A modular drone

Abstract

The present application discloses a modular drone, comprising a fuselage module, a rectangular wing module, and a trapezoidal wing module; the fuselage module is provided with outer wing mounting positions and canard mounting positions; the rectangular wing module can be assembled to the outer wing mounting positions and canard mounting positions of the fuselage module, and multiple rectangular wing modules can also be combined and extended in the span direction; the trapezoidal wing module can be assembled to the outer wing mounting positions and canard mounting positions of the fuselage module, and the trapezoidal wing module can also be assembled to the rectangular wing module. The above-mentioned modular drone adopts a simplified modular structural design, which realizes universal wing extension, universal left and right wings, and universal wings and canards. It can be quickly reassembled to achieve the maximum degree of differentiation in the modular drone design, while reducing manufacturing costs.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the field of aircraft technology, and in particular to a modular unmanned aerial vehicle. Background Art

[0002] An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is an aerial vehicle that is controlled by a radio remote control device and a self-contained program control device, or is operated completely or intermittently autonomously by an onboard computer.

[0003] Please refer to Figure 1 , Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the first existing UAV design. To meet the multifunctional requirements of future combat environments, Northrop Grumman has proposed a modular, multi-role UAV designed for attack, intelligence, reconnaissance, and surveillance missions. The UAV consists of a universal airframe module, a dedicated delta-wing module, and a dedicated swept-wing module. The central universal airframe module has a large internal space for the engine, landing gear, fuel tanks, weapons, sensors, and various electronic equipment. The central airframe module combined with the delta-wing outer wing modules creates an attack UAV. The central airframe module combined with the swept-wing outer wing modules creates a long-endurance UAV designed for attacking time-sensitive targets and conducting area surveillance.

[0004] Please refer to Figure 2 , Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the second existing UAV design. The Aerodynamics Research Institute of the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) has developed a modular layout design for a multi-purpose UAV capable of performing reconnaissance and attack missions. This design emphasizes superior aerodynamic performance and categorizes key components into three types: shared, dedicated, and universal. The shared module comprises the mid-rear fuselage, the swept trapezoidal wings and tail of the attack configuration, and the shared modules. The forward fuselage, the outer wings of the reconnaissance configuration, and the swept transition sections of the wings and tail are dedicated modules, enabling a modular design with variable shapes and inclinations for both missions.

[0005] A comparison of the aforementioned background technologies reveals that existing modular UAV designs fail to address the commonality of component structures, particularly wing structures. For example, the unique design of the two wing modules results in poor scalability and low module reuse. In effect, the structure is divided into numerous small modules. Changing configurations requires reassembling most modules, resulting in low demand for individual modules and making it difficult to achieve the goal of large-scale module production and thus significantly reduce costs. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The purpose of this application is to provide a modular UAV that adopts a simplified modular structure design to achieve universal wing extension, universal left and right wings, and universal wings and canards. It can be quickly reassembled to achieve the maximum degree of differentiated design of the modular UAV while reducing manufacturing costs.

[0007] To achieve the above objectives, the present application provides a modular drone, comprising:

[0008] The fuselage module is provided with outer wing mounting positions and canard mounting positions;

[0009] Rectangular wing modules can be assembled on the outer wing mounting positions and canard mounting positions of the fuselage module, and multiple rectangular wing modules can be combined and extended in the span direction;

[0010] The trapezoidal wing module can be assembled on the outer wing mounting position and the canard mounting position of the fuselage module, and the trapezoidal wing module can also be assembled on the rectangular wing module.

[0011] In some embodiments, a vertical tail transition module is also included. The vertical tail transition module can be assembled to the outer wing mounting position of the rectangular wing module and the fuselage module to enable the trapezoidal wing module to be assembled to the rectangular wing module through the vertical tail transition module. At this time, there is an inclined angle between the trapezoidal wing module and the fuselage module.

[0012] In some embodiments, the modular drone has a first basic configuration, comprising:

[0013] fuselage module;

[0014] at least one pair of rectangular wing modules assembled on the outer wing mounting positions of the fuselage module;

[0015] A pair of trapezoidal wing modules are assembled on the rectangular wing module.

[0016] In some embodiments, the modular drone has a first expanded configuration, comprising:

[0017] fuselage module;

[0018] A pair of trapezoidal wing modules are assembled on the outer wing mounting positions of the fuselage module.

[0019] In some embodiments, the modular drone has a second basic configuration, including:

[0020] fuselage module;

[0021] a pair of vertical tail transition modules, assembled on the outer wing mounting positions of the fuselage module;

[0022] Two pairs of trapezoidal wing modules, the first pair of trapezoidal wing modules are assembled on the canard mounting positions of the fuselage module, and the second pair of trapezoidal wing modules are assembled on the vertical tail transition module.

