Unmanned aerial vehicle anti-overturning method and unmanned aerial vehicle

Abstract

The application provides a UAV anti-overturning method and a UAV. The method comprises the following steps: acquiring a first pitch angle of the UAV; if the first pitch angle meets a preset condition, releasing a flight tilt angle range locking of the UAV; receiving a flight action instruction sent by a remote controller to adjust a flight attitude of the UAV; acquiring a second pitch angle of the UAV; and if the second pitch angle is a second preset angle, relocking the flight tilt angle range of the UAV. The UAV anti-overturning method provided by the application can automatically release the flight tilt angle range locking of the UAV when the UAV is detected to be in an overturned 180-degree inverted state or be stuck by a foreign object. An operator can automatically adjust the attitude of the UAV by sending a flight action instruction to the UAV through the remote controller, and the user does not need to manually adjust the attitude of the UAV. After the attitude of the UAV is adjusted, the flight tilt angle range locking can be automatically relocked.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) technology, and more particularly to a method for preventing UAV rollover and the UAV itself. Background Technology

[0002] Small drones have a wide range of applications, extending to the sports industry, with various entertaining drone soccer matches. Drone soccer is codenamed F9 in the International Aeronautical Federation (IAF) and F9A in the China Aerospace Model Competition and the China Youth Aerospace Model Competition. It is one of the drone sports that has emerged in recent years.

[0003] Currently, existing drones pose numerous safety hazards during flight training for competition participants. Because participants are still learning and their control skills are not yet mature, flight malfunctions are common. When malfunctions occur, the drones can fly erratically and become uncontrollable, increasing the risk of collisions. The high-speed rotating propellers can also cause cuts.

[0004] Chinese invention patent CN214649020U discloses a soccer drone, comprising a drone body, an annular connector, and an installation structure. The annular connector can be assembled into a spherical shape. A rotating shaft is fixedly installed at the bottom of the drone body. A connecting block is rotatably connected to the surface of the rotating shaft. A cylindrical connector is fitted onto the surface of the annular connector. A buckle is snapped into the inside of the cylindrical connector. The buckle engages with the annular connector. The connecting block and the cylindrical connector are bolted together. The motor output shaft of the drone body has an installation structure. The installation structure includes a ring. A fan blade is fixedly installed on the arc surface of the ring. The inner wall of the ring is slidably connected to the motor output shaft of the drone body. An arc-shaped plate is fixedly connected to the bottom of the ring.

[0005] However, in this type of soccer drone, the spherical protective cover is prone to flipping over during training. After flipping, the entire drone is upside down and needs to be manually righted before it can fly again. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The purpose of this invention is to provide a method for preventing unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) from flipping over, as well as the UAV itself, to solve the technical problems mentioned in the background art.

[0007] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides a method for preventing unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) from flipping over, comprising:

[0008] Obtain the first pitch angle of the drone;

[0009] If the first pitch angle meets the preset conditions, the flight tilt angle range lock of the UAV is released;

[0010] Receive flight maneuver commands from the remote controller and adjust the drone's flight attitude;

[0011] Obtain the second pitch angle of the drone;

[0012] If the second pitch angle is the second preset angle, the flight tilt angle range of the UAV is locked again.

[0013] Furthermore, the second preset angle is 0°.

[0014] Furthermore, the first pitch angle satisfies preset conditions, including:

[0015] The first pitch angle is a first preset angle; or,

[0016] The first pitch angle is greater than or equal to the third preset angle but less than the first preset angle, and after waiting for a preset time, the first pitch angle is still greater than or equal to the third preset angle.

[0017] Furthermore, the first preset angle is 180°.

[0018] Furthermore, the third preset angle is 5°.

[0019] Furthermore, the flight maneuver commands include forward flight maneuver commands or backward flight maneuver commands.

[0020] Secondly, the present invention also provides a drone, including a spherical protective cover, a flight component and a battery. The flight component is installed in the middle of the protective cover. The flight component includes a frame, a flight control module and four flight units. The flight control module and the four flight units are all installed on the frame. The flight units are electrically connected to the flight control module. The frame is fixedly connected to the protective cover.

[0021] The battery is installed at the center of the bottom end face of the protective cover;

[0022] The flight control module is used to execute the UAV anti-rollover method as described in the first aspect.

[0023] Furthermore, the battery is mounted on the bottom surface of the protective cover via a battery mounting base. Each of the four battery mounting bases has an outwardly extending connecting arm, which are arranged in a cross shape. The extended ends of the connecting arms are detachably connected to the protective cover.

[0024] Furthermore, the battery is a lithium battery.

