Multi-range device independent driving decoupling control system and method for multi-rotor unmanned aerial vehicle

Abstract

This invention provides a decoupled control system and method for independent drive of multiple range extenders in a multi-rotor unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). The system includes: decoupling the motor throttle commands of the flight controller into independent power commands for each range extender's power generation unit by introducing a power management coordinator; separating the flight control loop from the power generation control loop, thus achieving hierarchical decoupling of flight control and power generation control. Simultaneously, by independently optimizing the design of the flight controller and the range extender's power generation unit, this invention can directly utilize commercially available low-power range extender modules, reducing the development risk and cost of high-power customized range extenders and simplifying flight control logic; furthermore, by limiting load disturbances within each power group and preventing global diffusion, flight stability can be improved. In addition, by grouping the rotors of the multi-rotor UAV, with each power group independently powered by a dedicated range extender's power generation unit and electrically isolated between power groups, this invention can alleviate the current sharing problem of parallel range extenders.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) technology, and in particular to a multi-rotor UAV with independent drive decoupling control system and method for multiple range extenders. Background Technology

[0002] With the widespread application of drones in fields such as inspection, surveying, and logistics, their endurance has become a core bottleneck restricting mission effectiveness. Pure battery power is limited by the energy density of current chemical batteries, making it difficult to achieve a breakthrough in flight time. Although fuel power has high energy density, direct engine-driven rotors suffer from problems such as slow response, narrow speed range, large vibration, and complex control.

[0003] Therefore, range-extended hybrid electric vehicle (REEV) systems have become a key research focus in the industry. Their basic configuration involves a gasoline engine (or range extender) driving a generator to produce electricity, which, together with an energy storage unit, powers the electric motor's electronic speed control (ESC) system, either independently or in conjunction with the ESC. However, existing technologies have significant drawbacks:

[0004] 1. Single point of failure and power bottleneck: Some solutions use a single range extender to provide power to the entire aircraft, and use sensors to monitor the flight status and control the output of the individual range extender. However, this solution has the risk of single point of failure, and when the power demand of the UAV is large, the size, weight and power level of the required range extender increase dramatically, often exceeding the range of mature and reliable miniaturized products on the market, resulting in high R&D costs and reduced reliability.

[0005] 2. Parallel Current Sharing and Control Coupling: To improve power redundancy, some solutions propose operating multiple low-power range extenders in parallel. However, simple parallel operation introduces complex power sharing problems. Furthermore, due to slight differences in the operating conditions of the internal combustion engines in each range extender, inconsistent generator characteristics, and varying line impedances, it is difficult to automatically and evenly distribute the load during parallel operation. This can lead to minor issues like overload or underload in some range extenders, resulting in overall low efficiency; or even more serious issues like circulating currents, causing system oscillations or damage to equipment. Moreover, the control system is complex, requiring high-precision synchronization and coordination of all range extenders, essentially strongly coupling multiple nonlinear systems together, resulting in poor robustness.

[0006] 3. Power and Attitude Control Interference: In the centralized or parallel power supply architecture described above, all drive motors share the same power bus. When the UAV performs violent attitude maneuvers, some motors need to instantly and significantly increase their power, causing significant fluctuations in the bus voltage (referred to as "load disturbance"). These voltage fluctuations couple to all other motors, interfering with their control accuracy and thus affecting flight stability. Moreover, the flight control system's control of motor thrust is highly coupled with the power distribution of the energy system, making the control algorithm design exceptionally complex.

[0007] 4. The Challenge of Mode Conversion in VTOL (Vertical Take-Off and Landing) UAVs: For VTOL fixed-wing UAVs, their power systems need to meet two vastly different operating conditions: hovering (high power) and cruising (low power). Traditional hybrid power solutions experience a sudden change in power demand when switching from rotor mode to fixed-wing mode. Single or parallel range extender systems often struggle to adapt quickly and smoothly to this power leap, easily leading to instability during the transition process.

[0008] Therefore, there is an urgent need for a new hybrid power system architecture and control method that can fundamentally solve the problems of complex power distribution, high control coupling, and adaptability to multimodal flight requirements. Summary of the Invention

[0009] This invention provides a multi-range extender independent drive decoupling control system and method for multi-rotor unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to solve or alleviate the technical problems described above.