[0023] In some embodiments, the modular drone has a third basic configuration, including:

[0024] fuselage module;

[0025] At least two pairs of rectangular wing modules, a first pair of the rectangular wing modules being assembled to the canard mounting positions of the fuselage module, and at least one pair of the rectangular wing modules being assembled to the outer wing mounting positions of the fuselage module;

[0026] A pair of vertical tail transition modules, assembled to the rectangular wing modules at the outer wing mounting positions;

[0027] A pair of trapezoidal wing modules are assembled on the vertical tail transition module.

[0028] In some embodiments, the rectangular wing module includes a wing body and a pylon, and the wing body is provided with a pair of mirror-symmetrical pylon mounting positions, and the pylon is assembled at different pylon mounting positions of the wing body according to the different positions of the rectangular wing module relative to the fuselage module.

[0029] In some embodiments, the wing body is provided with an installation cavity and a lock at the bracket installation position, the upper part of the bracket is used to be installed in the installation cavity and is provided with a buckle groove adapted to the lock, and the front end of the bracket is also provided with a power supply and communication interface and a positioning pin adapted to the wing body.

[0030] In some embodiments, the rectangular wing module further includes a self-locking device and a beam connector provided on the wing body, and the self-locking device is snap-connected to the beam connector to achieve assembly of the rectangular wing module.

[0031] In some embodiments, the beam connecting member is provided with a male end joint and a male end fastener, the self-locking device is provided with a female end joint adapted to the male end joint and a female end fastener adapted to the male end fastener, the female end fastener is installed on the movable member, the movable member is installed on the fixed member through a hinge shaft, an elastic member and a self-locking member are provided between the movable member and the fixed member, the fixed member is also provided with a mounting member, and the mounting member is used to change the locking state of the self-locking member on the movable member.

[0032] Compared with the above-mentioned background technology, the modular UAV provided in the present application includes a fuselage module, a rectangular wing module and a trapezoidal wing module; the fuselage module is provided with an outer wing mounting position and a canard mounting position; the rectangular wing module can be assembled at the outer wing mounting position and the canard mounting position of the fuselage module, and multiple rectangular wing modules can also be combined and extended in the span direction; the trapezoidal wing module can be assembled at the outer wing mounting position and the canard mounting position of the fuselage module, and the trapezoidal wing module can also be assembled at the rectangular wing module.

[0033] The above-mentioned modular UAV adopts a simplified modular structure design to achieve universal wing extension, universal left and right wings, and universal wings and canards. It can be quickly reorganized to achieve the maximum degree of differentiated design of the modular UAV while reducing manufacturing costs. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0034] In order to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present application or the technical solutions in the prior art, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the description of the prior art. Obviously, the drawings described below are merely embodiments of the present application. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on the provided drawings without any creative work.

[0035] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the first UAV solution in the prior art;

[0036] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the second UAV solution in the prior art;

[0037] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of a fuselage module of a modular drone provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0038] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of a rectangular wing module of a modular drone provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0039] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of a trapezoidal wing module of a modular drone provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0040] Figure 6 A schematic diagram of a vertical tail transition module of a modular drone provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0041] Figure 7 A schematic diagram of a first basic configuration of a modular drone provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0042] Figure 8 A schematic diagram of a second basic configuration of a modular drone provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0043] Figure 9Another schematic diagram of the second basic configuration of the modular drone provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0044] Figure 10 A schematic diagram of a third basic configuration of a modular drone provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0045] Figure 11 Another schematic diagram of the third basic configuration of the modular drone provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0046] Figure 12 A schematic diagram of a first extended configuration of a modular drone provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0047] Figure 13 Another schematic diagram of the first extended configuration of the modular drone provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0048] Figure 14 A schematic diagram of a second extended configuration of the modular drone provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0049] Figure 15 A schematic diagram of a third extended configuration of the modular drone provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0050] Figure 16 A schematic diagram of the wing and pylon installation of a modular drone provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0051] Figure 17 Another schematic diagram of the installation of the wing body and the pylon of the modular drone provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0052] Figure 18 A schematic diagram of the installation of the wing, pylon, and latch of the modular drone provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0053] Figure 19 A schematic diagram of a modular drone rack provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0054] Figure 20 A schematic diagram of the installation of the self-locking device and beam connector of the modular drone provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0055] Figure 21 A schematic diagram of the separation of the self-locking device and the beam connector of the modular drone provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0056] Figure 22 A schematic diagram of the combination of the self-locking device and the beam connector of the modular drone provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0057] Figure 23 Schematic diagram of the self-locking device of the modular drone provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0058] in:

[0059] 10-fuselage module, 20-rectangular wing module, 30-trapezoidal wing module, 40-vertical tail transition module,

