Unmanned aerial vehicle net collision recovery method and device

By controlling the drone's flight and the deployment of the recovery net through a ground station, the problem of impact force when the drone crashes into the net during recovery is solved, achieving safe and efficient drone recovery.

CN119262380AInactive Publication Date: 2025-01-07XIAN LINGKONG ELECTRONICS TECH CO LTD
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Patent Information

Application Number
CN202411823528.9
Authority / Receiving Office
CN · China
Patent Type
Applications(China)
Current Assignee / Owner
Filing Date
2024-12-12
Publication Date
2025-01-07
Estimated Expiration
Not applicable · inactive patent

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

The drone was subjected to significant impact during the net-crashing and recovery process, which may have caused structural damage.

Method used

The ground station sends guidance signals to control the drone's flight and adjust the deployment status of the recovery net, ensuring that the recovery net is deployed in place when the drone approaches. The speed of the recovery trailer is also adjusted to maintain an appropriate relative speed, enabling the drone to successfully crash into the recovery net.

Benefits of technology

It reduces the impact force on the drone during net retrieval, protects the drone structure, improves the accuracy and reliability of retrieval, and adapts to the retrieval needs of different drone models.

✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.

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Abstract

The invention discloses an unmanned aerial vehicle net collision recovery method and device. Receiving a recovery instruction issued by the ground station, and sending a guide signal to the unmanned aerial vehicle through the ground station; wherein the guiding signal comprises the current position and the advancing route of the recycling trailer; moreover, the guiding signal is used for indicating the unmanned aerial vehicle to fly towards the recycling trailer according to the current position and the advancing route of the recycling trailer, starts to descend when being away from the recycling trailer by a preset distance, and adjusts the course according to the current position and the advancing route of the recycling trailer to be consistent with the advancing route of the recycling trailer; flight information issued by the ground station is received, and the unfolding state of the recovery net is calculated and adjusted by controlling the opening and closing mechanism based on the flight information; the unfolded state of the recovery net is used for detection when the unmanned aerial vehicle enters a preset approaching range. According to the method, the unfolding state of the recovery net can be flexibly adjusted according to flight information such as weights and predicted flight speeds of different unmanned aerial vehicles, so that the recovery requirements of different types of unmanned aerial vehicles are met.
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Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the field of drone technology, and in particular to a method and device for recovering a drone that has collided with a net. Background Art

[0002] The rapid development of drone technology has led to its widespread use in various application scenarios, especially in areas that require precise and efficient operations. For small fixed-wing drones, the choice of recovery method is directly related to the continuity and safety of their operations. Among the many recovery methods, net-impact recovery has become an ideal choice in complex environments such as narrow recovery sites, rugged mountain roads, or ships due to its precise positioning characteristics.

[0003] The basic principle of net recovery is to control the UAV to fly towards the preset interception net during the return process, and use the interception effect of the net to achieve the recovery of the UAV.

[0004] However, the net-collision recovery method also faces some technical challenges. Since the net-collision energy absorption mainly relies on a net to withstand the impact of the drone, the drone will be subjected to a large impact force during the net-collision process, which may cause damage to the structure of the drone. How to reduce the damage to the drone caused by the net-collision while ensuring the recovery efficiency has become an urgent problem to be solved in the current net-collision recovery technology. Summary of the invention

[0005] The embodiments of the present application provide a method and device for recovering a drone after it hits a net, thereby solving the technical problem in the prior art that a drone may be subjected to a large impact force during the process of hitting a net, which may cause damage to the structure of the drone.

[0006] In a first aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a method for recovering a drone that has collided with a network, which is applied to a recovery device, and the method includes: receiving a recovery instruction issued by a ground station, and sending a guidance signal to the UAV through the ground station; wherein the guidance signal includes the current position and route of the recovery trailer; and the guidance signal is used to instruct the UAV to fly toward the recovery trailer according to the current position and route of the recovery trailer, and to start descending when the UAV is at a preset distance from the recovery trailer, and to adjust the heading according to the current position and route of the recovery trailer to keep consistent with the route of the recovery trailer; Receive flight information sent by the ground station, and adjust the deployment state of the recovery net by calculating and controlling the opening and closing mechanism based on the flight information; wherein the flight information includes route information, the weight of the UAV and the expected flight speed; the deployment state of the recovery net is used to detect when the UAV enters a preset proximity range; If the recovery net has not been deployed in place, the deployment state of the recovery net is used to instruct the UAV to perform an automatic go-around process; If the recovery net has been deployed in place, the travel speed of the recovery trailer is adjusted so that the relative speed between the recovery trailer and the drone is within a preset net collision speed range until the drone successfully crashes into the recovery net according to the guidance signal.

[0007] In combination with the first aspect, in a possible implementation manner, the unfolded state includes an unfolded size and an unfolded angle of the recovery net.

[0008] In combination with the first aspect, in a possible implementation manner, after calculating and adjusting the expansion size and expansion angle of the recovery net, the method further includes: The servo turntable is controlled to fine-tune the direction of the recovery net according to the route information sent by the ground station, so that the recovery net faces the heading of the UAV.

[0009] In combination with the first aspect, in a possible implementation manner, when the drone has a link interruption, the method further includes: Controlling the recovery trailer to travel to a preset emergency recovery point; wherein the time required to travel to the preset emergency recovery point is less than the time required for the drone to travel to the emergency landing point according to the preset emergency landing route and wait there; Adjust the recovery net until it is fully deployed; After confirming that the UAV has entered the preset glide path, the recovery trailer is controlled to accelerate to a preset speed based on the predetermined recovery route and continue to move until the UAV crashes into the recovery net.

