Liftable battery replacing mechanism and method for unmanned aerial vehicle

Abstract

The invention discloses a liftable battery replacement mechanism and method for an unmanned aerial vehicle, and solves the problems of low battery replacement operation efficiency, complex path planning, poor adaptability to a multi-layer battery compartment and the like of a traditional unmanned aerial vehicle through a multi-axis linkage design and precise control of a servo driving system. According to the battery replacement mechanism, by means of multi-axis linkage of the X axis, the Y axis and the Z axis, rapid alignment of the replacement position of the target battery or the unmanned aerial vehicle battery is achieved, and the battery replacement operation time is remarkably shortened. And meanwhile, the problem of paddle interference is effectively avoided through the lifting function of the Z shaft, path avoidance can be completed without lifting of the unmanned aerial vehicle platform, and the operation takt is optimized. The device is completely controlled by a PLC, manual intervention is not needed, the purpose of unmanned operation is achieved, and the low efficiency and misoperation risk of manual battery replacement are eliminated. The method is suitable for various unmanned aerial vehicle intelligent aviation stations, the cruising ability of the unmanned aerial vehicle can be remarkably improved, the requirement for continuous operation is met, and the technical bottleneck in the background technology is comprehensively solved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of liftable battery replacement for unmanned aerial vehicles, and in particular to a liftable battery replacement mechanism and method for unmanned aerial vehicles. Background Art

[0002] With the rapid development of drone technology, drones are increasingly used in agriculture, logistics, security monitoring and other fields. The efficient operation of drones usually depends on the battery life, and in most application scenarios, long-term continuous operation places higher demands on the rapid replacement of batteries. As a key device, the drone battery replacement mechanism can efficiently complete the battery replacement operation without human intervention, thereby improving the operating efficiency of drones. In response to this demand, drone intelligent air stations (hereinafter referred to as "air stations") have gradually become the main platform for realizing drone battery replacement.

[0003] However, existing battery-swapping mechanisms at drone terminals generally have technical limitations. The drone battery-swapping operation in most terminals requires the drone platform to be raised and lowered to avoid structural interference with the battery-swapping mechanism. This method easily leads to complicated operating procedures and reduced battery-swapping efficiency. Especially in terminals with multiple battery compartments, since the action path of the battery-swapping mechanism is long, the lifting of the platform not only increases the operating cycle time, but may also cause equipment failure due to collision between the blades and the battery-swapping mechanism. In addition, the multi-axis linkage design of the battery-swapping mechanism in the prior art is mostly concentrated in the horizontal direction, and is not adaptable enough to the vertical direction, making it difficult to meet the layout requirements of battery compartments of different heights, further limiting the reliability and flexibility of drone battery-swapping operations. Summary of the invention

[0004] The present application provides a liftable battery-changing mechanism and method for a drone, aiming to solve the problem that the multi-axis linkage design of the battery-changing mechanism in the prior art is mostly concentrated in the horizontal direction and has insufficient adaptability to the vertical direction.

[0005] In a first aspect, a liftable battery replacement mechanism for a drone, the mechanism comprising:

[0006] The X-axis motion unit is used to drive the battery replacement mechanism to move horizontally to the battery compartment position or the drone battery replacement position;

[0007] The Y-axis motion unit is used to drive the battery exchange mechanism to extend or retract horizontally to approach the target battery position;

[0008] The Z-axis motion unit is used to drive the battery replacement mechanism to rise and fall in the vertical direction to align with the target battery position in the battery compartment or the battery replacement position of the drone, and avoid the interference area of ​​the drone;

[0009] A hook mechanism for grabbing or releasing a target battery;

[0010] A servo drive system provides power for the X-axis motion unit, the Y-axis motion unit, the Z-axis motion unit and the hook mechanism;

[0011] A programmable logic controller communicates with the servo drive system via an ECAT bus protocol and is used to control the coordinated actions of the X-axis motion unit, the Y-axis motion unit, the Z-axis motion unit and the hook mechanism.

[0012] In the above scheme, optionally, the X-axis motion unit has three preset positions, namely the left battery compartment position, the right battery compartment position and the drone battery replacement position.

[0013] In the above solution, optionally, the Y-axis motion unit has three preset positions, including an initial position, an extended position of the battery compartment, and an extended position of the drone.

[0014] In the above scheme, optionally, the Z-axis motion unit has three height positions, corresponding to the target battery position of the lower battery bin, the target battery position of the upper battery bin and the drone battery position.

