The use of drones in military environments has become increasingly essential, offering uncrewed advantages in surveillance, reconnaissance, and combat operations, on the land, in the air and at sea. However, powering and charging these uncrewed vehicles presents significant challenges that can impact their effectiveness in the field. Addressing issues related to battery management, charging logistics, and energy efficiency is crucial for maintaining the operational readiness of military drones.
In this article we will consider the challenges and then look at a solution offered by Galvion, a world leader in the design and manufacture of integrated power and data management solutions. Galvion’s Nerv Centr® MAX-8 Mission Adaptive Charging Station™ helps to solve several of the challenges described in this article, with drone specific adapters allowing for the Max-8 system to be effectively integrated with any drone system.
Battery Management and Longevity
One of the primary challenges in powering military drones is battery management. Most drones rely on lithium-ion batteries, and like any battery, are limited by their energy density and operating time. In combat zones, drones need to operate for extended periods, often in remote or hostile environments, where recharging options are limited, and the function of charging can put lives at risk. Battery capacity constraints can reduce mission duration, forcing operators to frequently retrieve drones for recharging, which interrupts operations and increases that operator risk.
Additionally, extreme temperatures encountered in military environments, such as deserts or arctic regions, can degrade battery performance. Cold conditions can reduce battery capacity, while high temperatures may cause overheating, leading to potential safety hazards and reduced battery lifespan. Effective thermal management systems are essential to mitigate these issues, but they add complexity and weight to the drone design. Flexibility in effective charging solutions can mitigate against these challenges by using a battery management system that enables multiple batteries to be kept “at the ready” with intelligent, bulk charging.
Provision of Charge and Logistics
The logistics of charging drones in the field is another critical challenge. Unlike traditional vehicles, drones require specialized charging infrastructure, which may not be readily available in combat zones. The need for portable and reliable charging solutions is essential, especially for tactical units operating in remote locations. Current solutions include solar-powered charging stations, power harvested from other systems (such as vehicles, ships or aircraft) portable fuel cells, and generator-based systems, but each comes with trade-offs in terms of portability, weight, and energy output.
Another logistic challenge is ensuring the availability of spare batteries and replacement parts. Military drones often operate far from supply depots, requiring efficient supply chains to ensure continuous operation. Effective charging systems reduce the need for additional and spare batteries.
Lessons from Operational Use
Lessons learned from current military drone operations highlight the importance of innovation in energy and charge solutions. For example, the U.S. Navy has been exploring the use of hydrogen fuel cells for longer endurance in maritime drones, while the U.S. Army is testing hybrid-electric systems to extend flight times. In most cases, a battery of some kind is still required. The integration of renewable energy sources, such as onboard solar panels, is also being researched to provide drones with a continuous power supply, especially for long-duration surveillance missions. Intelligent and adaptable charging systems form part of the current innovation drive, and such systems are now being included as part of the ‘tool kit’ that comes with uncrewed systems.
The challenges of powering military drones are multifaceted, involving battery management, charging logistics, and the need for innovative energy provision and charging solutions. As drone technology continues to advance, addressing these challenges will be critical to ensuring that drones remain a reliable asset in military operations across land, air, and sea domains. To effectively charge on the battlefield, the users need to have the ability to gather power from multiple sources – vehicles, aircraft, ships, NATO slave sources, AC, solar, and anywhere else where power can be harvested.
Galvion’s Nerv Centr® MAX-8 Mission Adaptive Charging Station™
Galvion’s Nerv Centr® MAX-8 Mission Adaptive Charging Station™ was originally developed to provide intelligent, adaptable, and flexible charging for the dismounted soldier, enabling effective power management for their soldier worn systems. The Max-8 has now been adapted to address some of the challenges faced by operational military drones and can provide immediate, intelligent and adaptable charging for uncrewed system batteries, in any environment.
Galvion’s Nerv Centr® MAX-8™ is a battle-proven portable charging solution built to withstand the harsh conditions of expeditionary operations, where uncrewed drone operations are becoming increasingly vital. With the ability to draw power from multiple sources, including AC, solar, vehicle, ship or aircraft, the MAX-8 battery adapters offer the ability to charge different types of drone and other batteries simultaneously, with no setting changes needed. The Max-8 has two intelligent user-selectable modes: 1) the system intuitively tops off the fullest battery first – ensuring the fastest route to a ready-now battery, and then directs remaining available power to charge the next fullest battery, and so-on. Or, 2) Simultaneous mode, where available power is distributed evenly across the system to ensure each connected battery is receiving charging. This mode is useful when multiple battery types are being charged at once, and batteries need to be more quickly distributed to different platforms or operators, without prioritizing a specific battery.
Already being supplied as part of the ancillary tools and equipment that is delivered with the uncrewed aircraft systems of US tech company, AeroVironment, Galvion’s MAX-8™ has been integrated to deliver intelligent and adaptable charging for AV’s UAS battery systems. Following close collaboration and extensive testing, Galvion successfully designed a universal adapter that enables the MAX-8 to interface across AV’s small uncrewed aircraft systems (SUAS). Galvion and AV will collaborate on future UAS charging solutions to meet evolving needs and drive continued product innovation.
Galvion is actively expanding its MAX-8 adapter offering to provide solutions that support the growing number of fielded systems with disparate charging needs systems. Collaboration with organizations that are developing and delivering these battery powered drones to design charging solutions that offer seamless integration and optimal efficiency for their systems means less downtime, increased runtime/flight time, and an ability to support multiple drone systems with one charging solution.
For more information: Nerv Centr Mission Adaptive Charging Station™ | Galvion
