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Microsystems, Electronics and Acoustics
ISSN 2523-4447 · e‑ISSN 2523-4455 Open Access · CC BY-SA 4.0
Vol. 30 · Issue 2 · 2025 Aug 18, 2025 Electronic Systems and Signals

Tethered Drone Power Supply System with High-Voltage Intermediate Link

OS
Oleksii O. Skrypchynskyy Corresponding Національний технічний університет України «Київський політехнічний інститут імені Ігоря Сікорського» Ukraine
AB
Andrii Blinov Tallinn University of Technology Estonia
IV
Ievgen Volodymyrovych Verbytskyi Національний технічний університет України «Київський політехнічний інститут імені Ігоря Сікорського» Ukraine
Pages337641.1-337641.10 PublishedAug 18, 2025
PDF (Ukrainian)
VOL 30 · ISS 2 · 2025 View issue

Abstract

Existing tethered drones operate at low voltages of up to 43.2 V, which significantly reduces the length of the power cable and reduces the weight of the payload. The purpose of the work is is to calculate the power supply system of a tethered drone with an intermediate high-voltage link, based on which it is possible to provide a power cable weight close to the minimum, at a giv-en maximum flight altitude and a given motor thrust. A methodology for calculating the power supply system of a tethered drone with an intermediate high-voltage link is developed. Based on the analysis of the disadvantages and advantages of alternating and direct current electricity transmission, the principles of conductor insulation depending on the voltage level, and the determination of the current density through the conductor depending on the heat dissipation conditions, a mathematical model of the power supply system was developed, which allows to determine the operating volt-age of the cable, which, at a given drone power, provides close to the minimum cable weight for powering the tethered drone. Based on the developed mathematical model, the parameters of the power cable for low-, medium- and high-power drones are calculated and the calculation results are compared with a power supply voltage of 43.2 V.

Keywords

#ethered drone #XPLE cross-linked polyethylene-based insulation #power supply system with an intermediate high-voltage link

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