[0015] In the above solution, optionally, the hook mechanism drives the synchronous connecting rod to rotate through a servo motor, and a hook is provided at the end of the connecting rod, and the hook is used to grab or release the target battery.

[0016] In the above solution, optionally, the power exchange mechanism is installed as a whole on a linear guide rail, and the X-axis motion unit moves along the linear guide rail.

[0017] In the above scheme, optionally, the servo drive system receives motion control instructions from the PLC through the ECAT bus protocol to achieve absolute positioning control of the X-axis motion unit, the Y-axis motion unit, the Z-axis motion unit and the hook mechanism.

[0018] In a second aspect, a liftable battery replacement method for a drone is provided, the battery replacement method comprising the following steps:

[0019] Control the X-axis motion unit to move to the battery compartment or the drone battery replacement position;

[0020] Control the Z-axis motion unit to move up and down to align with the target battery position;

[0021] Control the Y-axis motion unit to extend horizontally;

[0022] Control the hook mechanism to grab or release the target battery;

[0023] The Y-axis motion unit and the Z-axis motion unit are controlled to return to their initial positions in sequence.

[0024] In the above scheme, optionally, when controlling the X-axis motion unit to move, if the path needs to cross the drone, the Z-axis motion unit is controlled to rise to the corresponding position of the high-level battery compartment to avoid the interference area of ​​the drone.

[0025] In the above solution, optionally, the battery replacement operation includes the following two parts:

[0026] Battery removal operation: control the X-axis motion unit to move to the battery compartment position, control the Z-axis motion unit to rise and fall to the target battery position in the battery compartment, control the Y-axis motion unit to extend, control the hook mechanism to grab the target battery, and control the Y-axis motion unit and the Z-axis motion unit to return to their initial positions in turn;

[0027] Battery return operation: control the X-axis motion unit to move to the battery replacement position of the drone, control the Z-axis motion unit to rise and fall to the battery replacement position of the drone, control the Y-axis motion unit to extend, control the hook mechanism to release the target battery, and control the Y-axis motion unit and the Z-axis motion unit to return to their initial positions in turn.

[0028] Compared with the prior art, this application has at least the following beneficial effects:

[0029] Based on further analysis and research on the existing technical problems, this application recognizes that the multi-axis linkage design of the battery swap mechanism is mostly concentrated in the horizontal direction and has insufficient adaptability to the vertical direction. Through the multi-axis linkage design and precise control of the servo drive system, the problems of low efficiency of traditional UAV battery swap operation, complex path planning and poor adaptability to multi-layer battery compartments are solved. The battery swap mechanism of the present invention utilizes the multi-axis linkage of the X-axis, Y-axis and Z-axis to achieve rapid alignment of the target battery or UAV battery replacement position, significantly reducing the battery swap operation time. At the same time, the lifting function of the Z-axis effectively avoids the problem of blade interference, and path avoidance can be completed without the lifting of the UAV platform, optimizing the operation rhythm. The present invention is completely controlled by PLC, without manual intervention, achieving the purpose of unmanned operation, and eliminating the inefficiency and risk of misoperation of manual battery swapping. In addition, the multi-axis design enhances the flexibility and adaptability of the system, adapts to high and low-level battery compartments and a variety of UAV layout scenarios, and the servo drive system combined with the ECAT bus protocol ensures the high-precision execution of each action, improving the stability and safety of the overall system. The present invention is applicable to various unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) intelligent air stations, and can significantly improve the endurance of UAVs in the fields of agriculture, logistics, security monitoring, etc., meet the needs of continuous operation, and comprehensively solve the technical bottlenecks in the background technology. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0030] Figure 1 A circuit principle block diagram of a liftable battery replacement mechanism for a drone provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0031] Figure 2A schematic diagram of a liftable battery replacement mechanism for a drone provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0032] Figure 3 A circuit principle block diagram of another liftable battery replacement mechanism for a drone provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0033] Figure 4 A schematic flow chart of a battery replacement method for a drone provided in an embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0034] In order to make the purpose, technical solution and advantages of the present application more clearly understood, the present application is further described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only used to explain the present application and are not used to limit the present application.