[0010] In a second aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a drone collision recovery device, comprising: Recovery trailers; Recycling network; an opening and closing mechanism connected to the recovery trailer and equipped with the recovery net; A retracting and unfolding mechanism, disposed between the opening and closing mechanism and the recovery trailer, for adjusting the unfolding angle of the recovery net; a ground base station, connected to the recovery trailer, for receiving and forwarding recovery instructions and flight information sent by the ground station; and a control module, communicatively connected to the recovery trailer, the opening and closing mechanism and the ground base station, for obtaining the recovery instruction and flight information issued by the ground station, sending a guidance signal through the ground station, and adjusting the deployment state of the recovery net by calculating based on the flight information and controlling the opening and closing mechanism; The guidance signal includes the current position and route of the recovery trailer; and the guidance signal is used to instruct the UAV to fly toward the recovery trailer according to the current position and route of the recovery trailer, and to start descending when the UAV is at a preset distance from the recovery trailer, and to adjust the heading according to the current position and route of the recovery trailer to keep consistent with the route of the recovery trailer; Among them, the deployment state of the recovery net is used to detect when the UAV enters a preset approach range; if the recovery net has not been deployed in place, the deployment state of the recovery net is used to instruct the UAV to perform an automatic go-around process; and when the recovery net is deployed in place, the control module is used to adjust the driving speed of the recovery trailer so that the relative speed between the recovery trailer and the UAV is within a preset net collision speed range until the UAV successfully crashes into the recovery net according to the guidance signal.

[0011] In combination with the second aspect, in a possible implementation, the UAV net-collision recovery device also includes: a servo turntable, which is communicatively connected to the control module and rotatably connected to the recovery trailer; and the control module is also used to control the servo turntable to fine-tune the orientation of the recovery net according to the route information sent by the ground station, so that the recovery net is facing the heading of the UAV; wherein the opening and closing mechanism is connected to the side of the servo turntable away from the recovery trailer, and the two ends of the retracting and releasing mechanism are respectively connected to the opening and closing mechanism and the side of the servo turntable away from the recovery trailer.

[0012] In combination with the second aspect, in a possible implementation, the opening and closing mechanism includes: a lateral expansion mechanism, installed on a side of the servo turntable away from the bottom plate of the recovery trailer; two vertical expansion mechanisms, both hinged to the side of the lateral expansion mechanism away from the servo turntable, and spaced apart along the length direction of the lateral expansion mechanism; wherein the two ends of the retractable mechanism are respectively connected to the lateral expansion mechanism and the vertical expansion mechanism; the two vertical expansion mechanisms are used to adjust the height of the recovery net, and the lateral expansion mechanism is used to adjust the width of the recovery net.

[0013] In combination with the second aspect, in a possible implementation, the recovery net includes a pulling net, a vertical expansion net reel, a first power member, a horizontal expansion net reel and a second power member; the horizontal expansion net reel is connected to one of the vertical expansion mechanisms; one side of the pulling net is wound around the horizontal expansion net reel, and the other side is connected to another vertical expansion mechanism; the first power member is connected to the horizontal expansion net reel and is configured to drive the horizontal expansion net reel to rotate; the two ends of the vertical expansion net reel are respectively rotatably connected to the two vertical expansion mechanisms; the bottom of the pulling net is wound around the vertical expansion net reel; the second power member is connected to the vertical expansion net reel and is configured to drive the vertical expansion net reel to rotate.

[0014] In combination with the second aspect, in a possible implementation, the lateral expansion mechanism includes a support table, a first recovery plate, a second recovery plate, a first push rod, a second push rod, a gear assembly and a third power member; the support table is installed on the side of the servo turntable away from the bottom plate of the recovery trailer; the gear assembly is arranged on the side of the support table away from the servo turntable; the output end of the third power member is connected to the gear assembly; the two ends of the first push rod are respectively connected to the gear assembly and the first recovery plate; the two ends of the second push rod are respectively connected to the gear assembly and the second recovery plate; the gear assembly is configured to drive the first push rod and the second push rod to move in a direction close to or away from each other; and / or the vertical expansion mechanism includes a fixed rod, an expansion rod and a fourth power member; the fixed rod is hinged to the lateral expansion mechanism; the fourth power member is installed on the fixed rod, and its output end is connected to the expansion rod, and is configured to drive the expansion rod to rise or fall; one of the expansion rods is connected to the lateral expansion net reel; the other expansion rod is connected to the pulling net; the two ends of the retracting mechanism are respectively connected to the lateral expansion mechanism and the corresponding fixed rod.

[0015] In combination with the second aspect, in a possible implementation, the gear assembly includes a sliding gear, a fixed rack and a movable rack; the fixed rack is fixedly arranged on a side of the support platform away from the servo turntable; the movable rack is slidably connected to a side of the support platform away from the servo turntable, and is arranged opposite to the fixed rack; the output end of the third power member is connected to the sliding gear, and is configured to drive the sliding gear to rotate; the fixed rack and the movable rack are located on both sides of the sliding gear, and are both engaged with the sliding gear; the end of the first push rod away from the first recovery plate is connected to the sliding gear; the end of the second push rod away from the second recovery plate is connected to the movable rack.

