Foldable composite configuration vertical take-off and landing unmanned aerial vehicle

Abstract

The invention discloses a foldable composite configuration vertical take-off and landing unmanned aerial vehicle which comprises a fuselage, a front wing, a rear wing, a control plane, an execution mechanism, a rotor wing motor and a propeller, the front wing and the rear wing are connected with the fuselage through a front folding mechanism and a rear folding mechanism respectively, and the front wing and the rear wing are in an X-shaped layout after being unfolded. Rotor motors and propellers are installed on the front wings, control surfaces and execution mechanisms are installed on the rear wings, and the front wings and the rear wings can be folded to be attached to the fuselage. According to the unmanned aerial vehicle, only one power system is used, the unmanned aerial vehicle has the vertical take-off and landing capacity and high flexibility of a multi-rotor unmanned aerial vehicle and the low-energy-consumption cruising and high-speed flying capacity of a fixed-wing aircraft at the same time, the wings can be folded to be attached to the fuselage, the outer contour is cylindrical after folding, and the unmanned aerial vehicle is compact in structure and more convenient to store, transport and carry; in addition, the device can support the modes of barrel type launching, ground takeoff, handheld takeoff, high-altitude spreading and the like for deployment.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to the field of aviation technology, and in particular to a foldable composite configuration vertical take-off and landing unmanned aerial vehicle. Background Art

[0002] Most existing vertical take-off and landing UAVs use two power systems. The rotor provides lift during the vertical take-off and landing phase, while the fixed wing surface and tail pusher propeller do not contribute to the flight in this phase; the tail pusher propeller and fixed wing surface provide lift during the level flight phase, and the rotor power system does not work. Only one of the two power systems provides flight power in each flight phase, resulting in low flight efficiency.

[0003] At the same time, most of the existing vertical take-off and landing drones are not foldable, require a large storage space, and need to be disassembled into several parts during transportation and then assembled when used, which requires more preparation time and transportation costs.

[0004] Compared with fixed-wing drones, multi-rotor drones have lower flight speeds and shorter flight times, and their application is limited in mission scenarios that require higher flight speeds or longer flight times. Summary of the invention

[0005] In order to solve the above technical problems, the present invention designs a foldable composite vertical take-off and landing UAV, which combines the advantages of multi-rotor UAVs in vertical take-off and landing and high flexibility with the advantages of fixed-wing UAVs in high flight speed and long flight time.

[0006] The present invention adopts the following technical solution: A foldable composite vertical take-off and landing UAV comprises a fuselage, a front wing, a rear wing, a control rudder and an actuator, a rotor motor and a propeller. The front wing and the rear wing are connected to the fuselage through a front folding mechanism and a rear folding mechanism respectively. The front wing and the rear wing are both in an X-shaped layout after being unfolded. The front wing also serves as a rotor arm and is equipped with a rotor motor and a propeller. The control rudder is installed at the trailing edge of the rear wing and also serves as a landing gear. The front wing and the rear wing can be folded to fit the fuselage.

[0007] When in use, the front and rear wings can automatically unfold to the set position and self-lock. After the wings of the UAV are unfolded, the propeller installed at the end of the front wing provides power, and the UAV can achieve vertical take-off; after the UAV takes off vertically to a certain height, the flight speed and attitude of the UAV are adjusted by controlling the rotor power distribution and the control rudders on the rear wing, so that the wings generate lift, thereby reducing the energy consumption of the UAV flight and greatly increasing the flight time. At the same time, the rotor power can be more or completely distributed in the direction of overcoming flight resistance to perform tasks at a higher flight speed; after the UAV mission is completed, the UAV can be adjusted to a vertical attitude by controlling the rotor power distribution and the control rudders on the rear wing for vertical landing recovery.

[0008] Preferably, the outer contour of the folded drone is approximately cylindrical, which is convenient for storage and transportation, and can also be loaded into a launch tube of suitable size for catapult takeoff.

[0009] Preferably, the fuselage is designed to be stepped, the stepped surface near the head is the front stepped surface, the stepped surface at the rear section of the fuselage is the rear stepped surface, the width of the front stepped surface is greater than the rear stepped surface, the front folding mechanism is installed on the front stepped surface of the fuselage, and the rear folding mechanism is installed on the rear stepped surface of the fuselage. After folding, the front wing and the rear wing can be staggered and folded to fit the fuselage.

