INVESTIGATION OF A DISTRIBUTED SYSTEM OF CHARGING STATIONS FOR THE POWER SUPPLY OF A GROUP OF MULTICOPTER-TYPE UAVS

Abstract

Due to the accelerated growth in the use of groups of autonomously functioning unmanned
aerial vehicles (UAVs) in various environments, solving the problem of optimizing the functioning
of groups of such vehicles according to the criterion of the minimum energy consumed is an urgent
scientific task. In this article, a new approach is being developed to ensure energy saving of a
group of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) by using a distributed system of UAV charging modules
that provide the necessary versatility in servicing different types of vehicles. It is assumed that
the charging modules are installed at a subset of service stations, between which multicopter-type
UAVs ply, carrying out a cargo delivery mission. It is necessary to determine such a number and adirectly specified subset of service stations equipped with such modules that would deliver the
optimum of some quality functional characterizing the functioning of a group of UAVs. The article
suggests as such a functional the ratio of the number of UAVs that have successfully fulfilled the
tasks assigned to them for the delivery of goods to the number of stations with charging modules.
The model of UAV movement between destinations assumes taking into account not only the cruising
mode, but also the maneuvering of the device during takeoff and landing; the dependence of
the energy consumption rate on the current kinematic values of the device is also taken into account.
It is envisaged that the device will fall if it consumes energy below the maximum threshold
value. A simplified model of a service station with a charging module (CM) has been developed,
implying the replacement of discharged batteries. The waiting mode of the UAV in the queue is
taken into account. To study the developed algorithms for motion planning and choosing the optimal
distribution of charging modules across service stations, software based on the Unity environment
has been created and tested. The flexibility of the latter allows modeling various algorithms
of information interactions of elements within a group of UAVs, a group of CM, as well as
cross-interactions between UAVs and CM.