[0060] 201-wing body, 202-hanging frame, 203-locking buckle, 204-self-locking device, 205-beam connecting piece,

[0061] 2021-power supply and communication interface, 2022-buckle groove, 2023-positioning pin, 2024-arc surface,

[0062] 2041-female end connector, 2042-female end fastener, 2043-movable part, 2044-hinge shaft, 2045-fixed part, 2046-elastic part, 2047-mounting part, 2048-self-locking part,

[0063] 2051-Male connector, 2052-Male fastener. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0064] The following will be combined with the drawings in the embodiments of this application to clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application. Obviously, the embodiments described are only part of the embodiments of this application, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments in this application, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative efforts are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0065] In order to enable those skilled in the art to better understand the present application, the present application is further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific implementation methods.

[0066] Please refer to Figures 3 to 5 ,as well as Figures 7 to 15 ,in, Figure 3 A schematic diagram of a fuselage module of a modular drone provided in an embodiment of the present application. Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of a rectangular wing module of a modular drone provided in an embodiment of the present application. Figure 5 Schematic diagram of the trapezoidal wing module of the modular drone provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0067] In a first specific embodiment, the present application provides a modular UAV, which mainly includes three modules, namely a fuselage module 10, a rectangular wing module 20 and a trapezoidal wing module 30.

[0068] In this embodiment, the fuselage module 10 is provided with outer wing mounting positions and canard mounting positions, such as Figure 3As shown, the outer wing mounting position and the canard mounting position are a pair and are distributed on both sides of the central axis of the fuselage. The canard mounting position is located near the head of the fuselage, while the outer wing mounting position is located near the tail of the fuselage. According to the assembly of different mounting positions (outer wing mounting position and canard mounting position) of the fuselage module 10 and different wing modules (rectangular wing module 20 and trapezoidal wing module 30), different forms of drones can be quickly assembled.

[0069] Regarding the rectangular wing modules 20, they are arranged in pairs and can be assembled at the outer wing mounting position and the canard mounting position of the fuselage module 10; Figure 7 As shown, the rectangular wing module 20 is assembled to the outer wing mounting position of the fuselage module 10; Figure 10 As shown, the rectangular wing module 20 is assembled at the canard mounting position of the fuselage module 10. Moreover, when the rectangular wing modules 20 are arranged in pairs, the multiple rectangular wing modules 20 on both sides of the fuselage can also be extended along the wingspan to change the wing aspect ratio, such as Figure 10 As shown, two pairs of rectangular wing modules 20 are assembled at the outer wing mounting positions of the fuselage module 10, and two rectangular wing modules 20 are combined and extended in the span direction at each outer wing mounting position.

[0070] As for the trapezoidal wing modules 30, they are also arranged in pairs and can be assembled to the outer wing mounting position and the canard mounting position of the fuselage module 10, and can also be assembled to the rectangular wing module 20; Figure 7 As shown, the trapezoidal wing module 30 is assembled to the rectangular wing module 20; Figure 8 As shown, the trapezoidal wing module 30 is also assembled to the canard mounting position of the fuselage module 10; Figure 12 As shown, the trapezoidal wing module 30 is directly assembled to the outer wing mounting position of the fuselage module 10 .

[0071] It should be noted that the modular UAV in this embodiment can be a layout with canards (wing modules are installed at the canard mounting positions, and are formed by the wing modules at the canard mounting positions) or a layout without canards (wing modules are not installed at the canard mounting positions) depending on the assembly method; the wings (wing modules are installed at the outer wing mounting positions, and are formed by the wing modules at the outer wing mounting positions) can be independent rectangular wing modules 20 and trapezoidal wing modules 30, or they can be a combination of rectangular wing modules 20 and trapezoidal wing modules 30.

[0072] In combination with the above, this modular drone adopts a simplified modular design to reduce manufacturing costs. By using universal rectangular wing modules 20 and trapezoidal wing modules 30 on the fuselage module 10, universal wing extensions, universal left and right wings, and universal wings and canards are achieved. This allows for rapid reconfiguration and maximizes the design differentiation of the modular drone.

[0073] Please refer to Figure 6 , Figure 6 Schematic diagram of the vertical tail transition module of the modular drone provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0074] In some embodiments, a vertical tail transition module 40 is also included. The vertical tail transition module 40 can be assembled to the outer wing mounting position of the rectangular wing module 20 and the fuselage module 10 to enable the trapezoidal wing module 30 to be assembled to the rectangular wing module 20 through the vertical tail transition module 40.

[0075] In this embodiment, regarding the vertical tail transition module 40, the function of the vertical tail transition module 40 is to realize the installation of the trapezoidal wing module 30, so that the trapezoidal wing module 30 can be directly installed on the outer wing mounting position or the rectangular wing module 20 of the outer wing mounting position, and can have an inclined angle with the fuselage module 10 to form a vertical tail located at the wingtip of the wing.

