement in the X direction is restricted by the pair of X-direction moving plates 11.

Next, the control device 8 drives the conveyor drive unit 22 to move the drone 2 in the Y direction along the X-direction moving plate 11. The horizontal moving fitting 24b protrudes inward in the X direction from the X-direction moving plate 11, blocking the drone 2 from moving in the Y direction, so the drone 2 does not fall from either end of the landing platform 4 in the Y direction. The control device 8 may also move the drone 2 horizontally to the power supply position 7 by repeatedly rotating the belt 12a in the forward and reverse directions until, for example, the power supply unit 6 and the power receiving unit 2a face each other or come into contact. For example, it is preferable to detect the face-to-face or contact between the power supply unit 6 and the power receiving unit 2a by detecting changes in the energization of the power supply unit 6 or changes in the magnitude of the magnetic field 35. When the control device 8 detects the face-to-face or contact between the power supply unit 6 and the power receiving unit 2a, it stops driving the conveyor drive unit 22 and starts power supply by the power supply unit 6.

Alternatively, as shown in Figures 11(E) and 11(F), two belt conveyors 12 may be arranged side by side in the Y direction. By rotating the belts 12a of the two belt conveyors 12 toward the Y-direction inward of the landing platform 4, the drone 2 will move to the joint 12b of the two belt conveyors 12, regardless of its position. In this example, since the power supply position 7 is the center M of the landing platform 4, the joint 12b of the two belt conveyors 12 is positioned at the center M of the landing platform 4. In this configuration, since the drone 2 moves to the power supply position 7 by rotating the belt 12a for a certain period of time, a detection mechanism for facing or contacting the power supply device 6 and the power receiving device 2a is unnecessary. The control device 8 determines that the drone 2 is at the power supply position 7 after rotating the belt 12a for a certain period of time and starts power supply by the power supply device 6.

In this embodiment, the power supply device 6 may be attached to the X-direction moving plate 11, as shown in this figure. Alternatively, the power supply device 6 may be located below the upper surface 4a of the landing pad 4, between the belts 12a of the belt conveyor 12, or below the joints 12b of the belt conveyor 12, as in the first embodiment.

With the configuration described above, the power supply drone port 1 of this embodiment does not need to limit the power supply position 7 to the center M of the landing platform 4. For example, depending on the environment in which the power supply drone port 1 is installed, the position of the power supply position 7 can be freely set to the center M of the landing platform 4 or to the end of the landing platform 4. Furthermore, the chain rotation actuator 21c is driven until the drone 2 is sandwiched between the pair of X-direction moving plates 11, and the chain rotation actuator 21c is stopped when the drone is sandwiched, so all drones 2 can be gathered at the power supply position 7 regardless of their size. The same applies when the drone 2 is sandwiched between the X-direction moving plate 11 and a fixed plate.
Other configurations and effects of this embodiment are the same as those of the first or third embodiment.

(Fifth Embodiment)
Figure 12 is a perspective view of the power supply drone port 1 of the fifth embodiment.
Figure 13 is a front view of the power supply drone port 1 of the fifth embodiment. Figure 13(A) shows the X-direction moving plate 11 in the standby position, and Figure 13(B) shows the X-direction moving plate 11 in the center position.
Figure 14 is a right-side cross-sectional view of the power supply drone port 1 of the fifth embodiment. Figure 14(A) is a view taken along the line C-C in Figure 13(B), and Figure 14(B) is an enlarged view of section D in Figure 14(A). Note that the fall prevention device 9 is omitted from these figures. Also, in Figure 14(B), the support base 5 and connecting fitting 5c are omitted from the figures.

In this embodiment, the landing pad 4, when viewed from above, has a shape having an X-side 4b that extends parallel to the horizontal X direction. The shape of the landing pad 4 when viewed from above may be a trapezoid, a parallelogram, or a rectangle.
The positioning equipment 10 of this embodiment is similar to that of the fourth embodiment in that it is movable horizontally along the upper surface 4a of the landing platform 4, both ends 11a are located outside the X opposite side 4b, and it has an X-direction moving plate 11. However, the shape of the X-direction moving plate 11 is different from that of the fourth embodiment.