[0010] This invention provides a multi-range extender independent drive decoupling control system for a multi-rotor unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), comprising: A flight controller is used to acquire flight parameters of a multi-rotor UAV, analyze the flight attitude and flight path in the flight parameters, calculate the control parameters of the multi-rotor UAV to maintain flight state based on the analysis results, generate motor throttle commands based on the control parameters, and send the motor throttle commands to the power management coordinator and the power unit; wherein, the control parameters include motor thrust or speed; The power management coordinator is used to respond to the motor throttle command, classify the motor throttle command according to the mapping relationship between the range extender generator unit and the power group, and convert the total demand thrust of all power groups into total electric power according to the classification result of the motor throttle command. It also generates a power command based on the total electric power, the state of charge of the energy storage unit, the flight state of the multi-rotor UAV, and the efficiency curve of the power management coordinator. Multiple range extender power generation units are used to respond to the power command, and each range extender power generation unit is used as an independent power supply module to provide power to the power group with which it is mapped; Multiple power units are used to execute the motor throttle command based on the power provided by the range extender generator unit with mapping, to drive the motor, and to rotate the rotor of the multi-rotor UAV according to the motor drive result; The energy storage unit is connected to the DC bus of each range extender generator unit to suppress transient power fluctuations in the load and maintain stable bus voltage.

[0011] In one embodiment of the present invention, the energy storage unit is connected to the DC bus of each range extender power generation unit via an isolated DC / DC converter, so that all power units can obtain power from the DC bus and execute the motor throttle command.

[0012] In one embodiment of the present invention, each range extender power generation unit is independently equipped with the energy storage unit, which is composed of a lithium battery or a supercapacitor.

[0013] In one embodiment of the present invention, the multi-rotor UAV includes at least one of a quadcopter, a quadcopter, and a vertical take-off and landing fixed-wing UAV.

[0014] In one embodiment of the present invention, if the multi-rotor UAV is a quadcopter UAV, then it further includes: The two diagonally positioned rotors of the quadcopter UAV, along with the associated motor controller and drive motor, are divided into a power group, which is designated as Power Group A and Power Group B. Power Group A and Power Group B are each independently equipped with an energy storage unit, and the two energy storage units are connected to the power supply bus of their respective power groups. Power Group A and Power Group B are connected in parallel via an isolated DC / DC converter. Power is supplied to the A power group by a range extender generator unit mapped to the A power group, thereby driving the motor in the A power group; and power is supplied to the B power group by a range extender generator unit mapped to the B power group, thereby driving the motor in the B power group.

[0015] In one embodiment of the present invention, when the quadcopter drone is yawing, the motor speed of the A power group increases and the motor speed of the B power group decreases; or, the motor speed of the A power group decreases and the motor speed of the B power group increases.

[0016] In one embodiment of the present invention, if the multi-rotor UAV is a quadcopter octocopter UAV, then it further includes: The four upper rotors of the quadcopter octocopter UAV, along with the associated motor controllers and drive motors, are grouped into one power group, denoted as Power Group A; and the four lower rotors of the quadcopter octocopter UAV, along with the associated motor controllers and drive motors, are grouped into one power group, denoted as Power Group B; wherein Power Group A and Power Group B are each independently equipped with an energy storage unit, and the two energy storage units are respectively connected to the power supply bus of the corresponding power group; Power Group A and Power Group B are connected in parallel through an isolated DC / DC converter. Power is supplied to the A power group by a range extender generator unit mapped to the A power group, thereby driving the motor in the A power group; and power is supplied to the B power group by a range extender generator unit mapped to the B power group, thereby driving the motor in the B power group.

[0017] In one embodiment of the present invention, the range extender power generation unit mapped to the A power group is located in the upper fuselage structure of the quadcopter octopus and close to the center of gravity of the quadcopter octopus; the range extender power generation unit mapped to the B power group is located in the lower fuselage structure of the quadcopter octopus and close to the center of gravity of the quadcopter octopus.

[0018] In one embodiment of the present invention, if the multi-rotor UAV is a vertical take-off and landing fixed-wing UAV, then it further includes: The vertical takeoff and landing fixed-wing UAV is divided into a rotor power group and a tail thrust group; wherein, the rotor power group and the tail thrust group are each independently equipped with an energy storage unit, and the two energy storage units are respectively connected to the power supply bus of the corresponding power group; the rotor power group and the tail thrust group are connected in parallel through an isolated DC / DC converter. The rotor power unit is powered by a range extender generator unit mapped to the rotor power unit, thereby driving the motor in the rotor power unit; and the motor in the tail thrust unit is powered by a range extender generator unit mapped to the tail thrust unit.

[0019] This invention also provides a method for independent drive decoupling control of multiple range extenders in a multi-rotor unmanned aerial vehicle, the method comprising the following steps: The flight controller acquires the flight parameters of the multi-rotor UAV, analyzes the flight attitude and flight path in the flight parameters, calculates the control parameters of the multi-rotor UAV to maintain the flight state based on the analysis results, generates motor throttle commands based on the control parameters, and sends the motor throttle commands to the power management coordinator and the power unit; wherein, the control parameters include motor thrust or speed; The power management coordinator responds to the motor throttle command and categorizes the motor throttle command according to the mapping relationship between multiple range extender generator units and multiple power groups. Based on the categorization result of the motor throttle command, the total demand thrust of all power groups is converted into total electric power. Based on the total electric power, the state of charge of the energy storage unit, the flight status of the multi-rotor UAV, and the efficiency curve of the power management coordinator, a power command is generated. Each range extender generator unit is used as an independent power supply module, and responds to the power command through the range extender generator unit, so that each range extender generator unit provides power to the power group that has a mapping with it, and each power group executes the motor throttle command based on the power provided by the corresponding range extender generator unit.