[0076] Specifically, if Figure 6 As shown, the vertical tail transition module 40 is mainly composed of two parts, including a main body part with a curved surface and connecting parts at both ends; the curved surface on the first side of the main body part fits with the trapezoidal wing module 30, and the curved surface on the second side fits with the rectangular wing module 20 and the fuselage module 10; the connecting part on the first side of the main body part is connected to the trapezoidal wing module 30, and the connecting part on the second side of the main body part is connected to the rectangular wing module 20 and the fuselage module 10.

[0077] Please refer to Figure 7 , Figure 7 A schematic diagram of the first basic configuration of the modular drone provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0078] In some embodiments, the modular drone has a first basic configuration, including a fuselage module 10 , at least a pair of rectangular wing modules 20 , and a pair of trapezoidal wing modules 30 .

[0079] In this embodiment, if Figure 7 As shown, the rectangular wing modules 20 are a pair. At this time, the pair of rectangular wing modules 20 are assembled on the outer wing mounting positions of the fuselage module 10 , and the pair of trapezoidal wing modules 30 are assembled on the rectangular wing modules 20 .

[0080] It should be noted that the first basic configuration of modular UAV is a stealth attack UAV, whose mission is defined as stealth attack, emphasizing electromagnetic and infrared stealth attack, and has the characteristics of tailless wing-body fusion aerodynamic layout, airdrop or catapult takeoff, and belly landing and descent, and is preferably ducted propulsion.

[0081] Please refer to Figure 8 and Figure 9 , Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the second basic configuration of the modular drone provided in the embodiment of the present application. Figure 9Another schematic diagram of the second basic configuration of the modular drone provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0082] In some embodiments, the modular UAV has a second basic configuration, including a fuselage module 10 , a pair of vertical tail transition modules 40 , and two pairs of trapezoidal wing modules 30 .

[0083] In this embodiment, if Figure 8 and Figure 9 As shown, a pair of vertical tail transition modules 40 are assembled to the outer wing mounting positions of the fuselage module 10 , a first pair of trapezoidal wing modules 30 are assembled to the canard mounting positions of the fuselage module 10 , and a second pair of trapezoidal wing modules 30 are assembled to the vertical tail transition module 40 .

[0084] Compared to the first basic configuration, the second basic configuration of this modular UAV features a vertical tail transition module 40 at the outer wing mounting position, which transforms the trapezoidal wing module 30 into a wingtip vertical tail; and an additional trapezoidal wing module 30 at the canard mounting position, which forms a maneuverable canard. It should be noted that the modular UAV of the second basic configuration is a high-speed wingman, whose mission is to cooperate with manned aircraft in forward combat. It emphasizes high speed, high maneuverability, and a certain degree of stealth capability. It features a wing-body integrated high-speed stealth layout, a large control surface design, airdrop takeoff, and belly landing, and preferably uses rear-mounted ducted propulsion.

[0085] Please refer to Figure 10 and Figure 11 , Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the third basic configuration of the modular drone provided in an embodiment of the present application. Figure 11 Another schematic diagram of the third basic configuration of the modular drone provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0086] In some embodiments, the modular UAV has a third basic configuration, including a fuselage module 10 , at least two pairs of rectangular wing modules 20 , a pair of vertical tail transition modules 40 and a pair of trapezoidal wing modules 30 .

[0087] In this embodiment, if Figure 10 and Figure 11 As shown, there are three pairs of rectangular wing modules 20. The first pair of rectangular wing modules 20 is assembled at the canard mounting position of the fuselage module 10. The second and third pairs of rectangular wing modules 20 are assembled at the outer wing mounting position of the fuselage module 10 after extension. A pair of vertical tail transition modules 40 is assembled at the last pair of rectangular wing modules 20 at the outer wing mounting position, and a pair of trapezoidal wing modules 30 is assembled at the vertical tail transition module 40.

[0088] Compared to the first basic configuration, the third basic configuration of this modular UAV features an additional trapezoidal wing module 30 at the canard mounting position. It should be noted that this third basic configuration modular UAV is a long-endurance reconnaissance and strike UAV, with a defined mission of reconnaissance and strike, emphasizing multi-mission and long endurance, featuring a high-aspect-ratio canard layout and taxiing takeoff and landing, and preferably adopts rear-mounted propeller propulsion.

[0089] Please refer to Figure 12 and Figure 13 , Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram of a first extended configuration of a modular drone provided in an embodiment of the present application. Figure 13 Another schematic diagram of the first extended configuration of the modular drone provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0090] In some embodiments, the modular drone has a first expanded configuration, including a fuselage module 10 and a pair of trapezoidal wing modules 30 .

