Dubai utility develops continuous drone charging system

Dubai Electricity and Water Authority’s (DEWA)’s research and development centre has registered a new patent for an unmanned aerial vehicle’s (UAV) charging system that enables continuous charging for UAVs.

It is designed to provide longer flying hours with a large storage capacity. This is in addition to improving the efficiency of charging and facilitating the charging process.

Induction charging

The system uses a group of UAVs to charge the main one through electromagnetic induction. It can be used for government, military, commercial, and personal operations.

The patent supports DEWA’s efforts to increase its UAV operations. These include automatic regular checking of photovoltaic modules at the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, the largest single-site solar park in the world using the Independent Power Producer (IPP) model.

DEWA uses UAVs to ensure solar photovoltaic panels are performing well. The new system enables longer working hours for UAVs, saves time and effort, increases productivity, and improves the accuracy of maintenance operations.

“We intend Dewa to keep pace with the Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies to shape the future and create a knowledge-based, competitive economy that uses innovation and future technologies”

The patent supports DEWA’s UAV fleet for its Sirb (Arabic for fleet) initiative.

“At Dewa, we work to include innovation in our different strategies and initiatives,” said Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, managing director and CEO of Dewa. “This is part of the Dubai 10X initiative launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, vice president and prime minister of the UAE and ruler of Dubai, which mandates the Government of Dubai to be a global leader that is 10 years ahead of all other cities through government innovation and the reformation of traditional work mechanisms.