A large-load UAV fixed-point delivery system and method
By using temporarily attached suspension parts and fast lifting mechanisms in the drone delivery system, the problem of servo hook failure in the drone delivery device in extreme environments is solved, and the reliable decoupling of the delivered objects is achieved, which improves the task success rate and cost control.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202510052890.9
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Patents(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2025-01-14
- Publication Date
- 2025-05-13
- Estimated Expiration
- 2045-01-14
AI Technical Summary
In extreme environments, especially in floating ice seas, the electric-controlled servo hooks are prone to failure, resulting in the inability to decouple the drop objects in time, affecting the completion of the delivery task.
A large-load drone fixed-point delivery system is adopted. The system includes a drone and a suspension piece for mounting the placement. The suspension piece is attached to the lower part of the drone through temporary attachment, and the suspension piece is removed from the drone through rapid pulling of the drone, realizing automatic decoupling and delivery of the droplet.
It improves the reliability of delivery operations, ensures that drones can return, reduces delivery operations costs, and is suitable for delivery tasks in extreme environments.
Smart Images

Figure CN119460099B_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of drone delivery, and in particular to a system and method for fixed-point delivery of a large-load drone. Background Art
[0002] As we all know, the correct deployment of drifting GPS buoys at sea is one of the important contents of marine scientific research. It can not only provide accurate and rich data for marine scientific research, but also monitor the changes of marine environmental parameters in real time, which is of great significance for the smooth development of scientific research. At present, the GPS buoy deployment methods used in the industry can be roughly divided into two categories: one is to use operating ships for deployment, and the other is to use drones for deployment.
[0003] Regarding the method of using an operating vessel for delivery, for example, a Chinese patent with publication number CN115973332A and publication date 2023-04-18 provides a device and method for delivering buoys using an unmanned vessel. The unmanned vessel needs to be launched into the water for transportation, and it is inconvenient to sail in the floating ice sea area, especially when the target delivery area is set on the surface of a large piece of floating ice. The operating vessel cannot enter the correct delivery location, which limits the method of using an operating vessel for buoy delivery.
[0004] For the method of using drones for delivery, for example, a Chinese patent with publication number CN216375010U and publication date 2022-04-26 provides a large-load slow-descent delivery device for drones, which specifically includes a drone, a twisted wire connected under the belly of the drone, and a servo hook set at the end of the twisted wire for mounting the delivery object. The delivery device can be used for the delivery of drifting GPS buoys at sea, and the delivery location is not restricted, and the flexibility and freedom of use are relatively high. However, the delivery device has obvious problems of insufficient reliability when applied to some extreme environments. Specifically, due to the harsh working conditions in the floating ice sea area, for example, the ambient temperature in the polar floating ice sea area is below -10°C all year round, and the wind force range is wide, and rain and snow weather also occur frequently, which makes the electrically controlled servo hook used in the above scheme very prone to failure, so that the buoy cannot be unhooked in time during remote operations, and thus the buoy delivery task cannot be completed within the time limit. If a throwing machine is manually selected to complete the delivery task, that is, the drone, cable, hook and buoy are all dropped, the cost of buoy delivery will increase significantly.
[0005] Based on this, there is an urgent need for a drone delivery device or system that can still achieve timely unhooking and delivery of the delivery object from the drone when the above-mentioned electric-controlled hook malfunctions or fails. This can, on the one hand, improve the reliability of the delivery operation process, and on the other hand, ensure that the drone can return, thereby making the delivery operation cost controllable. Summary of the invention
[0006] In view of this, the embodiments of this specification provide a system and method for fixed-point delivery of a large-load UAV. The system has the advantages that the uncoupling process is less affected by the environment and the uncoupling failure rate is low. The method has the advantages of simple operation and can significantly improve the success rate of a single delivery operation.
[0007] The embodiments of this specification provide the following technical solutions:
[0008] A large-load UAV fixed-point delivery system comprises a UAV and a suspension component for mounting a delivery object. When the UAV carries the delivery object and flies at a slow speed, the suspension component for mounting the delivery object is temporarily attached to the lower part of the UAV and can be detached from the UAV in response to the rapid lifting of the UAV, and is dropped to a target area along with the delivery object under the action of gravity.
[0009] In order to optimize the above scheme, the following measures are also taken:
[0010] As a preferred embodiment, a mounting base is provided on the drone, and an attachment portion is provided on the suspension component, and the attachment portion is attached to the mounting base by adsorption, adhesion or snap-fitting.
[0011] As a preferred embodiment, a limiting core shaft extending downward in the longitudinal direction is provided on the mounting base, and a limiting hole is provided on the attachment portion. In the temporary attachment state, the limiting core shaft passes through the limiting hole on the attachment portion, and the limiting core shaft is configured to allow the attachment portion to move up and down but limit the tilting and swinging of the attachment portion relative to the mounting base.
[0012] As a preferred embodiment, the suspension member is a suspension member not driven by external power.
[0013] As a preferred embodiment, the hanging member is an electric hook, and the electric hook can be switched between an open state for releasing the dropped object and a closed state for hanging the dropped object.