[0035] In one embodiment, Figures 1 to 3 As shown, a liftable power exchange mechanism for a drone is provided, comprising:

[0036] The X-axis motion unit is used to drive the battery replacement mechanism to move horizontally to the battery compartment position or the drone battery replacement position;

[0037] The Y-axis motion unit is used to drive the battery exchange mechanism to extend or retract horizontally to approach the target battery position;

[0038] The Z-axis motion unit is used to drive the battery replacement mechanism to rise and fall in the vertical direction to align with the target battery position in the battery compartment or the battery replacement position of the drone, and avoid the interference area of ​​the drone;

[0039] A hook mechanism for grabbing or releasing a target battery;

[0040] A servo drive system provides power for the X-axis motion unit, the Y-axis motion unit, the Z-axis motion unit and the hook mechanism;

[0041] A programmable logic controller communicates with the servo drive system via an ECAT bus protocol and is used to control the coordinated actions of the X-axis motion unit, the Y-axis motion unit, the Z-axis motion unit and the hook mechanism.

[0042] In this embodiment, the hardware components of the power exchange mechanism are as follows:

[0043] X-axis motion unit:

[0044] Realize the horizontal movement of the battery replacement mechanism.

[0045] The X-axis motion unit is mounted on a linear guide and driven by a servo motor. Its motion range is pre-set to three positions: the left battery compartment position, the right battery compartment position, and the drone battery replacement position.

[0046] The servo drive system receives PLC instructions via the ECAT bus protocol to achieve precise absolute positioning.

[0047] Y-axis motion unit:

[0048] Used to horizontally extend or retract the battery replacement mechanism to approach the target battery.

[0049] The guide rail and lead screw design is used to convert the rotary motion of the servo motor into linear motion.

[0050] Its extension range is precisely set to reach the target positions of the battery compartment and the drone battery respectively.

[0051] Z-axis motion unit:

[0052] Used for vertical lifting of the battery replacement mechanism.

[0053] The lifting range of the Z axis is divided into three positions: the target battery position of the lower battery compartment, the target battery position of the upper battery compartment, and the battery replacement position of the drone.

[0054] When it is necessary to avoid interference from the drone's blades, the Z-axis can quickly rise to the corresponding position of the high-level battery compartment to ensure that the battery replacement action is completed smoothly.

[0055] Hook mechanism:

[0056] The synchronous connecting rod is driven to rotate by a servo motor, and a hook is arranged at the end of the connecting rod.

[0057] The hook arm can accurately grab the target battery to complete the action of extracting or returning power.

[0058] Servo drive system:

[0059] Provide power for each motion unit and hook mechanism.

[0060] Communicate with PLC through ECAT bus protocol and receive motion instructions issued by PLC.

[0061] Programmable Logic Controller (PLC):

[0062] Used to overall control the operation of the battery replacement mechanism.

[0063] PLC realizes the automation of the battery replacement process through multi-axis coordinated control of the motion unit and hook mechanism.

[0064] The battery replacement operation process of this embodiment is as follows:

[0065] Battery removal operation: The X-axis motion unit moves to the target battery compartment. The Z-axis motion unit rises and falls to the specific location of the target battery (high-level or low-level battery compartment). The Y-axis motion unit extends horizontally, and the hook mechanism grabs the target battery. The Y-axis and Z-axis motion units are retracted in turn to complete the battery removal operation.

[0066] Battery return operation: The X-axis motion unit moves to the drone battery replacement position. The Z-axis motion unit rises and falls to the drone battery replacement height. The Y-axis motion unit extends, and the hook mechanism releases the target battery. The Y-axis and Z-axis motion units are retracted in turn to complete the battery return action.

[0067] Control logic: Define the target position of each motion unit through PLC programming. According to the task instructions, the battery replacement operation is automatically performed, including battery grabbing, transfer and release.

[0068] Through the multi-axis linkage design in this embodiment, the battery replacement mechanism can quickly align with the target battery position or the battery replacement position of the drone, reducing the time consumption of the battery replacement operation. The lifting function of the Z-axis avoids complex path planning or repetitive actions caused by blade interference, and significantly optimizes the battery replacement rhythm. The battery replacement mechanism is controlled by PLC, and all operations are automated without human intervention. It solves the problems of inefficiency and misoperation of traditional manual battery replacement and improves the reliability of the system. The multi-axis design of the X-axis, Y-axis and Z-axis enables the battery replacement mechanism to adapt to a variety of battery compartment layouts. Especially when the battery compartment height is inconsistent or the drone interference area needs to be avoided, the battery replacement mechanism shows extremely high adaptability. The servo drive system achieves high-precision absolute positioning through the ECAT bus to ensure the accurate execution of each action. Avoid failure of battery capture or release due to errors, thereby improving the stability of the overall system.