[0016] One or more technical solutions provided in the embodiments of the present application have at least the following technical effects: The embodiment of the present application provides a method for recovering a drone after it hits a net. When the drone needs to be recovered, the ground station will issue a recovery instruction to the recovery device. At the same time, the ground station will also send a guidance signal containing information such as the current position and route of the recovery trailer to the drone. According to these guidance signals, the drone adjusts the flight heading and altitude to ensure that it can fly to the recovery trailer according to the predetermined route and speed. In addition, the ground station will also send the flight information of the drone to the recovery device, including route information, the weight of the drone, and the expected flight speed. According to this information, the recovery device adjusts the deployment state of the recovery net by controlling the opening and closing mechanism to ensure that the recovery net is in the best state when the drone enters the preset approach range, so as to carry out subsequent recovery after hitting the net. In the process of the drone approaching the recovery trailer, if the recovery net has not been deployed in place, the drone will perform an automatic go-around process to avoid unnecessary losses. On the contrary, if the recovery net has been deployed in place, the recovery trailer will adjust its driving speed to ensure that the relative speed between it and the drone remains within the preset speed range of hitting the net. Finally, when the drone successfully hits the recovery net according to the guidance signal, the recovery process is completed. This method can flexibly adjust the deployment state of the recovery net according to different UAV weights, expected flight speeds and other flight information, thereby adapting to the recovery needs of different types of UAVs. At the same time, this method mainly relies on the communication between the ground station and the UAV and the precise control of the opening and closing mechanism on the recovery device. It is relatively simple and convenient to implement, and has high practicality and reliability. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application, the following is a brief introduction to the drawings required for use in the description of the embodiments of the present application. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of the present application. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying any creative work.

[0018] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of a drone net-collision recovery device provided in an embodiment of the present application; Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the structure of the recycling net provided in an embodiment of the present application in a storage state; Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the structure of the lateral expansion mechanism provided in an embodiment of the present application; Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the structure of the retractable and extendable mechanism provided in an embodiment of the present application; Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the structure of the vertical expansion mechanism provided in an embodiment of the present application; Figure 6 A process flow chart of the method for recovering a drone that has collided with a net provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0019] Icons: 1-servo turntable; 2-lateral expansion mechanism; 21-support table; 22-first recovery plate; 23-second recovery plate; 24-first push rod; 25-second push rod; 26-gear assembly; 261-sliding gear; 262-fixed rack; 263-moving rack; 3-vertical expansion mechanism; 31-fixed rod; 32-expansion rod; 33-fourth power member; 4-retracting and releasing mechanism; 5-recovery net; 51-pulling net; 52-vertical expansion net reel; 53-lateral expansion net reel; 6-recovery trailer; 7-launching tube; 8-launching vehicle; 9-tear belt. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0020] The following will be combined with the drawings in the embodiments of the present application to clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application. Obviously, the described embodiments are part of the embodiments of the present application, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments in the present application, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without creative work are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0021] In the description of the embodiments of the present application, it should be noted that the orientation or positional relationship indicated by the terms "center", "up", "down", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "inside", "outside", etc. is based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the drawings, and is only for the convenience of describing the embodiments of the present application and simplifying the description, rather than indicating or implying that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as a limitation on the present application. The terms "first", "second", and "third" are used for descriptive purposes only and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance. In addition, the terms "installed", "connected", and "connected" should be understood in a broad sense, for example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be a direct connection, or it can be indirectly connected through an intermediate medium, or it can be a connection between the two elements. For those of ordinary skill in the art, the specific meanings of the above terms in the embodiments of the present application can be understood according to the specific circumstances.

[0022] The present application embodiment provides a drone collision recovery device, such as Figures 1 to 5As shown. The UAV net-collision recovery device includes a recovery trailer 6, a recovery net 5, an opening and closing mechanism, a retracting mechanism 4, a ground base station and a control module. The opening and closing mechanism is connected to the recovery trailer 6 and is equipped with a recovery net 5. The retracting mechanism 4 is arranged between the opening and closing mechanism and the recovery trailer 6, and is used to adjust the deployment angle of the recovery net 5. The ground base station is connected to the recovery trailer 6, and is used to receive and forward the recovery instructions and flight information sent by the ground station; and the control module is communicatively connected to the recovery trailer 6, the opening and closing mechanism and the ground base station, and is used to obtain the recovery instructions and flight information issued by the ground station, and send a guidance signal through the ground station, and calculate based on the flight information and adjust the deployment state of the recovery net 5 by controlling the opening and closing mechanism. Among them, the guidance signal includes the current position and route of the recovery trailer 6. In addition, the guidance signal is used to instruct the UAV to fly to the recovery trailer 6 according to the current position and route of the recovery trailer 6, and start to descend when it is at a preset distance from the recovery trailer 6, and adjust the heading according to the current position and route of the recovery trailer 6 to keep consistent with the route of the recovery trailer 6. The deployed state of the recovery net 5 is used to detect when the UAV enters the preset approach range. If the recovery net 5 has not been deployed in place, the deployed state of the recovery net 5 is used to instruct the UAV to perform an automatic go-around process. In addition, when the recovery net 5 is deployed in place, the control module is used to adjust the driving speed of the recovery trailer 6 so that the relative speed between the recovery trailer 6 and the UAV is within the preset net collision speed range until the UAV successfully crashes into the recovery net 5 according to the guidance signal.

[0023] Specifically, the embodiment of the present application also includes a launch device, which includes a launch vehicle 8 and a launch tube 7. The launch tube 7 is fixed on the launch vehicle 8, and the angle between it and the launch vehicle 8 is between 30° and 75°. The launch vehicle 8 is connected to the recovery trailer 6 by a traction mechanism, thereby forming a device integrating storage, transportation, launch, and recovery functions. In daily use, the present application fixes the launch tube 7 at an angle of 75° inside the launch vehicle 8 through a locking mechanism on the launch vehicle 8. Subsequently, the gunpowder at the bottom of the launch tube 7 is pushed to launch the drone to a safe height and obtain a higher initial velocity. The launch device and recovery device of the present application can quickly, efficiently and accurately complete the launch and recovery of the drone under different working environments and conditions. This not only saves a lot of time for the preparatory work of take-off, landing and recovery of the drone, but also the accuracy of the recovery of the collision net can reach 3 / 10,000, and the recovery success rate of the drone in a non-destructive state is as high as 99%.

