In partnership with Rheinmetall Canada, a developer and seller of components, systems, and services for the security and civil industries, Canada-based Quaze Technologies developed a new and innovative module to keep drones in the sky for safe and uninterrupted operations.

Named Drone Swarm Tactical Overwatch (DSTOW), Quaze’s solution elevates autonomous drone operations and enhances persistent surveillance missions by enabling the deployment of charging stations anywhere on the ground or in mobile command centers. These charging stations take advantage of Quaze Surface Power Technology, which uses large surfaces as dynamic hubs of wireless and seamless power transmission that effortlessly deliver power to any device. Powered by magnetic resonance, the DSTOW surface is scalable to suit various applications and provides a clutter-free and convenient charging solution by eliminating the need for separate charging cables and limitations of precise charging zones—the drone can land anywhere on the surface, in any direction.

While tethered drones and drone-in-a-box concepts are built for specific makes and models and can only recharge one drone at a time, the DSTOW is drone-agnostic and allows multiple drones to be charged simultaneously. For example, with a surface capability of 500W, the DSTOW can power one drone or 500 1W micro drones. According to Quaze, the DSTOW “provides the continuous aerial support of tethered drones with the flexibility and freedom of untethered flights.”

Rheinmetall and Quaze's partnership started in May 2023 when both companies saw an opportunity to provide the defense market with “permanent eyes in the sky.” Not only does the DSTOW help to maintain a flow of real-time and persistent information, which is critical for superior situational awareness, but it could also save countless lives and make it easier than ever for unmanned systems to operate autonomously. Moreover, the DSTOW technology also eliminates the need for heavy equipment while simultaneously reducing the risk of faulty recharging. And because surface charging removes the need for moving parts, the risk of mechanical failure is no longer a concern.

At DSEI 2023, Rheinmetall and Quaze showcased the DSTOW recharging 3 Parrot ANAFI USA drones. Right now, the DSTOW is built-ready for all configurations of Rheinmetall’s Mission Master A-UGVs and all drones from the Blue UAS Cleared List compiled by the U.S. Military’s Defense Innovation Unit.

Battery life limitations are still an issue for most drones and applications across every vertical in the drone industry. While, currently, the DSTOW is only ready for security & defense applications, any advancement made is a welcome one regarding this subject, especially if it means longer flights. Plus, Quaze welcomes any drone manufacturer or equipment OEM to reach out and explore different DSTOW adaptations. The company is also interested in reaching out to the research and development agencies across the US DoD as well as sparking interest in the wider US user community, regarding their unique wireless charging technology.

“I’m convinced that there are multiple applications for our technology across the defense sector,” said Xavier Bidaut, CEO at Quaze Technologies. “However, many more potential applications are being developed regarding which we’ll have some more news to share shortly.”