[0014] As a preferred embodiment, the electric hook includes a shell and a hook assembly, a transmission mechanism, a drive module, a control module and a power module arranged in the shell, wherein the transmission mechanism is connected between the drive module and the hook assembly to transmit power to the hook assembly for opening or closing the hook, the control module is electrically connected to the drive module for sending a control signal to the drive module to control the start and stop of the drive module, and the power module is used to supply power to the control module.
[0015] As a preferred embodiment, the hook assembly includes two semi-annular hook claws, one end of which is hinged and the other end is configured to be able to rotate relative to each other to press against each other to form a ring-shaped closed hook or move away from each other to open the hook.
[0016] As a preferred embodiment, the electric hook also includes a pressure-sensitive sensor, a remote control and a communication module. The pressure-sensitive sensor is used to detect the pressure exerted on the hook, and the pressure-sensitive sensor is electrically connected to the control module. The remote control is wirelessly connected to the communication module, and the communication module is electrically connected to the control module, so that the control module can be remotely controlled by the remote control to send a control signal to the drive module.
[0017] The embodiment of this specification also provides a method for fixed-point delivery of drones, based on the above-mentioned fixed-point delivery system of drones, comprising the following steps:
[0018] S1. Mount the object to be dropped on the electric hook, and then temporarily attach it to the lower part of the drone. Operate the drone to carry the object and fly slowly to the vicinity of the target drop area.
[0019] S2. Adjust the posture and position of the drone so that the object dropped at its lower end is aligned with the target drop area in the vertical direction;
[0020] S3, controlling the drone to slowly descend until the height of the object from the target delivery area meets the operating standard that enables the object to safely fall into the target delivery area;
[0021] S4, execute the normal delivery mode, that is, control the electric hook to open and release the delivery object. If the hook opens normally and the delivery is completed, the drone returns. If the hook cannot open normally, execute step S5;
[0022] S5. Execute the emergency delivery mode, that is, operate the drone to quickly pull it up until the longitudinal force on the attachment part between the electric hook and the drone exceeds its bonding strength, so that the hook is detached from the drone and falls into the target delivery area with the delivered object, and then the drone returns.
[0023] As a preferred embodiment, in S4, the normal delivery mode includes a manual delivery mode and an automatic delivery mode. The manual delivery mode is to remotely control the control module through a remote controller to send a control signal to the drive module, thereby driving the hook to open and release the object through a transmission mechanism; the automatic delivery mode is to detect the pressure change on the hook when the object lands on the surface of the target delivery area through a pressure-sensitive sensor and convert the pressure change into an electrical signal and send it to the control module, and the control module sends a signal to the drive module, thereby driving the hook to open and release the object through a transmission mechanism.
[0024] Compared with the prior art, the at least one technical solution adopted in the embodiments of this specification can achieve the following beneficial effects:
[0025] 1. The fixed-point delivery system assembles the hanging parts for mounting the delivery objects on the lower part of the drone by temporarily attaching them when the drone is carrying the delivery objects, and uses the lifting operation of the drone to "break" the temporary attached joint between the hanging parts and the drone, so as to achieve the uncoupling and delivery of the delivery objects. That is, the longitudinal force on the joint exceeds its joint strength, so that the hanging parts are separated from the drone and dropped to the ground with the delivery objects under the action of gravity. This makes the delivery system not need to rely on external circuit drive for the uncoupling and delivery of the delivery objects, and cleverly avoids the phenomenon of difficult uncoupling or non-uncoupling caused by circuit failure. Therefore, it is particularly suitable for delivery operations in polar areas with harsh environmental conditions, such as the delivery of large GPS buoys in polar floating ice areas.
[0026] Second, the optional hanging parts of the fixed-point delivery system are flexible and diverse. For example, it can be an ordinary hanging ring or hook without external power drive, or it can be an electric hook that can be opened or closed by an external circuit drive. This allows the fixed-point delivery system to be flexibly customized according to cost requirements, functional requirements and occasion requirements, further enhancing the adaptability and ease of use of the delivery system.
[0027] 3. The fixed-point delivery method has a dual-insurance delivery mode including a normal delivery mode and an emergency delivery mode. In the normal delivery mode, by controlling the action of the electric hook, the hook is opened to release the delivery object and make it fall safely into the target delivery area. When the hook fails or fails, the emergency delivery mode can be executed, and the attachment part between the electric hook and the drone is pulled up by manipulating the drone until the longitudinal force of the attachment part exceeds its bonding strength, so that the hook is separated from the drone and falls into the target delivery area with the delivery object. In this way, even if the electric hook fails or even fails during operation, the delivery object can be unhooked and delivered, thereby significantly improving the success rate of a fixed-point delivery operation in an extreme environment, and ensuring that the drone can return, thereby reducing the equipment loss caused by the forced delivery operation.
[0028] Fourth, by adopting this fixed-point delivery method, emergency uncoupling and delivery of the delivery objects can be achieved by simply controlling the drone. The operation is simple and the uncoupling process is reliable, which significantly improves the safety of using drones for fixed-point delivery operations. In addition, by reasonably arranging the triggering priority of the two delivery modes, the efficiency of the delivery operation can be maximized. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0029] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application, the drawings required for use in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present application. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative work.