[0091] In this embodiment, if Figure 12 and Figure 13 As shown, a pair of trapezoidal wing modules 30 are assembled on the outer wing mounting positions of the fuselage module 10 .

[0092] Compared with the first basic configuration, the first extended configuration of the modular UAV reduces a pair of rectangular wing modules 20 on the left and right sides of the outer wing mounting positions.

[0093] Please refer to Figure 14 , Figure 14 A schematic diagram of the second extended configuration of the modular drone provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0094] In some embodiments, the modular drone has a second expanded configuration, including a fuselage module 10 , four pairs of rectangular wing modules 20 , a pair of vertical tail transition modules 40 , and a pair of trapezoidal wing modules 30 .

[0095] In this embodiment, if Figure 14 As shown, there are four pairs of rectangular wing modules 20, the first pair of rectangular wing modules 20 is assembled at the canard mounting position of the fuselage module 10, the second, third and fourth pairs of rectangular wing modules 20 are assembled at the outer wing mounting position of the fuselage module 10 after extension, a pair of vertical tail transition modules 40 is assembled at the last pair of rectangular wing modules 20 at the outer wing mounting position, and a pair of trapezoidal wing modules 30 is assembled at the vertical tail transition module 40.

[0096] Compared with the third basic configuration, the second extended configuration of the modular UAV adds a pair of rectangular wing modules 20 on the left and right sides of the outer wing mounting positions.

[0097] Please refer to Figure 15 , Figure 15A schematic diagram of the third extended configuration of the modular drone provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0098] In some embodiments, the modular drone has a third expanded configuration, including a fuselage module 10 , two pairs of rectangular wing modules 20 , a pair of vertical tail transition modules 40 , and a pair of trapezoidal wing modules 30 .

[0099] In this embodiment, if Figure 15 As shown, there are two pairs of rectangular wing modules 20, the first pair of rectangular wing modules 20 are assembled at the canard mounting position of the fuselage module 10, the second pair of rectangular wing modules 20 are assembled at the outer wing mounting position of the fuselage module 10, a pair of vertical tail transition modules 40 are assembled at the rectangular wing modules 20 at the outer wing mounting position, and a pair of trapezoidal wing modules 30 are assembled at the vertical tail transition module 40.

[0100] Compared with the third basic configuration, the third extended configuration of the modular UAV reduces a pair of rectangular wing modules 20 on the left and right sides of the outer wing mounting positions.

[0101] It should be noted that the improvement of this embodiment lies in the modular solution of the modular UAV. Apart from this, no changes are made to the working principle of the UAV and the corresponding structural components. For example, for further details of the fuselage module 10, rectangular wing module 20, trapezoidal wing module 30 and vertical tail transition module 40 related to the operation of the UAV, reference can be made to the existing technology.

[0102] For example, the fuselage module 10 is a wing-body fusion module, including a power plant, a built-in replaceable load interface, an avionics system, a landing gear bay, etc. The trapezoidal wing surface is designed with an elevator.

[0103] The rectangular wing module 20 includes rudders and a detachable external pylon 202. It can be used for wings and canards of long-flight aircraft, tactical reconnaissance aircraft, and other applications. The spanwise connection allows for rapid change of the wing's aspect ratio, thereby altering the aerodynamic performance of the drone.

[0104] Regarding the trapezoidal wing module 30, in order to achieve the universalization of long-flight, stealth and high-speed wingman, two layouts, canard and tailless, are adopted to realize both maneuverable and stealth UAVs.

[0105] Among them, the asymmetric wingtip vertical tail design is adopted. When the heading control surface is deflected, the drag of the inner surface of the asymmetric wingtip is less than that of the outer surface. The long lever arm between the two vertical tails arranged at the wingtip is used to form a sufficient yaw moment. Therefore, the trapezoidal wing module with an asymmetric wingtip can be directly used as the vertical tail, realizing the universal use of the trapezoidal wing module in the vertical tail, stealth layout outer wing and high-speed wingman control canard. The asymmetric wingtip vertical tail design solves the problem of sharing vertical tails, control canards and trapezoidal outer wings, enriches the configuration types of modular UAVs, and keeps the number of modules to a minimum.

[0106] Regarding the vertical tail transition module 40, the transition component connecting the wing and the vertical tail, at the same time makes the vertical tail tilt outward to achieve a certain degree of stealth performance.