[0024] It should be noted that the ground base station is responsible for receiving and forwarding the recovery instructions and flight information from the ground station. After obtaining the recovery instructions and flight information issued by the ground station, the control module will send a guidance signal to the drone through the ground station. The drone flies according to the current position and route of the recovery trailer 6, and starts to lower its altitude when it reaches a preset distance from the recovery trailer 6, while adjusting its heading to keep it consistent with the route of the recovery trailer 6. When the drone enters the preset proximity range, it will detect the unfolding state of the recovery net 5 and perform corresponding operations according to the state, such as automatic go-around or hitting the net. The retracting mechanism 4 is used to adjust the unfolding angle of the recovery net 5 to meet the needs of different environments and drone types. Specifically, the retracting mechanism 4 can unfold the recovery net 5 from the storage state to a suitable angle when the drone reaches a preset distance, which helps to shorten the effective distance of the recovery net 5 under the increased resistance state, thereby effectively reducing energy consumption. The control module can also calculate and adjust the unfolding state of the recovery net 5 based on the flight information to ensure the safety of the drone when it hits the net. The guidance signal includes the current position and route of the recovery trailer 6, providing the UAV with accurate navigation information, so that it can accurately adjust the course and altitude to ensure successful collision with the recovery net 5. In addition, the control module can also adjust the travel speed of the recovery trailer 6 so that the relative speed between the recovery trailer 6 and the UAV is maintained within the preset net collision speed range, thereby ensuring that the speed and force of the UAV when colliding with the net are moderate, improving the accuracy and reliability of the recovery. Therefore, the recovery device has a high degree of versatility and adaptability, and can be applied to different types of UAVs and recovery scenarios. In the recovery stage of the UAV colliding with the net, the recovery device can maintain a relatively slow speed with the UAV to complete the recovery, thereby reducing the impact force of the UAV when colliding with the net, and effectively protecting the UAV from body damage during the recovery stage.

[0025] Furthermore, the recovery trailer 6 of the present application recovers the drone while moving, so that the recovery trailer 6 and the drone can keep moving in the same direction, so that the relative speed between the two can be small. In contrast, the existing recovery trailer 6 is usually fixed, and the drone needs to fly to the recovery trailer 6 at a relatively high speed, because if the speed is too low, the drone may fall from the air.

[0026] Furthermore, a cross mark is provided in the middle of the recovery net 5 of the present application. During the movement of the recovery trailer 6, the photoelectric pod on the drone will lock the cross mark, thereby completing the recovery work in motion and effectively reducing the risk of hitting the net, which is more practical and has a wider range of applications.

[0027] In the embodiment of the present application, the drone net-collision recovery device also includes a servo turntable 1. The servo turntable 1 is communicatively connected to the control module and is rotatably connected to the recovery trailer 6. The control module is also used to control the servo turntable 1 to fine-tune the direction of the recovery net 5 according to the route information sent by the ground station, so that the recovery net 5 faces the heading of the drone. Among them, the opening and closing mechanism is connected to the side of the servo turntable 1 away from the recovery trailer 6, and the two ends of the retracting mechanism 4 are respectively connected to the opening and closing mechanism and the side of the servo turntable 1 away from the recovery trailer 6. The servo turntable 1 maintains a vertical angle between the recovery surface of the recovery net 5 and the recovery route of the drone through precise control, thereby maximizing the recovery area and improving the success rate of recovery.

[0028] In the embodiment of the present application, the opening and closing mechanism includes a lateral expansion mechanism 2 and two vertical expansion mechanisms 3. The lateral expansion mechanism 2 is installed on the side of the servo turntable 1 away from the bottom plate of the recovery trailer 6. The two vertical expansion mechanisms 3 are both hinged to the side of the lateral expansion mechanism 2 away from the servo turntable 1, and are arranged at intervals along the length direction of the lateral expansion mechanism 2. Among them, the two ends of the retracting mechanism 4 are respectively connected to the lateral expansion mechanism 2 and the vertical expansion mechanism 3. The two vertical expansion mechanisms 3 are used to adjust the height of the recovery net 5, and the lateral expansion mechanism 2 is used to adjust the width of the recovery net 5.

[0029] It should be noted that the two vertical expansion mechanisms 3 adjust the height of the recovery net 5 through synchronous movement to adapt to drones with different flight altitudes and landing angles. The lateral expansion mechanism 2 adjusts the width of the recovery net 5 through its expansion or contraction action to ensure that the recovery net 5 can cover all areas where the drone may land. The opening and closing mechanism in this application can ensure that the drone is in more stable contact with the recovery net 5 during the landing process by accurately controlling the opening and closing action of the recovery net 5, thereby effectively reducing the risk of damage to the drone.

[0030] In the embodiment of the present application, the recovery net 5 includes a pulling net 51, a vertical expansion net reel 52, a first power member, a horizontal expansion net reel 53 and a second power member. The horizontal expansion net reel 53 is connected to one of the vertical expansion mechanisms 3. One side of the pulling net 51 is wound around the horizontal expansion net reel 53, and the other side is connected to another vertical expansion mechanism 3. The first power member is connected to the horizontal expansion net reel 53, and is configured to drive the horizontal expansion net reel 53 to rotate. The two ends of the vertical expansion net reel 52 are respectively rotatably connected to the two vertical expansion mechanisms 3. The bottom of the pulling net 51 is wound around the vertical expansion net reel 52. The second power member is connected to the vertical expansion net reel 52, and is configured to drive the vertical expansion net reel 52 to rotate.

