Long-endurance floating unmanned aerial vehicle carrying platform

Abstract

The application relates to a long-endurance floating unmanned aerial vehicle carrying platform and belongs to the technical field of aerial carrying platforms. In order to solve the problem of how to improve the endurance and stability of the equipment carrying platform, the application mainly comprises the following: a gasbag filled with light gas inside; an unmanned aerial vehicle provided with a motion system and a rack, wherein the motion system is installed on the rack, and the unmanned aerial vehicle is fixedly connected with the gasbag through the rack; a winch mooring system used for connecting the carrying platform with a fixed object 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 the length of the mooring ropes, and the mooring ropes are connected with the gasbag or the rack at the end; a positioning system used for acquiring the speed, acceleration, inclination angle, displacement and height data of the carrying platform; and a controller in communication connection with the unmanned aerial vehicle, the winches and the positioning system.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application belongs to the technical field of airborne platform, and specifically relates to a long-endurance floating unmanned aerial vehicle platform. BACKGROUND

[0002] Airborne platform technology has developed significantly in recent years and is widely used in various fields. According to different task requirements, these platforms can carry various sensors, weapons, communication equipment and other loads.

[0003] Existing small airborne platforms are mainly based on unmanned aerial vehicle technology, but existing unmanned aerial vehicle technology mainly relies on battery power, resulting in limited endurance time and difficulty in playing a role in long-term tasks. In addition, traditional unmanned aerial vehicles are difficult to maintain stability under the influence of external factors such as wind, and need to constantly adjust the flight attitude, increasing energy consumption and operation difficulty. Therefore, there is an urgent need for an unmanned aerial vehicle that can maintain stable suspension for a long time and can move flexibly to adapt to diversified application requirements in complex environments. SUMMARY

[0004] In view of the above analysis, the embodiments of the present application aim to solve the problem of how to improve the endurance and stability of the equipment platform. A long-endurance floating unmanned aerial vehicle platform is provided, comprising:

[0005] A gas bag filled with light gas inside;

[0006] An unmanned aerial vehicle having a motion system and a frame, the motion system being installed on the frame, the unmanned aerial vehicle being fixedly connected to the gas bag through the frame;

[0007] A winch mooring system for connecting the platform to a fixed object to help the platform maintain balance; the winch mooring system includes a plurality of winches and corresponding mooring ropes, the winches being used to regulate the length of the mooring ropes, and the ends of the mooring ropes being connected to the gas bag or the frame;

[0008] A positioning system for obtaining speed, acceleration, inclination angle, displacement and height data of the platform;

[0009] A controller in communication with the unmanned aerial vehicle, the winch and the positioning system.

[0010] In some embodiments, the winch has a built-in tension sensor and a winch drive module, and the controller is in communication with the tension sensor and the winch drive module, respectively;

[0011] The controller is configured to adjust the length of the tethering rope by the winch driving module according to the displacement of the carrying platform, the tilt angle and the tension data obtained by the tension sensor, so that the carrying platform is in a preset position range and keeps balance.

[0012] In some embodiments, the number of winches is three;

[0013] The length of the tethering rope is adjusted by the winch driving module, including:

[0014] The tension of the three winches is obtained by a tension sensor respectively;

[0015] If the difference between any two of the three tensions reaches more than 10% of the maximum of the three tensions, the winch corresponding to the minimum of the three tensions is controlled by the controller to tighten until the difference between any two of the three tensions is less than 10% of the maximum of the three tensions, and the tilt angle of the carrying platform does not exceed 5 degrees.

[0016] In some embodiments, the air bag is circular, and the unmanned aerial vehicle is located in the center of the circular air bag.

[0017] In some embodiments, the light gas includes hydrogen or helium.

[0018] In some embodiments, the rack is fixedly connected to the air bag through a suspension cable structure.