[0069] The background technology mentioned that the existing battery exchange mechanism needs to avoid the blades by lifting the UAV platform, which increases the complexity of operation and the cycle time of the operation. The present invention uses the lifting design of the Z-axis to enable the UAV platform to complete the avoidance without lifting, which significantly improves the battery exchange efficiency. For the layout of multi-layer battery compartments, the multi-axis linkage design of the present invention can adapt to the height difference between the high-level and low-level batteries, solving the problem of insufficient vertical adaptability in the prior art. The battery exchange mechanism is designed independently and is suitable for various UAV intelligent air stations (terminals), and can complete the task without the cooperation of other equipment. In continuous operations in the fields of agriculture, logistics, and security monitoring, the present invention can significantly improve the endurance and operating efficiency of UAVs.

[0070] The target position in this embodiment refers to the horizontal position to which the X-axis motion unit moves, including the battery compartment position or the drone battery replacement position.

[0071] Target battery position: refers to the specific position where the Z-axis and Y-axis are aligned, including the battery position in the battery compartment or the battery replacement position of the drone.

[0072] Battery compartment position: The horizontal coordinate where the battery compartment is located, aligned by the X-axis motion unit.

[0073] Drone battery replacement location: The specific location on the drone where the battery needs to be replaced.

[0074] Through the above specific implementation methods and technical effects, this embodiment effectively solves the problems of low battery exchange efficiency, complex operation, poor adaptability, etc. in the background technology. Its innovation lies in achieving precise control through multi-axis linkage and optimizing the battery exchange path through the Z-axis lifting function, which significantly improves the operating efficiency of the drone and the stability of the battery exchange mechanism.

[0075] In this embodiment, the X-axis motion unit has three preset positions, namely, a left battery compartment position, a right battery compartment position, and a drone battery replacement position.

[0076] In this embodiment, through the feedback control of the servo drive system and the encoder, the X-axis motion unit can achieve millimeter-level precise positioning within the horizontal range, avoiding battery replacement failures caused by positioning errors. The three preset positions cover the target points of all battery replacement operations, simplify the positioning logic, enable the X-axis to quickly switch to the target position, and reduce the time consumption of battery replacement. Whether it is a left-right symmetrical battery compartment layout or a layout that is relatively independent of the drone position, the X-axis motion unit can easily adapt through horizontal movement. The X-axis is linked to the Z-axis. When it is necessary to avoid the drone interference area, the horizontal movement of the X-axis is coordinated with the Z-axis lifting action to avoid the collision between the battery replacement mechanism and the drone blades. Since the X-axis motion unit adopts a standardized linear guide design, the battery replacement mechanism can be expanded to more battery compartments or multiple drone positions as needed.

[0077] In this embodiment, the Y-axis motion unit has three preset positions, including an initial position, an extended position of the battery compartment, and an extended position of the drone.

[0078] In this embodiment, the Z-axis motion unit has three height positions, which correspond to the target battery position of the lower battery bin, the target battery position of the upper battery bin and the battery position of the drone.

[0079] In this embodiment, the hook mechanism drives the synchronous connecting rod to rotate through a servo motor, and a hook is provided at the end of the connecting rod, and the hook is used to grab or release the target battery.

[0080] In this embodiment, the power exchange mechanism is installed as a whole on a linear guide rail, and the X-axis motion unit moves along the linear guide rail.

[0081] In this embodiment, the servo drive system receives motion control instructions from the PLC through the ECAT bus protocol to achieve absolute positioning control of the X-axis motion unit, the Y-axis motion unit, the Z-axis motion unit and the hook mechanism.

[0082] In one embodiment, a battery replacement method for a drone is provided, the battery replacement method comprising the following steps:

[0083] Control the X-axis motion unit to move to the battery compartment or the drone battery replacement position;

[0084] Control the Z-axis motion unit to move up and down to align with the target battery position;

[0085] Control the Y-axis motion unit to extend horizontally;

[0086] Control the hook mechanism to grab or release the target battery;

[0087] The Y-axis motion unit and the Z-axis motion unit are controlled to return to their initial positions in sequence.

[0088] This embodiment includes:

[0089] Step 1: Control the X-axis motion unit to move to the target position, which includes the battery compartment position and the drone battery replacement position.