[0031] It should be noted that when the first power member is activated, it drives the lateral expansion net reel 53 to rotate, thereby expanding or retracting one side of the net 51, and realizing the lateral adjustment of the net 51. Similarly, when the second power member is activated, it drives the vertical expansion net reel 52 to rotate, thereby expanding or retracting the bottom of the net 51, and realizing the vertical adjustment of the net 51.

[0032] Of course, the present application is not limited to the above structure, and the recovery net 5 can also be a telescopic elastic recovery net or an elastic rope.

[0033] In the embodiment of the present application, the lateral expansion mechanism 2 includes a support platform 21, a first recovery plate 22, a second recovery plate 23, a first push rod 24, a second push rod 25, a gear assembly 26 and a third power member. The support platform 21 is installed on the side of the servo turntable 1 away from the bottom plate of the recovery trailer 6. The gear assembly 26 is arranged on the side of the support platform 21 away from the servo turntable 1. The output end of the third power member is connected to the gear assembly 26. The two ends of the first push rod 24 are respectively connected to the gear assembly 26 and the first recovery plate 22. The two ends of the second push rod 25 are respectively connected to the gear assembly 26 and the second recovery plate 23. The gear assembly 26 is configured to drive the first push rod 24 and the second push rod 25 to move in a direction close to or away from each other; and / or the vertical expansion mechanism 3 includes a fixed rod 31, an expansion rod 32 and a fourth power member 33. The fixed rod 31 is hinged to the lateral expansion mechanism 2. The fourth power member 33 is installed on the fixed rod 31, and its output end is connected to the expansion rod 32, and is configured to drive the expansion rod 32 to rise or fall. One of the expansion rods 32 is connected to the transverse expansion net reel 53. The other expansion rod 32 is connected to the pulling net 51. The two ends of the retracting mechanism 4 are connected to the transverse expansion mechanism 2 and the corresponding fixing rod 31 respectively.

[0034] Further, the retracting mechanism 4 includes two support members, one end of each of which is detachably connected to the corresponding fixing rod 31, and the other end of each of which is hinged to the first recovery plate 22 and the second recovery plate 23. Specifically, the fixing rod 31 is provided with a plurality of adjustment holes along its length direction, and one end of each of the support members is provided with a connection hole corresponding to the adjustment hole. When the recovery net 5 is adjusted to a suitable deployment angle, it is only necessary to align the connection hole of the support member with the corresponding adjustment hole on the fixing rod 31, and then use a fastener to pass through the connection hole and the adjustment hole to achieve the fixing of the fixing rod 31 and the support member.

[0035] It should be noted that the gear assembly 26 of the present application drives the first push rod 24 and the second push rod 25 to move in a direction close to or away from each other, thereby driving the first recovery plate 22 and the second recovery plate 23 to move in a direction close to or away from each other, so as to achieve the adjustment of the pull net 51 in the lateral direction. When the fourth power member 33 is started, it drives the expansion rod 32 to rise or fall. One of the expansion rods 32 is connected to the lateral expansion net reel 53, and the other expansion rod 32 is connected to the pull net 51. The present application can achieve the adjustment of the pull net 51 in the vertical direction by synchronously controlling the movement of the two expansion rods 32.

[0036] Furthermore, the drone net-collision recovery device of the present application also includes four tearing strips 9. One end of the four tearing strips 9 is respectively connected to the four corners of the recovery net 5 through a safety connection lock, and the other end is respectively connected to the corresponding extension rod 32. These tearing strips 9 (each of which can withstand a tensile force of 50kg) play a role in deceleration, buffering and energy absorption when the drone hits the recovery net 5. In addition, during the recovery process, since the relative speed between the recovery trailer 6 and the drone is relatively small, the provision of the tearing strips 9 effectively reduces the overload of the drone when it hits the net, thereby playing a role in protecting the drone.

[0037] In the embodiment of the present application, the gear assembly 26 includes a sliding gear 261, a fixed rack 262 and a movable rack 263. The fixed rack 262 is fixedly disposed on a side of the support platform 21 away from the servo turntable 1. The movable rack 263 is slidably connected to a side of the support platform 21 away from the servo turntable 1, and is arranged opposite to the fixed rack 262. The output end of the third power member is connected to the sliding gear 261, and is configured to drive the sliding gear 261 to rotate. The fixed rack 262 and the movable rack 263 are located on both sides of the sliding gear 261, and are both engaged with the sliding gear 261. One end of the first push rod 24 away from the first recovery plate 22 is connected to the sliding gear 261. One end of the second push rod 25 away from the second recovery plate 23 is connected to the movable rack 263.

[0038] It should be noted that the rotational motion of the sliding gear 261 can be converted into the linear motion of the first push rod 24 and the second push rod 25 through the meshing transmission of the fixed rack 262 and the movable rack 263. The gear assembly 26 of the present application has a compact structure and occupies a small space, which is convenient for installation and layout in a limited space.

[0039] Furthermore, the recovery device integrates the storage, transportation, launch and recovery of drones, and can realize rapid deployment at a fixed position, recovery at a fixed position, recovery at a different location, mobile recovery, recovery of drones of different weights and rapid withdrawal and transfer. The innovation of the recovery device lies in that it not only meets the various needs of fixed recovery of drones, recovery at a different location, mobile recovery, and recovery in different directions when the drone hits the net, but also can realize the rapid implementation and withdrawal of tasks. Existing recovery devices generally recover at fixed points, and the recovery system takes a long time to deploy and withdraw, and cannot meet the needs of mobile recovery or recovery at a different location under special circumstances. In summary, the recovery device fills the gaps in recovery at a different location and in different directions, greatly improves production work efficiency, and reduces the damage caused by drones hitting the net.