[0020] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows: This invention proposes a decoupled control system and method for independent drive of multiple range extenders in a multi-rotor UAV. By introducing a power management coordinator, the motor throttle command of the flight controller is decoupled into an independent power command for each range extender power generation unit. The flight control loop and the power generation control loop are separated, achieving hierarchical decoupling of flight control and power generation control. Furthermore, by independently optimizing the design of the flight controller and the range extender power generation unit, this invention not only allows the direct use of commercially available low-power range extender modules, reducing the R&D risk and cost of high-power customized range extenders, but also simplifies the flight control logic. Moreover, by limiting load disturbances to each power unit and preventing global diffusion, flight stability can be improved. Additionally, the motor response within each power unit is only affected by the capacity of the power unit bus, resulting in faster dynamic response. Furthermore, this invention uses a power coordination manager to set the optimal operating point for each range extender generator unit based on the power group's internal demand. This dynamically optimizes the operating point of each range extender generator unit (e.g., constant power mode or load-following mode), achieving on-demand allocation. This not only allows each range extender generator unit to operate independently, optimizing energy management efficiency, but also enables flexible scheduling to adapt to the differentiated power requirements of hovering and cruising in VTOL fixed-wing UAVs. Additionally, by grouping the rotors of multi-rotor UAVs and independently powering each power group through a dedicated range extender generator unit with electrical isolation between power groups, this invention alleviates the current sharing problem in parallel range extenders and ensures that single-point failures only affect a localized area, requiring only degraded operation. Moreover, for VTOL fixed-wing UAVs, this invention uses independent control of the range extender generator unit when decoupling the motor throttle command into a power command, achieving decoupling of power distribution and control. This ensures the smoothness, safety, and reliability of the entire decoupling process, improving the practicality and mission success rate of VTOL fixed-wing UAVs. Attached Figure Description

[0021] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments consistent with the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. It is obvious that the drawings described below are merely some embodiments of the invention, and those skilled in the art can obtain other drawings based on these drawings without any inventive effort.

[0022] In the attached diagram: Figure 1This is a schematic diagram illustrating the working principle of a multi-range extender independent drive decoupling control system for a multi-rotor UAV provided in one embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of an independent power supply for a quadcopter drone provided in one embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of an independent power supply for a quadcopter octagonal drone provided in one embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of an independent power supply for a vertical take-off and landing fixed-wing UAV provided in one embodiment of the present invention; Figure 5 This is a flowchart illustrating a multi-range extender independent drive decoupling control method for a multi-rotor UAV provided in one embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0023] The following specific examples illustrate the implementation of the present invention. Those skilled in the art can easily understand other advantages and effects of the present invention from the content disclosed in this specification. The present invention can also be implemented or applied through other different specific embodiments. Various details in this specification can also be modified or changed based on different viewpoints and applications without departing from the spirit of the present invention. In the absence of conflict, the following embodiments and features in the embodiments can be combined with each other.

[0024] It should be noted that the illustrations provided in the following embodiments are only schematic representations of the basic concept of the present invention. The drawings only show the components related to the present invention and are not drawn according to the actual number, shape and size of the components in the actual implementation. In the actual implementation, the form, quantity and proportion of each component can be arbitrarily changed, and the layout of the components may also be more complex.

[0025] In the following description, numerous details are explored to provide a more thorough explanation of embodiments of the invention. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that embodiments of the invention may be practiced without these specific details. In other embodiments, well-known structures and devices are shown in block diagram form rather than in detail to avoid obscuring embodiments of the invention.

[0026] In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a multi-range extender independent drive decoupling control system for a multi-rotor unmanned aerial vehicle is provided, comprising: The flight controller (FCU) is used to acquire flight parameters of the multi-rotor UAV, analyze the flight attitude and flight path in the flight parameters, calculate the control parameters of the multi-rotor UAV to maintain flight state based on the analysis results, generate motor throttle commands based on the control parameters, and send the motor throttle commands to the power management coordinator and the power unit; among them, the control parameters include motor thrust or speed; The Power Management Coordinator (PMC) is used to respond to motor throttle commands, classify motor throttle commands according to the mapping relationship between the range extender generator unit and the power group, convert the total demand thrust of all power groups into total electric power according to the classification results of the motor throttle commands, and generate power commands based on the total electric power, the state of charge of the energy storage unit, the flight status of the multi-rotor UAV, and the efficiency curve of the Power Management Coordinator. Multiple range extender generator units (REGUs) are used in response to power commands, with each REGU operating as an independent power supply module to provide power to the power unit it is mapped to. In some examples, each REGU may typically include an internal combustion engine, a generator, and its local controller.

