Exabotix EB-Copterport

Exabotix has developed a climate-controlled hangar designed to support drones year-round. This hangar not only charges the drones but also receives transmitted data and includes a built-in weather station to assess flight conditions. Drones autonomously take off from the open flight deck, following pre-programmed flight paths, while remaining safely stored in the closed hangar between missions.

The Challenge

Exabotix faced a challenge in ensuring that their Mercury-Drohne, which performs round-the-clock missions autonomously, was always charged and ready to go. To complete the autonomous process, they required a reliable charging solution that could be stationed in the hangar.

Skycharge 750W charging system connected to BOLOGNINI S1 docking system for automatic docking & charging

The solution

To meet this need, Exabotix implemented the Skycharge 750W system along with the BOLOGNINI S1 platform. The 25g Skycharge Sink LIGHT onboard payload was easily accommodated by the Mercury-Drohne, which can handle a maximal payload capacity of 3.5Kg. The BOLOGNINI platform has been installed inside the hangar and connected to the Skycharge Source 750W.

Exabotix EB-Copterport (courtesy of Exabotix GmbH)

The Results

with the integration of the Skycharge 750W system Exabotix's Mercury-Drohne was able to achieve automatic battery charging within 2.5 hours. The release of the Skycharge 1500W system allows full charging of Exabotix's 22,000 mAh batteries in approximately 60 minutes.

The use of the BOLOGNINI contact solution enables the Mercury-Drohne to initiate charging upon landing, irrespective of its position or orientation on the BOLOGNINI platform. Moreover, the BOLOGNINI S1 platform facilitates the integration of additional drone models with differing footprints.