Outdoor auxiliary platform for delivery drones and its control method

Abstract

The present application relates to an outdoor auxiliary platform for delivery drones and a control method thereof, wherein the platform includes a parking seat for parking the drone; a tethered cable for connecting the drone; a power supply device connected to the tethered cable for power supply; a line transmission device connected to the tethered cable for conveying and recovering the tethered cable; a separation device connected to the tethered cable for separating the tethered cable from the drone, or separating the tethered cable from the power supply device; and a control device connected to the power supply device, the line transmission device and the separation device, for executing the following control methods, including: controlling the power supply device to supply power to the drone through the tethered cable; controlling the line transmission device to convey the tethered cable to follow the drone; and controlling the separation device to cut off the tethered cable after the drone reaches a set height. The present application has the effect of extending the flight time of the delivery drone and expanding the delivery range.

Claims

1. An outdoor auxiliary platform for delivery drones, Features: include: A parking seat (1) for parking the drone (5); A tether cable (22) for connecting to the drone (5); A power supply device (2) connected to the mooring cable (22) for supplying power; A line transmission device (21) connected to the mooring cable (22) and used for transmitting and recovering the mooring cable (22); A separation device (4) connected to the tethered cable (22) and used to separate the tethered cable (22) from the drone (5), or to separate the tethered cable (22) from the power supply device (2); as well as The control device is connected to the power supply device (2), the line transmission device (21) and the separation device (4), and is used to execute the following control methods, including: Controlling the power supply device (2) to supply power to the drone (5) via the tethered cable (22); Controlling the line transmission device (21) to transmit the tethered cable (22) to follow the drone (5); Controlling the separation device (4) to cut off the tethering cable (22) after the UAV (5) reaches a set altitude; The mooring cable (22) is divided into at least two sections, and a connector (3) is connected between each section; The connector (3) comprises a male plug (31) and a female plug (32), and when the male plug (31) and the female plug (32) are plugged in and matched, the power supply device (2) and the drone (5) are electrically connected; The separation device (4) comprises a locking component (41) and an unlocking component (42), wherein the locking component (41) is used to achieve locking of the male plug (31) and the female plug (32) after being plugged together, and the unlocking component (42) is used to push the male plug (31) and the female plug (32) together. Separately, the control device is connected to the unlocking component (42) to control the operation of the unlocking component (42); The locking assembly (41) comprises a hook (411) arranged on the male plug (31) at a side close to the female plug (32) and a fixing plate (412) arranged on the female plug (32), the fixing plate (412) being provided with a through hole (413), the hook (411) being in the shape of a barb and having elasticity, and a guiding inclined surface being provided at the end of the hook (411); The female plug (32) is provided with an annular groove (321), a socket (322) is provided at the center of the annular groove (321), and an electrode sheet (311) is provided on the male plug (31), and when the electrode sheet (311) passes through the fixing sheet (412) and is plugged into the socket (322), electrical conduction is achieved, and at the same time, circumferential fixation of the male plug (31) and the female plug (32) is achieved; When the male plug (31) and the female plug (32) are plugged into each other, the hook (411) contacts the edge of the through hole (413) through the guiding inclined surface, and when the hook (411) passes through the through hole (413), it engages with the fixing plate (412), and the unlocking component (42) is used to push the guiding inclined surface of the hook (411) to make the hook (411) disengage from the through hole (413); the unlocking component (42) comprises a rotating block (424) located on a side of the fixing plate (412) away from the male plug (31), and a trapezoidal groove (33) is provided on the rotating block (424), and the hook (411) enters the trapezoidal groove (33) after passing through the through hole (413), and the trapezoidal groove (33) is in contact with the through hole (413). The holes (413) are connected, the fixing sheet (412) covers a part of the opening of the trapezoidal groove (33), the rotating block (424) is located in the annular groove (321) and the two are coaxially distributed, a guide surface is provided on one side inner wall of the trapezoidal groove (33), the guide surface is inclined, and a worm wheel (421) is coaxially fixed on the rotating block (424), the worm wheel (421) is meshingly connected with a worm (422), a micro motor (423) is fixedly mounted on the female plug (32), an output shaft of the micro motor (423) is coaxially fixed with the worm (422), the micro motor (423) is connected with a control device, and the control device is used to control the start and stop and forward and reverse switching of the micro motor (423).

