Long-endurance floating unmanned aerial vehicle carrying platform

Abstract

The invention relates to a long-endurance floating unmanned aerial vehicle carrying platform, belongs to the technical field of aerial carrying platforms, and aims to solve the problem of how to improve the endurance and stability of an equipment carrying platform. According to the scheme, the device mainly comprises an air bag filled with light gas; the unmanned aerial vehicle is provided with a motion system and a rack, the motion system is installed on the rack, and the unmanned aerial vehicle is fixedly connected with the air bag through the rack; the winch mooring system is used for connecting the carrying platform with a fixed object so as to help the carrying platform keep balance; the winch mooring system comprises a plurality of winches and corresponding mooring ropes, the winches are used for regulating and controlling the lengths of the mooring ropes, and the ends of the mooring ropes are connected with the air bag or the rack; the positioning system is used for acquiring speed, acceleration, inclination angle, displacement and height data of the carrying platform; and the controller is in communication connection with the unmanned aerial vehicle, the winch and the positioning system.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention belongs to the technical field of aerial carrying platforms, and in particular relates to a long-endurance floating UAV carrying platform. Background Art

[0002] Airborne platform technology has been significantly developed in recent years and is widely used in various fields, including defense, communications, meteorology, agriculture, surveillance, etc. Depending on the mission requirements, these platforms can carry a variety of sensors, weapons, communication equipment and other payloads.

[0003] The existing small aerial platforms are mainly based on drone technology, but the existing drone technology mainly relies on battery power, which results in limited flight time and makes it difficult to play a role in long-term missions. In addition, traditional drones are difficult to maintain stability under the influence of external factors such as wind, and need to constantly adjust their flight attitude, which increases energy consumption and operational difficulty. Therefore, there is an urgent need for a drone that can maintain stable suspension for a long time and can move flexibly to meet the diverse application needs in complex environments. Summary of the invention

[0004] In view of the above analysis, the embodiment of the present invention aims to solve the problem of how to improve the endurance and stability of the equipment carrying platform. A long-endurance floating UAV carrying platform is provided, comprising: An airbag, wherein the interior of the airbag is filled with light gas; A drone, comprising a motion system and a frame, wherein the motion system is mounted on the frame, and the drone is fixedly connected to the airbag via the frame; A hoisting and mooring system is used to connect the carrying platform to a fixed object to help the carrying platform maintain balance; the hoisting and mooring system includes a plurality of hoists and corresponding mooring ropes, the hoists are used to adjust the length of the mooring ropes, and the ends of the mooring ropes are connected to the airbag or the frame; A positioning system, the positioning system is used to obtain speed, acceleration, tilt angle, displacement and height data of the carrying platform; A controller is communicatively connected with the drone, the winch and the positioning system respectively.

[0005] In some embodiments, the winch has a built-in tension sensor and a winch drive module, and the controller is communicatively connected with the tension sensor and the winch drive module respectively; The controller is configured to adjust the length of the mooring rope through the winch drive module according to the displacement and inclination angle of the carrying platform and the tension data obtained by the tension sensor, so that the carrying platform is in a preset position range and maintains balance.

[0006] In some embodiments, the number of the winches is three; The adjusting the length of the mooring rope by the winch driving module comprises: The tension of the three winches is obtained respectively through the tension sensor; If the difference between any two of the three pulling forces reaches more than 10% of the maximum of the three pulling forces, the controller controls the winch corresponding to the minimum of the three pulling forces to tighten until the difference between any two of the three pulling forces is less than 10% of the maximum of the three pulling forces, and the inclination angle of the carrying platform does not exceed 5 degrees.

[0007] In some embodiments, the airbag is in the shape of a ring, and the drone is located in the center of the ring.

[0008] In some embodiments, the light gas includes hydrogen or helium.

[0009] In some embodiments, the frame is fixedly connected to the airbag via a suspension cable structure.

