[blackwasp]

Amazon has been granted a patent in the US for a drone with which, it plans to solve the charging problems of electric vehicles. The autonomous drone, with its batteries charged, will land on an electrical vehicle while moving and recharge the vehicle's batteries. The company had applied for this patent back in 2014.

If the EV is unable to reach its destination, then upon requesting the server, a drone will be dispatched towards the car. Details of the patent reveal that a docking mechanism will be affixed to the top of the car. The drone will identify the correct car and latch itself to the vehicle on the go. It will then transfer the charge from itself to the car without needing the vehicle to stop. Once done, the drone will fly back to its charging station.

The patent documentation reveals multiple latching mechanisms, including a retractable one and a clamp mounted one. However, it must be noted that this drone can only provide a top up to make sure the car reaches the next charger safely. It is not yet clear whether Amazon will produce a product based on this idea.



The patent can be seen here.

Link to Team-BHP News

[srishiva]

Hmm.. What a brilliant idea. I hope they have also applied for a patent wherein the drones could replace the batteries that are mounted on top the cars. That could be faster than charging !
Not sure even if they are going to actually build something on these lines.

[abhishek46]

All good and fine.
However, this sounds a bit too conventional.
Far too much energy will be wasted trying to ship the heavy battery over by air to the vehicle's position.

Electric vehicle infrastructure should incorporate wireless charging of some some sorts, which will enable EVs to pick up charge wireless-ly at stationary points in the City, like say at traffic signals, slow moving lanes, parking spots etc.
Sort of a, Charge-as-you-Go.

A Wired rudimentary system could be a extendable panto-graph, which will take electricity from overhead lines, and retract itself when batteries are full.