[0019] In some embodiments, the upper side and the lower side of the air bag are provided with perforations arranged in a ring shape;

[0020] The rack is disc-shaped, and the rack is provided with fixed holes arranged in a ring shape;

[0021] The suspension cable structure includes a plurality of suspension cables and connecting buckles connected to both ends of the suspension cables, respectively;

[0022] Each of the perforations corresponds to a suspension cable;

[0023] The middle part of the suspension cable passes through the perforation, and the two connecting buckles at both ends are buckled in two adjacent fixed holes, respectively.

[0024] In some embodiments, the motion system includes a plurality of rotors and a motion driving module connected to the rotors, the motion driving module is arranged at the bottom of the rack, the rack is provided with protection holes corresponding to the rotors, and the rotors are located in the protection holes.

[0025] In some embodiments, the device mounting platform is fixedly connected to the rack or the air bag.

[0026] In some embodiments, the protection level of the air bag is IP68 level.

[0027] The above embodiments of the present application have at least the following beneficial effects:

[0028] 1. The embodiment of the present application provides buoyancy by using light gas, so that the unmanned aerial vehicle can be suspended for a long time without power, greatly reducing the energy consumption of the battery and the power system. The power system is started only when movement or attitude stability is needed, significantly prolonging the endurance time of the unmanned aerial vehicle, and being suitable for long-time monitoring and task execution.

[0029] 2. The embodiment of the present application can obtain the unmanned aerial vehicle attitude data of the positioning system and the tension data in the winch tether system through the controller, so as to adjust the balance of the carrying platform by controlling the driving of the unmanned aerial vehicle and the winch tether system. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0030] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present specification or the prior art, the drawings needed to be used in the embodiment or prior art description will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings in the following description are only some embodiments described in the present specification, and other drawings can also be obtained by those skilled in the art according to these drawings.

[0031] Figure 1 A long-endurance floating unmanned aerial vehicle carrying platform structure schematic diagram provided by the embodiment of the present application;

[0032] Figure 2 A carrying platform bottom view structure schematic diagram provided by the embodiment of the present application;

[0033] Figure 3 A control communication architecture schematic diagram provided by the embodiment of the present application.

[0034] REFERENCE SIGNS:

[0035] 1. Air bag; 11. Perforation; 2. Unmanned aerial vehicle; 21. Frame; 211. Fixing hole; 212. Protection hole; 22. Motion system; 221. Rotor; 222. Motion driving module; 3. Winch tether system; 31. Winch; 32. Tether rope; 33. Tension sensor; 34. Winch driving module; 4. Positioning system; 5. Controller; 6. Suspension cable structure; 61. Suspension cable; 62. Connection buckle. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0036] In order to make the purposes, technical solutions and advantages of the embodiments of the present application clearer, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be described clearly and completely below with reference to the drawings in the embodiments of the present application. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some but not all of the embodiments of the present application. It should be noted that the embodiments and the features in the embodiments in the present disclosure can be combined, separated, interchanged and / or rearranged without conflict, if possible. All other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art based on the embodiments in the present application without creative effort fall within the protection scope of the present application.

[0037] The terms used herein are for the purpose of describing specific embodiments and are not intended to be limiting. As used herein, the singular forms "a," "an," and "the" are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. Furthermore, to the extent that the terms "including" and / or "comprising" and variations thereof are used in either the detailed description or the claims, such terms are intended to be inclusive in a manner similar to the term "comprising" as an open transition term without precluding any additional or other elements. It is also to be noted that, as used herein, the terms "substantially," "approximately," and other similar terms are used as synonyms for "about," and are intended to have a meaning similar to that of the term "about" as an approximation.

[0038] The present disclosure will be described below through several specific embodiments. In order to keep the following description of the embodiments of the present application clear and brief, the present application omits the detailed description of known functions and known components.