[0025] Furthermore, the flight control module is located at the center of the protective cover.

[0026] The beneficial effects of this invention are reflected in:

[0027] The anti-flipping method for drones provided by this invention can automatically unlock the flight tilt angle range when the drone is detected to be flipped 180° upside down or stuck by a foreign object. The operator can remotely send flight action commands to the drone via remote control to make the drone automatically adjust its attitude without the need for the user to manually straighten the drone. After the drone adjusts its attitude, it can automatically re-lock the flight tilt angle range.

[0028] The flight control module of the UAV provided by the present invention can execute the aforementioned UAV anti-rollover method. Furthermore, by installing the battery at the center of the bottom of the protective cover, the center of gravity of the UAV is lowered, making the flight attitude more stable and reducing the occurrence of rollover during flight. Attached Figure Description

[0029] To more clearly illustrate the specific embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the specific embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. In all the drawings, similar elements or parts are generally identified by similar reference numerals. In the drawings, the elements or parts are not necessarily drawn to scale.

[0030] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form part of this specification, illustrate embodiments consistent with this application and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of this application. Other drawings will be readily available to those skilled in the art based on these drawings without any inventive effort.

[0031] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of a drone provided in an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 1 ;

[0032] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the structure of a drone provided in an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 ;

[0033] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the connection structure between four adjacent upper frame units and lower frame units provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0034] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the connector provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0035] Figure 5 This is a flowchart of a method for preventing drone rollover provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0036] The realization of the objectives, functional features, and advantages of this application will be further explained in conjunction with the embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings. The accompanying drawings have illustrated specific embodiments of this application, which will be described in more detail below. These drawings and textual descriptions are not intended to limit the scope of the concept in any way, but rather to illustrate the concepts of this application to those skilled in the art through reference to specific embodiments. Detailed Implementation

[0037] The embodiments of the technical solution of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. These embodiments are merely illustrative of the technical solution of the present invention and are therefore intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0038] It should be noted that, unless otherwise stated, the technical or scientific terms used in this application should have the ordinary meaning as understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains.

[0039] In the description of this application, it should be understood that the terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", "axial", "radial", "circumferential", etc., indicating the orientation or positional relationship are based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, and are not intended to indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of the present invention.

[0040] Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," etc., are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. In the description of this invention, "a plurality of" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly defined.

[0041] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "linking," and "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention according to the specific circumstances.

[0042] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, "above" or "below" the second feature can mean that the first feature is in direct contact with the second feature, or that the first feature is in indirect contact with the second feature through an intermediate medium. Furthermore, "above," "on top of," and "over" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," and "under" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0043] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown in the figure, an embodiment of the present invention provides a drone, including a spherical protective cover 1, a flight component 2, and a battery 3. The battery 3 is a replaceable and rechargeable lithium battery. The flight component 2 is installed in the middle of the protective cover 1. The protective cover 1 is made of polycarbonate (PC) material, which is lighter, has a stronger outer frame, and better toughness, making it adaptable to various harsh training and competition scenarios.

[0044] The protective cover 1 includes an upper hemispherical frame formed by four arc-shaped upper frame units 4, a lower hemispherical frame formed by four arc-shaped lower frame units 5, and a battery mounting base 6 detachably mounted on the bottom surface of the lower hemispherical frame. The battery mounting base 6 is located at the center of the bottom surface of the lower hemispherical frame, and the battery 3 is mounted on the battery mounting base 6.

[0045] The joints between two adjacent upper frame units 4 and between two adjacent lower frame units 5 extend along the warp direction of the protective cover 1. Both adjacent upper frame units 4 and adjacent lower frame units 5 are fixedly connected by bolts. Two vertically distributed screw holes are pre-set on the sides of both the upper frame unit 4 and the lower frame unit 5. Bolts pass through the two adjacent screw holes and are tightened with nuts to complete the fixed connection.

[0046] The seams between two adjacent upper frame units 4 and the seams between two adjacent lower frame units 5 are aligned. The four adjacent upper frame units 4 and lower frame units 5 are detachably connected.

[0047] Specifically, such as Figure 2 As shown, each of the four sides of the battery mounting base 6 is provided with an outwardly extending connecting arm 7. The four connecting arms 7 are distributed in a cross shape. The connecting arms 7 are positioned opposite to the joints between the two adjacent lower frame units 5. The other end of the connecting arm 7 is detachably connected to the two adjacent lower frame units 5 through a connector 8.

