Micro hybrid generator system drone

Abstract

An unmanned aerial vehicle comprising at least one rotor motor. The rotor motor is powered by a micro hybrid generation system. The micro hybrid generator system comprises a rechargeable battery configured to provide power to the at least one rotor motor, a small engine configured to generate mechanical power, a generator motor coupled to the small engine and configured to generate AC power using the mechanical power generated by the small engine, a bridge rectifier configured to convert the AC power generated by the generator motor to DC power and provide the DC power to either or both the rechargeable battery and the at least one rotor motor, and an electronic control unit configured to control a throttle of the small engine based, at least in part, on a power demand of at least one load, the at least one load including the at least one rotor motor.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . An unmanned aerial vehicle system comprising:
 an unmanned aerial vehicle comprising:
 a flight module comprising a rotor motor configured to drive rotation of a propeller of the unmanned aerial vehicle; 
   a mobile ground module detachably connected to the unmanned aerial vehicle; and   a hybrid energy generation system comprising:
 a rechargeable battery configured to provide electrical energy to one or more of the rotor motor and the mobile ground module; 
 an engine configured to generate mechanical energy; and 
 a generator configured to convert the mechanical energy generated by the engine into electrical energy, the generator being electrically connected to one or more of the rechargeable battery, the rotor motor, and the mobile ground module. 
   
     
     
         3 . The unmanned aerial vehicle system of  claim 2 , comprising a tether connecting the mobile ground module to the unmanned aerial vehicle. 
     
     
         4 . The unmanned aerial vehicle system of  claim 3 , in which the generator is electrically connected to the mobile ground module via the tether. 
     
     
         5 . The unmanned aerial vehicle system of  claim 2 , in which the mobile ground module is operable when electrically disconnected from the unmanned aerial vehicle. 
     
     
         6 . The unmanned aerial vehicle system of  claim 2 , in which the mobile ground module includes the hybrid energy generation system. 
     
     
         7 . The unmanned aerial vehicle system of  claim 2 , in which the unmanned aerial vehicle includes the hybrid energy generation system. 
     
     
         8 . The unmanned aerial vehicle system of  claim 2 , in which the mobile ground module comprises a leg wheel motion system. 
     
     
         9 . The unmanned aerial vehicle system of  claim 2 , in which the mobile ground module comprises a threaded base motion system. 
     
     
         10 . The unmanned aerial vehicle system of  claim 2 , in which the mobile ground module comprises a mobile robot. 
     
     
         11 . The unmanned aerial vehicle system of  claim 2 , wherein the hybrid energy generation system comprises a flexible coupling device that directly couples a rotor of the engine to the generator. 
     
     
         12 . The unmanned aerial vehicle system of  claim 11 , in which the flexible coupling device comprises a heat transfer element disposed between the engine and the generator. 
     
     
         13 . A method of operating an unmanned aerial vehicle system, the method comprising:
 operating a hybrid energy generation system to generate electrical energy, comprising:
 generating mechanical energy in an engine of the hybrid energy generation system; 
 in a generator of the hybrid energy generation system, converting the mechanical energy generated by the engine into electrical energy; and 
 providing at least some of the electrical energy produced by the generator to a rechargeable battery of the hybrid energy generation system; 
   providing electrical energy from one or more of the generator and the rechargeable battery to a flight module of an unmanned aerial vehicle, the flight module comprising a rotor motor configured to drive rotation of a propeller of the unmanned aerial vehicle; and   providing electrical energy from one or more of the generator and the rechargeable battery to a mobile ground module detachably connected the unmanned aerial vehicle.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , in which providing electrical energy to a mobile ground module comprises providing electrical energy to the mobile ground module via a tether. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , comprising controlling the mobile ground module to autonomously detach from the flight module. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , in which the mobile ground module comprises the hybrid energy generation system, and in which controlling the mobile ground module to autonomously detach from the flight module comprises controlling the mobile ground module including the hybrid energy generation system to autonomously detach from the flight module. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13 , controlling the hybrid energy generation system to autonomously detach from the flight module. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 13 , comprising cooling the hybrid energy generation system by a heat transfer system included in a flexible coupling device that directly couples a rotor of the engine to the generator. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 13 , comprising operating the mobile ground module when the mobile ground module is electrically disconnected from the hybrid energy generation system.