Horizontal airbag protection device and protection method for a rotorcraft

Abstract

The application discloses a horizontal air bag protection device and protection method for a rotor unmanned aerial vehicle, which comprises an unmanned aerial vehicle body, a rotating module and an air bag protection module. The rotating module comprises a mounting seat, an inner ring, plastic small balls, an outer ring, a connecting rod and an axial bearing. The mounting seat is connected with the bottom of the unmanned aerial vehicle body. The air bag protection module comprises a connecting frame, a square air bag, a spherical air bag, a circular ring rod, a jet device and a six-axis attitude sensor. The connecting frame comprises a limiting ring, a sliding rail, a connecting ring and a cylindrical air bag. The horizontal air bag protection device generates buoyancy to offset the gravity of the unmanned aerial vehicle in the vertical direction, thereby improving the endurance of the unmanned aerial vehicle. When the unmanned aerial vehicle is impacted during flight, the horizontal air bag protection device plays a role to convert the energy generated by the impact into elastic potential energy and kinetic energy, thereby buffering the impact force. During the protection process of the horizontal air bag protection device, the unmanned aerial vehicle is not affected by the impact force, the unmanned aerial vehicle, the six-axis attitude sensor and the jet device are cooperated to keep a stable flight attitude, and the stability and safety of the unmanned aerial vehicle flight are improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention patent relates to the technical field of rotary-wing UAVs, in particular to a horizontal airbag protection device and protection method for rotary-wing UAVs. Background Art

[0002] Multi-rotor drones typically consist of three or more rotors, and their design and control are crucial to flight performance. The rotor's shape, size, blade material, motor selection, and control system design all affect the drone's hovering ability, maneuverability, and stability. Multi-rotor drones may be subject to various interferences during flight, requiring them to sense physical obstacles in their surroundings and take appropriate action to avoid collisions. Physical obstacle avoidance technology is crucial for ensuring flight safety and stability. With socioeconomic development, drones, owing to their dexterity, convenience, and ease of control, have become increasingly widely used across various industries, necessitating the importance of ensuring drone flight safety.

[0003] Currently, the physical anti-collision devices of existing multi-rotor drones mostly use materials such as springs and anti-collision bars. While increasing the weight of the drone, the anti-collision devices are easily damaged by collisions. Using springs as buffers affects the drone's flight posture, and the springs are prone to oxidation, which shortens the service life of the physical anti-collision devices. The fragility, short lifespan, and high total weight of the anti-collision devices increase the cost and energy consumption of the drone, while failing to better ensure the safety of the drone body. However, the emergence of new materials such as airbags and carbon fiber not only provides excellent anti-collision capabilities, but also reduces flight losses and improves the drone's endurance. To this end, we propose a horizontal airbag protection device for rotary-wing drones to address these issues. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The present invention aims to provide a horizontal airbag protection device and method for a rotary-wing drone. The device utilizes a rotating module and an airbag protection module to coordinate with each other. The horizontal airbag protection device generates buoyancy that offsets the vertical gravity of the drone, thereby improving the drone's endurance. When the drone is struck during flight, the horizontal airbag protection device converts the energy generated by the collision into elastic potential energy and kinetic energy, thereby buffering the impact force. During the protection process, the horizontal airbag protection device protects the drone from the impact force. The drone, six-axis attitude sensor, and jet device coordinate with each other to maintain a stable flight attitude, thereby improving the drone's flight stability and safety.

[0005] The present invention provides a horizontal airbag protection device and method for a rotary-wing drone, comprising a drone body, a rotation module, and an airbag protection module. The rotation module comprises a mounting base, an inner ring, a plastic ball, an outer ring, a connecting rod, and an axial bearing. The mounting base is connected to the bottom of the drone body. The airbag protection module comprises a connecting frame, a square airbag, a spherical airbag, a circular rod, an air jet device, and a six-axis attitude sensor. The connecting frame comprises a limit ring, a slide rail, a connecting ring, and a cylindrical airbag. The connecting frame is connected to the rotation module.

[0006] The bottom of the UAV body is provided with a threaded groove for connecting with a mounting seat.

[0007] The rotation module comprises a mounting base, an inner ring, a plastic ball, an outer ring, connecting rods, and an axial bearing. The mounting base has a threaded head that connects to a threaded groove on the bottom of the drone body. The inner and outer rings are placed on the mounting base, with the plastic ball placed between them. These three components form a rotation mechanism that converts energy generated by a collision with the drone into kinetic energy, thereby reducing the impact force on the drone body and improving flight safety. The outer ring has four connecting rods, each with a connector at its top for receiving the axial bearing.

[0008] The axial bearing is a bearing that allows the connecting rod to rotate axially. Small balls are embedded on both sides of its shell to enable the axial bearing to slide smoothly in the slide rail. The axial bearing enters the slide rail through the opening above the slide rail after the limit ring is removed.