[0048] The flight assembly 2 includes a frame, a flight control module 10, and four flight units. The frame includes a mounting plate 9 and four connecting rods 11 extending outwards from around the mounting plate 9. The flight control module 10 is mounted on the mounting plate 9. The four connecting rods 11 are arranged in a cross shape. The other end of the connecting arm 7 is detachably connected to four adjacent upper frame units 4 and lower frame units 5 via connectors 8. The mounting plate 9 is located at the center of the protective cover 1, so that the flight control module 10 is mounted as close to the center of the sphere as possible after mounting the mounting plate 9, making the center of gravity of the entire UAV more stable and facilitating flight control and attitude control. The upper and lower hemispherical frames are also connected by connectors 8, reducing the use of bolts and nuts and facilitating assembly.

[0049] The four flight units are respectively disposed in the middle of the four connecting rods 11. Each flight unit includes a motor 12 and a propeller 13. The motor 12 is mounted on the connecting rod 11 with its shaft facing upwards, and the propeller 13 is mounted on the shaft of the motor 12. The motor 12 is electrically connected to the flight control module 10. The flight control module 10 can be an existing programmable flight control board, used to control the rotation speed of the four motors 12 to control the flight attitude.

[0050] like Figure 4 As shown, the connector 8 includes two C-shaped, oppositely arranged connecting portions 14 and a fixing portion 15 connecting the two connecting portions 14. The connecting portions 14 and the fixing portion 15 are integrally formed, and each connecting portion 14 has a bolt that extends vertically through it. The end of the connecting arm 7 or the end of the connecting rod 11 extends into the two connecting portions 14, and the bolt passes downwards and is then tightened with a nut. The sides of the upper frame unit 4 and the lower frame unit 5 are held between the two connecting portions 14.

[0051] like Figure 3 As shown, there is a deformation space 16 between the two adjacent upper frame units 4 and lower frame units 5, which can better absorb the impact force under lateral impact. The lower frame unit 5 has an elliptical operating hole 17, which allows a person to easily reach into the protective cover 1 to replace the battery 3.

[0052] In this embodiment, the flight control module 10 is also used to execute a drone anti-rollover method, which is used to remotely and automatically adjust the attitude when the drone is in a 180° rollover state or stuck by a foreign object. Figure 5 As shown, the method includes the following steps:

[0053] S100: Obtain the first pitch angle of the drone.

[0054] When the drone is powered on or during flight, the flight control module 10 obtains the drone's pitch angle in real time through the gyroscope and determines the drone's current attitude based on the pitch angle.

[0055] S200: If the first pitch angle meets the preset conditions, unlock the flight tilt angle range of the UAV.

[0056] Specifically, the first pitch angle meets the preset conditions, including one of the following two cases:

[0057] The first type: The first pitch angle is the first preset angle.

[0058] In this embodiment, the first preset angle is 180°. When the pitch angle of the drone is 180°, it indicates that the drone is in an inverted, flipped state.

[0059] The second scenario is that the first pitch angle is greater than or equal to the third preset angle but less than the first preset angle, and after waiting for a preset time, the first pitch angle is still greater than or equal to the third preset angle.

[0060] In this embodiment, the third preset angle is 5°. When the pitch angle of the drone is in the range of [5°, 180°), it indicates that although the drone is tilted, it is not in an inverted flipped state and may automatically flip back to its normal posture. Therefore, after waiting for a preset time, such as 10 seconds or 15 seconds, the pitch angle of the drone is acquired again. If the pitch angle of the drone is still greater than or equal to 5°, it means that the drone cannot quickly and automatically adjust its posture to within 5° and requires manual adjustment.

[0061] In this embodiment, the flight tilt angle range of the UAV is [0°, 25°], that is, under normal flight conditions, the flight control module 10 will control the maximum pitch angle of the UAV to be 25°.

[0062] S300: Receives flight action commands sent by the remote controller and adjusts the drone's flight attitude.

[0063] When manual attitude adjustment is required, the flight control module 10 receives flight maneuver commands sent by the operator via the remote controller through the wireless communication module, and controls the drone's flight according to these commands. At this time, the drone is no longer limited to a maximum pitch angle of 25°, and the flight control module 10 can control the drone to perform flight maneuvers greater than 25° to adjust its attitude. The flight maneuver commands include forward flight commands or backward flight commands.

[0064] S400: Obtain the second pitch angle of the drone.

[0065] During the process of adjusting the drone's flight attitude according to the flight action commands sent by the remote controller, the flight control module 10 obtains the drone's second pitch angle in real time through the gyroscope.

[0066] S500: If the second pitch angle is the second preset angle, re-lock the flight tilt angle range of the UAV.