[0030] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the UAV system in the first embodiment when it is not deployed;
[0031] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the UAV system in the automatic delivery mode in the first embodiment;
[0032] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the UAV system in the manual delivery mode in the first embodiment;
[0033] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the UAV system in the emergency delivery mode in the first embodiment;
[0034] Figure 5 It is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the electric hook in the first embodiment;
[0035] Figure 6 It is a schematic diagram of the coordination of some parts in the first embodiment;
[0036] Figure 7 It is a schematic diagram of the coordination of some parts in the second embodiment;
[0037] Figure 8 It is a schematic diagram of the coordination of some parts in the third embodiment;
[0038] Fig. 9 This is the image of the GPS buoy in Example 4 when it is tilted and swung;
[0039] Fig.10 This is the image of the GPS buoy in the fourth embodiment when it is hovering above the target delivery area;
[0040] Fig.11 is a schematic diagram of the coordination of some components in the temporary attachment structure in the fourth embodiment when the attachment portions are in a non-inclined state;
[0041] Fig.12 It is a schematic diagram of the cooperation of some parts in the fourth embodiment when the attachment parts in the temporary attachment structure are in an inclined state.
[0042] Among them, 1. UAV; 2. Temporary attachment structure; 21. Installation base; 211. Suction cup assembly; 212. Cover plate; 213. Exhaust port; 214. Limiting core shaft; 22. Attachment part; 221. Limiting hole; 3. Electric hook; 31. Shell; 32. Hook assembly; 321. Hook claw; 322. Hinge sleeve; 33. Trigger device; 331. Drive module; 332. Transmission mechanism; 333. Fixed arm; 334. Rocker arm; 335. Control module; 336. Power module; 337. Communication module; 338. Remote control; 34. Pressure sensitive sensor; 4. Cable; 5. GPS buoy; 411. Velcro assembly; 511. Magnetic suction assembly. DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0043] The embodiments of the present application are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0044] The following describes the implementation methods of the present application through specific examples, and those skilled in the art can easily understand other advantages and effects of the present application from the contents disclosed in this specification. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present application, rather than all the embodiments. The present application can also be implemented or applied through other different specific implementation methods, and the details in this specification can also be modified or changed in various ways based on different viewpoints and applications without departing from the spirit of the present application. It should be noted that, in the absence of conflict, the following embodiments and the features in the embodiments can be combined with each other. Based on the embodiments in the present application, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in the field without making creative work belong to the scope of protection of the present application.
[0045] It should be noted that various aspects of the embodiments within the scope of the appended claims are described below. It should be apparent that the aspects described herein can be embodied in a wide variety of forms, and any specific structure and / or function described herein is merely illustrative. Based on the present application, it should be understood by those skilled in the art that an aspect described herein can be implemented independently of any other aspect, and two or more of these aspects can be combined in various ways. For example, any number and aspect described herein can be used to implement the device and / or practice the method. In addition, other structures and / or functionalities other than one or more of the aspects described herein can be used to implement this device and / or practice this method.
[0046] It should also be noted that the illustrations provided in the following embodiments are only schematic illustrations of the basic concept of the present application. The drawings only show components related to the present application rather than being drawn according to the number, shape and size of components in actual implementation. In actual implementation, the type, quantity and proportion of each component may be changed arbitrarily, and the component layout may also be more complicated.
[0047] The embodiments of this specification propose a large-load UAV fixed-point delivery system and method, which aims to solve the problem that when the electric hook of the UAV delivery device or system in the prior art fails, the delivery object cannot be unhooked in time without abandoning the UAV to complete a fixed-point delivery operation. It can not only complete the established task of fixed-point delivery in one time, improve the reliability of the fixed-point delivery operation, but also ensure that the UAV can return, thereby reducing the equipment loss caused by completing the delivery operation.
[0048] The technical solutions provided by various embodiments of the present application are described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Embodiment 1
[0049] like Figures 1 to 4 As shown, this embodiment provides a large-load UAV fixed-point delivery system, which can be used for fixed-point delivery of equipment such as marine observation equipment, transportation equipment or plant protection equipment, and can also be used for fixed-point delivery of various materials, goods, etc. This embodiment only takes the fixed-point delivery operation of the drifting GPS buoy 5 at sea as an example to illustrate the solution, but this should not be understood as a limitation on the application scenario of this embodiment.
[0050] like Figure 1 As shown, the large-load UAV fixed-point delivery system includes a UAV 1 and a suspension member for mounting a delivery object. When the UAV 1 carries the delivery object and flies slowly, the suspension member for mounting the delivery object is temporarily attached to the lower part of the UAV 1 and can be detached from the UAV 1 in response to the rapid lifting of the UAV 1, and is dropped to the target area with the delivery object under the action of gravity. Here, the rapid lifting of the UAV 1 refers to the operation of pulling the UAV 1 upward or lifting it under the drive of the propeller of the UAV 1. This operation can be, for example, a lifting operation performed by the operator remotely controlling the UAV 1. In order to facilitate further understanding of the scheme, the temporary attachment structure 2 for performing the temporary attachment is described in detail below. The temporary attachment structure 2 specifically includes a mounting base 21 provided on the UAV 1 and an attachment portion 22 provided on the suspension member. The attachment portion 22 is attached to the mounting base 21 in an adsorption manner, an adhesive manner, or a snap-fit manner. Therefore, the bonding strength described here can be an adsorption strength, an adhesive strength, or a snap-fit strength, which will not be repeated here. More specifically, the mounting base 21 may be a mounting seat plate disposed on the drone 1, and the attachment portion 22 may be a part of the suspension housing, or a connecting seat plate connected to the suspension housing. Since it is relatively easy to exert force on the seat plate surface, the connection between the mounting base 21 and the attachment portion 22 is more reliable.