[0009] The airbag protection module includes a connecting frame, a square airbag, a spherical airbag, a circular rod, an air jet device, and a six-axis attitude sensor. The connecting frame is connected to the rotation module via a slide rail, and the circular rod is fixed by a connecting ring. The circular rod is used to sleeve the square airbag and the spherical airbag.

[0010] The connecting frame comprises a limit ring, a slide rail, a connecting ring, and a cylindrical airbag. The limit rings are mounted on the top and bottom of the slide rails, and the cylindrical airbag is nestled between the two rails, enhancing the drone's flight safety. A limit ring above the slide rail prevents the drone from tilting too far and falling off the rail. The slide rail is embedded in the connecting ring, and the connecting module slides within the rail via an axial bearing. The slide rail also replaces a conventional tripod, and a gasket beneath the rail ensures the drone maintains contact with the ground during landing.

[0011] The square airbag and the spherical airbag are filled with nitrogen, and the buoyancy generated by them offsets the gravity exerted on the drone in the vertical direction, thereby increasing the flight time of the drone. The square airbag is placed between two different connecting rings, and the spherical airbag is placed inside the connecting ring. There are channels on the square airbag and the spherical airbag for being sleeved on the circular ring rod.

[0012] The circular ring rod is made of four arc rods made of carbon fiber material. There is a splicing interface at the head of the arc rod and a splicing joint at the tail. After the two arc rods pass through the channels of the square airbag respectively, they pass through the connecting rings on the left and right sides of the connecting frame, and then are inserted into the spherical airbag, and the splicing is completed in the center of the spherical airbag channel.

[0013] The jet device has threads on the outside and is installed on the left and right sides of the bottom of the connecting ring respectively. A small lithium battery, a motor and a fan are contained in the jet device on one side, and a Bluetooth module, a motor and a fan are contained in the jet device on the other side. There are wiring ports on the outside of both jet devices, and the two jet devices share a power supply through the wiring ports; after the Bluetooth module is powered on, power will not be supplied to the motor before the drone sends a signal. After the drone issues a command through the Bluetooth module, the jet device rotates the motor to spray air to adjust the balance of the airbag protection module.

[0014] The six-axis attitude sensor is installed inside the jet device. The sensor sends detection data to the drone based on the horizontal angle. When the drone adjusts its own attitude angle, it will not affect the false detection of the six-axis attitude angle. The six-axis attitude sensor sends the horizontal status information of the airbag protection module to the drone in real time through the Bluetooth module, so that the drone sends a jet command to adjust the airbag protection module to a horizontal state.

[0015] The method for maintaining the horizontal position of the horizontal airbag protection device of the rotary-wing UAV when not impacted comprises the following steps:

[0016] Step 1: When the drone is flying, it must adjust its pitch and roll angles, keeping them between -30° and 30°. Based on the nose of the drone, pitching forward is considered positive, while rolling to the left is considered positive. The airbag protection module's attitude angle changes in four positive directions are defined: pitching downward on the nose side is positive, rolling downward on the left side of the nose is positive, pitching downward on the tail side is positive, and rolling downward on the right side of the nose is positive.

[0017] Step 2: When the drone changes its pitch angle, the drone and the rotation module rotate clockwise using the connecting rods with the axial bearings on the left and right sides of the nose. Simultaneously, the drone and the rotation module slide downward within the slide rails using the connecting rods with the axial bearings on the nose as the base point, and slide upward within the slide rails using the axial bearings on the tail side of the connecting rods as the base point. This allows the drone to change its pitch angle and fly forward while the airbag protection module remains horizontal and does not tilt with the drone, thus reducing wind resistance during forward flight. When the drone changes its roll angle, the drone and the rotation module rotate clockwise using the connecting rods with the axial bearings on the nose and tail sides of the drone. Simultaneously, the drone and the rotation module slide downward within the slide rails using the connecting rods with the axial bearings on the left side of the nose as the base point, and slide upward within the slide rails using the axial bearings on the right side of the nose as the base point. This allows the drone to change its roll angle and fly left while the airbag protection module remains horizontal and does not tilt with the drone, thus reducing wind resistance during forward flight.

[0018] Step 3. When the airbag protection module tilts due to factors such as wind speed and direction, the slide rail on the nose side slides downward with the axial bearing as the base point, and the slide rail on the tail side slides upward with the axial bearing as the base point, and the pitch angle of the airbag protection module changes. The pitch angle of the airbag protection module on the nose side is positive, and the pitch angle on the tail side is negative; the slide rail on the left side of the nose slides upward with the axial bearing as the base point, and the slide rail on the right side of the nose slides downward with the axial bearing as the base point, and the roll angle of the airbag protection module on the left side of the nose is negative, and the roll angle on the right side of the nose is positive; the six-axis attitude sensor sends the status information of the airbag protection module to the drone through the Bluetooth module; the drone issues a command to make the jet device with a positive attitude angle change start to spray, and the jet device with a negative attitude angle change does not spray; when the airbag protection module returns to a horizontal state, the jet device stops spraying.

