Invertible drone for selective power capture
AssigneeQUALCOMM Incorporated
InventorWilliam Henry Von Novak
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Various embodiments include methods for operating a photovoltaic-powered drone having a photovoltaic surface on one side of at least one of wing or fuselage body of the drone. The method may include determining a flight attitude for the drone based on a first drone attitude for optimizing light energy harvesting by the photovoltaic surface and a second drone attitude for minimizing power expenditure by an onboard propulsion system of the drone to reach a designated destination. The method may include flying the drone in the determined flight attitude while converting light into electricity en route to the designated destination.
Claims10
A non-transitory processor-readable storage medium having stored thereon processor-executable instructions configured to cause a processor of a drone having photovoltaic cells on at least one side of the drone (the “photovoltaic surface”) to perform operations, comprising:
- determining, by the processor of the drone, a flight attitude for the drone based on one or more of a first drone attitude and a second drone attitude,
- wherein in the first drone attitude, more light energy is harvested by the drone as compared to when in the drone is in the second drone attitude, and
- wherein in the second drone attitude, power expenditure by an onboard propulsion system of the drone is reduced as compared to when the drone is in the first drone attitude;
- and
- flying the drone, by the processor controlling the drone, in the determined flight attitude while converting light into electricity en route to a designated destination.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.