[0051] In this embodiment, the fixed-point delivery system assembles the suspension part for mounting the delivery object at the lower part of the drone 1 by temporarily attaching it when the drone 1 is flying with the delivery object, and "breaks" the temporary attachment part between the suspension part and the drone 1 by pulling up the drone 1, so as to achieve the unhooking delivery of the delivery object. That is, the longitudinal force on the attachment part exceeds its attachment strength, so that the suspension part is separated from the drone 1 and is delivered to the target delivery area under the action of gravity along with the delivery object. Figures 1 to 4 The Q1 position roughly shows the location of the target delivery area. This makes the delivery system not need to rely on external circuit drive for the uncoupling and delivery of the delivery object, as long as the bonding strength of the temporary attachment structure 2 at the joint part and the power of the drone 1 meet the requirements. For those skilled in the art, it is easy to find an attachment structure and a drone that meet the requirements in the prior art. A variety of examples of temporary attachment structures will be given below, which will not be expanded here. This cleverly avoids the phenomenon of difficult uncoupling and non-uncoupling caused by circuit failure, so it is particularly suitable for delivery operations in polar areas with harsh environmental conditions, such as the delivery of large GPS buoys in polar floating ice areas.
[0052] Here, the objects to be delivered refer to the work objects that need to be delivered at a fixed point, including not only the above-mentioned equipment, materials or goods, but also cables 4 or auxiliary parts used to mount the equipment, materials or goods. These cables or auxiliary parts can follow the above-mentioned equipment, materials or goods to land in the target delivery area.
[0053] It should be noted that, here, although the temporary attachment structure 2 is set between the UAV 1 and the suspension member, the temporary attachment structure 2 can still have a variety of arrangements between the two. For example, the mounting base 21 in the temporary attachment structure 2 can be directly connected to the UAV 1, or it can be suspended under the UAV 1 by a rope. Correspondingly, the suspension member can be directly connected to the attachment part 22, or it can be suspended under the attachment part 22 by a rope.
[0054] In addition, the present embodiment does not limit the specific structure of the hanging part. In other words, the specific structure of the hanging part can be flexible and diverse. For example, it can be an ordinary hanging ring or hook without external power drive, or it can be an electric hook that can be opened or closed by an external circuit drive. This allows the fixed-point delivery system to be flexibly customized according to cost requirements, functional requirements and occasion requirements, further enhancing the adaptability and ease of use of the delivery system.
[0055] Below, this embodiment takes the hanging member as an electric hook as an example to further explain the core of this solution.
[0056] like Figures 1 to 5As shown, the electric hook 3 is configured to be switchable between an open state for releasing the object to be delivered and a closed state for mounting the object to be delivered. Specifically, the electric hook 3 includes a housing 31, a hook assembly 32 for mounting the object to be delivered, and a trigger device 33 coupled to the hook assembly 32, wherein the hook assembly 32 is configured to open the hook to release the object to be delivered or close the hook to mount the object to be delivered in response to a trigger signal sent by the trigger device 33.
[0057] like Figure 5 As shown, here, the hook assembly 32 includes two semi-circular hook claws 321, one end of the two semi-circular hook claws 321 is hinged and the other end is configured to be relatively rotatable to press against each other to form a ring-shaped closed hook or to move away from each other to open the hook. More specifically, one of the hook claws 321 is provided with a hinge pin, and the other hook claw 321 is provided with a hinge sleeve 322 sleeved on the hinge pin, and the housing 31 is provided with a fixed arm 333 extending in the transverse direction, and a rocker arm 334 is hinged between the outer wall of each hook claw 321 and the fixed arm 333, and the two rocker arms 334 are arranged opposite to each other.
[0058] like Figure 5 As shown, the trigger device 33 can take various forms, for example, it may include a transmission mechanism 332, a drive module 331, a control module 335 and a power module 336 arranged in the shell 31, wherein the transmission mechanism 332 is connected between the drive module 331 and the hook assembly 32, and is used to transmit power to the hook assembly 32 so that it can perform the action of opening or closing the hook. Here, the transmission mechanism 332 is a gear rack mechanism, wherein the rack is movably connected to the shell 31 along the longitudinal direction, and the lower end of the rack is connected to the hinge sleeve 322, the control module 335 is electrically connected to the drive module 331, and is used to send a trigger signal to the drive module 331 to control the start and stop of the drive module 331, and the power module 336 is used to power the control module 335. The control module 335 described here is, for example, a PLC module or a single-chip microcomputer module, which is not limited here. The trigger device 33 also includes a pressure-sensitive sensor 34, a remote controller 338 and a communication module 337. The pressure-sensitive sensor 34 is used to detect the pressure exerted on the hook assembly 32, and the pressure-sensitive sensor 34 is electrically connected to the control module 335. The remote controller 338 is wirelessly connected to the communication module 337, and the communication module 337 is electrically connected to the control module 335, so that the control module 335 can be remotely controlled by the remote controller 338 to send a trigger signal to the drive module 331. Here, preferably, the drive module 331 is a servo.