[0019] Step 4. When the pitch angle of the drone exceeds the allowable angle range for normal flight, the limit ring on the slide rail and the sliding length of the slide rail will limit the excessive change of its pitch angle, so that the drone is always within the pitch angle range allowed for normal flight, further ensuring flight safety; when the drone lands, the airbag protection module always remains horizontal, making the drone landing lighter and safer.

[0020] When a rotorcraft drone is hit, the protection method of the horizontal airbag protection device includes the following steps:

[0021] Step 1: When the drone is hit obliquely, the airbag converts the energy generated by the impact into elastic potential energy through deformation, effectively ensuring the flight safety of the drone and achieving the first buffer; the elastic force generated by the airbag's own elastic deformation returning to its initial state pushes the obstacle away, allowing the drone to avoid it.

[0022] Step 2: When the drone is hit by an oblique impact, the force generated by the oblique impact is decomposed into horizontal and vertical forces. In the horizontal direction, the airbag transmits the horizontal force that is not fully buffered by the elastic deformation of the airbag to the outer ring through the circular rod, connecting block and connecting rod. The outer ring is subjected to force through the plastic ball to cause the rotation module and the airbag protection module to start rotating, achieving a second buffer, further ensuring the safety of the drone. When the airbag protection device is in a rotating state, it does not affect the flight attitude of the drone, further improving the stability of the drone. In the vertical direction, the airbag protection module uses a slide rail to move downward relative to the drone on the side of the force-bearing side with the axial bearing as the base point. On the side without force, the airbag protection module uses a slide rail to move upward relative to the drone on the side of the force-bearing side with the axial bearing as the base point, achieving a third buffer. Since the airbag protection module relies on the slide rail to move up and down in the vertical direction, the drone is not affected by the force generated by the collision, and the flight attitude of the drone does not change, further improving the stability and safety of the drone.

[0023] Step 3. When the airbag protection module is hit obliquely and causes the airbag protection module to shake up and down, the impact side slide rail slides downward with the axial bearing as the base point, the nose side pitch angle of the airbag protection module is positive, and the roll angle on the left side of the nose is positive, and the non-impact side slide rail slides upward with the axial bearing as the base point, the tail side pitch angle of the airbag protection module is negative, and the roll angle on the right side of the nose is negative; the six-axis attitude sensor detects the changing state of the airbag protection module, and the drone sends instructions to the jet device through the Bluetooth module, so that the jet device with a positive attitude angle change sprays downward, and the jet device with a negative attitude angle change does not spray; due to the action of the jet device, the airbag protection modules on the nose and left sides of the drone slide upward, and the air slide rails on the right and tail sides slide downward to adjust their own attitude angles; when the attitude angle of the airbag protection module is zero, the airbag protection module returns to a horizontal state.

[0024] The present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0025] (1) Improved the endurance of the drone. The cylindrical, square, and spherical airbags are filled with nitrogen, which generates buoyancy to offset the vertical gravity of the drone. The circular rod is made of four carbon fiber arc rods, which effectively reduces the weight of the drone, reduces energy consumption during flight, and extends flight time.

[0026] (2) The stability of the unmanned aerial vehicle is improved. When the pitch angle of the unmanned aerial vehicle exceeds the angle allowed for normal flight, the limiting rod on the slide rail and the length of the slide rail can limit the change of the pitch angle of the unmanned aerial vehicle, so that the unmanned aerial vehicle is always within the range of the pitch angle allowed for normal flight, and the safety of flight is further ensured. When the airbag protection module is impacted from the top and bottom, the buoyancy generated by the airbag protection module in the vertical direction does not change. At the same time, during the buffering process, the airbag protection module slides through the slide rail without the need for the unmanned aerial vehicle to operate, and the current flight attitude of the unmanned aerial vehicle is not affected. After the airbag protection module loses the horizontal state, the attitude angle of the airbag protection module at this time is detected by the six-axis attitude sensor connected to the connecting ring, so that the unmanned aerial vehicle sends a signal to control the air jet device to jet, so that the airbag protection module restores to the horizontal state.