[0010] Preferably, the front folding mechanism and the rear folding mechanism are respectively composed of a rotating shaft, a torsion spring, a wing mounting seat, and a spring pin, wherein the rotating shaft is fixedly connected to the fuselage, the wing mounting seat is rotatably connected to the rotating shaft, the torsion spring connects the wing mounting seat and the fuselage, the spring pin is installed in the fuselage, the wing mounting seat is provided with a slide rail and a locking pin hole, the locking pin hole is provided at one end of the slide rail, in the folded state, the torsion spring is in a compressed state, the spring pin is located at the end of the slide rail without the locking pin hole and the spring is in a compressed state, the front wing is installed on the wing mounting seat of the front folding mechanism, and the rear wing is installed on the wing mounting seat of the rear folding mechanism. After the external force constraint is released, under the action of the torsion spring, the wing mounting seat rotates around the mounting shaft, the spring pin also slides along the slide rail to the locking pin hole, the spring pin is ejected into the locking pin hole, thereby locking the wing mounting seat and completing the deployment. When folding the folding mechanism, first use a slender rod of suitable size to press the spring pin out of the lock pin hole through the ejector hole outside the lock pin hole, and at the same time rotate the wing mounting seat through external force to fold it to fit the fuselage to complete the folding.

[0011] Preferably, a coaxial ejector hole penetrating the wing mounting seat is arranged above the locking pin hole. When folding, a slender ejector of suitable size is used to press the spring pin out of the locking pin hole from the ejector hole, and the wing mounting seat is rotated away from the nose.

[0012] Preferably, the deployment angle of the front wing is 90°.

[0013] Preferably, the rear wing has an unfolding angle of 105° to 115°. The wingtip of the rear wing is lower than the tail of the fuselage. After the rear wing is unfolded, it can be used as a landing support for the drone during takeoff and landing.

[0014] Preferably, the rotor motor and propeller are installed at the end of the front wing, and the front wing is longer than the fuselage after being folded, so that the rotor motor can be retracted to the rear of the fuselage.

[0015] Preferably, the propeller is foldable, so that the drone can be stored, transported, or launched in a can after being folded.

[0016] The beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows: (1) Compared with the traditional multi-rotor UAV, the present invention integrates the front wing with the rotor arm and the rear wing with the landing gear. The wing can provide lift for the UAV during cruising, thereby reducing the UAV's flight energy consumption and greatly increasing the flight time; at the same time, the rotor power can be more or completely allocated to the direction of overcoming resistance, thereby increasing the flight speed; (2) The foldable composite configuration vertical take-off and landing UAV has two sets of folding wings that can be automatically unfolded. When unfolded, the front and rear sets of wings are both in an X-shaped layout; the rear wing has a certain sweep angle after unfolding and can be used as a landing gear; after the two sets of wings are folded, the outer contour of the UAV is approximately cylindrical, which is convenient for storage and transportation. (3) Compared with the existing general configuration of vertical take-off and landing UAVs, the present invention uses a power system to provide flight power for all mission stages, which can avoid the problem of low load capacity and aerodynamic efficiency caused by the two power systems being incompatible in the vertical take-off and landing stage and the level flight stage, increase the power system utilization rate, and improve the endurance; (4) The present invention has a foldable wing function, which solves the problems of existing vertical take-off and landing UAVs, such as large storage space requirements, the need for disassembly and transportation, the need for reassembly before use, and long flight preparation time. It can reduce the space requirements and economic costs for storage and transportation, and can support canister launch and handheld take-off, making it more convenient to use. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] Figure 1 It is a structural schematic diagram of the unmanned aerial vehicle of the present invention in an unfolded state; Figure 2 It is a structural schematic diagram of the vertical take-off and landing / hovering posture of the UAV of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a structural schematic diagram of the drone of the present invention in a folded state; Figure 4 yes Figure 3 A left view of Figure 5 It is an exploded view of the wing folding and unfolding mechanism of the present invention; Figure 6 It is a structural schematic diagram of the spring pin slideway portion in the wing folding and unfolding mechanism of the present invention; Figure 7 It is a cross-sectional view of the wing folding and unfolding mechanism of the present invention; Figure 8 yes Figure 7 An enlarged view of position I in the middle; Fig. 9 It is an operation flow chart of a typical task of the UAV of the present invention; In the figure: 1, fuselage; 2, front folding mechanism; 3, front wing; 4, rear wing; 5, rear folding mechanism; 6, control rudder; 7, rotor motor; 8, foldable propeller; 1-1, front step surface; 1-2, rear step surface; 2-1, shaft, 2-2, torsion spring, 2-3, wing mounting seat, 2-4, spring pin, 2-3-1, slide groove; 2-3-2, lock pin hole; 2-3-3, ejector pin hole; 4-1, wing tip trailing edge. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0018] The technical solution of the present invention is further described in detail below through specific embodiments and in conjunction with the accompanying drawings: Embodiment: The present invention provides a foldable composite vertical take-off and landing UAV, which can be implemented as follows: Figure 1-Figure 9 As shown, it includes a fuselage 1, a front folding mechanism 2, a front wing 3, a rear wing 4, a rear folding mechanism 5, a control rudder surface 6, a rotor motor 7, and a foldable propeller 8; four front folding mechanisms are arranged at 90° intervals along the circumference of the fuselage and installed on four front step surfaces 1-1 of the fuselage 1; the four front folding mechanisms are respectively connected to the four front wings; the four rotor motors are respectively installed at the wingtips of the four front wings; the four foldable propellers are respectively installed on the four rotor motors; the four rear folding mechanisms are arranged at 90° intervals along the circumference of the fuselage and installed on the four rear step surfaces 1-2 of the fuselage; the four rear folding mechanisms are respectively connected to the four rear wings; and the four control rudder surfaces are respectively installed at the trailing edges of the four rear wings.

