Skydio's Streamlined docking stations Keep Drones Charged and in Flight

[upnorth]

Content source

https://newatlas.com/drones/skydios-streamlined-docking-stations-dock-lite/

Today's autonomous drones are capable of impressive feats, and a system that enables them to also handle the recharging process without human intervention could keep them working wonders around the clock. Startup Skydio’s latest approach to this kind of functionality involves affordable and compact base stations that can be deployed in a variety of settings, as it looks to put self-charging drones in the hands of more and more users.

Drones that can return to a dock, charge up, and return to work could mean big things for applications like agriculture, disaster scenarios, surveillance or any long-term operation where an aircraft is only being hauled in due to its depleted batteries.

In 2019, Skydio introduced a self-charging station for drones that used a motorized arm to pull a drone in to recharge its batteries once it lands. Three years on it is laying out a new vision for these self-sufficient aircraft, introducing the shiny new Skydio Dock and Dock Lite, billed as the smallest, lightest and smartest cloud-connected base stations for drones on the market. The functionality appears quite similar to the self-charging stations Skydio introduced in 2019, making use of a motorized arm that extends to offer a landing zone for the drone. Skydio’s artificial intelligence guides the drones throughout their journey and the docking process.

There’s no word yet on pricing or commercial availability for the new Skydio docks, but the company is rolling out the technology through an early adoption program with the North Carolina Department of Transportation and Japanese firm Obayashi Construction, among others.

Skydio's streamlined docking stations keep drones charged and in flight

Today's autonomous drones are capable of impressive feats, and a system that enables them to also handle the recharging process without human intervention could keep them working wonders around the clock. Startup Skydio’s latest approach to this kind of functionality involves affordable and compact…

newatlas.com