[0090] The PLC determines the horizontal coordinates of the target position according to the task requirements, sends instructions to the servo drive system, and controls the X-axis to move along the linear guide.

[0091] When the path may cross the drone interference area, the PLC synchronously instructs the Z axis to rise to the high-level battery compartment position to avoid it.

[0092] Step 2: Control the Z-axis motion unit to move up and down. The Z-axis motion unit adjusts the target battery position in the vertical direction according to the current task.

[0093] In the battery compartment mission, the Z axis is positioned to the corresponding height of the upper or lower battery compartment; in the drone mission, the Z axis is positioned to the drone battery replacement position.

[0094] The lifting and lowering of the Z-axis is controlled by a servo drive system, combined with encoder feedback to achieve precise positioning.

[0095] Step 3: Control the Y-axis motion unit to extend horizontally. The Y-axis motion unit extends through the guide rail and screw structure, driving the hook mechanism to approach the target battery. The extension distance is preset by the PLC according to the task to ensure that the hook can safely grab or release the battery.

[0096] Step 4: Control the hook mechanism to grab or release the target battery. The hook mechanism is closed during the battery removal operation and opened during the battery return operation. The hook action is driven by a servo motor and achieves stable and reliable mechanical action through a synchronous connecting rod.

[0097] Step 5: Control the Y-axis and Z-axis motion units to return to their initial positions in turn. After completing the power exchange action, the Y-axis is retracted to its initial position to avoid interfering with other equipment. The Z-axis returns to its initial height to prepare for the next task.

[0098] All operations in this embodiment are controlled by PLC without manual intervention, which improves the level of automation and reduces the risk of human operational errors.

[0099] The multi-axis linkage design optimizes the battery replacement process and reduces the waiting time for task execution.

[0100] The rapid switching of drone batteries between the battery compartment and the drone significantly reduces downtime.

[0101] High-precision control of each motion unit ensures the accuracy of the target battery grabbing and releasing actions, avoiding failures due to positioning errors.

[0102] The battery replacement method can adapt to battery compartment layouts at different heights and various drone battery replacement positions, and has a wide range of applications.

[0103] Stable mechanical action design and efficient control logic reduce equipment wear and tear and reduce maintenance frequency.

[0104] Automatically avoiding interference areas during the battery replacement process reduces the possibility of equipment collision and improves the safety of the overall system operation.

[0105] In this embodiment, when controlling the movement of the X-axis motion unit, if the path needs to cross the drone, the Z-axis motion unit is controlled to rise to the corresponding position of the high-level battery compartment to avoid the interference area of ​​the drone.

[0106] This embodiment is specifically implemented as follows:

[0107] Path determination:

[0108] The PLC receives the current task target position and reads the current X-axis position coordinates.

[0109] If the target position is on the other side of the horizontal area where the drone's blades are located, the system determines that an avoidance operation is required.

[0110] Avoidance maneuvers:

[0111] The PLC controls the Z-axis motion unit to rise to the high-level battery compartment position so that the highest point of the battery replacement mechanism exceeds the height of the drone blades.

[0112] The X-axis motion unit moves to the target position along the linear guide at the avoidance height.

[0113] Resume normal process:

[0114] After the X-axis completes the crossing, the PLC instructs the Z-axis to adjust to the height corresponding to the target battery.

[0115] The battery replacement process continues according to normal logic, including the extension of the Y-axis and the action of the hook mechanism.

[0116] The avoidance logic of this embodiment ensures that the power exchange mechanism can smoothly cross the drone blades or other obstacles, avoiding the risk of equipment damage. By replacing complex path replanning with a simple raising operation, the complexity of path calculation and motion control is reduced. In complex scenarios where interference exists, the introduction of avoidance logic improves the success rate of the mission. The avoidance process does not require human intervention, and the action is efficient, ensuring the shortest crossing time and the overall beat is not significantly affected. Regardless of the blade height, the avoidance logic can be dynamically adjusted and is suitable for drones of different models and specifications.

[0117] In this embodiment, the battery swap operation includes the following two parts:

[0118] Battery removal operation: control the X-axis motion unit to move to the battery compartment position, control the Z-axis motion unit to rise and fall to the target battery position in the battery compartment, control the Y-axis motion unit to extend, control the hook mechanism to grab the target battery, and control the Y-axis motion unit and the Z-axis motion unit to return to their initial positions in turn;

[0119] Battery return operation: control the X-axis motion unit to move to the battery replacement position of the drone, control the Z-axis motion unit to rise and fall to the battery replacement position of the drone, control the Y-axis motion unit to extend, control the hook mechanism to release the target battery, and control the Y-axis motion unit and the Z-axis motion unit to return to their initial positions in turn.