[0019] Among them, the four front wings 3 and the four rear wings 4 can be unfolded and folded with the folding mechanism, and after unfolding, they are arranged in an X shape, such as Figure 1 As shown, after folding, it has a slender cylindrical outer contour, such as Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown; The four front wings 3 have an unfolding angle of 90°, and after unfolding, the four foldable propellers 8 are on the same plane; in addition to providing aerodynamic force during flight, the four front wings 3 also serve as mounting rods for the rotor motors 7 and provide motor cable channels. While leaving a wiring channel inside, the strength must be ensured to be no less than 2 times the maximum pulling force of the foldable propellers 8; The four rear wings 4 have an unfolding angle of 105° to 115°. After unfolding, the wing tip trailing edge 4-1 is lower than the fuselage 1. In addition to providing aerodynamic force during flight, it also serves as a landing gear during takeoff or landing to support the weight of the entire aircraft. The four control surfaces have the same shape and area, and the deflection angle is controlled by the actuator to provide aerodynamic torque, thereby controlling the attitude of the drone; The 4 motors are matched with foldable propellers and can work with high efficiency; During vertical takeoff, the combined force of the four foldable propellers is greater than the gravity on the drone; like Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown, the four front folding mechanisms are composed of a rotating shaft 2-1, a torsion spring 2-2, a wing mounting seat 2-3, and a spring pin 2-4, wherein the wing mounting seat 2-3 rotates around the rotating shaft 2-1 under the action of the torsion spring 2-2. When unfolding, the wing mounting seat 2-3 rotates 90° toward the nose direction, and the spring pin 2-4 just slides along the slide groove 2-3-1 to the lock pin hole 2-3-2, and the spring pin 2-4 is ejected into the lock pin hole 2-3-2, thereby locking the fuselage 1 and the wing mounting seat 2-3, and the wing mounting seat 2-3 no longer rotates around the rotating shaft 2-1; wherein, there is a coaxial ejector pin hole 2-3-3 with a smaller diameter above the lock pin hole 2-3-2, as shown in FIG. Figure 7 and Figure 8 As shown, when folding, a slender ejector pin of suitable size is used to press the spring pin 2-4 out of the locking pin hole from the ejector pin hole 2-3-3, and at the same time, the wing mounting seat 2-3 is rotated in a direction away from the nose.

[0020] The composition and working principle of the four rear folding mechanisms 2 are the same as those of the four front folding mechanisms 5, but the positions of the locking pin holes 2-3-2 are different. When the rear wing is unfolded, the wing mounting seat rotates around the rotating axis over the tail defense line of the fuselage, and the rotation angle is 105°~115°, so that the trailing edge of the rear wing tip is lower than the fuselage after unfolding.

[0021] During vertical takeoff and landing, the control method of the drone is the same as that of an ordinary quad-rotor drone. The foldable propeller 8 is both a power unit and an attitude control actuator. Unlike ordinary quad-rotor drones and fixed-wing drones, during cruising flight, the drone is provided with lift by the wings and foldable propellers, and forward flight power by the foldable propellers. The rolling control torque and yaw control torque can be provided by the foldable propellers and control surfaces together, or by the control surfaces alone. Since the attitude control actuator and power unit of the drone are both redundant, it can continue to complete the mission route flight when some motors, foldable propellers or control surfaces fail.

