Parker Chomerics protects drones with EMI shielding

Drones operating near cell phone towers, buildings, antennae, high-voltage power lines and other obstacles can be affected by serious electromagnetic interference (EMI), compromising their performance and safety.

Another major issue is overheating, caused by the high processing load on the drone’s electronics and the powerful rotors.

Meeting the EMI challenges demands highly effective shielding to protect the internal electronics from malfunctioning. Also required is a thermal solution to enable the drone to operate efficiently by preventing the risk of overheating.

To be commercially successful, drones need to be mass produced, so any shielding solution should allow use by automated methods to keep assembly costs down. Drones also require solutions that can reduce weight, as well as allowing effective connections from drone to controller. Weather resistance is also a key characteristic.

To meet these requirements, Parker Chomerics CHOFORM 5575, Form-In-Place (FIP) EMI gasket is used. This robotically dispensed material can be directly applied onto the aluminum casting of the drone to act as a barrier, stopping the electrical circuits talking to each other and causing premature failure.

CHOFORM 5575 is a moisture cured silver-plated aluminum filled silicone material offering up to 80 dB shielding effectiveness.

Using an FIP gasket saves up to 60% of space and weight in the drone housing, as flanges can be as narrow as 0.025 in (0.76mm).  

CHOFORM 5575 has a high resistance to corrosion when dispensed onto aluminum, preventing galvanic corrosion in the electronic enclosure.

To mitigate thermal effects, Parker Chomerics has developed THERM-A-GAP GEL 37. Offering a 3.7 W/m-K thermal conductivity, this product is used to conduct the heat from the chipset to the drone’s enclosure.

This pre-cured, single component thermal gel material can be dispensed directly onto the chipset by automation, significantly reducing production time. THERM-A-GAP GEL 37 has a soft, paste consistency, eliminating any stress on the electronic components and requires no mixing or curing. 

Adding both the EMI shielding and a thermal solution to the drone through automated methods improves productivity and reduces time to market.

For more information about EMI shielding and thermal management solutions, please go to www.parker.com/chomerics.