[0027] Multiple power units are used to execute motor throttle commands based on power supplied by a range extender generator unit with mapping, to drive the motors, and to rotate the rotors of the multi-rotor UAV based on the motor drive results. In one example, the power unit includes a motor controller, a drive motor, and rotors, wherein the motor controller may also be referred to as an electronic speed controller (ESC).

[0028] The energy storage unit is connected to the DC bus of each range extender generator unit to suppress transient power fluctuations in the load and maintain stable bus voltage.

[0029] In some exemplary embodiments, the multi-range extender independent drive decoupled control system of a multi-rotor UAV can be divided into a top layer (or mission layer), a middle layer (or decoupling and coordination layer), and a bottom layer (or execution layer) according to the principle of hierarchical decoupling control architecture. For example... Figure 1 As shown, Figure 1 A schematic diagram illustrating the working principle of a multi-range extender independent drive decoupling control system for a multi-rotor unmanned aerial vehicle is shown.

[0030] Top layer (or mission layer): The flight controller reads and identifies sensor information on the multi-rotor UAV to obtain the flight attitude and flight path of the multi-rotor UAV, calculates the thrust or speed of each motor required to maintain the flight state, and then generates motor throttle commands based on the thrust or speed of each motor, and sends them to the middle layer (or decoupling and coordination layer) and the bottom layer (or execution layer).

[0031] The intermediate layer (or decoupling and coordination layer): The PMC receives motor throttle commands from the flight controller and, based on the preset mapping relationship between REGUs and power units, categorizes the motor throttle commands to the corresponding power units. It then converts the required thrust or speed of each motor corresponding to the motor throttle command into the expected power for each REGU. Furthermore, it uses the motor model to convert the total required thrust of all power units into total electrical power, generates corresponding power commands based on the total electrical power, and sends the power commands to the lower layer (or execution layer). Simultaneously, the PMC monitors the status of each REGU and energy storage unit, runs energy management strategies, and comprehensively considers information such as the charge level of each energy storage unit, the current flight phase (hovering, cruise, maneuvering), and REGU efficiency curves. Using optimization algorithms (such as fuzzy control and rule engines), it calculates the optimal power setpoint for each REGU and dynamically optimizes the operating point of each REGU (e.g., constant power mode or load-following mode). This allows it to solve for and allocate specific flight thrust requirements to independent REGUs, achieving decoupling between flight control and power generation control.

[0032] Bottom Layer (or Execution Layer): Each REGU's local controller receives power commands from the PMC and independently controls its output voltage and power in a closed-loop manner by adjusting the internal combustion engine throttle and generator excitation. The energy storage unit is connected to the DC bus of each REGU to suppress transient power fluctuations and maintain stable bus voltage. The power unit obtains electrical energy from the DC bus of its dedicated REGU, with which it has a mapping relationship. The motor controller in the power unit then executes the motor throttle commands issued by the flight controller to drive the motors and rotate the multi-rotor UAV's rotors based on the motor drive results. Within this bottom layer (or execution layer), each execution process operates independently without interference.

[0033] Therefore, the FCU does not need to sense power fluctuations; its controlled object is an idealized motor. The REGU does not need to understand complex flight attitudes; its control target is a clear power point. By decoupling the two through PMC, the complexity of the flight control system of multi-rotor UAVs can be significantly reduced, while stability and efficiency can be improved simultaneously.

[0034] In some exemplary embodiments, the process by which the PMC operates an energy management strategy may include: Normal hovering / cruise mode: Based on the current flight status and the energy storage unit's charge level, the PMC commands each REGU to operate in a constant power state near the optimal fuel consumption point. Instantaneous small power fluctuations are absorbed or supplemented by the energy storage units connected in parallel to the power group bus that have a mapping relationship with each REGU.

[0035] Severe Maneuvering Mode: When the flight controller detects a command requiring a sharp change in the power of a certain set of rotors, the PMC can temporarily command the corresponding REGU to enter "load follow mode" and authorize the energy storage unit corresponding to the REGU to provide / absorb peak power, ensuring response speed while maintaining relatively stable operation of the REGU.

[0036] Vertical takeoff and landing fixed-wing mode conversion: After the PMC recognizes the mode conversion command, it initiates a dedicated sequence. For example, it smoothly reduces the power of the REGU responsible for the lift rotor assembly while increasing the power of the REGU responsible for forward propulsion.

[0037] In some exemplary embodiments, the energy storage unit is connected to the DC bus of each range extender generator unit via an isolated DC / DC converter, enabling all power units to draw power from the DC bus and execute motor throttle commands. This achieves controllable energy sharing while maintaining DC isolation between the buses. In this case, the energy storage unit can be referred to as a centralized buffer energy storage unit. In some exemplary embodiments, each range extender power generation unit is independently equipped with an energy storage unit, which consists of a lithium battery or a supercapacitor. This energy storage unit can be referred to as a distributed buffer energy storage unit, and each range extender power generation unit is electrically isolated from the others.

