High efficiency voltage doubler for unmanned multi-rotor helicopter power supply

During the last few years unmanned multi-rotor helicopters are getting ubiquitous due to their low cost and efficiency. The power supply of these machines is lacking behind as are doing many other modules in the avionics as well and users are suffering from being unable to utilize fully the capabilities of these modern aircraft.

In order to increase flight times, high efficiency power supplies are needed. Current models of lower class use passive power supplies with efficiencies in the range of 50%. More common among expensive models are inductive power supplies. The latter ones offer efficiencies from 70% to 95%. The upper limit is hardly achievable and also these power supplies suffer from a number of drawbacks such as electromagnetic interference, high frequency operation, weight, form factor, etc.

The present article demonstrates a capacitive voltage doubler especially designed for unmanned multi-rotor helicopters with efficiency of over 98% and very small dimensions and weight. The lack of inductors and low working frequency guarantee almost none electromagnetic interference to other modules of the avionics.