[0040] The present application embodiment provides a method for recovering a drone that has hit a net, which is applied to a recovery device, such as Figure 6 As shown, the method comprises the following steps S1 to S2: S1: Receive the recovery command issued by the ground station, and send a guidance signal to the UAV through the ground station. The guidance signal includes the current position and route of the recovery trailer 6. In addition, the guidance signal is used to instruct the UAV to fly to the recovery trailer 6 according to the current position and route of the recovery trailer 6, and to start descending when the UAV is at a preset distance from the recovery trailer 6, and to adjust the heading according to the current position and route of the recovery trailer 6 to keep consistent with the route of the recovery trailer 6.

[0041] Specifically, when the distance between the drone and the recovery trailer 6 reaches 2 km, the drone begins to descend and adjusts its heading according to the current position and route of the recovery trailer 6 to ensure that it remains consistent with the route of the recovery trailer 6.

[0042] S2: Receive flight information sent by the ground station, and adjust the deployment state of the recovery net 5 by calculating and controlling the opening and closing mechanism based on the flight information. The flight information includes route information, the weight of the drone, and the expected flight speed. The deployment state of the recovery net 5 is used to detect when the drone enters a preset proximity range.

[0043] S3: If the recovery net 5 has not been deployed in place, the deployment state of the recovery net 5 is used to instruct the UAV to perform an automatic go-around process.

[0044] S4: If the recovery net 5 has been deployed in place, adjust the travel speed of the recovery trailer 6 so that the relative speed between the recovery trailer 6 and the drone is within a preset net collision speed range, until the drone successfully crashes into the recovery net 5 according to the guidance signal.

[0045] Furthermore, if the distance between the UAV and the recovery net 5 is less than or equal to 1 km, and the recovery net 5 has not yet been deployed, the deployment state will instruct the UAV to perform an automatic go-around process, because the recovery conditions are not met at this time.

[0046] If the distance between the drone and the recovery net 5 is less than or equal to 1 km, the recovery net 5 has been deployed and the drone will lock the cross mark on the recovery net 5. Subsequently, the drone will follow the flight speed guidance provided by the ground station and adjust its own flight speed (while the recovery trailer 6 also adjusts its driving speed) to keep the relative speed between the two within the preset collision speed range (2-4m / s) until the drone successfully hits the recovery net 5 and completes the recovery process.

[0047] Specifically, according to the kinetic energy formula Calculate, where K is the kinetic energy of the drone when it is recovered, and m is the weight of the drone. is the relative speed between the UAV and the recovery trailer 6. Compared with the recovery device at a fixed position, during the recovery process of the UAV, if the relative speed is reduced from 30m / s to 3m / s (under the same weight condition), the kinetic energy during recovery will be reduced to about 1% of the original. This significant reduction greatly reduces the loss of the UAV during the recovery process.

[0048] It should be noted that when the drone needs to be recovered, the ground station will send a recovery instruction to the recovery device. At the same time, the ground station will also send a guidance signal containing the current position and route of the recovery trailer 6 to the drone. According to these guidance signals, the drone adjusts the flight heading and altitude to ensure that it can fly to the recovery trailer 6 according to the predetermined route and speed. In addition, the ground station will also send the flight information of the drone to the recovery device, including route information, the weight of the drone, and the expected flight speed. According to this information, the recovery device adjusts the deployment state of the recovery net 5 by controlling the opening and closing mechanism to ensure that when the drone enters the preset approach range, the recovery net 5 can be in the best state for subsequent collision recovery. In the process of the drone approaching the recovery trailer 6, if the recovery net 5 has not been deployed in place, the drone will perform an automatic go-around process to avoid unnecessary losses. On the contrary, if the recovery net 5 has been deployed in place, the recovery trailer 6 will adjust its driving speed to ensure that the relative speed between it and the drone remains within the preset collision speed range. Finally, when the drone successfully crashes into the recovery net 5 according to the guidance signal, the recovery process is completed. The method can flexibly adjust the deployment state of the recovery net 5 according to different UAV weights, expected flight speeds and other flight information, thereby adapting to the recovery needs of different types of UAVs. At the same time, the method mainly relies on the communication between the ground station and the UAV and the precise control of the opening and closing mechanism on the recovery device, and is relatively simple and convenient to implement, with high practicality and reliability.

[0049] In the embodiment of the present application, the unfolded state includes the unfolded size and unfolded angle of the recovery net 5 .

[0050] In the embodiment of the present application, after calculating and adjusting the expansion size and expansion angle of the recovery net 5, the method further includes: According to the route information sent by the ground station, the servo turntable 1 is controlled to fine-tune the direction of the recovery net 5 so that the recovery net 5 faces the heading of the drone. The servo turntable 1 of the present application precisely controls the recovery surface of the recovery net 5 to maintain a vertical angle with the recovery route of the drone, thereby maximizing the recovery area and improving the success rate of recovery.

[0051] In the embodiment of the present application, when the drone has a link interruption, the method further includes: S5: Control the recovery trailer 6 to travel to the preset emergency recovery point. The time to travel to the preset emergency recovery point is less than the time the UAV travels to the emergency landing point according to the preset emergency landing route and waits there.

[0052] S6: Adjust the recovery net 5 until it is fully deployed.

[0053] S7: After confirming that the UAV has entered the preset glide path, the recovery trailer 6 is controlled to accelerate to a preset speed based on the predetermined recovery route and continue to move until the UAV crashes into the recovery net 5.

[0054] Specifically, the drone crashes into the recovery net 5 with the help of the seeker.