[0038] In some exemplary embodiments, the aforementioned multi-rotor drones include, but are not limited to, quadcopter drones, quadcopter octocopter drones, and vertical take-off and landing fixed-wing drones.

[0039] In some exemplary embodiments, if the multi-rotor UAV is a quadcopter, then when the control system provides independent power to the quadcopter, it may further include: dividing the two diagonally positioned rotors of the quadcopter, along with the associated motor controllers and drive motors, into a power group, and designating the two power groups as power group A and power group B, respectively; wherein power group A and power group B are each independently equipped with an energy storage unit, and the two energy storage units are respectively connected to the power supply bus of the corresponding power group; power group A and power group B are connected in parallel through an isolated DC / DC converter; power is provided to power group A through a range extender generator unit mapped to power group A to drive the motors in power group A; and power is provided to power group B through a range extender generator unit mapped to power group B to drive the motors in power group B. Wherein, when the quadcopter performs yaw motion, the motor speed of power group A increases and the motor speed of power group B decreases; or, the motor speed of power group A decreases and the motor speed of power group B increases.

[0040] As an example, such as Figure 2As shown, if a quadcopter drone is arranged in an "X" shape, the two rotors at opposite corners can be grouped together: rotor 1 (front left) and rotor 3 (rear right) form one group, and rotor 2 (front right) and rotor 4 (rear left) form another. Then, the motor controllers and drive motors associated with rotor 1 (front left) and rotor 3 (rear right) form power group A, and the motor controllers and drive motors associated with rotor 2 (front right) and rotor 4 (rear left) form power group B. The range extender generator unit mapped to power group A is denoted as REGU-A, and the range extender generator unit mapped to power group B is denoted as REGU-B. REGU-A provides power to power group A to drive the motors of the two rotors in power group A, and REGU-B provides power to power group A to drive the motors of the two rotors in power group B. Each power group is equipped with an independent buffer energy storage unit. In this design, the independent buffer energy storage unit associated with power group A is designated Bat-A, and the independent buffer energy storage unit associated with power group B is designated Bat-B. This grouping method ensures that the thrust torque generated by the two rotors within each power group is essentially balanced along the roll and pitch axes. When the quadcopter requires pure yaw motion, power groups A and B can achieve this through differential speed control (one group increases, the other decreases). For example, the motor speed of power group A increases while the motor speed of power group B decreases, or vice versa. Since each power group is powered by an independent REGU, the power changes caused by differential speed commands are limited to their respective systems, preventing global voltage disturbances and thus improving the accuracy and response speed of yaw control. Simultaneously, the two power groups are connected in parallel via an isolated DC / DC converter, and the voltage is then stepped down before being supplied to critical systems such as the flight controller, ensuring sufficient power supply redundancy for these systems.

[0041] In some exemplary embodiments, if the multi-rotor UAV is a quadcopter octorotor UAV, then when the control system provides independent power to the quadcopter octorotor UAV, it may further include: dividing the four upper rotors of the quadcopter octorotor UAV and the motor controllers and drive motors associated with the four upper rotors into one power group, denoted as Power Group A; and dividing the four lower rotors of the quadcopter octorotor UAV and the motor controllers and drive motors associated with the four lower rotors into one power group, denoted as Power Group B; wherein Power Group A and Power Group B are each independently configured with an energy storage unit, and the two configured energy storage units are respectively connected to the power supply bus of the corresponding power group, and Power Group A and Power Group B are connected in parallel through an isolated DC / DC converter; providing power to Power Group A through a range extender generator unit mapped to Power Group A to drive the motors in Power Group A; and providing power to the motors in Power Group B through a range extender generator unit mapped to Power Group B to drive the motors in Power Group B. Among them, the range extender power generation unit that maps to power group A is located in the upper structure of the fuselage of the quadcopter octopus and is close to the center of gravity of the quadcopter octopus; the range extender power generation unit that maps to power group B is located in the lower structure of the fuselage of the quadcopter octopus and is close to the center of gravity of the quadcopter octopus.

[0042] As an example, such as Figure 3 As shown, the quadcopter octocopter UAV has a central platform. The upper four rotors (labeled M1, M2, M3, M4) are mounted via brackets and, along with their corresponding drive motors and motor controllers, are designated as power group A. The lower four rotors (M5, M6, M7, M8) are also mounted via brackets and, along with their corresponding drive motors and motor controllers, are designated as power group B. The first range extender generator unit, REGU-A, is mounted on the upper structure of the fuselage near the center of gravity, and its power output is dedicated to powering power group A. The second range extender generator unit, REGU-B, is mounted on the lower structure of the fuselage near the center of gravity, and its power output is dedicated to powering power group B. The two power supply circuits are electrically isolated. Each power group is equipped with an independent buffer energy storage unit. The independent buffer energy storage unit for power group A is denoted as Bat-A, and the independent buffer energy storage unit for power group B is denoted as Bat-B. The two energy storage units are connected to the power supply buses of their respective power groups. This layout decouples the power system spatially, minimizing power interference between upper and lower power units during pitch and roll maneuvers of the quadcopter / octopus UAV, resulting in a clear mechanical layout. Simultaneously, the two power units are connected in parallel via an isolated DC / DC converter, and the voltage is stepped down before being supplied to critical systems such as the flight controller, ensuring sufficient power redundancy for these systems.