[0120] like Figure 4 As shown, in another embodiment of the present application, the present application provides a liftable battery replacement mechanism and battery replacement method for a drone, which is used to replace the battery of a drone in an airport. The battery replacement mechanism can efficiently complete the battery retrieval and recycling of 4 sets of batteries to ensure the continuous operation of the drone.

[0121] The battery swap mechanism includes: an X-axis motion unit, a Y-axis motion unit, a Z-axis motion unit, and a hook mechanism, all of which are driven by servo motors and uniformly controlled by a programmable logic controller (PLC) through the ECAT bus protocol. The X-axis motion unit is used to drive the entire battery swap mechanism to move horizontally to align with the target battery position or the target battery compartment position; the Y-axis motion unit is used to drive the battery swap mechanism to extend horizontally to the target position; the Z-axis motion unit is used to realize the vertical lifting of the battery swap mechanism to adapt to the battery compartment positions of different heights on both sides; the hook mechanism can hook the battery through a rotating action, and cooperate with the Y-axis motion unit to complete the battery retrieval operation.

[0122] The control system consists of a PLC and a servo drive. The PLC communicates with the servo drive through the ECAT bus protocol, and the motion parameters of each motion unit are defined in the PLC program. The X-axis motion unit has three preset positions, corresponding to the target battery compartment positions on the left and right sides and the battery replacement position of the drone; the Y-axis motion unit has three preset states, including the fully retracted state, the extended state 1 corresponding to the target battery compartment, and the extended state 2 corresponding to the battery replacement position of the drone; the Z-axis motion unit has three preset positions, namely the battery replacement position of the drone, the low-level battery compartment position, and the high-level battery compartment position, where the high-level battery compartment position is used to avoid interference areas such as drone blades. The hook mechanism has two action states: the initial state and the hook / release action state.

[0123] The hardware components of the liftable battery replacement mechanism for drones provided in this application include: PLC, servo drive, servo motor, linear guide rail and various machined parts. PLC sends control instructions to the servo drive through the ECAT bus protocol to drive the X-axis, Y-axis, Z-axis motion units and the hook mechanism to complete the battery replacement operation.

[0124] The battery replacement mechanism is assembled on the linear guide rail, and the X-axis servo motor moves horizontally along the guide rail through the transmission device. The target position of the X-axis includes the battery compartment position on both sides and the battery replacement position of the drone. Each movement is combined with encoder feedback to ensure positioning accuracy. The PLC controls the X-axis motion unit to move along the linear guide rail to the preset target position, aligning with the target battery compartment or the drone battery replacement position.

[0125] The Y-axis is driven by a guide screw to convert the rotation of the servo motor into horizontal linear motion. After the X-axis reaches the target position, the Y-axis motion unit drives the battery swap mechanism to extend horizontally to the target battery position. The extension distance of the Y-axis is set by the PLC through instructions to ensure that the extension length accurately meets the battery grabbing or releasing requirements.

[0126] The Z-axis motion unit is equipped with a vertical guide rail and a servo motor drive device to achieve vertical lifting and lowering movements. The height adjustment of the Z-axis is divided into 3 positions: the lower battery compartment, the upper battery compartment, and the drone battery replacement position. The lifting and lowering movement of the Z-axis is controlled by the PLC and adjusted to the appropriate height according to the mission requirements. If the drone blade area needs to be avoided during the path, the Z-axis will first rise to the upper battery compartment position to complete the avoidance operation.

[0127] The hook mechanism uses a servo motor to drive the synchronous connecting rod to rotate. A hook is set at the end of the connecting rod to firmly grab or release the target battery. In the battery removal operation, the hook rotates from the initial state to the closed state to grab the battery; in the battery return operation, the hook opens to release the battery.

[0128] The battery replacement process includes:

[0129] Battery removal operation: The hook mechanism is in the initial position, the Y axis is fully retracted, and the Z axis is adjusted to the lower battery compartment position. If the drone interference area needs to be avoided during the path, the Z axis will first rise to the upper battery compartment position. After the X axis motion unit moves to the target battery compartment horizontal position, the Z axis is adjusted to the target height, the Y axis motion unit extends to the target battery position, and the hook mechanism closes to grab the battery. After the grab is completed, the Y axis is retracted and the Z axis is reset.