[0059] As other embodiments, the trigger device 33 may not include the above-mentioned transmission mechanism 332, but the linear motor may directly drive the hook 321 to move, thereby opening or closing the hook. In short, electric hooks have various forms in the prior art, and technicians can choose according to the specific requirements of the delivery operation, which are not listed here one by one.
[0060] The hanging member in this embodiment is preferably set as an electric hook. The main reason is that the electric hook 3 can cooperate with the temporary attachment structure 2, so that the fixed-point delivery system has a double-safety delivery mode including a normal delivery mode and an emergency delivery mode. Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, in the normal delivery mode, the trigger device 33 sends a trigger signal to control the hook assembly 32 to open the hook to release the delivery object and make it fall safely into the target delivery area. At this time, the upper end of the electric hook 3 is suspended and maintained below the drone 1 through the temporary attachment structure 2. When the hook fails or fails, the emergency delivery mode can be executed, such as Figure 4 As shown, the drone 1 is manipulated to rise rapidly, and the dotted arrow S1 roughly shows the moving direction of the drone 1 when it is controlled. The temporary attachment structure 2 is pulled and disconnected at the attachment position, so that the electric hook 3 is separated from the drone 1 and falls into the target delivery area together with the delivery object. In this way, even if the electric hook 3 fails or even fails during operation, the delivery object can be unhooked and delivered, thereby significantly improving the success rate of a fixed-point delivery operation in extreme environments. Moreover, although the electric hook 3 is thrown away during the delivery operation, the drone 1 is retained to ensure that the drone can return smoothly, thereby reducing the equipment loss caused by the forced delivery operation and making the delivery operation cost controllable.
[0061] More specifically, in this embodiment, the normal delivery mode includes a manual delivery mode and an automatic delivery mode. Taking the automatic delivery mode as an example, when the delivery object falls to the target location, the pressure-sensitive sensor 34 detects the change in pressure on the hook assembly 32, and converts the change in pressure into an electrical signal and sends it to the control module 335. The control module 335 determines that the current delivery object has fallen to the target location based on the received signal and sends a trigger signal to the drive module 331. The drive module 331 outputs torque power, drives the rack to move up and down through the gear, thereby driving the two semi-annular hook claws 321 to clamp each other or open relatively, so as to realize the opening or closing of the hook assembly 32. Taking the automatic delivery mode as an example, a control instruction is sent to the communication module 337 through the remote controller 338, and the communication module 337 receives the control instruction, and then sends a control signal to the control module 335. The control module 335 receives the control signal and sends a trigger signal to the drive module 331. The drive module 331 outputs torque power and controls the opening or closing of the hook assembly 32 through the transmission mechanism 332.
[0062] like Figure 6 , Fig.11 and Fig.12 As shown, it is known that in the temporary attachment structure 2, there are many ways to join the attachment portion 22 and the mounting base 21. Here, the adsorption method is taken as an example to illustrate the concept of the present invention, and the remaining embodiments are described one by one below. Figure 11 to Figure 12 As shown, a suction cup assembly 211 is provided on the installation base 21 , and the attachment portion 22 is attached to the installation base 21 through the suction cup assembly 211 .
[0063] Specifically, the suction cup in the suction cup assembly 211 can be a vacuum suction cup such as a suction cup with a model of CR-470 and a suction force of 25kg to 50kg. Of course, a magnetic suction cup can also be selected. Here, the suction cup assembly 211 includes a plurality of silicone rubber vacuum suction cups evenly distributed on the attachment portion 22. The silicone rubber vacuum suction cup can provide a certain buffering force in both the axial and radial directions to make the connection between the suction cup and the attachment portion 22 more stable and reliable. A groove with an upper opening is provided on the mounting base 21, and a covering plate 212 for covering the opening of the groove is provided at the upper end of the groove. A vacuum chamber is enclosed between the covering plate 212 and the groove. The connecting port of each vacuum suction cup is connected to the vacuum chamber and the suction nozzle is suitable for being attached to the surface of the attachment portion 22. An exhaust port 213 for extracting gas from the vacuum chamber is also formed on the covering plate 212, and the exhaust port 213 is suitable for being blocked by a plug. When the attachment part 22 needs to be coupled to the mounting base 21, the suction nozzle of the vacuum suction cup on the mounting base 21 is first pressed against the surface of the attachment part 22, and then the plug is opened, and the air extraction port 213 is connected to the negative pressure pump to extract the air remaining in the vacuum chamber, thereby forming a negative pressure in the vacuum chamber so that the suction cup generates a certain adsorption force to adsorb the attachment part 22, and then the negative pressure pump is withdrawn and the air extraction port 213 is blocked with the plug. The magnitude of the adsorption force here can be determined according to the weight of the object that the drone 1 needs to carry, as long as it is ensured that the attachment part 22 can always be attached to the mounting base 21 when the drone 1 is not performing the flight control operation.