As shown in Figure 12, the X-direction moving plates 11 of this embodiment are provided in pairs, and the central portion 11b of each X-direction moving plate 11 is bent outward in the X direction from the landing pad 4 than the ends 11a. In other words, when viewing the power supply drone port 1 in a plan view, the left X-direction moving plate 11, which is bent in the shape of an inequality sign "<" (less than), and the right X-direction moving plate 11, which is bent in the shape of an inequality sign ">" (greater than), face each other on the landing pad 4.

Both ends 11a of a pair of X-direction movable plates 11 are fixed to four horizontally movable fittings 24b that are movable in the X direction, as in the fourth embodiment, and are pulled by an endless chain 21b.
Furthermore, as shown in Figure 13, the pair of X-direction movable plates 11 are positioned alternately in the vertical direction. In addition, as shown in Figure 14(B), the two horizontal movable fittings 24b fixed to one of the pair of X-direction movable plates 11 are positioned further outward in the Y direction than the horizontal movable fittings 24b fixed to the other plate.

The mobile plate drive device 21 of this embodiment differs from the fourth embodiment in that it has a total of four guide rails 21a, two at each end of the power supply drone port 1 in the Y direction. In this figure, one of the four horizontal moving fittings 24b, the horizontal moving fitting 24b located inward in the Y direction, has a rotating roller 24c that can freely rotate on its outward side in the Y direction, and this rotating roller 24c rolls in the X direction within the groove of the guide rail 21a that opens inward in the Y direction. Similarly, a rotating roller 24c that is rotatably mounted on the inward side in the Y direction of the horizontal moving fitting 24b located outward in the Y direction is fitted into the guide rail 21a that opens outward in the Y direction, and rolls in the X direction within the groove of the guide rail 21a.
With this configuration, the moving plate drive device 21 moves the X-direction moving plates 11 inward in the X-direction of the landing platform 4 until the drone 2 is sandwiched between both of the pair of X-direction moving plates 11.
The other components of the movable plate drive device 21 are the same as in the fourth embodiment.

In this configuration, when the endless chain 21b rotates due to the drive of the chain rotation actuator 21c, the horizontal moving fitting 24b located inward in the Y direction and the horizontal moving fitting 24b located outward in the Y direction pass each other at the center in the Y direction. Because the heights at which the pair of X-direction moving plates 11 are installed are offset vertically, even when the horizontal moving fittings 24b pass each other, the X-direction moving plates 11 will not collide.

Next, the operation of the power supply drone port 1 in the fifth embodiment will be described. In this figure, the propellers of the drone 2 and the moving plate drive device 21 are omitted.
Figure 15 is an explanatory diagram of the operation of the power supply drone port 1 in the fifth embodiment. Time progresses from Figure 15(A) to Figure 15(D).
After the communication device 17 detects the landing of the drone 2, the control device 8 moves the pair of X-direction moving plates 11 inward in the X direction using the moving plate drive device 21. The control device 8 drives the chain rotation actuator 21c until the pair of X-direction moving plates 11 sandwich the drone 2, and stops the chain rotation actuator 21c when it senses that the pair of X-direction moving plates 11 have sandwiched the drone 2 from both sides. For example, the control device 8 may determine that the pair of X-direction moving plates 11 have sandwiched the drone 2 from both sides when resistance occurs in the movement of the chain rotation actuator 21c.

After stopping the chain rotation actuator 21c, power is supplied by the power supply device 6 as shown in Figure 15(D). After power supply is complete, the control device 8 reverses the rotation of the chain rotation actuator 21c, returning the X-direction moving plate 11 to its standby position.

With the configuration described above, by moving the pair of X-direction moving plates 11 inward in the X-direction, the drone 2 can be moved horizontally towards the center M of the landing platform 4 along the bent pair of X-direction moving plates 11, as shown in Figure 15(C). Since the pair of X-direction moving plates 11 are bent at the central portion 11b, the drone 2 can be enclosed on all four sides simply by moving the X-direction moving plates 11 in the X-direction and clamping them. Furthermore, because the X-direction moving plates 11 have no movable parts such as links, they are robust and resistant to breakage. Also, since the drive device for the positioning equipment 10 in this embodiment consists only of the chain rotation actuator 21c, it requires less power than the fourth embodiment. Additionally, since the chain rotation actuator 21c is driven until the X-direction moving plates 11 clamp the drone 2, all drones 2 can be gathered at the center M of the landing platform 4, regardless of their size, similar to the second and fourth embodiments.