[0027] (3) The safety of the unmanned aerial vehicle is improved. When the unmanned aerial vehicle is impacted, the energy generated by the impact is converted into elastic potential energy by the elastic deformation of the airbag, and the impact object is squeezed out when the airbag restores to the initial state, thereby improving the obstacle avoidance capability of the unmanned aerial vehicle. The energy generated by the impact is converted into kinetic energy by the rotation module and the slide rail, and the flight state of the unmanned aerial vehicle is not affected, thereby improving the safety of the unmanned aerial vehicle. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0028] Figure 1 is a whole view of the rotor unmanned aerial vehicle;

[0029] Figure 2 is a body cut view of the rotor unmanned aerial vehicle;

[0030] Figure 3 is a three-dimensional structure view of the rotation module of the rotor unmanned aerial vehicle;

[0031] Figure 4 is a three-dimensional structure view of the axial bearing of the rotor unmanned aerial vehicle;

[0032] Figure 5 is a three-dimensional structure view of the airbag protection module (including the airbag) of the rotor unmanned aerial vehicle;

[0033] Figure 6 is a three-dimensional structure view of the airbag protection module (not including the airbag) of the rotor unmanned aerial vehicle;

[0034] Figure 7 is a three-dimensional structure view of the circular arc rod of the rotor unmanned aerial vehicle;

[0035] Figure 8 is a three-dimensional cut view of the air jet device of the rotor unmanned aerial vehicle;

[0036] Figure 9 is a horizontal view of the airbag protection device of the rotor unmanned aerial vehicle;

[0037] Figure 10It is a horizontal diagram of the airbag protection device that maintains the level of the rotor UAV when it is affected by factors such as wind strength and direction;

[0038] Figure 11 This is a diagram of the horizontal airbag protection device protecting the body of the rotary wing UAV;

[0039] Figure 12 It is a diagram of the horizontal airbag protection device of the rotary wing UAV maintaining the horizontal level. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0040] The specific embodiments of the present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0041] Reference Figure 1-7 A horizontal airbag protection device and protection method for a rotary-wing UAV includes a UAV body 1, a rotation module 2, and an airbag protection module 3. The rotation module 2 includes a mounting seat 2-1, an inner ring 2-2, a plastic ball 2-3, an outer ring 2-4, a connecting rod 2-5, and an axial bearing 2-6. The mounting seat 2-1 is connected to the bottom of the UAV body 1. The airbag protection module 3 includes a connecting frame 3-1, a square airbag 3-2, a spherical airbag 3-3, a circular rod 3-4, a jet device 3-5, and a six-axis attitude sensor 3-6. The connecting frame 3-1 includes a limit ring 3-1-1, a slide rail 3-1-2, a connecting ring 3-1-3, and a cylindrical airbag 3-1-4. The connecting frame 3-1 is connected to the rotation module 2.

[0042] like Figure 2 As shown, the bottom of the UAV body 1 has a threaded groove 1-1 for connecting with the mounting seat 2-1.

[0043] like Figure 3 As shown, the rotation module 2 includes a mounting base 2-1, an inner ring 2-2, a plastic ball 2-3, an outer ring 2-4, a connecting rod 2-5, and an axial bearing 2-6. The mounting base 2-1 has a threaded head that connects to the threaded groove 1-1 at the bottom of the drone body 1. The inner ring 2-2 and the outer ring 2-4 are placed on the mounting base 2-1, and the plastic ball 2-3 is placed between the inner ring 2-2 and the outer ring 2-4. The three form a rotating device that converts the energy generated by the drone when it is hit into kinetic energy, thereby reducing the impact force on the drone body and improving the flight safety of the drone. There are four connecting rods 2-5 on the outer ring 2-4, and the top of the connecting rods has a connector for sleeve-connecting the axial bearing 2-6.

[0044] like Figure 4 As shown, the axial bearing 2-6 allows the connecting rod 2-5 to rotate axially. Small balls 2-5-2 are embedded on both sides of its housing 2-5-1, allowing the axial bearing 2-6 to slide smoothly within the slide rail 3-1-2. The axial bearing 2-6 enters the slide rail 3-1-2 through the opening above the slide rail 3-1-2 after the limit ring 3-1-1 is removed.

[0045] like Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown, the airbag protection module 3 includes a connecting frame 3-1, a square airbag 3-2, a spherical airbag 3-3, a circular rod 3-4, an air jet device 3-5, and a six-axis attitude sensor 3-6. The connecting frame 3-1 is connected to the rotation module 2 via a slide rail 3-1-2, and the circular rod 3-4 is fixed by a connecting ring 3-1-3. The circular rod 3-4 is used to connect the square airbag 3-2 and the spherical airbag 3-3.