[0010] In some embodiments, the upper and lower sides of the airbag have annularly arranged perforations; The frame is disc-shaped and has fixing holes arranged in an annular pattern; The suspension cable structure comprises a plurality of suspension ropes and connecting buckles respectively connected at both ends of the suspension ropes; Each of the perforations corresponds to a suspension rope; The middle part of the suspension rope passes through the through hole, and the two connecting buckles at both ends are buckled in two adjacent fixing holes respectively.

[0011] In some embodiments, the motion system includes a plurality of rotors and a motion drive module connected to the rotors, the motion drive module is disposed at the bottom of the frame, a protection hole corresponding to the rotor is opened on the frame, and the rotor is located in the protection hole.

[0012] In some embodiments, it also includes an equipment mounting platform, and the equipment mounting platform is fixedly connected to the frame or the airbag.

[0013] In some embodiments, the protection level of the airbag is IP68.

[0014] The above embodiments of the present invention have at least the following beneficial effects: 1. The embodiment of the present invention uses light gas to provide buoyancy, so that the UAV can achieve long-term suspension without power, greatly reducing the energy consumption of batteries and power systems. The power system is only started when it is necessary to move or maintain a stable attitude, which significantly extends the flight time of the UAV and is suitable for long-term monitoring and mission execution.

[0015] 2. The embodiment of the present invention can obtain the drone attitude data of the positioning system and the tension data of the winch mooring system through the controller, and then adjust the carrying platform to maintain balance by controlling the driving of the drone and the winch mooring system. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] In order to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of this specification or the technical solutions in the prior art, the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the description of the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments recorded in the embodiments of this specification. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can also be obtained based on these drawings.

[0017] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of a long-endurance floating UAV carrying platform provided by an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the bottom perspective structure of a mounting platform provided by an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 Schematic diagram of a control communication architecture according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0018] Reference numerals: 1. Airbag; 11. Perforation; 2. UAV; 21. Frame; 211. Fixing hole; 212. Protection hole; 22. Motion system; 221. Rotor; 222. Motion drive module; 3. Winch and mooring system; 31. Winch; 32. Mooring rope; 33. Tension sensor; 34. Winch drive module; 4. Positioning system; 5. Controller; 6. Suspension structure; 61. Suspension rope; 62. Connecting buckle. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0019] In order to make the purpose, technical solutions and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the drawings in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. It should be noted that, in the absence of conflict, the embodiments and features in the embodiments disclosed in this disclosure can be combined, separated, interchanged and / or rearranged with each other. Based on the embodiments in the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative work are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0020] The terms used here are for the purpose of describing specific embodiments, and are not intended to be restrictive. As used here, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the singular forms "one (kind, person)" and "said (the)" are also intended to include plural forms. In addition, when the terms "comprise" and / or "include" and their variations are used in this specification, it is explained that there are stated features, integral bodies, steps, operations, parts, assemblies and / or their groups, but it is not excluded that there are or add one or more other features, integral bodies, steps, operations, parts, assemblies and / or their groups. It should also be noted that, as used here, the terms "substantially", "approximately" and other similar terms are used as approximate terms and not as degree terms, so that they are used to explain the inherent deviations of the measured values, calculated values ​​and / or the values ​​provided that will be recognized by those of ordinary skill in the art.

[0021] The present disclosure is described below through several specific embodiments. In order to keep the following description of the embodiments of the present invention clear and concise, the present invention omits the detailed description of known functions and known components.

[0022] Example 1 See also Figure 1 The present invention provides a long-endurance floating UAV carrying platform, comprising: An airbag 1, wherein the airbag 1 is filled with light gas; The drone 2 has a motion system 22 and a frame 21, wherein the motion system 22 is mounted on the frame 21, and the drone 2 is fixedly connected to the airbag 1 via the frame 21; A hoisting and mooring system 3 is used to connect the carrying platform to a fixed object to help the carrying platform maintain balance; the hoisting and mooring system 3 includes a plurality of hoists 31 and corresponding mooring ropes 32, the hoists 31 are used to adjust the length of the mooring ropes 32, and the ends of the mooring ropes 32 are connected to the airbag 1 or the frame 21; A positioning system 4, the positioning system 4 is used to obtain the speed, acceleration, inclination angle, displacement and height data of the carrying platform; A controller 5 is communicatively connected with the drone 2 , the winch 31 and the positioning system 4 , respectively.

