WiBotic Launches Cutting-Edge Charges and Transmitters for Drones and Autonomous Mobile Robots

WiBotic’s expertise in developing effective charging solutions for robots that operate in various situations, including the harshest, is demonstrated by these products.

FREMONT, CA: WiBotic, a Seattle-based company specializing in advanced charging and power optimization solutions for the rapidly growing ecosystem of aerial, marine, mobile, space, and industrial robots, has announced several new cutting-edge chargers and transmitters for drones and autonomous mobile robots. WiBotic’s expertise in developing effective charging solutions for robots that operate in various situations, including the harshest, is demonstrated by these products.

Paul Wiener, VP of Strategic Marketing at GaN Systems, congratulated WiBotic on the announcement: “These new products are just as exciting for GaN Systems as they are for WiBotic. We continue to believe the market for high-power wireless charging systems is going to explode in the coming years and companies like WiBotic are going to lead the way through the use of GaN technology.”

The following are some of the new products:

Onboard charger OC-262: The OC-262 is a ruggedized onboard charger that was originally created for the Department of Defense but is now being made available to the general public in response to consumer demand. The OC-262 provides major benefits to customers in the oil and gas, mining, construction, maritime exploration, and agriculture industries, as passive cooling is particularly advantageous in severe settings where water, dust, filth, and corrosion are key problems.

The OC-262 has no moving parts, supports all popular robot battery chemistries, and pairs with a weatherproof receiver antenna for a complete outdoor solution, delivering up to 300W of power.

The OC-262 is now available in two models:

An IP20-rated ST model for applications that require passive cooling but are more exposed to the elements.

For usage in outdoor or harsh settings, a WP variant with an IP67 rating is available.

Onboard Charger OC-150: The OC-150 is a tiny and lightweight onboard charger designed for UAVs and smaller robots that produces up to 150W of total power and up to 10A of current depending on battery voltage. It supports several battery chemistries and has an output voltage range of 9V to 58.5V, just like other OCs.

TR-150 Transmitter: The TR-150 is a small transmitter that uses high-efficiency GaN transistors from WiBotic partner GaN Systems. It is primarily intended for use with the new OC-150 onboard charger, although it works with all WiBotic OCs in various robot fleets. Its new GaN-driven power amplifier, which can deliver up to 150W of power, has a remarkable 95 percent efficiency, resulting in end-to-end wireless power system efficiencies of 85 percent or more.

TR-300 Transmitter: The TR-300 is a tiny wireless power transmitter that uses GaN Systems' technology for optimal efficiency, just like the TR-150. When combined with WiBotic's OC-262 or OC-301 onboard chargers, the TR-300 provides the same fundamental benefits as the TR-150 while also delivering up to 300W of power.

“When it comes to power delivery for autonomous drones and mobile robots, it’s crucial to innovate with new technologies such as GaN to maximize efficiency,” said Ben Waters, CEO, WiBotic. “These new products not only push that technical envelope but are also designed to survive in the most extreme operational conditions. And when used together with WiBotic software, they now let operators track and strengthen the performance of individual batteries within large and diverse collections - whether charging is performed manually or fully autonomously.”

WiBotic showed an interesting new use for onboard chargers at the AUVSI Xponential event held in Atlanta, GA, August 17-19. When vast collections of varied batteries are manually charged for repetitive field use, as drone service providers will attest, it can be difficult to maintain track of individual battery status. WiBotic OCs can now track and report on individual battery charge cycles, charge rate (amps), termination voltage, and other crucial characteristics that influence how a battery will function day-to-day when used with WiBotic’s new Commander Fleet Energy Management software.