[0039] Embodiment 1

[0040] Please refer to Figure 1 The present application provides a long-endurance floating unmanned aerial vehicle carrying platform, comprising:

[0041] A gas bag 1, the inside of the gas bag 1 is filled with light gas;

[0042] An unmanned aerial vehicle 2, having a motion system 22 and a frame 21, the motion system 22 is installed on the frame 21, the unmanned aerial vehicle 2 is fixedly connected with the gas bag 1 through the frame 21;

[0043] A winch mooring system 3, used for connecting the carrying platform with a fixed object to help the carrying platform keep balance; the winch mooring system 3 comprises a plurality of winches 31 and corresponding mooring ropes 32, the winches 31 are used for regulating the length of the mooring ropes 32, and the mooring ropes 32 are connected with the gas bag 1 or the frame 21 at the end;

[0044] a positioning system 4 for acquiring speed, acceleration, tilt angle, displacement and height data of the carrying platform;

[0045] a controller 5 in communication connection with the unmanned aerial vehicle 2, the winch 31 and the positioning system 4 respectively.

[0046] The airbag 1 is filled with light gas, preferably helium or hydrogen, to provide sufficient buoyancy. The airbag 1 is in the shape of a circular ring, and both its upper side and lower side have a ring-shaped arrangement of perforations 11 for facilitating secure connection with the rack 21.

[0047] In some embodiments, the winch 3 is provided with a tension sensor 33 and a winch drive module 34, and the controller 5 is in communication connection with the tension sensor 33 and the winch drive module 34 respectively;

[0048] The controller 5 is configured to adjust the length of the tethering rope through the winch drive module 34 according to the displacement, tilt angle and tension data obtained by the tension sensor 33, so that the carrying platform is within a preset position range and remains balanced. As Figure 3 shown.

[0049] The unmanned aerial vehicle 2 comprises a motion system 22 and a rack 21, and the motion system 22 is installed on the rack 21. The rack 21 is in the shape of a disc, and has a protective hole 212 corresponding to a rotor 221 at its bottom, and the rotor 221 is located in the protective hole 212. The rack 21 is fixedly connected with the airbag 1 through a suspension cable structure 6, and the suspension cable structure 6 comprises a plurality of suspension cables 61, the middle part of each suspension cable 61 passes through the perforations 11 on the airbag 1, and the two ends of the suspension cable 61 are connected with adjacent fixing holes 211 on the rack 21 through connecting buckles 62 respectively. In this way, the unmanned aerial vehicle 2 is firmly fixed in the center of the airbag 1, and the overall structure is light and stable.

[0050] Specifically, the motion system 22 of the unmanned aerial vehicle 2 comprises a plurality of rotors 221, preferably four or more rotors 221, which are uniformly distributed around the motion drive module 222 of the unmanned aerial vehicle 2. Each rotor 221 is controlled by the motion drive module 222, and the motion drive module 222 is connected to the control system of the unmanned aerial vehicle 2. The material of the rotor 221 is a light and high-strength material, such as carbon fiber or composite material, to ensure higher thrust and smaller energy consumption.

[0051] The middle part of the drone 2 frame 21 is provided with multiple protection holes 212 corresponding to the rotors 221, and the rotors 221 are installed in these protection holes 212, which can not only provide sufficient air flow space, but also protect the rotors 221 from being hit or disturbed by foreign matter in the external environment. This design ensures that the rotors 221 can work efficiently and stably during the operation of the platform. Figure 2

[0052] The frame 21 of the drone 2 adopts a disc-shaped design, preferably using lightweight and high-strength metal materials 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 mounting position for the rotors 221 and other electronic devices.

[0053] The frame 21 is connected to the air bag 1 through a suspension structure 6, and the suspension rope 61 is fixed in the fixed hole 211 on the frame 21 through the perforation 11 on the air bag 1. The flexibility of the suspension structure 6 allows the drone 2 and the air bag 1 to have certain buffering in motion, reducing the influence of external interference on the balance of the platform. At the same time, this connection method is convenient for installation and disassembly, improving the maintenance efficiency of the equipment.

[0054] The power system of the drone 2 is composed of high-efficiency electric motors, which drive the rotors 221 to provide lifting force or displacement thrust. In order to prolong the endurance time, the battery system of the drone 2 adopts high-energy-density lithium-ion batteries or hydrogen fuel cells, and is equipped with an intelligent power management system. This system monitors the battery power in real time, and automatically adjusts the power distribution according to the platform state, ensuring that the energy consumption is optimized when the drone 2 moves or adjusts the attitude.