[0023] The airbag 1 is filled with a light gas, preferably helium or hydrogen, to provide sufficient buoyancy. The airbag 1 is annular in shape, and has annularly arranged perforations 11 on its upper and lower sides to facilitate fixed connection with the frame 21.

[0024] In some embodiments, the winch 3 has a built-in tension sensor 33 and a winch drive module 34, and the controller 5 is communicatively connected with the tension sensor 33 and the winch drive module 34 respectively; The controller 5 is configured to adjust the length of the mooring rope through the winch drive module 34 according to the displacement, tilt angle of the carrying platform and the tension data obtained by the tension sensor 33, so that the carrying platform is in a preset position range and maintains balance. Figure 3 shown.

[0025] The drone 2 includes a motion system 22 and a frame 21, and the motion system 22 is mounted on the frame 21. The frame 21 is disc-shaped, and a protection hole 212 corresponding to the rotor 221 is provided at its bottom, and the rotor 221 is located in the protection hole 212. The frame 21 is fixedly connected to the airbag 1 through a suspension structure 6, and the suspension structure 6 includes a plurality of suspension ropes 61, and the middle part of each suspension rope 61 passes through the perforation 11 on the airbag 1, and the two ends of the suspension rope 61 are respectively connected to the adjacent fixing holes 211 on the frame 21 through the connecting buckle 62. In this way, the drone 2 is firmly fixed in the center of the airbag 1, and the overall structure is light and stable.

[0026] Specifically, the motion system 22 of the drone 2 includes a plurality of rotors 221, preferably four or more rotors 221, which are evenly distributed around a motion drive module 222 of the drone 2. Each rotor 221 is controlled by a motion drive module 222, which is connected to the control system of the drone 2. The rotors 221 are made of lightweight, high-strength materials, such as carbon fiber or composite materials, to ensure higher thrust and lower energy consumption.

[0027] The middle part of the frame 21 of the drone 2 is provided with a plurality of protection holes 212 corresponding to the rotors 221. The rotors 221 are installed in these protection holes 212, which can provide sufficient air flow space and protect the rotors 221 from collision or interference from debris in the external environment. This design ensures that the rotors 221 can work efficiently and stably during the operation of the platform. Figure 2 shown.

[0028] The frame 21 of the drone 2 is disc-shaped, preferably made of lightweight, high-strength metal or composite materials, such as aluminum alloy or carbon fiber. The advantage of the disc-shaped structure is that it can evenly distribute the weight and provide a stable installation position for the rotor 221 and other electronic equipment.

[0029] The frame 21 and the airbag 1 are connected by a suspension structure 6, and the suspension rope 61 is fixed to the fixing hole 211 on the frame 21 through the perforation 11 on the airbag 1. The flexibility of the suspension structure 6 allows the drone 2 and the airbag 1 to have a certain buffer during movement, reducing the impact of external interference on the platform balance. At the same time, this connection method is easy to install and disassemble, and improves the maintenance efficiency of the equipment.

[0030] The power system of UAV 2 is composed of highly efficient electric motors, which drive rotors 221 to provide lift or displacement thrust. In order to extend the flight time, the battery system of UAV 2 uses high-energy-density lithium-ion batteries or hydrogen fuel cells and is equipped with an intelligent power management system. The system monitors the battery power in real time and automatically adjusts the power distribution according to the platform status to ensure that the energy consumption is optimized when UAV 2 moves or adjusts its attitude.

[0031] When the carrying platform is in a stable suspended state, the power system can enter standby mode. The power system will only start when the platform needs to adjust its position or posture, further reducing power consumption and extending battery life.

[0032] The control system of the drone 2 communicates with the main controller 5 of the platform to achieve precise control of the attitude and position of the drone 2. The control system includes attitude sensors (such as gyroscopes and accelerometers), GPS positioning modules, and altimeters. These sensors monitor the attitude changes, position, and altitude of the drone 2 in real time and transmit the data to the main controller 5.