[0022] A typical mission process of a foldable composite vertical take-off and landing UAV is as follows: Fig. 9 As shown, during the take-off phase, the drone can automatically unfold its front and rear wings after being ejected from the launch tube, adjust its attitude to enter the mission route, or take off vertically after unfolding on the ground and enter the mission route. Figure 1 The attitude shown is high speed flight, and it can also Figure 2 Hover or fly at low speed in the attitude shown; depending on the mission, it can perform suicide dive attacks or Figure 2 The attitude shown is vertical landing recovery.

[0023] It should be pointed out that what is listed here are typical mission processes of the UAV. Due to the UAV's compact structure, foldability and automatic unfolding, high flexibility, redundant control and other characteristics, it can also be used in mission scenarios other than but not limited to long-range delivery and spreading.

[0024] The foldable composite vertical take-off and landing UAV of the present invention uses only one set of power system, so that the UAV has the vertical take-off and landing capability and high flexibility of a multi-rotor UAV and the low-energy cruising and high-speed flight capability of a fixed-wing aircraft. It has low requirements for the take-off and landing site and is easy to be widely and flexibly deployed, so that the UAV can play a role in more scenarios; at the same time, the wings, rotor arms and landing gear are integrated and can be folded and retracted to fit the fuselage, so the structure is more compact, more convenient for storage, transportation and carrying, and the storage efficiency of the UAV is improved; in addition, the present invention can support deployment by barrel launch, ground take-off, handheld take-off, high-altitude spreading and the like.

[0025] The above-described embodiment is only a preferred solution of the present invention and does not limit the present invention in any form. There are other variations and modifications without exceeding the technical solution described in the claims.

Claims

1. A foldable composite vertical take-off and landing UAV, comprising a fuselage, a front wing, a rear wing, a control rudder and an actuator, a rotor motor and a propeller, characterized in that: The front wing and the rear wing are connected to the fuselage through a front folding mechanism and a rear folding mechanism respectively. The front wing and the rear wing are both in an X-shaped layout after being unfolded. The front wing also serves as a rotor arm and is equipped with a rotor motor and a propeller; a control rudder is installed at the trailing edge of the rear wing, which also serves as a landing gear. The front wing and the rear wing can be folded to fit the fuselage.

2. The foldable composite vertical take-off and landing UAV according to claim 1, characterized in that: The outer contour of the folded drone is approximately cylindrical.

3. The foldable composite vertical take-off and landing UAV according to claim 1, characterized in that: The fuselage is designed to be stepped, the step surface close to the head is the front step surface, the step surface at the rear section of the fuselage is the rear step surface, the width of the front step surface is greater than the rear step surface, the front folding mechanism is installed on the front step surface of the fuselage, and the rear folding mechanism is installed on the rear step surface of the fuselage.

4. The foldable composite vertical take-off and landing UAV according to claim 1, characterized in that: The front folding mechanism and the rear folding mechanism are respectively composed of a rotating shaft, a torsion spring, a wing mounting seat, and a spring pin. The rotating shaft is fixedly connected to the fuselage, the wing mounting seat is rotatably connected to the rotating shaft, the torsion spring connects the wing mounting seat and the fuselage, the spring pin is installed in the fuselage, the wing mounting seat is provided with a slide rail and a locking pin hole, the locking pin hole is arranged at one end of the slide rail, in the folded state, the torsion spring is in a compressed state, the spring pin is located at the end of the slide rail without the locking pin hole and the spring is in a compressed state, the front wing is mounted on the wing mounting seat of the front folding mechanism, and the rear wing is mounted on the wing mounting seat of the rear folding mechanism.

5. The foldable composite vertical take-off and landing UAV according to claim 4 is characterized in that: A coaxial ejector pin hole penetrating the wing mounting seat is arranged above the locking pin hole.

6. The foldable composite vertical take-off and landing UAV according to claim 1, characterized in that: The unfolding angle of the front wing is 90°.

7. The foldable composite vertical take-off and landing UAV according to claim 1, characterized in that: The unfolding angle of the rear wing is 105° to 115°.

8. The foldable composite vertical take-off and landing UAV according to claim 1, characterized in that: When deployed, the tip of the rear wing is lower than the tail of the fuselage.

9. The foldable composite vertical take-off and landing UAV according to claim 1, characterized in that: The rotor motor and the propeller are installed at the end of the front wing, and the front wing is longer than the fuselage after being folded.

10. The foldable composite vertical take-off and landing UAV according to claim 1, characterized in that: The propeller is foldable.

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