[0043] In some exemplary embodiments, if the multi-rotor UAV is a vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) UAV, then when the control system provides independent power to the VTOL UAV, it may further include: dividing the VTOL UAV into a rotor power group and a tail thrust group; wherein the rotor power group and the tail thrust group are each independently configured with an energy storage unit, and the two configured energy storage units are respectively connected to the power supply bus of the corresponding power group, and the rotor power group and the tail thrust group are connected in parallel through an isolated DC / DC converter; providing power to the rotor power group through a range extender power generation unit mapped to the rotor power group to drive the motor in the rotor power group; and providing power to the motor in the tail thrust group through a range extender power generation unit mapped to the tail thrust group to drive the motor in the tail thrust group.

[0044] As an example, such as Figure 4 As shown, the power system of the vertical takeoff and landing fixed-wing UAV is divided into a rotor power unit and a tail thrust unit. The first range extender power generation unit, REGU-A, is installed in the fuselage structure, and its power output is dedicated to powering the rotor power unit. The second range extender power generation unit, REGU-B, is also installed in the fuselage structure, and its power output is dedicated to powering the tail thrust unit. Each power unit is equipped with an independent buffer energy storage unit. The independent buffer energy storage unit for the rotor power unit is denoted as Bat-A, and the independent buffer energy storage unit for the tail thrust unit is denoted as Bat-B. This layout decouples the power systems according to their functions, minimizing power disturbance between the tail thruster and rotor during transition phases. Simultaneously, the two power units are connected in parallel via an isolated DC / DC converter, and the voltage is stepped down before being supplied to critical systems such as the flight controller, ensuring sufficient power redundancy for these systems.

[0045] In summary, this invention proposes a decoupled control system for the independent drive of multiple range extenders in a multi-rotor UAV. By introducing a power management coordinator, the motor throttle commands from the flight controller are decoupled into independent power commands for each range extender's power generation unit. The flight control loop and the power generation control loop are separated, achieving hierarchical decoupling between flight control and power generation control. Furthermore, by independently optimizing the design of the flight controller and the range extender's power generation unit, this system can directly utilize commercially available low-power range extender modules, reducing the development risks and costs of high-power custom range extenders, and simplifies the flight control logic. Moreover, by confining load disturbances within each power unit and preventing global propagation, flight stability is improved. Additionally, the motor response within each power unit is only affected by the power unit bus capacity, resulting in faster dynamic response. Furthermore, this system uses a power coordination manager to set the optimal operating point for each range extender generator unit based on the power group's internal demand. This dynamically optimizes the operating point of each range extender generator unit (e.g., constant power mode or load-following mode), achieving on-demand allocation. This not only allows each range extender generator unit to operate independently and optimize energy management efficiency, but also enables flexible scheduling to adapt to the differentiated power requirements of hovering and cruising in VTOL fixed-wing UAVs. Additionally, by grouping the rotors of multi-rotor UAVs and providing independent power to each power group through a dedicated range extender generator unit with electrical isolation between power groups, this system alleviates the current sharing problem in parallel range extenders and ensures that single-point failures only affect a localized area, requiring only degraded operation. Moreover, for VTOL fixed-wing UAVs, when decoupling motor throttle commands into power commands, the system employs independent control of the range extender generator units to achieve decoupling of power distribution and control. This ensures the smoothness, safety, and reliability of the entire decoupling process, improving the practicality and mission success rate of VTOL fixed-wing UAVs.

[0046] In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, such as Figure 5 As shown, a method for independent drive decoupling control of multi-range extenders of a multi-rotor UAV, which can be applied to the multi-range extender independent drive decoupling control system of the multi-rotor UAV described in some of the above embodiments, is provided, including the following steps: S510 acquires flight parameters of the multi-rotor UAV through the flight controller, analyzes the flight attitude and flight path in the flight parameters, calculates the control parameters of the multi-rotor UAV to maintain the flight state based on the analysis results, generates motor throttle commands based on the control parameters, and sends the motor throttle commands to the power management coordinator and the power unit; among which, the control parameters include motor thrust or speed; The S520 responds to motor throttle commands through the power management coordinator, and classifies the motor throttle commands according to the mapping relationship between multiple range extender generator units and multiple power groups. Based on the classification results of the motor throttle commands, it converts the total demand thrust of all power groups into total electric power, and generates power commands based on the total electric power, the state of charge of the energy storage unit, the flight status of the multi-rotor UAV, and the efficiency curve of the power management coordinator. S530 treats each range extender generator unit as an independent power supply module and responds to power commands through the range extender generator unit so that each range extender generator unit provides power to the power group that has a mapping with it, and each power group executes motor throttle commands based on the power provided by the corresponding range extender generator unit.