[0107] In summary, this application uses as few modules as possible to achieve the reorganization of more than three high-performance unmanned aircraft configurations, evolving into three basic configurations and three extended configurations of UAV solutions: long-endurance reconnaissance and strike, stealth attack, and high-speed wingman. The characteristics are as follows:

[0108] This modular UAV solution is based on a wing-body fusion stealth configuration (fuselage module 10). By combining two types of canard modules (rectangular wing module 20 and trapezoidal wing module 30), it achieves the compatibility of long-endurance control stability and high-maneuverability wingman maneuverability with the basic configuration. At the same time, an asymmetric vertical tail design is adopted to achieve the sharing of the vertical tail, controllable canards, and stealth configuration outer wings. This completes the design of an innovative solution for long-endurance reconnaissance and strike, stealth attack, and high-speed wingman configuration with a simplified structural module design.

[0109] There are only two types of wing modules (rectangular wing module 20 and trapezoidal wing module 30). One rectangular wing (rectangular wing module 20) can be combined and extended spanwise, while the second trapezoidal wing (trapezoidal wing module 30) has one module on each side. This innovative design allows the rectangular wing module to be used in both high-aspect-ratio wings and lift-enhancing canards. The innovative use of an asymmetric wingtip vertical tail design utilizes the difference in drag between the main arm to solve heading control problems, allowing the trapezoidal wing module to be used in vertical tails, stealth-type outer wings, and high-speed wingman-controlled canards.

[0110] Please refer to Figure 16 and Figure 17 , Figure 16 This is a schematic diagram of the wing and pylon installation of the modular drone provided in an embodiment of the present application. Figure 17 Another schematic diagram of the wing and bracket installation of the modular drone provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0111] In some embodiments, the rectangular wing module 20 includes a wing body 201 and a pylon 202 , and the wing body 201 is provided with a pair of mirror-symmetrical pylon mounting positions.

[0112] In this embodiment, a pair of pylon mounting locations on the wing body 201 are arranged in a figure-eight pattern. These locations are embedded within the wing body 201 and accommodate universal pylons 202. Pylons 202 are assembled at different pylon mounting locations on the wing body 201, depending on the position of the rectangular wing modules 20 relative to the fuselage module 10. This ensures that both wings can be mounted with the pylons 202 oriented in the direction of velocity. When the wings are swept back and require pylons 202 aligned with the airflow, the rectangular wing modules 20 can be used interchangeably on both wings. This solves the problem of external pylons being mounted offset with the airflow, thus meeting the requirements for external payloads for universal wing modules.

[0113] Please refer to Figure 18 and Figure 19 , Figure 18 Schematic diagram of the installation of the wing body, pylon and lock of the modular drone provided in an embodiment of the present application, Figure 19 Schematic diagram of the modular drone rack provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0114] Exemplarily, the wing body 201 is provided with a mounting cavity and a lock 203 at the bracket mounting position.

[0115] In this embodiment, the upper part of the bracket 202 has an arc, and its curved surface 2024 ensures that the upper part of the bracket 202 can be installed into the installation cavity without interference; the upper part of the bracket 202 is provided with a buckle groove 2022 adapted to the lock buckle 203, and the lock buckle 203 is buckled into the buckle groove 2022 when the bracket 202 is installed into the installation cavity; the front end of the bracket 202 is also provided with a power supply and communication interface 2021 and a positioning pin 2023 adapted to the wing body 201, and the wing body 201 is correspondingly provided with an interface and pin hole.

[0116] Please refer to Figure 20 , Figure 20 Schematic diagram of the installation of the self-locking device and beam connector of the modular drone provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0117] In some embodiments, the rectangular wing module 20 further includes a self-locking device 204 and a beam connector 205 provided on the wing body 201 . The self-locking device 204 is snap-connected to the beam connector 205 to achieve assembly of the rectangular wing module 20 .

[0118] In this embodiment, the connection between the modules, especially the connection structure of the rectangular wing module 20, adopts a self-locking device 204 and a beam connector 205.

[0119] The self-locking device 204 is arranged inside the rectangular wing module 20. An opening leading to the interior is opened at the end of the rectangular wing module 20. The rectangular wing module 20 is connected to other modules by using a beam connector 205, thereby improving the commonality of the rectangular wing module 20, realizing the commonality of the wing and canard modules, as well as the commonality of the left and right wing modules, minimizing the number of main structural modules, simplifying the structural design, and comprehensively improving the economic benefits brought by large-scale manufacturing and the security advantages formed by the common modules.

[0120] In summary, in response to the requirements of rapid assembly, both the fuselage structure connection and the wing rack connection adopt a quick-insert self-locking mechanism to achieve one-step insertion.

[0121] Please refer to Figures 21 to 23 ,in, Figure 21 This is a schematic diagram of the separation of the self-locking device and the beam connector of the modular drone provided in an embodiment of the present application. Figure 22 This is a schematic diagram of the combination of the self-locking device and the beam connector of the modular drone provided in an embodiment of the present application. Figure 23 Schematic diagram of the self-locking device of the modular drone provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0122] For example, in the connection between the rectangular wing module 20 and other modules, power supply and communication connections are taken into account. At this time, the beam connector 205 is provided with a male end connector 2051 and a male end fastener 2052, and the self-locking device 204 is provided with a female end connector 2041 adapted to the male end connector 2051 and a female end fastener 2042 adapted to the male end fastener 2052. Then, when the male end fastener 2052 and the female end fastener 2042 are connected, the male end connector 2051 and the female end connector 2041 are connected.