[0046] The connecting frame 3-1 comprises a limit ring 3-1-1, a slide rail 3-1-2, a connecting ring 3-1-3, and a cylindrical airbag 3-1-4. The limit ring 3-1-1 is mounted on the top and bottom of the slide rail. The limit ring is fitted with a cylindrical airbag 3-1-4 between the two slide rails, enhancing the drone's flight safety. A limit ring 3-1-1 is positioned above the slide rail 3-1-2 to prevent the drone from tilting too far and detaching from the rail. The slide rail 3-1-2 is embedded in the connecting ring 3-1-3, and the connecting module 2 slides within the slide rail 3-1-2 via an axial bearing 2-6. The slide rail 3-1-2 also replaces a conventional tripod. A gasket is located beneath the slide rail 3-1-2 to ensure the drone maintains contact with the ground upon landing.

[0047] The square airbag 3-2 and the spherical airbag 3-3 are filled with nitrogen, and the buoyancy generated by them offsets the gravity acting on the drone in the vertical direction, thereby increasing the flight time of the drone; the square airbag 3-2 is placed between two different connecting rings 3-1-3, and the spherical airbag 3-3 is placed inside the connecting ring 3-1-3. There are channels on the square airbag 3-2 and the spherical airbag 3-3 for being sleeved on the circular ring rod 3-4.

[0048] like Figure 6 and Figure 7 As shown, the circular rod 3-4 is spliced ​​by four arc rods 3-4-2 made of carbon fiber material. The arc rod 3-4-2 has a splicing interface 3-4-1 at the head and a splicing joint 3-4-3 at the tail. After the two arc rods pass through the channel of the square airbag 3-2 respectively, they pass through the connecting rings 3-1-3 on the left and right sides of the connecting frame 3-1, and then are inserted into the spherical airbag 3-3, and the splicing is completed at the center of the channel of the spherical airbag 3-3.

[0049] like Figure 8As shown, the outer side of the jet device 3-5 has threads installed on the left and right sides of the bottom of the connecting ring 3-1-3 respectively. A small lithium battery 3-5-1, a motor 3-5-4 and a fan 3-5-5 are installed in the jet device on one side, and a Bluetooth module 3-5-2, a motor 3-5-4 and a fan 3-5-5 are installed in the jet device on the other side. There are wiring ports 3-5-3 on the outer sides of the two jet devices 3-5, and the wiring ports 3-5-3 allow the two jet devices to share a power supply; after the Bluetooth module 3-5-2 is powered on, the power will not be supplied to the motor before the drone sends a signal. After the drone issues a command through the Bluetooth module 3-5-2, the jet device 3-5 rotates the motor to spray to adjust the balance of the airbag protection module.

[0050] There is only one six-axis attitude sensor 3-6 and it is only installed inside the jet device 3-5-C. The sensor sends detection data to the drone based on the horizontal angle. When the drone adjusts its own attitude angle, it will not affect the six-axis attitude angle misdetection. The six-axis attitude sensor 3-6 sends the horizontal status information of the airbag protection module 3 to the drone in real time through the Bluetooth module 3-5-2, so that the drone sends a jet command to adjust the airbag protection module 3 to a horizontal state.

[0051] like Figure 9 and Figure 10 As shown, the method for maintaining the horizontal position of the horizontal airbag protection device of the rotary-wing UAV in the absence of collision includes the following steps:

[0052] Step 1: When the drone's nose is flying forward, the drone must change its pitch and roll angles, and the pitch and roll angles must be controlled between -30° and 30°. Based on the drone's nose, pitching forward is considered positive, and rolling to the left is considered positive. The airbag protection module 3's attitude angle changes in four positive directions are defined: pitching downward on the nose side is positive, rolling downward on the left side of the nose is positive, pitching downward on the tail side is positive, and rolling downward on the right side of the nose is positive.

[0053] Step 2. When the UAV changes its pitch angle, the UAV 1 and the rotating module 2 rotate clockwise through the connecting rod with the axial bearings 2-6-1 and axial bearings 2-6-2 that are not in the flight direction as base points; at the same time, the UAV 1 and the rotating module 2 slide downward in the slide rail through the connecting rod 2-5 with the axial bearing 2-6-3 in the flight direction as the base point, and slide upward in the slide rail 3-1-2 with the axial bearing 2-6-4 in the flight direction as the base point, so that the UAV changes its pitch angle and flies forward while the airbag protection module 3 always remains horizontal and does not tilt with the UAV, thereby reducing the wind resistance encountered by the UAV when flying forward.

