WiBotic’s Commander will autonomously charge drone fleets

Autonomous charging solutions company WiBotic has launched its Commander drone and robot fleet energy management software for companies with large fleets. The software package allows the charging state of all drones in the fleet to be managed and monitored.

The new software package will allow companies to visualize, configure, and optimize energy delivery throughout a fleet of drones. It also comes with a powerful API to give companies even more control over how the fleet charges.

Commander allows users to interact with it via a dashboard interface with all of the key information displayed onto it, such as the drones currently charging, charging time, battery health, WiBotic equipment software updates, and more. The API will allow the system to be integrated into a company’s current platform to make everything even more streamlined.

The API can also control how the battery is charged and dynamically adjust it accordingly. You can set it up to charge quickly in the morning before the drones hit the sky and then let them slowly charge overnight by adjusting the voltage and amperage to extend the battery’s life.

Ben Waters, CEO and cofounder, WiBotic shared:

Organizations that have evaluated small numbers of robots in the past are now realizing ROI and are pivoting to scale-up. Commander was created to address these efforts by providing our customers with unparalleled insight into how their robots consume energy, how to minimize robot downtime and predict failures before they happen, even how to evaluate and compare performance across different battery types and vendors.

WiBotic has already handed over its Commander software to WayPoint Robotics to test and evaluate it. The company has been working with WiBotic since 2018 when it launched its EnZone charging system using its technology.

CEO Jason Walker shared:

Commander gives us that visibility and control. Commander also makes deployment and maintenance of multiple EnZones faster and easier than ever before. With Commander, we’re introducing an advanced, comprehensive software-based solution for proactive organizations that want unparalleled insight into maximizing robot fleet ROI.

WiBotic

WiBotic mainly focuses on military and industrial wireless charging systems for drones and ground-based robots on Earth. The company has been working on Astrobotic’s shoebox-size robot, CuberRover, to equip it with wireless charging tech and the brains to autonomously find its charging station once low on battery.

The company also received FCC approval for its wireless charging tech, enabling drones and other robots to charge from several centimeters away from the transmitter. The system also monitors battery levels to ensure they are charged without causing damage, keeping the drones in the sky longer and reducing maintenance times.

Photo: WiBotic