[0123] More specifically, the female end fastener 2042 is installed on the movable part 2043, and the movable part 2043 is rotatably installed on the fixed part 2045 through the hinge shaft 2044. An elastic part 2046 and a self-locking part 2048 are arranged between the movable part 2043 and the fixed part 2045. The fixed part 2045 is also provided with an installation part 2047, and the installation part 2047 is used to change the locking state of the self-locking part 2048 on the movable part 2043.

[0124] In this embodiment, movable member 2043 is capable of rotating relative to fixed member 2045 under the action of hinge shaft 2044. Elastic member 2046 provides elastic force to movable member 2043. Mounting member 2047 is a maintenance access cover threadedly connected to fixed member 2045. Self-locking member 2048 is a safety pin that supports movable member 2043. When male fastener 2052 is inserted into female fastener 2042, female fastener 2042 drives movable member 2043 to rotate, causing elastic member 2046 to deform. After male fastener 2052 is inserted into female fastener 2042, elastic member 2046 returns to its original position, and movable member 2043 drives female fastener 2042 to rotate in the opposite direction. Female fastener 2042 engages male fastener 2052, achieving self-locking.

[0125] To unlock, the maintenance access cover needs to be opened and the safety pin released to separate the structure. The safety pin is a safety device in the self-locking device 204. It needs to open the maintenance access cover and apply external force to release it. Vibration cannot produce unlocking behavior, so the self-locking inside the wing is stable and reliable.

[0126] On this basis, except for the above-mentioned rectangular wing module 20 which adopts the female head design of the self-locking device 204, all wing modules and wing-body connection interfaces adopt the female head design to achieve universality, and the connection adopts the above-mentioned self-locking and power supply communication interface connection method.

[0127] In addition, this modular UAV is designed with three sets of replaceable payload modules installed on the nose and belly, and externally on the wings.

[0128] In summary, this application uses as few modules as possible to achieve the reorganization of more than three high-performance unmanned machine types, and its characteristics are as follows:

[0129] All wing module interfaces utilize a female connector design, achieving full commonality across rectangular wing modules, as well as complete commonality across connector modules and a simplified structural design, addressing the challenges of large-scale manufacturing and reuse of structural modules. Furthermore, a creative design for universal external pylon modules with left and right offset mounting significantly improves the large payload capacity of long-endurance reconnaissance and strike UAVs.

[0130] A creative solution to the problem of rapid drone assembly. Universal connectors feature self-locking devices and come with universal power and communication connectors. Each module is assembled in one step, plugged in and self-locked. Detachable components can be quickly disassembled using specialized tools, significantly improving operational reliability.

[0131] Compared with existing technologies, existing modular drone designs offer limited reconfiguration options, resulting in low demand for individual modules and making it difficult to achieve large-scale module production and significantly reduce costs. This application innovatively adopts a fused canard layout and designs two universal wing modules, enabling flexible reconfiguration into three or more drone configurations, expanding the drone's mission capabilities and module reuse.

[0132] Existing modular drones have a low degree of module commonality, resulting in poor scalability and low module reuse. This application innovatively designs two wing modules: a rectangular wing module that can be used for wings and lift canards and can be extended in any spanwise direction, allowing for flexible reconfiguration into drones with varying aspect ratios and performance requirements; and a trapezoidal wing module that can be used for maneuvering canards, stealth-oriented outer wings, and vertical tails. This high degree of module commonality makes each module suitable for large-scale manufacturing, significantly reducing costs.

[0133] Existing modular UAVs, in order to address the challenges of reconfiguration across multiple configurations, have led to compromised performance across various UAVs. This application addresses the challenges of reconfiguration and performance trade-off design across multiple configurations. By extending the wingspan in multiple stages to change the aspect ratio, lift-to-drag performance is improved. By reusing universal wing modules in canards and vertical tails, pitch and yaw stability issues for long-endurance UAVs and high-speed wingman aircraft are addressed. Using the same module types, each UAV configuration achieves superior combat effectiveness.

[0134] Existing modular drone solutions lack detailed design, such as structural connections, power supply and communication required for wing and control surfaces. This application adopts a completely universal structural connection design, integrating power supply and communication interfaces and connection self-locking devices, enabling manual one-step plug-in assembly, significantly improving the drone's operational reliability.

[0135] It should be noted that many of the components mentioned in this application are universal standard parts or components known to those skilled in the art, and their structures and principles can be known to those skilled in the art through technical manuals or conventional experimental methods.