[0033] The main controller 5 adjusts the attitude stability of the drone 2 by controlling the motion system 22 according to the attitude data of the drone 2. For example, when the tilt angle of the platform exceeds a preset threshold, the main controller 5 will start the motion system 22 and quickly restore the balance state of the platform by adjusting the thrust of different rotors 221.

[0034] The winch mooring system 3 is used to connect the carrying platform to a ground fixture to help the platform maintain balance, and can fix the drone 2 at a predetermined position and flexibly adjust the height and position as needed. The system includes three winches 31, each of which is connected to the airbag 1 or the frame 21 through a mooring rope 32. A tension sensor is provided inside the winch 31 to monitor the tension of each mooring rope 32. By adjusting the rope length of the winch 31, the controller 5 can maintain the horizontal stability of the platform. The mooring rope 32 is made of high-strength fiber rope, has excellent durability and tensile strength, and can maintain reliability during long-term use.

[0035] The controller 5 is connected to the motion system 22, the hoist 31 and the positioning system 4 of the drone 2. The positioning system 4 obtains the speed, acceleration, tilt angle, displacement and height data of the carrying platform in real time and transmits them to the controller 5. According to these data, the controller 5 can start the rotor 221 of the drone 2 to keep the attitude of the platform stable, or adjust the position of the platform by adjusting the rope length of the hoisting mooring system 3. Preferably, the positioning system 4 adopts the existing Sinan positioning system 4, for example.

[0036] Example 2 In another embodiment of the present invention, the number of winches 31 of the winch mooring system 3 is three. The controller 5 determines whether the carrying platform is balanced based on the tension data obtained by the tension sensor. If the difference in tension between any two winches 31 exceeds 10% of the maximum tension, the controller 5 will control the winch 31 with the smallest tension to tighten the rope through the winch 31 drive module until the difference in tension between the three winches 31 is less than 10% of the maximum tension. In addition, the controller 5 will ensure that the inclination angle of the platform does not exceed 5 degrees to ensure that the platform is in a balanced state.

[0037] In the usage scenario, due to the presence of the airbag 1, under the influence of the airflow, the carrying platform will have a certain degree of displacement. When displacement occurs, at least one of the mooring ropes 32 will relax, and the platform will float up on the corresponding side under the action of buoyancy, causing it to tilt. At this time, the rope is tightened to maintain balance.

[0038] In another usage scenario, for example, if the platform tilts due to wind force, causing the rope on one side to loosen and the rope on the other side to tighten, the three winches 31 can be controlled to retract the ropes simultaneously to restore the platform to balance.

[0039] In addition, in some embodiments, the controller 5 can also drive the drone 2 to maintain the stability of its position and attitude based on the displacement of the drone 2. For example, when the displacement of the carrying platform is 0.5m or 1m or more away from the center point, the power system of the drone 2 is started, and the carrying platform is reset to the center position. When the specified position is reached, the power system will automatically stop. When the tilt angle reaches 5 degrees, the above power system of the drone 2 is also triggered to adjust the attitude and position.

[0040] In summary, corresponding balance and stability strategies can be formulated for different imbalance states according to the embodiments of the present invention to achieve dual guarantees of endurance and stability.

[0041] Example 3 In another embodiment, the airbag 1 has a protection level of IP68, which is effective in preventing water and dust. This feature enables the carrying platform of the present invention to work normally in harsh environments and is suitable for long-term outdoor tasks and monitoring.

[0042] Example 4 In another embodiment of the present invention, an equipment installation platform is also installed on the platform for carrying different types of equipment. The equipment installation platform can be fixedly connected to the frame 21 or the airbag 1, and the position and weight distribution of the equipment can be flexibly adjusted as needed. Professionals should also be further aware that the units and algorithm steps of each example described in conjunction with the embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented in electronic hardware, computer software, or a combination of the two. In order to clearly illustrate the interchangeability of hardware and software, the composition and steps of each example have been generally described in the above description according to function. Whether these functions are performed in hardware or software depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution. Professional and technical personnel can use different methods to implement the described functions for each specific application, but such implementation should not be considered to exceed the scope of the present invention.