[0055] When the platform is in a stable suspended state, the power system can enter standby mode, and only when the platform needs to adjust the position or attitude, the power system will start, further reducing power consumption and prolonging the endurance time.

[0056] The control system of the drone 2 communicates with the main controller 5 of the platform to realize accurate 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 height of the drone 2 in real time, and transmit the data to the main controller 5.

[0057] The main controller 5 adjusts the attitude stability of the drone 2 through the motion system 22 according to the attitude data of the drone 2. For example, when the inclination angle of the platform exceeds the preset threshold, the main controller 5 will start the motion system 22 to quickly restore the balance of the platform by adjusting the thrust of different rotors 221.

[0058] ​The winch tether system 3 is used to connect the platform to ground fixtures to help maintain the balance of the platform, to secure the drone 2 in a predetermined position, and to adjust the height and position of the platform as needed. The system includes three winches 31, each connected to the airbag 1 or the frame 21 by a tether 32. The winches 31 are equipped with tension sensors to monitor the tension of each tether 32. By adjusting the length of the tethers 32, the controller 5 can maintain the horizontal stability of the platform. The tethers 32 are made of high-strength fiber ropes, which have excellent durability and tensile strength, and can maintain reliability over a long period of use.

[0059] The controller 5 is connected to the motion system 22 of the drone 2, the winches 31, and the positioning system 4. The positioning system 4 obtains the speed, acceleration, tilt angle, displacement, and height data of the platform in real time and transmits them to the controller 5. Based on these data, the controller 5 can start the rotors 221 of the drone 2 to maintain the attitude stability of the platform, or adjust the length of the tethers of the winch tether system 3 to adjust the position of the platform. Preferably, the positioning system 4 uses an existing compass positioning system 4.

[0060] Embodiment 2

[0061] In another embodiment of the present application, the number of winches 31 of the winch tether system 3 is three. The controller 5 determines whether the platform is balanced based on the tension data obtained by the tension sensors. If the tension difference 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 tether through the winch 31 drive module until the tension difference between the three winches 31 is less than 10% of the maximum tension. In addition, the controller 5 will ensure that the tilt angle of the platform does not exceed 5 degrees to ensure that the platform is in a balanced state.

[0062] In a use scenario, due to the presence of the airbag 1, the platform will have a certain degree of displacement under the influence of the airflow. When displacement occurs, at least one of the tethers 32 will be slack, and the platform will tilt on the corresponding side due to the buoyancy effect. At this time, the platform can be balanced by tightening the tether.

[0063] In another use scenario, for example, due to wind force, the platform tilts, causing one side of the tether to be slack and the other side to be tight. At this time, the three winches 31 can be controlled to tighten simultaneously to restore the balance of the platform.

[0064] In some embodiments, the controller 5 can also drive the UAV 2 to maintain the stability of the position and attitude of the UAV 2 based on the displacement of the UAV 2, for example, when the displacement distance of the carrying platform deviates from the center point by 0.5 m or 1 m or more, the UAV 2 power system is started to reset the carrying platform to the center position, and the power system is automatically stopped when reaching the specified position. When the inclination angle reaches 5 degrees, the UAV 2 power system is triggered to adjust the attitude and position.

[0065] In summary, the application can formulate corresponding balance stability strategies for different unbalanced states to achieve the dual guarantee of endurance and stability.

[0066] Embodiment 3

[0067] In another embodiment, the air bag 1 has an IP68 protection level, which can effectively prevent water and dust. This feature enables the carrying platform of the application to work normally in harsh environments, and is suitable for long-term outdoor tasks and monitoring.

[0068] Embodiment 4

[0069] In another embodiment of the application, a device mounting platform is also installed on the platform for carrying different types of devices. The device mounting platform can be fixedly connected with the rack 21 or the air bag 1, and the position and weight distribution of the device can be flexibly adjusted as needed. The skilled person should also further realize that the units and algorithm steps of the examples described in combination with the embodiments disclosed herein can be realized in electronic hardware, computer software or a combination of the two. In order to clearly illustrate the interchangeability of hardware and software, the components and steps of each example have been described in the above description in general terms. Whether the functions are performed in hardware or software depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution. The skilled person can use different methods to implement the described functions for each specific application, but such implementation should not be considered beyond the scope of the application.