[0054] Step 2. When the UAV changes its pitch angle, the UAV 1 and the rotation module 2 rotate clockwise with the axial bearing 2-6-1 on the left side of the nose and the axial bearing 2-6-2 on the right side of the nose as the base points through the connecting rod; at the same time, the UAV 1 and the rotation module 2 slide downward in the slide rail 3-1-2-C with the axial bearing 2-6-3 on the nose side as the base point through the connecting rod, and slide upward in the slide rail 3-1-2-D with the axial bearing 2-6-4 on the tail side of the aircraft as the base point, so that the UAV changes its pitch angle and flies forward while the airbag protection module always remains horizontal and does not tilt with the UAV, thereby reducing the wind resistance encountered by the UAV when flying forward. When the UAV changes its roll angle, the UAV 1 and the rotation module 2 rotate clockwise with the axial bearing 2-6-3 on the nose side and the axial bearing 2-6-4 on the tail side as base points through the connecting rod; at the same time, the UAV 1 and the rotation module 2 slide downward in the slide rail 3-1-2-A with the axial bearing 2-6-1 on the left side of the nose as the base point through the connecting rod, and slide upward in the slide rail 3-1-2-B with the axial bearing 2-6-2 on the right side of the nose as the base point, so that the UAV changes its roll angle and flies to the left while the airbag protection module always remains horizontal and does not tilt with the UAV, thereby reducing the wind resistance encountered by the UAV when flying forward.

[0055] Step 3. When the airbag protection module 3 tilts due to factors such as the size and direction of the wind, if the slide rail 3-1-2-C slides downward with the axial bearing 2-6-3 as the base point, and the slide rail 3-1-2-D slides upward with the axial bearing 2-6-4 as the base point, the pitch angle of the airbag protection module 3 changes. The pitch angle of the airbag protection module 3 on the nose side is positive, and the pitch angle on the tail side is negative; the slide rail 3-1-2-A slides upward with the axial bearing 2-6-1 as the base point, and the slide rail 3-1-2-D slides downward with the axial bearing 2-6-4 as the base point, the airbag protection module 3 changes. The roll angle of block 3 is negative on the left side of the nose and positive on the right side of the nose; the six-axis attitude sensor 3-6 sends the status information of the airbag protection module 3 to the drone through the Bluetooth module 2-5-2; the pitch angle and roll angle of the airbag protection module 3 change, with pitching downward on the nose side as positive and rolling downward on the right side of the nose as positive, and the jet device 3-5-C and the jet device 3-5-B receive the drone command to start spraying, and the jet device 3-5-D and the jet device 3-5-A do not spray; when the airbag protection module 3 returns to a horizontal state, the jet device 3-5 stops spraying.

[0056] Step 4. When the pitch angle of the drone exceeds the angle range allowed for normal flight, the limit ring 3-1-1 on the slide rail 3-1-2 and the sliding length of the slide rail 3-1-2 will limit the excessive change of its own pitch angle, so that the drone is always within the pitch angle range allowed for normal flight, further ensuring the safety of flight; when the drone lands, the airbag protection module 3 always remains horizontal, making the drone landing lighter and safer.

[0057] like Figure 11 and Figure 12 As shown, when a rotor UAV is hit, the protection method of the horizontal airbag protection device includes the following steps:

[0058] Step 1: When the drone is hit obliquely, the airbag converts the energy generated by the impact into elastic potential energy through deformation, effectively ensuring the flight safety of the drone and achieving the first buffer; the elastic force generated by the airbag's own elastic deformation returning to its initial state pushes the obstacle away, allowing the drone to avoid it.

[0059] Step 2: When the drone is hit by an oblique impact, the force generated by the oblique impact is decomposed into forces in the horizontal and vertical directions. In the horizontal direction, the airbag transmits the horizontal force that is not fully buffered by the elastic deformation of the airbag to the outer ring 2-4 through the circular rod 3-4, the connecting frame 3-1 and the connecting rod 2-5. The outer ring 2-4 is subjected to force to make the rotating module 2 and the airbag protection module 3 start to rotate through the plastic ball 2-4, thereby realizing the second buffering and further ensuring the safety of the drone; when the airbag protection device 3 is in the rotating state, it does not affect the flight attitude of the drone, thereby further improving the stability of the drone; in the vertical direction, the airbag protection module 3 uses the slide rail 3-1-2 to move downward relative to the drone on the force-bearing side with the axial bearing 2-6 as the base point; on the non-forced side, the airbag protection module 3 uses the slide rail 3-1-2 to move upward relative to the drone on the force-bearing side with the axial bearing 2-6 as the base point, thereby realizing the third buffering. Since the airbag protection module 3 relies on the slide rail 3-1-2 to move up and down in the vertical direction, the drone is not affected by the force generated by the collision, and the flight attitude of the drone does not change, thereby further improving the stability and safety of the drone.

