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Drones that recharge directly on transmission lines

ycombinator.com

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Re: Drones that recharge directly on transmission lines

#41

Post by Analemma_ »

ceejayoz wrote: post #5
lkbm wrote: post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'd assume otherwise you have to have a way for the drones to meter their usage and pay the power company. It will likely make power theft easier, but it seems entirely viable to have an account with the power company where you report "I drew X joules from line Y" and for them to bill appropriately.

That seems entirely unviable to me. Have you met… people? “Trust me, bro!” is something I wish my power company would do, but they installed a meter instead.

B2B transactions like this are handled fine with contracts and lawyers all the time, I doubt it would be an issue. In the worst case, the utility could own the recharging module on the drone, just like they own your power meter.

Re: Drones that recharge directly on transmission lines

#42

Post by Animats »

ck2 wrote: post #7

I remember a demo where fluorescent tubes will glow, sometimes brightly, near high-power transmission lines

Yes. That should be done along hiking and biking trails under power lines. There's one in Silicon Valley along the bay shore line. The fluorescent tubes don't wear out; the filaments at the end are not in use. Just slip them inside polycarbonate tubes.

Re: Drones that recharge directly on transmission lines

#45

Post by HelloUsername »

anfractuosity wrote: post #28

Remember seeing this a little while ago too - https://www.fastcompany.com/91089861/this-genius-vampire-dro... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C-uekD6VTIQ has a video of their drone on a power line.

Discussed april/may 2024

"'Vampire drone' can leech electricity from power lines to live forever" https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=40317484

"Autonomous Overhead Powerline Recharging for Uninterrupted Drone Operations" https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=39945733

Re: Drones that recharge directly on transmission lines

#46

Post by rightbyte »

bri3d wrote: post #35
ceejayoz wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That seems entirely unviable to me. Have you met… people? “Trust me, bro!” is something I wish my power company would do, but they installed a meter instead.

Unmetered electric service based on "trust me bro" is actually the default (at least in the US) for a huge variety of devices, like streetlights, cell towers mounted to electric poles, public irrigation systems, etc etc. Almost every US utility has a "UM" process to self-assess an unmetered load's consumption and be billed. So, yes, it's not only viable but widespread.

> Unmetered electric service based on "trust me bro" is actually the default (at least in the US) for a huge variety of devices

I wouldn't talk too loud about this or you will ruin it for all of us. If I discover the street lights on my street mine botcoins I will blame you.

Re: Drones that recharge directly on transmission lines

#48

Post by chrneu »

pix128 wrote: post #39
BXLE_1-1-BitIs1 wrote: post #38

This will open a giant can of worms. Hobbyists, bad actors and military will be taking advantage.

Maybe it'll lead the US burying their power lines

lol never gonna happen.

I live in the PNW of the US where many fires have been started by transformers exploding or whatnot.

Basically every community that has a fire as a result of transmission lines rebuilds them above ground/on poles. Just last month I was going through Detroit, Oregon and their 2-3 year old power lines were all down because of the wind storm. Detroit had a transformer explode a few years ago and it took out much of the community. They immediately rebuilt above ground.

They'll rebuild them on poles again.

Re: Drones that recharge directly on transmission lines

#49

Post by chrneu »

mikrl wrote: post #6

If this works via induction could you even eliminate the need for the drones to land? Assuming flight conditions are good, there would be a region around the wire (line of charge) with an electric/magnetic field that the drones could use, any shielding notwithstanding.

iirc efficiency loss in wireless energy transmission is exponential? someone correct me. But basically after just a few mm the losses are so great that the amount of electricity needed becomes ridiculously wasteful.

to power a running drone at more than a few inches would be just...a lot.

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