Hacker News new | past | comments | ask | show | jobs | submit login

Someone needs to run the numbers for a modular chain of wire-carrying drones: if you get rid of the batteries, what length of cable could a drone carry? How much power would that cable be able to transmit, how much of that power would be consumed by the cable-carrying drones? Just how light could we make the power electronics to feed the drones from the (obviously, for weight reasons) high voltage power lines they would be lifting?

If this is possible at all, it could be an important base technology for a very wide range of new application fields.




That sounds crazy.

The kind of heavy duty cabling you're talking about would be very very heavy.

Now, you're not only talking about powering your combine harvester or whatever but also an army of heavy duty drones?

LOL


Good idea. If we could control those drones via a blockchain-based AI, it could be a killer product!


Is there an app for that?


We’ll write one in React Native.


Does it need to be drones? Would it be possible to use a very large cable system, similar to those TV cameras in football stadiums?


I like the idea, might be the best method to provide power to a consumer moving on a defined 2D surface.




Consider applying for YC's Spring batch! Applications are open till Feb 11.

Guidelines | FAQ | Lists | API | Security | Legal | Apply to YC | Contact

Search: