Patent ID: 7714536

Claim:
A method of charging energy supplies in an airborne unmanned aerial vehicle, the method comprising: providing a battery augmentation trap attached to the unmanned aerial vehicle, the battery augmentation trap comprising; a releasable latch, and an inductive charging device for charging the energy supplies, perching the unmanned aerial vehicle on a utility power line by maneuvering the airborne unmanned aerial vehicle so that the releasable latch of the unmanned aerial vehicle secures the utility power line within the releasable latch after which the utility power line supports the unmanned vehicle; and charging the energy supplies with the inductive charging device utilizing the electromagnetic field associated with the utility power line to generate power for the energy supplies, providing a propulsion system having a hollow rotor shaft and one or more horizontal rotors; and providing a battery augmentation trap mount for mounting the battery augmentation trap above the center of gravity of the vehicle body, wherein the battery augmentation trap mount is attached to a base portion of the unmanned aerial vehicle, and the battery augmentation trap mount is at least partially within the hollow rotor shaft.