Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are emerging as powerful tools for transporting temperature-sensitive payloads, including medical supplies, biological samples, and research materials, to remote or hard-to-reach locations. Effective thermal management is essential for maintaining payload integrity, especially during extended flights or harsh environmental conditions. This review presents a comprehensive analysis of temperature control mechanisms for UAV payloads, covering both passive and active strategies. Passive systems, such as phase-change materials and high-performance insulation, provide energy-efficient solutions for short-duration flights. In contrast, active systems, including thermoelectric cooling modules and Joule heating elements, offer precise temperature regulation for more demanding applications. We examined case studies that highlight the integration of these technologies in real-world UAV applications, such as vaccine delivery, blood sample transport, and in-flight polymerase chain reaction diagnostics. Additionally, we discussed critical design considerations, including power efficiency, payload capacity, and the impact of thermal management on flight endurance. We then presented an outlook on emerging technologies, such as hybrid power systems and smart feedback control loops, which promise to enhance UAV-based thermal management. This work aimed to guide researchers and practitioners in advancing thermal control technologies, enabling reliable, efficient, and scalable solutions for temperature-sensitive deliveries using UAVs.


    Access

    Download


    Export, share and cite



    Title :

    Thermal Management for Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Payloads: Mechanisms, Systems, and Applications


    Contributors:


    Publication date :

    2025




    Type of media :

    Article (Journal)


    Type of material :

    Electronic Resource


    Language :

    Unknown




    A comprehensive review on payloads of unmanned aerial vehicle

    Siva Sivamani Ganesh Kumar / Abhishek Gudipalli | DOAJ | 2024

    Free access

    Methods for Deploying Payloads from Multi-Rotor Unmanned Aerial Systems

    Bauer, Aaron / Anderson, Michael L. / Depaola, Richard et al. | TIBKAT | 2019


    Methods for Deploying Payloads from Multi-Rotor Unmanned Aerial Systems

    Bauer, Aaron / Anderson, Michael L. / DePaola, Richard et al. | AIAA | 2019


    Unmanned aerial vehicle thermal management system and unmanned aerial vehicle

    LU GUODONG / CHAI ZHONGHUA / XI JUNBIN et al. | European Patent Office | 2024

    Free access

    Study on Selection of Maritime Supervision Unmanned Aerial Vehicle and Mission Payloads

    Gao, Xue-ying / Mu, Xue-dong / Sun, Di et al. | ASCE | 2014