In the fifth embodiment illustrated in the figure, the power supply device 6 is attached to the X-direction moving plate 11, and the power receiving device 2a is provided on the side of the drone 2. However, as in the first embodiment, the power supply device 6 may be provided on the landing platform 4, and the power receiving device 2a may be provided on the underside of the drone 2.
Other configurations and effects of this embodiment are the same as those of the fourth embodiment.

(Sixth Embodiment)
Figure 16 is a perspective view of the power supply drone port 1 of the sixth embodiment.
The power supply drone port 1 of this embodiment differs from other embodiments in that the power supply device 6 is movable.

In this embodiment, the landing pad 4, when viewed from above, has a shape with an X-sided side 4b extending parallel to the horizontal X-direction. For example, the shape of the landing pad 4 when viewed from above may be a trapezoid, a parallelogram, or a rectangle.

The positioning equipment 10 in this embodiment may be the same as that in the fourth embodiment, for example. That is, the positioning equipment 10 includes an X-direction moving plate, whose ends are located outside the X-sided 4b and which is horizontally movable along the upper surface 4a of the landing platform 4, and a moving plate drive device 21 that moves the X-direction moving plate 11 in the X direction to the power supply position 7. The X-direction moving plate 11 is preferably a plate extending linearly in the Y direction, as in the fourth embodiment, but it may also be a plate curved outward in the X direction.

The difference between the power supply drone port 1 of this embodiment and the power supply drone port 1 of the fourth embodiment is that, instead of having a belt conveyor 12 and a conveyor drive device 22, it has a power supply moving device 23.

The power supply movement device 23 is a device that moves the power supply device 6 along the X-direction movement plate 11.
The power supply and movement device 23 in this example has, for example, a linear guide 23a and a power supply and movement actuator 23b. The power supply and movement actuator 23b may have, for example, a ball screw 23c and a motor 23d, as shown in the figure. Alternatively, the power supply and movement actuator 23b may be a linear cylinder.

Next, the operation of the power supply drone port 1 in the sixth embodiment will be described.
Figure 17 is an explanatory diagram of the operation of the power supply drone port 1 in the sixth embodiment. Time progresses from Figure 17(A) to Figure 17(D). Also, the propellers of the drone 2 and the moving plate drive device 21 are omitted from this figure.
After the control device 8 detects the landing of the drone 2 using the communication device 17, it moves a pair of X-direction moving plates 11 inward in the X direction using the moving plate drive device 21 (Figures 17(A) and 17(B)). The drone 2 lands with the power receiving device 2a facing the X-direction moving plate 11 (the right-hand X-direction moving plate 11 in the figure) to which the power supply device 6 is attached, as determined by the magnetic orientation sensor. As the X-direction moving plates 11 sandwich the drone 2, the power receiving device 2a and the right-hand X-direction moving plate 11 in the figure become parallel (Figure 17(C)).

The control device 8 stops the chain rotation actuator 21c when it detects that the pair of X-direction moving plates 11 have gripped the drone 2 from both sides.
Next, the control device 8 drives the motor 23d of the power supply movement device 23 to move the power supply device 6 back and forth in the Y direction (Figure 17(C)), and stops the power supply device 6 at the position where the current flow between the power supply device 6 and the power receiving device 2a is greatest (Figure 17(D)). This position of the power supply device 6 is the power supply position 7. After that, the control device 8 starts supplying power from the power supply device 6 to the power receiving device 2a.

After power supply is terminated, the control device 8 reverses the rotation of the chain actuator 21c, returning the X-direction moving plate 11 to its standby position. It also drives the power supply moving device 23 to return the power supply device 6 to its original position.

With this configuration, the power supply drone port 1 of this embodiment can supply power to the power receiving device 2a with minimal movement of the drone 2.
Other configurations and effects of this embodiment are the same as those of the fourth embodiment.

According to the present invention described above, a power supply drone port 1 capable of supplying power to the drone 2 is installed on a power supply support pole 3, and power supply support poles 3 are installed throughout Japan. This allows the drone 2 to utilize the power supply drone ports 1 in various locations as relays, thereby enabling long-distance flight of the drone 2.

Furthermore, the power supply pole 3 is typically mounted at a height inaccessible to people H, preventing them from touching it. Since the power supply drone port 1 is attached to the upper end 3a of such a power supply pole 3, people H cannot reach the power supply drone port 1 either. This prevents the theft of the drone 2 and the cargo it carries, ensuring the safety of both the drone 2 and its cargo.