[0060] Step 3. When the airbag protection module 3 is hit obliquely and causes the airbag protection module 3 to shake up and down, the slide rail 3-1-2-A slides downward with the axial bearing 2-6-1 as the base point, and the slide rail 3-1-2-C slides downward with the axial bearing 2-6-3 as the base point. The pitch angle of the nose side of the airbag protection module 3 is positive, and the roll angle on the left side of the nose is positive. The slide rail 3-1-2-B slides upward with the axial bearing 2-6-2 as the base point, and the slide rail 3-1-2-D slides upward with the axial bearing 2-6-4 as the base point. The pitch angle of the tail side of the airbag protection module 3 is negative, and the roll angle on the right side of the nose is negative. Step 6. The axis attitude sensor 3-6 detects the changing state of the airbag protection module 3, and the UAV sends instructions to the jet device 3-5 through the Bluetooth module 3-5-2, so that the jet device 3-5-A and the jet device 3-5-C spray downward, and the jet device 3-5-B and the jet device 3-5-D do not spray; due to the action of the jet device 3-5, the airbag protection module 3 on the nose and left side of the UAV causes the slide rail 3-1-2 to slide upward, and the air slide rail 3-1-2 on the right and tail side slide downward to adjust its own attitude angle; when the attitude angle of the airbag protection module 3 is zero, the airbag protection module 3 returns to a horizontal state.

Claims

1. A horizontal airbag protection method for a rotary-wing UAV, characterized by: It includes a drone body, a rotation module and an airbag protection module; The bottom of the drone body has a threaded groove for connecting to the mounting base; The rotating module includes a mounting seat, an inner ring, a plastic ball, an outer ring, a connecting rod and an axial bearing; the mounting seat is connected to the bottom of the drone body; The mounting base of the rotation module has a threaded head connected to the threaded groove at the bottom of the drone body; the inner ring and the outer ring are placed on the mounting base, and a small plastic ball is placed between the inner ring and the outer ring. The three constitute a rotation device, which converts the energy generated by the drone when it is hit into kinetic energy, reduces the impact force on the drone body, and improves the flight safety of the drone; the outer ring has four connecting rods, and the top of the connecting rods has a connector for sleeve axial bearings; Small balls are embedded on both sides of the axial bearing housing, so that the axial bearing can slide smoothly in the slide rail; the axial bearing enters the slide rail from the opening above the slide rail after the limit rod is removed; The airbag protection module includes a connecting frame, a square airbag, a spherical airbag, a circular rod, an air jet device, and a six-axis attitude sensor. The connecting frame is connected to the rotation module via a slide rail, and the circular rod is fixed by a connecting ring. The circular rod is used to sleeve the square airbag and the spherical airbag. The connection frame includes a limit ring, a slide rail, a connection ring, and a cylindrical airbag. The limit rings are installed at the top and bottom of the slide rails, and a cylindrical airbag is inserted between the two slide rails to improve the flight safety of the drone. The limit ring above the slide rail prevents the drone from tilting too far and falling off the slide rail. The slide rail is embedded in the connection ring, and the connection module slides inside the slide rail via an axial bearing. The slide rail also replaces the conventional tripod, and a gasket is provided under the slide rail to ensure that the drone contacts the ground when landing. The square and spherical airbags are filled with nitrogen, and the buoyancy generated by them offsets the vertical gravity of the drone, thereby increasing the flight time of the drone. The square airbag is placed between two different connecting rings, and the spherical airbag is placed between two connecting rings. The square and spherical airbags have channels for being connected to the circular rods. The circular rod is made of four arc rods made of carbon fiber material. The arc rod has a splicing interface at the head and a splicing joint at the tail. After the two arc rods pass through the channel of the square airbag, they pass through the connecting rings on the left and right sides of the connecting block, and then are inserted into the spherical airbag. The splicing is completed at the center of the spherical airbag channel. The jet devices have threads on the outside and are installed on the left and right sides of the bottom of the connecting ring. One jet device contains a small lithium battery, a motor and a fan, while the other jet device contains a Bluetooth module, a motor and a fan. Both jet devices have wiring ports on the outside, through which the two jet devices share a power supply. After the Bluetooth module is powered on, the power will not be supplied to the motor before the drone sends a signal. After the drone issues a command through the Bluetooth module, the jet device rotates the motor to spray air to adjust the balance of the airbag protection module. There is only one six-axis attitude sensor installed inside the jet device. The sensor sends detection data to the drone based on the horizontal angle. When the drone adjusts its own attitude angle, it will not affect the six-axis attitude angle misdetection. The six-axis attitude sensor sends the horizontal status information of the airbag protection module to the drone in real time through the Bluetooth module, so that the drone sends the jet command to adjust the airbag protection module to a horizontal state. The method for maintaining the horizontal position of the horizontal airbag protection device of the rotary-wing UAV when not impacted comprises the following steps: Step 1: When the drone is flying, it must change its pitch and roll angles, and the pitch and roll angles must be controlled between -30° and 30°. Based on the nose of the drone, pitching forward is considered positive, and rolling to the left is considered positive. The airbag protection module's attitude angle changes in four positive directions are defined: pitching downward on the nose side is positive, rolling downward on the left side of the nose is positive, pitching downward on the tail side is positive, and rolling downward on the right side of the nose is positive. The second step is to rotate the drone clockwise with the axial bearing base points on the left and right sides of the nose through the connecting rod; at the same time, the drone and the rotating module slide downward in the slide rail with the axial bearing on the nose side as the base point through the connecting rod, and the connecting rod slides upward in the slide rail with the axial bearing on the tail side as the base point, so that the drone changes its pitch angle and flies forward while the airbag protection module always remains horizontal, and does not tilt with the drone, thereby reducing the wind resistance suffered by the drone when flying forward; when the drone changes its roll angle, the drone and the rotating module rotate clockwise with the axial bearing base points on the nose side and the tail side through the connecting rod; at the same time, the drone and the rotating module slide downward in the slide rail with the axial bearing on the left side of the nose as the base point through the connecting rod, and the connecting rod slides upward in the slide rail with the axial bearing on the right side of the nose as the base point, so that the drone changes its roll angle and flies to the left while the airbag protection module always remains horizontal, and does not tilt with the drone, thereby reducing the wind resistance suffered by the drone when flying forward; Step 3. When the airbag protection module tilts due to the influence of different factors such as wind force and direction, the slide rail on the nose side slides downward with the axial bearing as the base point, and the slide rail on the tail side slides upward with the axial bearing as the base point, and the pitch angle of the airbag protection module changes. The pitch angle of the airbag protection module on the nose side is positive, and the pitch angle on the tail side is negative; the slide rail on the left side of the nose slides upward with the axial bearing as the base point, and the slide rail on the right side of the nose slides downward with the axial bearing as the base point, and the roll angle of the airbag protection module on the left side of the nose is negative, and the roll angle on the right side of the nose is positive; the six-axis attitude sensor sends the status information of the airbag protection module to the drone through the Bluetooth module; the drone issues a command to start the jet device with a positive attitude angle change, and stop the jet device with a negative attitude angle change; when the airbag protection module returns to a horizontal state, the jet device stops jetting; Step 4. When the pitch angle of the drone exceeds the allowable angle range for normal flight, the limit ring on the slide rail and the sliding length of the slide rail will limit the excessive change of its pitch angle, so that the drone is always within the pitch angle range allowed for normal flight, further ensuring flight safety; when the drone lands, the airbag protection module always remains horizontal, making the drone landing lighter and safer.