[0067] In this embodiment, the second preset angle is 0°. When the second pitch angle of the drone is detected to be 0°, it indicates that the drone has reached a stable attitude. At this time, the flight tilt angle range of the drone is locked again to prevent the drone from continuing to make flight maneuvers greater than 25°, thus maintaining stable flight.

[0068] In summary, the protective cover of this drone utilizes a multi-piece modular design, reducing the use of bolts and nuts and minimizing frame instability caused by loose or missing nuts, thus making maintenance more convenient and efficient. Furthermore, the protective cover is made of polycarbonate (PC) material, making it lighter, with a stronger and more resilient frame, capable of adapting to various demanding training and competition scenarios.

[0069] Installing the battery at the center of the bottom of the protective cover lowers the drone's center of gravity, making its flight attitude more stable and reducing the likelihood of it flipping over during flight. Installing the battery at the bottom of the protective cover also makes battery replacement easier.

[0070] Finally, the anti-flipping method for drones provided by this invention can automatically unlock the flight tilt angle range when the drone is detected to be flipped 180° upside down or stuck by a foreign object. The operator can remotely send flight action commands to the drone via remote control to make the drone automatically adjust its attitude without the need for the user to manually straighten the drone. After the drone adjusts its attitude, it can automatically re-lock the flight tilt angle range.

[0071] Finally, it should be noted that the technical features of the technical solution of this application can be combined arbitrarily. In order to simplify the description, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this application.

[0072] The above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, and are not intended to limit it. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some or all of the technical features therein. Such modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention, and they should all be covered within the scope of the claims and specification of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for preventing unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) from flipping over, characterized in that, include: Obtain the first pitch angle of the drone; If the first pitch angle meets the preset conditions, the flight tilt angle range lock of the UAV is released; Receive flight maneuver commands from the remote controller and adjust the drone's flight attitude; Obtain the second pitch angle of the drone; If the second pitch angle is the second preset angle, the flight tilt angle range of the UAV is locked again; in, The first pitch angle satisfies preset conditions, including: The first pitch angle is a first preset angle; or, The first pitch angle is greater than or equal to the third preset angle but less than the first preset angle, and after waiting for a preset time, the first pitch angle is still greater than or equal to the third preset angle; The first preset angle is 180°; The second preset angle is 0°.

2. The method for preventing unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) rollover as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The third preset angle is 5°.

3. The method for preventing unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) rollover as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The flight maneuver commands include forward flight maneuver commands or backward flight maneuver commands.

4. A drone comprising a spherical protective shield (1), a flight assembly (2), and a battery (3), said flight assembly (2) being mounted in the center of the protective shield (1), characterized in that, The flight assembly (2) includes a frame, a flight control module (10) and four flight units. The flight control module (10) and the four flight units are all mounted on the frame. The flight units are electrically connected to the flight control module (10). The frame is fixedly connected to the protective cover (1). The flight control module (10) is used to execute the anti-rollover method for unmanned aerial vehicles as described in any one of claims 1-3; The protective cover (1) includes an upper hemispherical frame formed by four arc-shaped upper frame units (4), a lower hemispherical frame formed by four arc-shaped lower frame units (5), and a battery mounting base (6) detachably mounted on the bottom surface of the lower hemispherical frame; the battery mounting base (6) is located at the center of the bottom surface of the lower hemispherical frame, and the battery (3) is mounted on the battery mounting base (6). The seams between two adjacent upper frame units (4) and the seams between two adjacent lower frame units (5) are all extended along the warp direction of the protective cover (1). The two adjacent upper frame units (4) and the two adjacent lower frame units (5) are all fixedly connected by bolts. The seams between two adjacent upper frame units (4) and the seams between two adjacent lower frame units (5) are aligned. The four adjacent upper frame units (4) and lower frame units (5) are detachably connected. There is a deformation space (16) between the two adjacent upper frame units (4) and lower frame units (5) to better absorb impact force under lateral impact.

5. The unmanned aerial vehicle as described in claim 4, characterized in that, The battery (3) is mounted on the bottom surface of the protective cover (1) via a battery mounting base (6). Each of the four battery mounting bases (6) is provided with an outwardly extending connecting arm (7). The four connecting arms (7) are distributed in a cross shape. The extended ends of the connecting arms (7) are detachably connected to the protective cover (1).

6. The unmanned aerial vehicle as described in claim 4, characterized in that, The battery (3) is a lithium battery.

7. The unmanned aerial vehicle as described in claim 4, characterized in that, The flight control module (10) is located at the center of the protective cover (1).

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