[0130] Battery return operation: The hook mechanism is in the grasping state, and the Y-axis and Z-axis are both in the initial position. The X-axis motion unit moves to the battery replacement position of the drone. If avoidance is required, the Z-axis first rises to the high-level battery compartment position and then moves. After reaching the position, the Z-axis is adjusted to the height of the drone battery compartment, the Y-axis extends to the replacement position, and the hook releases the battery. After the release is completed, the Y-axis is retracted and the Z-axis is reset.

[0131] The technical features of the above embodiments may be combined arbitrarily. To make the description concise, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

Claims

1. A liftable battery replacement mechanism for a drone, characterized in that: include: The X-axis motion unit is used to drive the battery replacement mechanism to move horizontally to the battery compartment position or the drone battery replacement position; The Y-axis motion unit is used to drive the battery exchange mechanism to extend or retract horizontally to approach the target battery position; The Z-axis motion unit is used to drive the battery replacement mechanism to rise and fall in the vertical direction to align with the target battery position in the battery compartment or the battery replacement position of the drone, and avoid the interference area of ​​the drone; A hook mechanism for grabbing or releasing a target battery; A servo drive system provides power for the X-axis motion unit, the Y-axis motion unit, the Z-axis motion unit and the hook mechanism; A programmable logic controller communicates with the servo drive system via an ECAT bus protocol and is used to control the coordinated actions of the X-axis motion unit, the Y-axis motion unit, the Z-axis motion unit and the hook mechanism.

2. The liftable battery replacement mechanism for a drone according to claim 1, characterized in that: The X-axis motion unit has three preset positions, namely the left battery compartment position, the right battery compartment position and the drone battery replacement position.

3. The liftable battery replacement mechanism for a drone according to claim 1, characterized in that: The Y-axis motion unit has three preset positions, including an initial position, an extended position of the battery compartment, and an extended position of the drone.

4. The liftable battery replacement mechanism for a drone according to claim 1, characterized in that: The Z-axis motion unit has three height positions, which correspond to the target battery position of the lower battery bin, the target battery position of the upper battery bin and the battery position of the drone.

5. The liftable battery replacement mechanism for a drone according to claim 1, characterized in that: The hook mechanism drives the synchronous connecting rod to rotate through a servo motor, and a hook is arranged at the end of the connecting rod, and the hook is used to grab or release the target battery.

6. The liftable battery replacement mechanism for a drone according to claim 1, characterized in that: The power exchange mechanism is integrally mounted on a linear guide rail, and the X-axis motion unit moves along the linear guide rail.

7. The liftable battery replacement mechanism for a drone according to claim 1, characterized in that: The servo drive system receives the motion control instructions of the PLC through the ECAT bus protocol to achieve absolute positioning control of the X-axis motion unit, the Y-axis motion unit, the Z-axis motion unit and the hook mechanism.

8. A battery replacement method for a drone, characterized in that: Using the battery replacement mechanism described in any one of claims 1 to 7, the battery replacement method comprises the following steps: Control the X-axis motion unit to move to the battery compartment or the drone battery replacement position; Control the Z-axis motion unit to move up and down to align with the target battery position; Control the Y-axis motion unit to extend horizontally; Control the hook mechanism to grab or release the target battery; The Y-axis motion unit and the Z-axis motion unit are controlled to return to their initial positions in sequence.

9. A battery replacement method for a drone according to claim 8, characterized in that: When controlling the X-axis motion unit to move, if the path needs to cross the drone, control the Z-axis motion unit to rise to the corresponding position of the high-level battery compartment to avoid the interference area of ​​the drone.

10. A battery replacement method for a drone according to claim 8, characterized in that: The battery swap operation consists of the following two parts: Battery removal operation: control the X-axis motion unit to move to the battery compartment position, control the Z-axis motion unit to rise and fall to the target battery position in the battery compartment, control the Y-axis motion unit to extend, control the hook mechanism to grab the target battery, and control the Y-axis motion unit and the Z-axis motion unit to return to their initial positions in turn; Battery return operation: control the X-axis motion unit to move to the battery replacement position of the drone, control the Z-axis motion unit to rise and fall to the battery replacement position of the drone, control the Y-axis motion unit to extend, control the hook mechanism to release the target battery, and control the Y-axis motion unit and the Z-axis motion unit to return to their initial positions in turn.

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