[0055] It should be noted that the UAV formulates the corresponding emergency landing route and gliding landing route according to the mission area before flight, and the recovery trailer 6 will automatically plan and drive to the point according to the preset emergency recovery point location. This preset emergency recovery point is determined in advance based on factors such as site conditions, safety factors, and possible flight trajectories of the UAV. The time to go to the preset emergency recovery point is designed to be less than the time for the UAV to go to the emergency landing point and wait there according to the preset emergency landing route, so as to ensure that in the event of a link interruption, the recovery trailer 6 can reach a position suitable for recovery operations more quickly. Before the recovery trailer 6 arrives at the preset emergency recovery point, the recovery net 5 will be quickly and accurately deployed in place to fully prepare for the recovery of the UAV. When the UAV enters the preset gliding landing route, this usually means that the UAV has identified the recovery trailer 6 and the recovery net 5 and is ready to perform a recovery operation. At this time, the recovery device will control the recovery trailer 6 to accelerate to a preset speed based on the predetermined recovery route, and maintain this speed for continuous travel. This preset speed is determined based on factors such as the weight, speed, characteristics of the recovery net 5, and site conditions of the UAV to ensure that the UAV can smoothly crash into the recovery net 5. By presetting emergency recovery points and planning predetermined recovery routes, the waiting time and recovery operation time of drones in the event of link interruption can be significantly reduced, thereby improving recovery efficiency.

[0056] Specifically, the time for the recovery trailer 6 to reach the preset emergency recovery point is less than 20 minutes, and the time for the drone to reach the emergency landing point according to the preset emergency landing route and wait there is 30 minutes.

[0057] The unfolding state of the recovery net 5 is adjusted based on the flight information calculation and by controlling the opening and closing mechanism, including the following steps S201 to S202: S201: Obtaining weight or volume information of the drone, and determining the horizontal and vertical expansion distances of the recovery net 5 based on the weight or volume information; S202: Acquire the real-time distance between the UAV and the recovery trailer 6. When the distance is a preset distance, control the opening and closing mechanism to unfold the recovery net 5 based on the horizontal and vertical unfolding distances of the recovery net 5.

[0058] It should be noted that the design of the recovery net 5 allows it to be expanded in both the horizontal and vertical directions, so the size of the recovery net 5 can be flexibly adjusted according to the weight or volume of different drones. In addition, by accurately adjusting the relative speed between the drone and the recovery trailer 6, the recovery device can be applied to drones of various volumes and weights, thereby significantly improving its applicability. In addition, considering that the recovery trailer 6 will face increased movement resistance after the recovery net 5 is unfolded from a storage state parallel to the ground to a vertical state, the recovery device is designed to unfold the recovery net 5 only when a preset distance is reached, which helps to shorten the effective distance of the recovery net 5 in the state of increased resistance, thereby effectively reducing energy consumption.

[0059] The various embodiments in this specification are described in a progressive manner, and the same or similar parts between the various embodiments can be referenced to each other. Each embodiment focuses on the differences from other embodiments.

[0060] The above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present application, rather than to limit the present application. Although the present application has been described in detail with reference to the aforementioned embodiments, a person of ordinary skill in the art should understand that the technical solutions described in the aforementioned embodiments may still be modified, or some or all of the technical features thereof may be replaced by equivalents. However, these modifications or replacements do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the present application.

Claims

1. A method for recovering a drone after it hits a net, characterized in that: Applied to a recovery device, the method comprises: receiving a recovery command issued by a ground station, and sending a guidance signal to the UAV through the ground station; wherein the guidance signal includes the current position and route of the recovery trailer (6); and the guidance signal is used to instruct the UAV to fly toward the recovery trailer (6) according to the current position and route of the recovery trailer (6), and to start descending when the UAV is at a preset distance from the recovery trailer (6), and to adjust the heading according to the current position and route of the recovery trailer (6) to keep consistent with the route of the recovery trailer (6); receiving flight information sent from a ground station, and calculating based on the flight information and adjusting the deployment state of the recovery net (5) by controlling an opening and closing mechanism; wherein the flight information includes route information, the weight of the drone, and an estimated flight speed; the deployment state of the recovery net (5) is used to detect when the drone enters a preset proximity range; If the recovery net (5) has not yet been deployed in place, the deployment state of the recovery net (5) is used to instruct the drone to perform an automatic go-around process; If the recovery net (5) has been deployed in place, the travel speed of the recovery trailer (6) is adjusted so that the relative speed between the recovery trailer (6) and the drone is within a preset net collision speed range until the drone successfully crashes into the recovery net (5) according to the guidance signal.

2. The method for recovering a drone after it hits a net according to claim 1, characterized in that: The unfolded state includes the unfolded size and unfolded angle of the recovery net (5).

3. The method for recovering a drone after it hits a net according to claim 2, characterized in that: After calculating and adjusting the unfolding size and unfolding angle of the recovery net (5), the method further comprises: The servo turntable (1) is controlled to fine-tune the direction of the recovery net (5) according to the route information sent by the ground station, so that the recovery net (5) faces the heading of the UAV.

4. The method for recovering a drone after it hits a net according to claim 1, characterized in that: When the drone has a link interruption, the method further includes: Controlling the recovery trailer (6) to travel to a preset emergency recovery point; wherein the time required to travel to the preset emergency recovery point is less than the time required for the drone to travel to the emergency landing point according to the preset emergency landing route and wait there; Adjusting the recovery net (5) until it is fully deployed; After confirming that the UAV has entered the preset glide path, the recovery trailer (6) is controlled to accelerate to a preset speed based on the predetermined recovery route and continue to move until the UAV crashes into the recovery net (5).