[0043] The steps of the method or algorithm described in conjunction with the embodiments disclosed herein may be implemented using hardware, a software module executed by a processor, or a combination of the two. The software module may be placed in a random access memory (RAM), a memory, a read-only memory (ROM), an electrically programmable ROM, an electrically erasable programmable ROM, a register, a hard disk, a removable disk, a CD-ROM, or any other form of storage medium known in the art.

[0044] The specific implementation methods described above further illustrate the objectives, technical solutions and beneficial effects of the present invention in detail. It should be understood that the above description is only a specific implementation method of the present invention and is not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc. made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included in the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A long-endurance floating UAV carrying platform, characterized in that: include: An airbag, wherein the interior of the airbag is filled with light gas; A drone, comprising a motion system and a frame, wherein the motion system is mounted on the frame, and the drone is fixedly connected to the airbag via the frame; A hoisting and mooring system is used to connect the carrying platform to a fixed object to help the carrying platform maintain balance; the hoisting and mooring system includes a plurality of hoists and corresponding mooring ropes, the hoists are used to adjust the length of the mooring ropes, and the ends of the mooring ropes are connected to the airbag or the frame; A positioning system, the positioning system is used to obtain speed, acceleration, tilt angle, displacement and height data of the carrying platform; A controller is communicatively connected with the drone, the winch and the positioning system respectively.

2. The long-endurance floating UAV carrying platform according to claim 1 is characterized by: The winch has a built-in tension sensor and a winch drive module, and the controller is communicatively connected with the tension sensor and the winch drive module respectively; The controller is configured to adjust the length of the mooring rope through the winch drive module according to the displacement and inclination angle of the carrying platform and the tension data obtained by the tension sensor, so that the carrying platform is in a preset position range and maintains balance.

3. The long-endurance floating UAV carrying platform according to claim 2 is characterized by: The number of the hoists is three; The adjusting the length of the mooring rope by the winch driving module comprises: The tension of the three winches is obtained respectively through the tension sensor; If the difference between any two of the three pulling forces reaches more than 10% of the maximum of the three pulling forces, the controller controls the winch corresponding to the minimum of the three pulling forces to tighten until the difference between any two of the three pulling forces is less than 10% of the maximum of the three pulling forces, and the inclination angle of the carrying platform does not exceed 5 degrees.

4. The long-endurance floating UAV carrying platform according to claim 1 is characterized by: The airbag is in the shape of a ring, and the drone is located in the center of the ring.

5. The long-endurance floating UAV carrying platform according to claim 1 is characterized by: The light gas includes hydrogen or helium.

6. The long-endurance floating UAV carrying platform according to claim 1 is characterized by: The frame is fixedly connected to the airbag via a suspension cable structure.

7. The long-endurance floating UAV carrying platform according to claim 6 is characterized by: The upper and lower sides of the airbag are provided with annularly arranged perforations; The frame is disc-shaped and has fixing holes arranged in an annular pattern; The suspension cable structure comprises a plurality of suspension ropes and connecting buckles respectively connected at both ends of the suspension ropes; Each of the perforations corresponds to a suspension rope; The middle part of the suspension rope passes through the through hole, and the two connecting buckles at both ends are buckled in two adjacent fixing holes respectively.

8. The long-endurance floating UAV carrying platform according to claim 1 is characterized by: The motion system includes a plurality of rotors and a motion drive module connected to the rotors. The motion drive module is arranged at the bottom of the frame. The frame is provided with a protection hole corresponding to the rotors, and the rotors are located in the protection hole.

9. The long-endurance floating UAV carrying platform according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes an equipment installation platform, which is fixedly connected to the frame or the airbag.

10. The long-endurance floating UAV carrying platform according to claim 1, characterized in that: The protection grade of the airbag is IP68.

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