2. The horizontal airbag protection method for a rotary-wing UAV according to claim 1, characterized in that: When a rotorcraft drone is hit, the protection method of the horizontal airbag protection device includes the following steps: Step 1: When the drone is hit by an oblique impact, the airbag converts the energy generated by the impact into elastic potential energy through deformation, effectively ensuring the flight safety of the drone and achieving the first buffer. The elastic force generated by the airbag's own elastic deformation returning to its initial state pushes the obstacle away, allowing the drone to avoid it. Step 2. When the drone is subjected to an oblique impact, the force generated by the oblique impact is decomposed into forces in the horizontal and vertical directions; in the horizontal direction, the airbag transmits the horizontal force that is not fully buffered by the elastic deformation of the airbag to the outer ring through the circular rod, the connecting block and the connecting rod. The force on the outer ring causes the rotating module and the airbag protection module to start rotating through the plastic ball, thereby achieving a second buffer and further ensuring the safety of the drone. When the airbag protection device is in a rotating state, it does not affect the flight attitude of the drone, thereby further improving the stability of the drone; in the vertical direction, the airbag protection module uses the slide rail to move downward relative to the drone on the force-bearing side with the axial bearing as the base point; on the non-forced side, the airbag protection module uses the slide rail to move upward relative to the drone on the force-bearing side with the axial bearing as the base point, thereby achieving a third buffer. Since the airbag protection module relies on the slide rail to move up and down in the vertical direction, the drone is not affected by the force generated by the collision, and the flight attitude of the drone does not change, thereby further improving the stability and safety of the drone; Step 3. When the airbag protection module is hit obliquely and causes the airbag protection module to shake up and down, the impact side slide rail slides downward with the axial bearing as the base point, the nose side pitch angle of the airbag protection module is positive, and the roll angle on the left side of the nose is positive, and the non-impact side slide rail slides upward with the axial bearing as the base point, the tail side pitch angle of the airbag protection module is negative, and the roll angle on the right side of the nose is negative; the six-axis attitude sensor detects the changing state of the airbag protection module, and the drone sends instructions to the jet device through the Bluetooth module, so that the jet device with a positive attitude angle change sprays downward, and the jet device with a negative attitude angle change does not spray; due to the action of the jet device, the airbag protection modules on the nose and left sides of the drone slide upward, and the air slide rails on the right and tail sides slide downward to adjust their own attitude angles; when the attitude angle of the airbag protection module is zero, the airbag protection module returns to a horizontal state.

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