[0047] It is understood that the multi-rotor UAV independent drive decoupling control method for multi-range extenders provided in the above embodiments and the multi-rotor UAV independent drive decoupling control system for multi-range extenders provided in the above embodiments belong to the same concept. The specific operation methods of the multi-rotor UAV independent drive decoupling control system for multi-range extenders have been described in detail in some of the above embodiments and will not be repeated here. In practical applications, the multi-rotor UAV independent drive decoupling control method for multi-range extenders provided in the above embodiments can, as needed, assign steps S510-S530 to different functional modules in the multi-rotor UAV independent drive decoupling control system for multi-range extenders, and this is not specifically limited in this regard.

[0048] In summary, this invention proposes a decoupled control method for independent drive of multiple range extenders in multi-rotor UAVs. By introducing a power management coordinator, the motor throttle commands of the flight controller are decoupled into independent power commands for each range extender's power generation unit. The flight control loop and the power generation control loop are separated, achieving hierarchical decoupling between flight control and power generation control. Furthermore, by independently optimizing the design of the flight controller and the range extender's power generation unit, this method not only allows the direct use of commercially available low-power range extender modules, reducing the development risk and cost of high-power custom range extenders, but also simplifies the flight control logic. Moreover, by confining load disturbances within each power unit and preventing global propagation, flight stability is improved. Additionally, the motor response within each power unit is only affected by the power unit bus capacity, resulting in faster dynamic response. Furthermore, this method uses a power coordination manager to set the optimal operating point for each range extender generator unit based on the power group's internal demand. This dynamically optimizes the operating point of each range extender generator unit (e.g., constant power mode or load-following mode), achieving on-demand allocation. This not only allows each range extender generator unit to operate independently, optimizing energy management efficiency, but also enables flexible scheduling to adapt to the differentiated power requirements of hovering and cruising in VTOL fixed-wing UAVs. Additionally, by grouping the rotors of multi-rotor UAVs and supplying each power group with independent power via a dedicated range extender generator unit, and electrically isolating the power groups, this method not only alleviates the current sharing problem in parallel range extenders but also ensures that single-point failures only affect a localized area, requiring only degraded operation. Moreover, for VTOL fixed-wing UAVs, this method uses independent control of the range extender generator unit when decoupling the motor throttle command into a power command, achieving decoupling of power distribution and control. This ensures the smoothness, safety, and reliability of the entire decoupling process, improving the practicality and mission success rate of VTOL fixed-wing UAVs.

[0049] It is understood that although terms such as "first," "second," etc., may be used in this invention to describe power units, these terms are only used to distinguish power units from each other. For example, without departing from the scope of embodiments of this invention, power unit A may also be referred to as power unit B, and similarly, power unit B may also be referred to as power unit A.

[0050] The above embodiments are merely illustrative of the principles and effects of the present invention and are not intended to limit the invention. Any person skilled in the art can modify or alter the above embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, all equivalent modifications or alterations made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and technical concept disclosed in the present invention should still be covered by the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. A multi-range extender independent drive decoupling control system for a multi-rotor unmanned aerial vehicle, characterized in that, The system includes: A flight controller is used to acquire flight parameters of a multi-rotor UAV, analyze the flight attitude and flight path in the flight parameters, calculate the control parameters of the multi-rotor UAV to maintain flight state based on the analysis results, generate motor throttle commands based on the control parameters, and send the motor throttle commands to the power management coordinator and the power unit; wherein, the control parameters include motor thrust or speed; The power management coordinator is used to respond to the motor throttle command, classify the motor throttle command according to the mapping relationship between the range extender generator unit and the power group, and convert the total demand thrust of all power groups into total electric power according to the classification result of the motor throttle command. It also generates a power command based on the total electric power, the state of charge of the energy storage unit, the flight state of the multi-rotor UAV, and the efficiency curve of the power management coordinator. Multiple range extender power generation units are used to respond to the power command, and each range extender power generation unit is used as an independent power supply module to provide power to the power group with which it is mapped; Multiple power units are used to execute the motor throttle command based on the power provided by the range extender generator unit with mapping, to drive the motor, and to rotate the rotor of the multi-rotor UAV according to the motor drive result; The energy storage unit is connected to the DC bus of each range extender generator unit to suppress transient power fluctuations in the load and maintain stable bus voltage.

