On Improving Endurance of Unmanned Ground Vehicles: The ATRV-Jr Case Study

Unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) have strict payload limitations, limited free space affecting power supply availability (number of batteries, size and volume) that impact onboard available energy resulting in limited endurance and operational range. This limitation is exacerbated by the addition of extra sensors and other related equipment needed for diverse applications. The ATRV-Jr UGV is considered as a testbed to identify causes of reduced runtime and operational range offering a detailed analysis of component power consumption. A comparative study between lead acid, lithium and fuel cell technologies allows for power supply enhancement via i) an optimum design with weight, volume, runtime and rechargeability being major restrictions and concerns, and, ii) the use of lower power sensors and processors without affecting vehicle functionality and operability