Autonomous Charging and Battery Swapping for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles: A Review

Focused on enabling fully autonomous aerial operations, this review provides a comprehensive analysis of the working principles, efficiencies, and representative systems of major unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) charging and battery swapping methods. These paradigms are systematically evaluated with a particular emphasis on their autonomous execution potential. The analysis critically examines how the technical strengths and engineering trade‐offs of various approaches, including alignment tolerance, payload constraints, and environmental adaptability, influence their suitability for real‐world deployment. Additionally, essential supporting technologies such as precision landing and battery management systems are briefly outlined. Ultimately, this comprehensive evaluation serves as a practical reference for selecting and optimizing automated energy replenishment solutions tailored to autonomous UAV missions.