5. A drone collision recovery device, characterized in that: include: Recovery trailers (6); Recycling net (5); An opening and closing mechanism connected to the recovery trailer (6) and equipped with the recovery net (5); A retracting and unfolding mechanism (4) is arranged between the opening and closing mechanism and the recovery trailer (6) and is used to adjust the unfolding angle of the recovery net (5); A ground base station, connected to the recovery trailer (6), for receiving and forwarding recovery instructions and flight information sent by the ground station; as well as a control module, communicatively connected to the recovery trailer (6), the opening and closing mechanism and the ground base station, for acquiring the recovery instruction and flight information issued by the ground station, sending a guidance signal through the ground station, and adjusting the deployment state of the recovery net (5) by calculating based on the flight information and controlling the opening and closing mechanism; The guidance signal includes the current position and route of the recovery trailer (6); and the guidance signal is used to instruct the drone to fly toward the recovery trailer (6) according to the current position and route of the recovery trailer (6), and to start descending when the drone is at a preset distance from the recovery trailer (6), and to adjust the heading according to the current position and route of the recovery trailer (6) to keep consistent with the route of the recovery trailer (6); The deployed state of the recovery net (5) is used to detect when the drone enters a preset approach range; if the recovery net (5) has not yet been deployed, the deployed state of the recovery net (5) is used to instruct the drone to perform an automatic go-around process; and when the recovery net (5) is deployed, the control module is used to adjust the travel speed of the recovery trailer (6) so that the relative speed between the recovery trailer (6) and the drone is within a preset net collision speed range until the drone successfully crashes into the recovery net (5) according to the guidance signal.

6. The drone collision recovery device according to claim 5, characterized in that: Also includes: A servo turntable (1) is communicatively connected to the control module and rotationally connected to the recovery trailer (6); and The control module is also used to control the servo turntable (1) to fine-tune the direction of the recovery net (5) according to the route information sent by the ground station, so that the recovery net (5) faces the heading of the UAV; The opening and closing mechanism is connected to a side of the servo turntable (1) away from the recovery trailer (6), and two ends of the retractable mechanism (4) are respectively connected to the opening and closing mechanism and a side of the servo turntable (1) away from the recovery trailer (6).

7. The drone net-collision recovery device according to claim 6, characterized in that: The opening and closing mechanism comprises: A lateral expansion mechanism (2) is mounted on a side of the servo turntable (1) away from the bottom plate of the recovery trailer (6); Two vertical expansion mechanisms (3) are both hinged to a side of the lateral expansion mechanism (2) that is away from the lateral expansion mechanism (2) and away from the servo turntable (1), and are arranged at intervals along the length direction of the lateral expansion mechanism (2); Wherein, two ends of the retractable mechanism (4) are respectively connected to the lateral expansion mechanism (2) and the vertical expansion mechanism (3); The two vertical expansion mechanisms (3) are used to adjust the height of the recovery net (5), and the horizontal expansion mechanism (2) is used to adjust the width of the recovery net (5).

8. The drone net-collision recovery device according to claim 7 is characterized in that: The recovery net (5) comprises a pulling net (51), a vertically extending net reel (52), a first power member, a horizontally extending net reel (53) and a second power member; The transverse expansion net reel (53) is connected to one of the vertical expansion mechanisms (3); One side of the pulling net (51) is wound around the transversely extending net reel (53), and the other side is connected to another of the vertically extending mechanisms (3); The first power member is connected to the transversely extending net reel (53) and is configured to drive the transversely extending net reel (53) to rotate; The two ends of the vertical expansion net reel (52) are rotatably connected to the two vertical expansion mechanisms (3) respectively; The bottom of the pulling net (51) is wound around the vertically extending net reel (52); The second power member is connected to the vertical expansion net reel (52), and is configured to drive the vertical expansion net reel (52) to rotate.

9. The drone net collision recovery device according to claim 8, characterized in that: The lateral expansion mechanism (2) comprises a support platform (21), a first recovery plate (22), a second recovery plate (23), a first push rod (24), a second push rod (25), a gear assembly (26) and a third power member; The support platform (21) is installed on a side of the servo turntable (1) away from the bottom plate of the recovery trailer (6); The gear assembly (26) is arranged on a side of the support platform (21) away from the servo turntable (1); The output end of the third power member is connected to the gear assembly (26); Two ends of the first push rod (24) are respectively connected to the gear assembly (26) and the first recovery plate (22); Two ends of the second push rod (25) are respectively connected to the gear assembly (26) and the second recovery plate (23); The gear assembly (26) is configured to drive the first push rod (24) and the second push rod (25) to move towards or away from each other; And / or the vertical expansion mechanism (3) comprises a fixing rod (31), an expansion rod (32) and a fourth power member (33); The fixing rod (31) is hinged to the lateral expansion mechanism (2); The fourth power member (33) is mounted on the fixed rod (31), and its output end is connected to the extension rod (32), and is configured to drive the extension rod (32) to rise or fall; One of the expansion rods (32) is connected to the transverse expansion net reel (53); Another of the expansion rods (32) is connected to the pull net (51); Two ends of the retractable mechanism (4) are respectively connected to the transverse expansion mechanism (2) and the corresponding fixing rod (31).

10. The drone net collision recovery device according to claim 9, characterized in that: The gear assembly (26) comprises a sliding gear (261), a fixed rack (262) and a movable rack (263); The fixed rack (262) is fixedly arranged on a side of the support platform (21) away from the servo turntable (1); The movable rack (263) is slidably connected to a side of the support platform (21) away from the servo turntable (1), and is arranged opposite to the fixed rack (262); The output end of the third power member is connected to the sliding gear (261) and is configured to drive the sliding gear (261) to rotate; The fixed rack (262) and the movable rack (263) are located on both sides of the sliding gear (261), and are both meshed with the sliding gear (261); One end of the first push rod (24) away from the first recovery plate (22) is connected to the sliding gear (261); One end of the second push rod (25) away from the second recovery plate (23) is connected to the moving rack (263).

Citation Information

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