Furthermore, since the power supply pole 3 to which the power supply drone port 1 is attached already has a power supply, it can supply the power required for the power supply drone port 1 from the power supply pole 3 itself. Therefore, the cost of bringing electricity to the power supply drone port 1 can be kept low, transmission losses are minimal, and it is efficient.

Furthermore, since the power supply drone port 1 has positioning equipment 10, the position of the drone 2 during power supply can be precisely positioned at the power supply position 7. This allows the position of the power supply device 6 on the power supply drone port 1 and the position of the power receiving device 2a mounted on the drone 2 to be precisely facing or in contact with each other, thereby ensuring the charging efficiency as designed and reliably supplying power to the drone 2.

It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

1. Power supply drone port,
2. Drone, 2a. Power receiving device, 2b. Receiving coil,
2c Roller, 2d Leg,
3 energizing column, 3a upper end,
4. Landing platform, 4a. Top surface, 4b. X opposite side,
4c Y opposite side, 4d inclined surface,
5 Support stand, 5a Column attachment part, 5b Shape steel,
6 Power supply device, 6a Transmitter coil, 7 Power supply position,
8. Control device, 9. Fall prevention device,
10 Positioning equipment,
11 X-direction moving plate, 11a both ends, 11b central part,
12 Belt conveyor, 12a Belt, 12b Joint,
13 Horizontal movement unit, 14 Y-direction movement plate,
15. Connecting plate, 16. Hinge, 17. Communication device,
21. Moving plate drive device,
21a Guide rail, 21b Endless chain,
21c Chain rotation actuator,
21d axis, 22 conveyor drive device,
23 Power supply and moving device, 23a Linear guide,
23b Actuator for power supply and movement,
23c ball screw, 23d motor,
24 Unit drive device, 24a Drive plate,
24b Horizontal moving fitting, 24c Rotating roller,
25 Drive plate drive device, 25a Linear guide,
25b Ball screw drive device, 26 Transformer,
27 Lightning rod, 27a Ground wire,
28 Detachable hinge, 28a Pipe, 28b Shaft, 28c Knob,
29. Hinges, 30. Connecting devices, 31. Gap through which horizontal movement fittings pass,
35 Magnetic field, H (person), M (center of the upper surface of the landing pad)

Claims (5)

A landing platform on which drones can take off and land,
A power supply device that supplies power to the power receiving device of the drone mounted on the landing platform,
The system includes a positioning device for moving the drone or power supply device that has landed on the landing platform to a power supply position where the power supply device and the power receiving device face each other or come into contact,
The landing pad, when viewed from above, has a rectangular shape with opposite sides X extending parallel to the horizontal X direction and opposite sides Y extending parallel to the horizontal Y direction.
The power supply location is the center of the landing pad,
The positioning equipment is,
A pair of X-direction movable plates extending in the Y direction and movable horizontally in the X direction along the upper surface of the landing pad, with both ends located outside the opposite X side,
A pair of Y-direction movable plates extending in the X direction and movable horizontally in the Y direction along the upper surface of the landing pad,
A horizontal movement unit having four connecting plates that diagonally connect both ends of the X-direction movement plate and both ends of the Y-direction movement plate in a plan view,
It includes a unit drive device that drives the horizontal movement unit,
A drone port for power supply, wherein both ends of the X-direction movable plate, the Y-direction movable plate, and the connecting plate are connected by hinges so as to be freely rotatable around a vertical axis. The drone has the power receiving device on its side,
The power supply device is positioned at a distance above the upper surface of the landing pad and supplies power laterally toward the power receiving device, as described in claim 1 for a power supply drone port. The drone has the power receiving device on its underside,
The power supply device is provided on the landing platform at the power supply location and supplies power upward, as described in claim 1, for a power supply drone port. The aforementioned unit drive device is
Located between the landing platform and a support base fixed at a distance below the landing platform, a pair of drive plates are connected to both ends of a pair of X-direction moving plates so as to be freely rotatable about a vertical axis,
The power supply drone port according to claim 1, further comprising a drive plate drive device provided on the support base for synchronously driving a pair of drive plates horizontally in the X direction. The drone has at least one of the power supply drone ports described in any one of claims 1 to 4 as a relay point on the flight path of the drone to its destination.
A power supply drone port system that allows the drone to fly to the destination by charging it at a power supply drone port that serves as a relay point and replenishing power to the drone's battery.