Accumulator and battery technology calculation issues.

[Ivan Tuzikov]

Good whatever time of day it is where you are!

 

Is it possible to create hummingbird-like (3 to 5 grams) or canary-like (12 to 29 grams) flying autonomous surveillance drone with camera and microphone which:

can fly to the designated area of interest and spy for decades, e.g. 50 years (by periodically flying to unpopulated safe area in order to go to hibernation mode to recharge quantum battery by means of betavoltaic cell and then upload captured footage to satellite, then resume surveillance activity and so on).

Possible technologies of autonomous batteries and accumulators that I’ve found are these:

http://www.betavoltaic.co.uk/trickle_charge.html

http://techon.nikkeibp.co.jp/english/NEWS_EN/20140224/335902/

http://phys.org/news/2012-08-nanotritium-battery-good-twenty-years.html )

 

Rough and early example of such drone is already made: http://www.avinc.com/nano . But this variant has no: trickle charging capabilities, means for satellite communication and is radiocontrolled (not autonomous).

 

I’ve found some figures:

1. Concerning betavoltaic technology: Tritium maximum specific power is 0.33 W/g and 12.33 years half-life; Ni-63 has 100.1 years half-life but maximum specific power is only 0.006 W/g.
2. Concerning quantum battery (imho, as a most advanced up-to-date) I’ve unfortunately found data https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rechargeable_battery#Common_types only about: Voltage 1.5-3 V; Energy density 500 Wh/L ; Power 8000 W/L; number of charge/discharge cycles : 100 000.

 

Would you please help me with rough calculations or estimation so that I could understand if such concept (especially about operation for decades) is actually possible?

P.S. what I can’t calculate is the possibility of constant trickle charging. Will it be quick enough to compensate self-discharge of common accumulator when the drone will be in hibernation mode?

 

Great thanks in advance for your time!

Edited January 4, 2016 by Ivan Tuzikov

[Sensei]

Do you have any idea how much power is needed to send data to satellite?

See mobile phones, what they have range..

See WiFi routers, what they have range.

Approximately 100 meters in free from buildings area.

And they are connected to AC mains. So they don't need to worry about energy consumption. And still their range is very low.

 

For the same reason, radio controlled devices like drone have range limit.

 

Have a read here f.e.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antenna_%28radio%29

 

Also inverse square law

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inverse-square_law

 

The smaller power can be used when there is used directional antenna, but this requires knowing exactly where is object that should receive our signal.

Precision to mili meters is needed and antenna must have their own motors to control axes.

Edited January 5, 2016 by Sensei

[Ivan Tuzikov]

Well, OK, and what about the longevity of batteries? Can someone share any ideas based on given links and figures?

Edited January 5, 2016 by Ivan Tuzikov

[Ivan Tuzikov]

I've found some answers. No more replies are required.

[Enthalpy]

Do you have any idea how much power is needed to send data to satellite?

 

Half a watt is enough, observed in AM with a dumb receiver and one non-directional antenna. With proper modulation techniques, few mW suffice.

 

That's why companies propose and experiment presently bidirectional Internet access via satellites.

 

Radiocomm is a field for experts. Communication with satellites is much easier than on the ground because the ground attenuates a lot.