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Feasibility study of microwave wireless powered flight for micro air vehicles

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 November 2017

Kohei Shimamura ,
Hironori Sawahara ,
Akinori Oda ,
Shunsuke Minakawa ,
Sei Mizojiri ,
Satoru Suganuma ,
Koichi Mori  and
Kimiya Komurasaki
Kohei Shimamura*
Affiliation:
Department of Engineering Mechanics and Energy, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1, Tennodai, Tsukuba 305-8573, Japan. Phone: +81 29 853 5267
Hironori Sawahara
Affiliation:
Department of Advanced Energy, The University of Tokyo, 5-1-5 Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa 277-8561, Japan
Akinori Oda
Affiliation:
Department of Advanced Energy, The University of Tokyo, 5-1-5 Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa 277-8561, Japan
Shunsuke Minakawa
Affiliation:
Department of Engineering Mechanics and Energy, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1, Tennodai, Tsukuba 305-8573, Japan. Phone: +81 29 853 5267
Sei Mizojiri
Affiliation:
Department of Engineering Mechanics and Energy, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1, Tennodai, Tsukuba 305-8573, Japan. Phone: +81 29 853 5267
Satoru Suganuma
Affiliation:
Department of Engineering Mechanics and Energy, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1, Tennodai, Tsukuba 305-8573, Japan. Phone: +81 29 853 5267
Koichi Mori
Affiliation:
Department of Aerospace Engineering, Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa, Nagoya 464-8603, Japan
Kimiya Komurasaki
Affiliation:
Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8656, Japan
*
Corresponding author: K. Shimamura Email: shimamura@kz.tsukuba.ac.jp
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Abstract

New small unmanned air vehicles designated as micro air vehicles (MAVs) are increasingly attractive for research, environmental observation, and commercial purposes. As described herein, the feasibility of a system for wireless power transmission via microwaves for MAVs was investigated. For its light weight and flexibility, a textile-based rectenna was proposed for microwave wireless power transmission of MAVs. To investigate bending effects on radiation performance, a microstrip patch antenna with a 5.8 GHz left-hand circular polarization was developed on a textile substrate. The antenna return loss, 20 dB, increased slightly with the antenna bending angle. An axial ratio <3 dB was maintained when the antenna bend angle was <30°. A rectification circuit was formed on the back side felt with sandwiched copper foil as a ground plate. Its weight per unit area was 0.08 g/m2, with maximum rectification efficiency of 58% with 100 Ω load at 63 mW input power. The average and maximum total transmission efficiency using the 5.8 GHz multiple rectenna with a 2.45 GHz retrodirective system were, respectively, 0.44 and 0.60%. The possibility and feasibility of microwave power transmission system using the textile-based rectenna were evaluated.

Keywords

Wireless power transferRFIDEnergy harvestingRectenna
Type
Research Article
Information
Wireless Power Transfer , Volume 4 , Special Issue 2: Contactless Charging for Electric Vehicles , September 2017 , pp. 146 - 159
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2017 

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