A recent Amazon patent describes a drone that could carry a battery charger for electric cars and deliver them to any cars out on the road that is in need of refueling while in route. There’s a lot that seems crazy about this patent, including the fact that drones themselves require a lot of tricky power management to get even limited flight times with lightweight cargo on board. Keeping themselves charged and within range of vehicles in need of a top-up* might be the most challenging aspect of the idea overall, in fact. It’s not the only hurdle in terms of making this thing real, either; the patent also describes a rooftop docking station that the drone can land on to stay connected with the vehicle and provide power on an ongoing basis while it continues along its route. That means either aftermarket modifications* or buy-in from automakers will be required to make it a reality.(SD-Agencies) |