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A Comprehensive Review of Advancements in Powering and Charging Systems for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

Harsh Abhinandan, Aditya Dhanraj, Aryan Katoch, R. Raja Singh

TL;DR

This review surveys the current landscape of UAV power and recharging technologies, comparing power sources from batteries and fuel cells to combustion and solar options, and detailing on-ground and wireless replenishment methods. It emphasizes wireless power transfer—both near-field and far-field—as a leading path to unattended, extended flight, while acknowledging challenges in misalignment, safety, and efficiency. The article also covers critical enabling technologies, including converter topologies, BMS, and path/fleet management, and identifies broad challenges spanning technical, economic, and socio-technical dimensions. The authors advocate for robust WPT designs, compact and efficient power electronics, intelligent BMS, and integrated charging networks as essential for scalable, long-duration UAV deployments. The work aims to guide researchers, engineers, and policymakers toward practical, safe, and scalable solutions for autonomous aerial power systems.

Abstract

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) or drones have witnessed a spectacular surge in applications for military, commercial, and civilian purposes. However, their potential for flight is always limited by the finite power budget of their onboard power supplies. The limited flight time problem has led to intensive research into new sources of power and innovative charging strategies to enable protracted, autonomous flight. This paper gives a comparative summary of the current state-of-the-art in UAV power and refuelling technology. The paper begins with an analysis of the variety of energy sources, from classical batteries to fuel cells and hybrid systems, based on their relative advantages and disadvantages in energy density, weight, and safety. Subsequently, the review explores a spectrum of replenishment options, from simple manual battery swapping to sophisticated high-tech automatic docking stations and smart contact-based charging pads. Most of the review is dedicated to the newer technology of wireless power transfer, which involves near-field (inductive, capacitive) and far-field (laser, microwave) technology. The article also delves into the most important power electronic converter topologies, battery management systems, and control approaches that form the core of these charging systems. Finally, it recapitulates the most significant challenges in technical, economic, and social aspects for promising avenues of future research. The comprehensive review is a valuable guide for researchers, engineers, and policymakers striving to enhance UAV operational performance.

A Comprehensive Review of Advancements in Powering and Charging Systems for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

TL;DR

This review surveys the current landscape of UAV power and recharging technologies, comparing power sources from batteries and fuel cells to combustion and solar options, and detailing on-ground and wireless replenishment methods. It emphasizes wireless power transfer—both near-field and far-field—as a leading path to unattended, extended flight, while acknowledging challenges in misalignment, safety, and efficiency. The article also covers critical enabling technologies, including converter topologies, BMS, and path/fleet management, and identifies broad challenges spanning technical, economic, and socio-technical dimensions. The authors advocate for robust WPT designs, compact and efficient power electronics, intelligent BMS, and integrated charging networks as essential for scalable, long-duration UAV deployments. The work aims to guide researchers, engineers, and policymakers toward practical, safe, and scalable solutions for autonomous aerial power systems.

Abstract

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) or drones have witnessed a spectacular surge in applications for military, commercial, and civilian purposes. However, their potential for flight is always limited by the finite power budget of their onboard power supplies. The limited flight time problem has led to intensive research into new sources of power and innovative charging strategies to enable protracted, autonomous flight. This paper gives a comparative summary of the current state-of-the-art in UAV power and refuelling technology. The paper begins with an analysis of the variety of energy sources, from classical batteries to fuel cells and hybrid systems, based on their relative advantages and disadvantages in energy density, weight, and safety. Subsequently, the review explores a spectrum of replenishment options, from simple manual battery swapping to sophisticated high-tech automatic docking stations and smart contact-based charging pads. Most of the review is dedicated to the newer technology of wireless power transfer, which involves near-field (inductive, capacitive) and far-field (laser, microwave) technology. The article also delves into the most important power electronic converter topologies, battery management systems, and control approaches that form the core of these charging systems. Finally, it recapitulates the most significant challenges in technical, economic, and social aspects for promising avenues of future research. The comprehensive review is a valuable guide for researchers, engineers, and policymakers striving to enhance UAV operational performance.

Paper Structure

This paper contains 15 sections, 3 figures, 3 tables.

Table of Contents

  1. Introduction
  2. Power Sources for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
  3. On-Ground Replenishment Strategies
  4. Docking Stations and Automated Battery Swapping
  5. Wired/Contact-Based Charging Stations
  6. Wireless Power Transfer for UAVs
  7. Near-Field WPT
  8. Far-Field WPT and New Ideas
  9. Critical Technologies and Topologies in Charging Systems
  10. Converter Topologies
  11. Battery Management Systems (BMS)
  12. Path Planning and Navigation to Charging
  13. Fleet and Network Management
  14. Challenges, Gaps in Research, and Future Directions
  15. Conclusion

Figures (3)

  • Figure 1: Illustrative representation of various UAV types deployed across multiple domains, including agriculture, logistics, and surveillance applications ref_bongomin2024uav.
  • Figure 2: Perspective flow chart.
  • Figure 3: An illustrative diagram of wireless power transfer for drones, showing a quadcopter equipped with receiving coils aligned over a wireless charging station with transmitting coils for inductive energy transfer ref_augccal2024novel.