A hybrid unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) 100 comprises a body with at least one battery 120 disposed in a dedicated space of the body and at least one electrical motor for operating at least one propeller 110 of the UAV. The at least one electrical motor is configured to operate on the energy provided by the at least one battery. The UAV comprises a liquid or gaseous fuel powered, and liquid cooled power generator for charging the at least one battery. A coolant circulator pump circulates liquid coolant of the power generator and a radiator 115 is configured to transfer thermal energy from the liquid coolant to air passing through the radiator. The UAV further comprises a configurable deflector frame 170 disposed adjacent to the radiator and configured to deflect the heated air flow from the radiator. The deflector frame is selectively configurable for deflecting said heated air flow away from the body of the UAV when ambient temperature is in a first temperature range in which performance of the at least one battery is at or near nominal, and for deflecting said heated air flow towards said dedicated space for warming up the at least one battery when ambient temperature is in a second temperature range in which performance of the at least one battery would otherwise become lowered, wherein the second temperature range is below said first temperature range.
Hybrid unmanned aerial vehicle
2020-11-04
Patent
Electronic Resource
English