[0064] In this embodiment, the attachment portion 22 and the mounting base 21 can also be connected by snapping together. Specifically, the attachment portion 22 is a clamp provided on the suspension member, and the mounting base 21 is provided with a protrusion. The clamp is clamped on the protrusion, and the protrusion can be detached from the clamp by rapidly rising the drone 1, thereby achieving "detachable attachment". Embodiment 2
[0065] like Figure 7As shown, the difference between this embodiment and the first embodiment is that, in this embodiment, the attachment portion 22 is attached to the mounting base 21 through the Velcro assembly 411. Preferably, the attachment portion 22 and the mounting base 21 are both configured in the form of rigid seat plates, and the Velcro assembly 411 is disposed between the two rigid seat plates. When the attachment portion 22 needs to be attached to the mounting base 21, the attachment portion 22 is moved toward a side close to the mounting base 21 and the hair hook surface of the Velcro assembly 411 is combined to achieve the connection between the attachment portion 22 and the mounting base 21.
[0066] The remaining parts not described are the same as those in the first embodiment and will not be described in detail here. Embodiment 3
[0067] like Figure 8 As shown, the difference between this embodiment and the first embodiment is that, in this embodiment, the attachment portion 22 is attached to the mounting base 21 through a magnetic suction component 511. Preferably, the attachment portion 22 and the mounting base 21 are both configured in the form of a rigid seat plate, and the magnetic suction component 511 includes magnetic suction parts respectively arranged on the attachment portion 22 and the mounting base 21. When the attachment portion 22 needs to be attached to the mounting base 21, the attachment portion 22 is moved toward the side close to the mounting base 21 and the magnetic suction parts are attracted to each other, thereby realizing the connection between the attachment portion 22 and the mounting base 21. Preferably, the magnetic suction part is a permanent magnet, and the other undescribed parts are the same as those in the first embodiment, and are not described here. Embodiment 4
[0068] The difference between this embodiment and the first embodiment is that when it is necessary to perform a delivery operation on the sea surface or on floating ice, in order to prevent the waves or floating ice from affecting the operation of the drone 1, this embodiment further includes a cable 4 with one end suspended on the hook assembly 32 and the other end tied to the delivery object, and the hook assembly 32 in a closed state is suitable for hanging and supporting the cable 4. Taking the delivery object as a GPS buoy 5 as an example, when performing a delivery operation, such as Fig. 9 and Fig.10 As shown, due to the influence of the UAV's flight state, current wind conditions and its own inertia, when the UAV 1 is flying with the GPS buoy 5 or when the UAV 1 flies above the target delivery area and slows down to hover, the GPS buoy 5 at the lower end of the cable 4 will tilt and swing within a certain range, as shown in FIG. Fig. 9 and 10As shown, the Z-axis direction roughly shows the direction perpendicular to the target delivery area, the arrow points to the target delivery area, and the angle θ roughly shows the angle of the GPS buoy 5 tilting and swinging at one moment. This swinging will not only cause the fuselage of the drone 1 to tilt, but also produce a certain lateral shear force on the temporary attachment structure 2 between the attachment part 22 and the mounting base 21, which can easily loosen the connection between the attachment part 22 and the mounting base 21. In severe cases, the attachment part 22 may be mistakenly separated from the mounting base 21, causing the delivery of the GPS buoy 5 to deviate from the correct location. To solve this problem, as Fig.11 and Fig.12 As shown, the mounting base 21 is provided with a limiting core shaft 214 extending downward in the longitudinal direction, and the attachment portion 22 is provided with a limiting hole 221. When the attachment portion 22 is attached to the mounting base 21, the limiting core shaft 214 passes through the limiting hole 221 on the attachment portion 22. The limiting core shaft 214 is configured to allow the attachment portion 22 to move up and down but limit the attachment portion 22 from tilting and swinging relative to the mounting base 21. Here, the limiting core shaft 214 can be composed of a T-bolt, and the mounting base 21 is provided with a threaded hole matched with the T-bolt. In other embodiments, the limiting core shaft 214 can also be a slender column welded below the mounting base 21.
[0069] like Fig.12 As shown, when the GPS buoy 5 tilts and swings at a large angle, the cable 4 will pull the electric hook 3 and the attachment part 22 connected thereto to tilt and swing at a certain angle relative to the mounting base 21. The dotted line X1 in the figure roughly shows the position of the attachment part 22 when it is not tilted, and the arc arrow R1 roughly shows the direction of the attachment part 22 when it tilts and swings. The setting of the limiting core shaft 214 can limit the tilting and swinging of the attachment part 22 relative to the mounting base 21. This can reduce the tilting and swinging force transmitted to the drone 1 on the one hand, thereby preventing the fuselage from overturning due to excessive tilting angle, and reduce the lateral shear force generated by the tilting and swinging of the buoy on the attachment structure between the attachment part 22 and the mounting base 21, thereby preventing the attachment part 22 from being mistakenly separated from the mounting base 21, that is, when the delivery mode is not triggered or when the buoy deviates from the correct delivery direction, the attachment part 22 is separated from the mounting base 21. This further increases the reliability and safety of the buoy delivery operation process.