2. The outdoor auxiliary platform for delivery drones according to claim 1, Features: The control device is connected to an environmental sensor (13) for detecting environmental parameters, wherein the environmental parameters include rainfall, wind direction, and wind speed. The control device is used to connect to a drone (5) and control the start, stop, and flight status of the drone (5) based on the environmental parameters transmitted back by the environmental sensor (13).

3. The outdoor auxiliary platform for delivery drone according to claim 1, Features: The control device comprises a power detection component, a load measurement component, a battery life estimation module and a separation controller, the load measurement component being used to detect the cargo load of the drone (5), the power detection component being used to detect the battery power of a battery in the drone (5), the battery life estimation module being connected to the power detection component and the load measurement component and being used to obtain and estimate the battery life of the drone (5) based on the cargo load and the battery power, and the battery life estimation module being connected to the separation controller and being used to restrict the drone (5) from being launched or restrict the separation device (4) from cutting off the tethering cable (22) when the battery life is less than a preset delivery time.

4. The outdoor auxiliary platform for delivery drone according to claim 1, Features: The line transmission device (21) is used to be installed on the drone (5), and the control device is used to control the line transmission device (21) to retract the tethered cable (22) after detecting that the tethered cable (22) is separated from the power supply device (2).

5. The outdoor auxiliary platform for delivery drone according to claim 1, Features: It also includes a trigger module, the trigger module is used to be installed on the drone (5) to obtain the altitude value of the drone (5), and the trigger module is connected to the control device via a tethered cable (22) or a wireless communication module; When the control device detects that the drone (5) is separated from the power supply device (2), the wireless communication module is enabled.

6. The outdoor auxiliary platform for delivery drone according to claim 1, Features: It also includes a force sensor (14), a value taking module and a coordination module, wherein the force sensor (14) is connected to the mooring cable (22) and is used to measure the tension exerted on the mooring cable (22); The force sensor (14) is connected to a value obtaining module, the value obtaining module being connected to the drone (5) and being used to obtain flight parameters of the drone (5) and determine a normal tension range based on the flight parameters; The value acquisition module is connected to a coordination module, which is connected to a force sensor (14) and is used to obtain the tension value of the tethered cable (22), and output a coordination signal for adjusting the flight state of the drone (5) or the reeling speed of the line transmission device (21) based on the relative relationship between the tension value and the normal tension range.

7. The outdoor auxiliary platform for delivery drone according to claim 1, Features: The movable cover on the parking seat (1) is provided with a movable cover (11), and the movable cover (11) is connected to a driving mechanism (12), and the driving mechanism (12) drives the movable cover (11) to rotate or move to cover the parking position of the drone (5); The control device is connected to the drive mechanism (12), and outputs an opening instruction for controlling the drive mechanism (12) to start before controlling the drone (5) to take off, and outputs a reset instruction for controlling the drive mechanism (12) to drive the movable cover (11) to reset when the separation device (4) separates the tethered cable (22).

8. A control method for a delivery drone, implemented by using the outdoor auxiliary platform for a delivery drone as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7. It is characterized in that include: Obtaining the connection status of the corresponding tethered cable (22); If the tethered cable (22) is connected to the drone (5) and the power supply device (2), a take-off operation is performed; Capturing the flight parameters of the UAV (5); Controlling the operation of the transmission device (21) according to the flight parameters of the UAV (5); Determine whether the flight altitude reaches the set altitude; If so, the separation device (4) is controlled to cut off the tethering cable (22) after the drone (5) reaches a set height.

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