Tethered Drone Systems

A tethered drone stays up for hours because the power comes from the ground, which makes the tether the limiting component: every kilogram of cable is payload the platform cannot carry. Tether design is therefore a trade between conductor cross-section, mass per metre and breaking strength. We size the power cores to the drone's actual draw and the tether length, then add the aramid braid to carry the load with a defined safety factor.

What usually governs cable life here

The requirement that decides how long the cable lasts in this installation — and therefore what we change in the construction.

• Conductor sized to the drone's real power draw, not a nominal figure
• Aramid load-bearing braid with a stated breaking strength
• Fibre-optic or screened data core without added conductive mass
• Jacket diameter and stiffness matched to the winch and slip ring

How to specify