2. The multi-range extender independent drive decoupling control system for a multi-rotor UAV according to claim 1, characterized in that, The energy storage unit is connected to the DC bus of each range extender generator unit via an isolated DC / DC converter, so that all power units can obtain power from the DC bus and execute the motor throttle command.

3. The multi-range extender independent drive decoupling control system for a multi-rotor UAV according to claim 1, characterized in that, Each range extender power generation unit is independently equipped with the energy storage unit, which consists of a lithium battery or a supercapacitor.

4. The multi-range extender independent drive decoupling control system for a multi-rotor UAV according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The multi-rotor UAV includes at least one of a quadcopter, a quadcopter, and a vertical take-off and landing fixed-wing UAV.

5. The multi-range extender independent drive decoupling control system for a multi-rotor UAV according to claim 4, characterized in that, If the multi-rotor drone is a quadcopter drone, then it also includes: The two diagonally positioned rotors of the quadcopter UAV, along with the associated motor controller and drive motor, are divided into a power group, which is designated as Power Group A and Power Group B. Power Group A and Power Group B are each independently equipped with an energy storage unit, and the two energy storage units are connected to the power supply bus of their respective power groups. Power Group A and Power Group B are connected in parallel via an isolated DC / DC converter. Power is supplied to the A power group by a range extender generator unit mapped to the A power group, thereby driving the motor in the A power group; and power is supplied to the B power group by a range extender generator unit mapped to the B power group, thereby driving the motor in the B power group.

6. The multi-range extender independent drive decoupling control system for a multi-rotor UAV according to claim 5, characterized in that, When the quadcopter drone is yawing, the motor speed of the A power group increases and the motor speed of the B power group decreases; or, the motor speed of the A power group decreases and the motor speed of the B power group increases.

7. The multi-range extender independent drive decoupling control system for a multi-rotor UAV according to claim 4, characterized in that, If the multi-rotor UAV is a quadcopter octocopter UAV, then it also includes: The four upper rotors of the quadcopter octocopter UAV, along with the associated motor controllers and drive motors, are grouped into one power group, denoted as Power Group A; and the four lower rotors of the quadcopter octocopter UAV, along with the associated motor controllers and drive motors, are grouped into one power group, denoted as Power Group B; wherein Power Group A and Power Group B are each independently equipped with an energy storage unit, and the two energy storage units are respectively connected to the power supply bus of the corresponding power group; Power Group A and Power Group B are connected in parallel through an isolated DC / DC converter. Power is supplied to the A power group by a range extender generator unit mapped to the A power group, thereby driving the motor in the A power group; and power is supplied to the B power group by a range extender generator unit mapped to the B power group, thereby driving the motor in the B power group.

8. The multi-range extender independent drive decoupling control system for a multi-rotor UAV according to claim 7, characterized in that, The range extender power generation unit mapped to the A power group is located in the upper fuselage structure of the quadcopter octopus and close to the center of gravity of the quadcopter octopus; the range extender power generation unit mapped to the B power group is located in the lower fuselage structure of the quadcopter octopus and close to the center of gravity of the quadcopter octopus.

9. The multi-range extender independent drive decoupling control system for a multi-rotor UAV according to claim 4, characterized in that, If the multi-rotor UAV is a vertical takeoff and landing fixed-wing UAV, then it also includes: The vertical takeoff and landing fixed-wing UAV is divided into a rotor power group and a tail thrust group; wherein, the rotor power group and the tail thrust group are each independently equipped with an energy storage unit, and the two energy storage units are respectively connected to the power supply bus of the corresponding power group; the rotor power group and the tail thrust group are connected in parallel through an isolated DC / DC converter. The rotor power unit is powered by a range extender generator unit mapped to the rotor power unit, thereby driving the motor in the rotor power unit; and the motor in the tail thrust unit is powered by a range extender generator unit mapped to the tail thrust unit.

10. A decoupled control method for independent drive of multiple range extenders in a multi-rotor unmanned aerial vehicle, characterized in that, The method includes: The flight controller acquires the flight parameters of the multi-rotor UAV, analyzes the flight attitude and flight path in the flight parameters, calculates the control parameters of the multi-rotor UAV to maintain the flight state based on the analysis results, generates motor throttle commands based on the control parameters, and sends the motor throttle commands to the power management coordinator and the power unit; wherein, the control parameters include motor thrust or speed; The power management coordinator responds to the motor throttle command and categorizes the motor throttle command according to the mapping relationship between multiple range extender generator units and multiple power groups. Based on the categorization result of the motor throttle command, the total demand thrust of all power groups is converted into total electric power. Based on the total electric power, the state of charge of the energy storage unit, the flight status of the multi-rotor UAV, and the efficiency curve of the power management coordinator, a power command is generated. Each range extender generator unit is used as an independent power supply module, and responds to the power command through the range extender generator unit, so that each range extender generator unit provides power to the power group that has a mapping with it, and each power group executes the motor throttle command based on the power provided by the corresponding range extender generator unit.

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