[0070] The steps of the method or algorithm described in combination with the embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented in hardware, software modules executed by a processor, or a combination of the two. The software modules can be placed in random access memory (RAM), memory, read-only memory (ROM), electrically programmable ROM, electrically erasable programmable ROM, registers, hard disks, removable disks, CD-ROMs, or any other form of storage medium known in the art.

[0071] The above detailed description of the specific embodiments of the present application has been given to understand the purpose, technical solutions and beneficial effects of the present application. It should be understood that the above description is only a specific embodiment of the present application and is not used to limit the protection scope of the present application. Any modification, equivalent replacement, improvement, etc. made within the spirit and principle of the present application shall be included in the protection scope of the present application.

Claims

1. A long-endurance aerostat unmanned aerial vehicle hosting platform, characterized by, The long-endurance floating unmanned aerial vehicle carrying platform comprises: a circular airbag filled with light gas inside; a unmanned aerial vehicle located in the center of the circular airbag, having a movement system and a disc-shaped frame, the movement system being installed on the frame, the frame being fixedly connected with the airbag through a suspension cable structure; the movement system comprises a plurality of rotors, the frame being provided with a plurality of protection holes corresponding to the rotors, the rotors being located in the protection holes; a winch tethering system for connecting the carrying platform with a fixed object to help the carrying platform keep balance; the winch tethering system comprises a plurality of winches and corresponding tethering ropes, the winches being used to control the length of the tethering ropes, the tethering ropes being connected with the airbag or the frame at the end; a positioning system for obtaining the speed, acceleration, tilt angle, displacement and height data of the carrying platform; a controller being in communication connection with the unmanned aerial vehicle, the winches and the positioning system respectively; the winches being provided with tension sensors and winch driving modules, the controller being in communication connection with the tension sensors and the winch driving modules respectively; the controller being configured to control the power system of the unmanned aerial vehicle to start or standby according to the displacement, tilt angle and tension data obtained by the tension sensors, and adjust the length of the tethering ropes through the winch driving modules, so that the carrying platform is in a preset position range and keeps balance, and the tilt angle of the carrying platform does not exceed 5 degrees.

2. The long-endurance floating unmanned aerial vehicle carrying platform according to claim 1, wherein: the number of the winches is three; the adjustment of the length of the tethering ropes through the winch driving modules comprises: obtaining the tension of the three winches through the tension sensors respectively; if the difference between any two of the three tensions exceeds 10% of the maximum of the three tensions, the winch corresponding to the minimum of the three tensions is controlled to be tightened by the controller until the difference between any two of the three tensions is less than 10% of the maximum of the three tensions, and the tilt angle of the carrying platform does not exceed 5 degrees.

3. The long endurance aerial vehicle hosting platform of claim 1, wherein: the light gas comprises hydrogen or helium.

4. The long endurance aerial vehicle hosting platform of claim 1, wherein: the upper side and the lower side of the airbag are provided with perforations arranged in a ring shape; the frame is disc-shaped, and the frame is provided with fixing holes arranged in a ring shape; the suspension cable structure comprises a plurality of suspension ropes and connecting buckles connected with the two ends of the suspension ropes respectively; each of the perforations corresponds to a suspension rope; the middle part of the suspension rope passes through the perforation, and the two connecting buckles at the two ends are buckled in two adjacent fixing holes respectively.

5. The long endurance aerial vehicle hosting platform of claim 1, wherein: the movement system further comprises a movement driving module connected with the rotors, the movement driving module being arranged at the bottom of the frame.

6. The long endurance aerial vehicle hosting platform of claim 1, wherein: further comprising a device mounting platform fixedly connected with the frame or the airbag.

7. The long endurance aerial vehicle hosting platform of claim 1, wherein: the protection level of the airbag is IP68.

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