[0070] Preferably, the attachment portion 22 is a disc-shaped rigid seat plate, the limiting hole 221 is arranged at the center position of the rigid seat plate, and the attachment portion 22 is coupled to the mounting base 21 via a silicone rubber suction cup.
[0071] It should be noted that a certain gap needs to be reserved between the limiting hole 221 and the limiting core shaft 214, so that when the emergency delivery mode is triggered, the attachment part 22 can quickly detach from the mounting base 21 without causing jamming. However, the gap should not be set too large, because the limiting core shaft 214 cannot effectively limit the tilting and swinging of the attachment part 22. After comprehensive consideration, it is more appropriate to set the size of the gap to 4 to 6 mm. The rest of the undescribed parts are the same as those in the first embodiment, and are not described here. Embodiment 5
[0072] This embodiment provides a method for fixed-point delivery of unmanned aerial vehicles. Based on the above-mentioned fixed-point delivery system of unmanned aerial vehicles, before the unmanned aerial vehicle 1 takes off, the fixed-point delivery system of unmanned aerial vehicles needs to be assembled and various parameters need to be debugged. Taking the delivery operation of GPS buoy 5 as an example, the attachment part 22 and the electric hook 3 are first assembled and fixed. The electric hook 3 opens the hook so that one end of the cable 4 is hung on the hook and then closes the hook. The GPS buoy 5 is hung at the end of the cable 4. Then the attachment part 22 is temporarily attached to the installation base 21. The bonding strength of the attachment part is, for example, 25kg to 30kg, and the weight of the delivery object is 15 to 20kg. After the assembly of the fixed-point delivery system of unmanned aerial vehicles is completed, a test flight is required in the take-off area. After the test flight is completed, the next step of remote delivery operation is carried out on the premise that the system as a whole can operate smoothly.
[0073] The remote delivery operation specifically includes the following steps:
[0074] S1, operate the drone 1 to carry the delivery object and fly slowly to the vicinity of the target delivery area, then adjust the attitude of the drone 1 to be stable, and the swing amplitude of the cable 4 and the buoy is within the allowable range and does not affect the safe landing of the buoy;
[0075] S2, adjusting the posture and position of the drone 1 so that the object dropped at its lower end is aligned with the target drop area in the longitudinal direction;
[0076] S3, control the drone 1 to slowly descend until the height of the object from the target delivery area meets the operating standard that allows the object to safely fall into the target delivery area. Figure 1 As shown, the operation standard is preferably that the height D1 from the target delivery area does not exceed 1m;
[0077] S4, executing the normal delivery mode, that is, sending a trigger signal through the trigger device 33 to control the electric hook 3 to open the hook and release the delivery object. If the hook opens normally and the delivery is completed, the drone returns. If the hook cannot be opened normally, step S5 is executed;
[0078] S5. Execute the emergency delivery mode, i.e. operate the drone 1 to quickly pull it up until the longitudinal force on the attachment part between the electric hook 3 and the drone 1 exceeds its bonding strength, so that the hook is detached from the drone 1 and falls into the target delivery area with the delivered object, and then the drone 1 returns.
[0079] In this embodiment, in S4, the normal delivery mode includes a manual delivery mode and an automatic delivery mode. The manual delivery mode is to remotely control the control module 335 through the remote controller 338 to send a trigger signal to the drive module 331, thereby driving the hook component 32 to open the hook and release the delivered object through the transmission mechanism 332; the automatic delivery mode is to detect the pressure change of the hook component 32 when the delivered object lands on the surface of the target delivery area through the pressure-sensitive sensor 34 and convert the pressure change into an electrical signal and send it to the control module 335, and the control module 335 sends a trigger signal to the drive module 331, thereby driving the hook component 32 to open the hook and release the delivered object through the transmission mechanism 332.
[0080] It should be noted that, in this embodiment, the way to trigger the automatic delivery mode or the manual delivery mode is also flexible and diverse. For example, the automatic delivery mode or the manual delivery mode can be selected according to the current wind conditions. Specifically, if the current wind force is strong and causes the buoy and the cable 4 to swing with a large amplitude, the automatic delivery mode can be selected, that is, the buoy is ensured to land safely at the correct location before being unhooked, and the position of the buoy is continuously corrected by controlling the drone 1 during the landing process. If the current wind force is small, the buoy and the cable swing very little during the descent of the drone 1, which will not affect the safe landing of the buoy, then the manual delivery mode can be used at a height from the target delivery area D1, and the buoy and the cable are unhooked and landed at the correct location in time, thereby improving the efficiency of the buoy delivery operation. For another example, the operator can also use the manual delivery mode when seeing that there is a problem with the flight posture of the drone 1, temporarily unhook the load and throw it at a resting point, and after adjusting the posture, carry the load from the resting point to continue to complete the delivery operation.
[0081] By adopting the fixed-point delivery method, it is only necessary to control the drone 1 to achieve emergency uncoupling and delivery of the delivery object. The operation is simple and the uncoupling process is reliable, which significantly improves the safety of using drones for fixed-point delivery operations. In addition, by reasonably arranging the triggering priorities of the two delivery modes, the efficiency of the delivery operation can be maximized.
