A noncontact method for UAV electrostatic charge measurement incorporating the influence of parasitic capacitance

Abstract

During flight operations, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) accumulate significant electrostatic charges, which may lead to electrostatic discharge events, potentially damaging onboard electronic systems and compromising flight safety. Accurate measurement of these accumulated charges is crucial for optimizing anti-static protection measures. First, a refined physical model for UAV charge measurement is proposed, which incorporates the influence of parasitic capacitance. The model utilizes the electrode’s spatial sensitivity to establish a quantitative relationship between the induced charge on the electrode and the UAV electrostatic charge. Then, a noncontact method for measuring UAV charge is proposed, utilizing the spatial sensitivity at the UAV’s position and the induced charge on the electrode to estimate the UAV charge. Further, experimental validation was conducted using electrometer measurements as the reference values. The results demonstrate strong correlation and consistency between measured and reference values, with measurement error maintained within ± 10 %. Finally, the proposed method was applied to measure the UAV charge, and its experiment result ranges from 9 to 18 nC. The proposed method accurately measures the UAV charge during flight and can be used to evaluate electrostatic discharge risk, providing a foundation for the anti-static design of UAVs and enhancing flight safety.