[0136] It should be noted that, in this specification, relational terms such as first and second are merely used to distinguish one entity from other entities, but do not necessarily require or imply any actual relationship or order between these entities.

[0137] The above is a detailed introduction to the modular drone provided by this application. This article uses specific examples to illustrate the principles and implementation methods of this application. The description of the above examples is only intended to help understand the method and core concept of this application. It should be noted that for those skilled in the art, without departing from the principles of this application, various improvements and modifications can be made to this application, and these improvements and modifications also fall within the scope of protection of the claims of this application.

Claims

1. A modular drone, characterized in that: include: The fuselage module (10) is provided with an outer wing mounting position and a canard mounting position; A rectangular wing module (20) can be assembled on the outer wing mounting position and the canard mounting position of the fuselage module (10), and a plurality of the rectangular wing modules (20) can also be combined and extended in the span direction; A trapezoidal wing module (30) can be assembled on the outer wing mounting position and the canard mounting position of the fuselage module (10), and the trapezoidal wing module (30) can also be assembled on the rectangular wing module (20); The invention also includes a vertical tail transition module (40), which can be assembled on the outer wing mounting position of the rectangular wing module (20) and the fuselage module (10), so as to realize the assembly of the trapezoidal wing module (30) on the rectangular wing module (20) through the vertical tail transition module (40), and at this time, an inclined angle is formed between the trapezoidal wing module (30) and the fuselage module (10).

2. The modular drone according to claim 1, characterized in that: The modular drone has a first basic configuration, comprising: fuselage module (10); At least one pair of rectangular wing modules (20) assembled on the outer wing mounting positions of the fuselage module (10); A pair of trapezoidal wing modules (30) are assembled on the rectangular wing module (20).

3. The modular drone according to claim 2, characterized in that: The modular drone has a first expanded configuration, comprising: fuselage module (10); A pair of trapezoidal wing modules (30) are assembled on the outer wing mounting positions of the fuselage module (10).

4. The modular drone according to claim 1, wherein: The modular drone has a second basic configuration, comprising: fuselage module (10); A pair of vertical tail transition modules (40) assembled at the outer wing mounting positions of the fuselage module (10); Two pairs of trapezoidal wing modules (30), a first pair of the trapezoidal wing modules (30) is assembled on the canard mounting position of the fuselage module (10), and a second pair of the trapezoidal wing modules (30) is assembled on the vertical tail transition module (40).

5. The modular drone according to claim 1, wherein: The modular drone has a third basic configuration, including: fuselage module (10); At least two pairs of rectangular wing modules (20), a first pair of the rectangular wing modules (20) being assembled at the canard mounting positions of the fuselage module (10), and at least one pair of the rectangular wing modules (20) being assembled at the outer wing mounting positions of the fuselage module (10); A pair of vertical tail transition modules (40) assembled on the rectangular wing module (20) at the outer wing mounting position; A pair of trapezoidal wing modules (30) are assembled on the vertical tail transition module (40).

6. The modular drone according to claim 1, wherein: The rectangular wing module (20) comprises a wing body (201) and a pylon (202); the wing body (201) is provided with a pair of mirror-symmetrical pylon mounting positions; the pylon (202) is assembled at different pylon mounting positions of the wing body (201) according to the different positions of the rectangular wing module (20) relative to the fuselage module (10).

7. The modular drone according to claim 6, characterized in that: The wing body (201) is provided with an installation cavity and a lock buckle (203) at the mounting position of the hanger; the upper part of the hanger (202) is used to be installed in the installation cavity and is provided with a buckle groove (2022) adapted to the lock buckle (203); the front end of the hanger (202) is also provided with a power supply and communication interface (2021) and a positioning pin (2023) adapted to the wing body (201).

8. The modular drone according to claim 6, characterized in that: The rectangular wing module (20) further comprises a self-locking device (204) and a beam connector (205) arranged on the wing body (201); the self-locking device (204) and the beam connector (205) are snap-connected to achieve assembly of the rectangular wing module (20).

9. The modular drone according to claim 8, characterized in that: The beam connecting member (205) is provided with a male end connector (2051) and a male end fastener (2052); the self-locking device (204) is provided with a female end connector (2041) adapted to the male end connector (2051) and a female end fastener (2042) adapted to the male end fastener (2052); the female end fastener (2042) is installed on a movable member (2043); the movable member (2043) is rotatably installed on a fixed member (2045) via a hinge shaft (2044); an elastic member (2046) and a self-locking member (2048) are provided between the movable member (2043) and the fixed member (2045); the fixed member (2045) is further provided with a mounting member (2047); the mounting member (2047) is used to change the locking state of the self-locking member (2048) on the movable member (2043).

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