[0082] In summary, in the above embodiment, when the electric hook 3 fails or fails, the emergency delivery mode can be executed, and the electric hook 3 and the delivery object can be thrown away from the drone 1 and fall into the target delivery area by manipulating the flight control operation of the drone 1. In this way, even if the electric hook 3 fails or even fails during operation, the delivery object can be unhooked and delivered, thereby significantly improving the success rate of a fixed-point delivery operation in an extreme environment. Moreover, although the electric hook 3 is thrown away, the drone 1 is retained to ensure that the drone 1 can return smoothly, thereby reducing the equipment loss caused by the forced delivery operation.
[0083] In this specification, the same or similar parts between the various embodiments can be referred to each other, and each embodiment focuses on the differences from other embodiments. In particular, for the embodiments described later, the description is relatively simple, and the relevant parts can be referred to the partial description of the previous embodiments.
[0084] The above is only a specific implementation of the present application, but the protection scope of the present application is not limited thereto. Any changes or substitutions that can be easily thought of by a person skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed in the present application should be included in the protection scope of the present application. Therefore, the protection scope of the present application shall be based on the protection scope of the claims.
Claims
1. A large-load UAV fixed-point delivery system, comprising a UAV and a suspension member for mounting delivered objects, characterized in that: When the drone is carrying a delivery object and flying at a slow speed, the suspension member carrying the delivery object is temporarily attached to the lower part of the drone and can be detached from the drone in response to the rapid lifting of the drone; the suspension member is an electric hook, and the electric hook can be switched between an open state for releasing the delivery object and a closed state for mounting the delivery object; The drone is provided with a mounting base, and the suspension is provided with an attachment portion, and the attachment portion is attached to the mounting base by adsorption, bonding or snap-fitting; the mounting base is provided with a limit spindle extending downward in the longitudinal direction, and the attachment portion is provided with a limit hole, and in the temporary attached state, the limit spindle passes through the limit hole on the attachment portion, and a gap is reserved between the limit hole and the limit spindle, and the limit spindle is constructed to allow the attachment portion to move up and down but limit the attachment portion from tilting and swinging relative to the mounting base; the limit spindle is composed of a T-bolt, and the mounting base is provided with a threaded hole matching the T-bolt.
2. The large-load UAV fixed-point delivery system according to claim 1 is characterized in that: The electric hook includes a shell and a hook assembly, a transmission mechanism, a drive module, a control module and a power module arranged in the shell, wherein the transmission mechanism is connected between the drive module and the hook assembly to transmit power to the hook assembly for opening or closing the hook, the control module is electrically connected to the drive module, and is used to send a control signal to the drive module to control the start and stop of the drive module, and the power module is used to supply power to the control module.
3. The large-load UAV fixed-point delivery system according to claim 2 is characterized in that: The hook assembly comprises two semi-circular hook claws, one end of which is hinged and the other end of which is configured to be relatively rotatable to press against each other to form a ring-shaped closed hook or to move away from each other to open the hook.
4. The large-load UAV fixed-point delivery system according to claim 3 is characterized in that: The electric hook also includes a pressure-sensitive sensor, a remote control and a communication module. The pressure-sensitive sensor is used to detect the pressure on the hook, and the pressure-sensitive sensor is electrically connected to the control module. The remote control is wirelessly connected to the communication module, and the communication module is electrically connected to the control module, so that the control module can be remotely controlled by the remote control to send a control signal to the drive module.
5. A method for fixed-point delivery of unmanned aerial vehicles, based on the fixed-point delivery system of unmanned aerial vehicles according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that: The steps include: S1. Mount the object to be dropped on the electric hook, and then temporarily attach it to the lower part of the drone. Operate the drone to carry the object and fly slowly to the vicinity of the target drop area. S2. Adjust the posture and position of the drone so that the object dropped at its lower end is aligned with the target drop area in the vertical direction; S3, controlling the drone to slowly descend until the height of the object from the target delivery area meets the operating standard that enables the object to safely fall into the target delivery area; S4, execute the normal delivery mode, that is, control the electric hook to open and release the delivery object. If the hook opens normally and the delivery is completed, the drone returns. If the hook cannot open normally, execute step S5; S5. Execute the emergency delivery mode, that is, operate the drone to quickly pull it up until the longitudinal force on the attachment part between the electric hook and the drone exceeds its bonding strength, so that the hook is detached from the drone and falls into the target delivery area with the delivered object, and then the drone returns.
6. The method for fixed-point delivery of unmanned aerial vehicles according to claim 5, characterized in that: In S4, the normal delivery mode includes a manual delivery mode and an automatic delivery mode. The manual delivery mode is to remotely control the control module through a remote controller to send a control signal to the drive module, thereby driving the hook to open the hook and release the delivered object through a transmission mechanism; the automatic delivery mode is to detect the pressure change on the hook when the delivered object lands on the surface of the target delivery area through a pressure-sensitive sensor and convert the pressure change into an electrical signal and send it to the control module, and the control module sends a signal to the drive module, thereby driving the hook to open the hook and release the delivered object through a transmission mechanism.
Citation Information
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