A tower construction method using modular transportation and hoisting of drones

Abstract

The present invention relates to a tower assembly construction method utilizing modular transportation and hoisting by drones, and the steps are as follows: first, assemble the tower materials into a tower frame structure at the drone takeoff site; connect the frame structure and the drone with a sling, and transport the tower to the installation location by the drone. After the bottom frame structure is fixedly installed, a holding pole positioning device that can be raised along with the tower is set inside the holding pole. The device includes a vertical rod body, and a "Y"-shaped bifurcated rod at the top of the rod body supports and guides the sling. The bifurcated rod is equipped with a slide rail and a buffer mechanism is provided between the rod body. The drone hovers the tower frame structure hanging point to the fork rod at the top of the holding pole, releases the sling to the bifurcated rod, and the frame structure slides along the slide rail to the center position. The buffer mechanism causes it to slowly descend and dock and be fixed. This method can accurately position and install, avoid repeated adjustments due to inaccurate positioning in traditional construction, save time, and improve efficiency. The buffer mechanism can also prevent the tower structure and equipment from being damaged by impact force.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the transportation and tower assembly of power transmission racks for overhead power transmission lines, and in particular to a tower assembly construction method utilizing modular transportation and hoisting of unmanned aerial vehicles. Background Art

[0002] Transmission lines use transformers to boost the voltage of electricity generated by generators, then connect them through control equipment such as circuit breakers. Their main structural forms include overhead transmission lines and cable lines. In complex geographical environments such as forest parks and nature reserves, overhead transmission lines are widely used due to the difficulty of protecting vegetation and building roads. These lines are primarily transported by erecting towers. Currently, overhead transmission line construction often involves manual assembly on the ground, followed by installation using cranes and manual labor. This presents numerous challenges, including low construction efficiency, cumbersome procedures, and difficulty achieving modular and rapid installation, hindering the development of a systematic, modular, and intelligent system.

[0003] Traditional overhead power transmission lines have undergone four stages of material transportation across mountainous terrain. The first generation involved horseback or human transport, primitive methods that were time-consuming and risky, making them inadequate for modern construction needs. The second generation involved cableways, which required felling trees to build. This was not only time-consuming and expensive, but also limited adaptability. The third generation involved tracked vehicles, which also required felling trees to build transport roads, resulting in long construction times, high costs, and severe vegetation damage. The fourth generation involved helicopters, which, while efficient, were also expensive.

[0004] Traditional tower construction methods for high mountainous terrain primarily rely on mast and crane methods. Pole-based tower construction requires on-site assembly and lifting with masts, resulting in low efficiency and safety. Crane-based tower construction also requires on-site assembly and lifting with a crane, requiring extensive road construction up the mountain, which is extremely environmentally damaging. These traditional tower transportation and construction methods are plagued by heavy workloads, severe environmental damage, high safety risks, complex processes, and low efficiency. They are also difficult to adapt to the terrain and fail to achieve integrated, modular transportation and construction. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The present invention provides a safe and efficient tower assembly construction method that integrates transportation and construction.

[0006] The tower assembly construction method using modular transportation and hoisting of drones of the present invention comprises the following steps:

[0007] S1. Pre-assemble the tower materials into several frame structures constituting the tower body at the drone takeoff site;

[0008] S2. Connect the tower frame structure to the drone via a sling, and use the drone to transport it;

[0009] S3. Use drones to transport the frame structure at the bottom of the tower to the designated installation location and securely install it;

[0010] S4. A pole-holding device is installed inside the bottom frame of the tower body, which can rise with the height of the tower body. The pole-holding device includes a pole body placed vertically inside the tower body, a "Y"-shaped bifurcated rod is installed on the top of the pole body to support the guide sling, and a slide rail is installed on the bifurcated rod. A buffer mechanism is provided between the bifurcated rod and the pole body;

[0011] S5. Use a drone to hover the tower frame structure hanging point to the fork rod at the top of the holding pole, release the sling to the fork rod, slide down the guide rail to the center position, and then slowly descend through the buffer mechanism so that the two frame structures that need to be docked and installed are slowly positioned and fixed, so that the tower body can be accurately installed.

[0012] The tower construction method using modular transportation and lifting of drones is to assemble the tower materials into several frame structures in advance at the drone take-off site, thus realizing modular assembly, so that the tower materials can form relatively complete and stable units during the assembly stage, reducing the assembly workload at the construction site. Compared with traditional manual handling or large-scale mechanical transportation, drones have higher flexibility and maneuverability, can quickly shuttle through complex terrain, are not restricted by ground conditions, greatly shorten the transportation time, and thus speed up the overall construction progress; at the same time, with the help of drones, the tower frame structure hanging point is hovered to the fork rod at the top of the boom, which can achieve precise positioning, release the sling to the fork rod, and slide down to the center position under the guide of the slide rail. , and then it is slowly raised and lowered to its original position through the buffer mechanism, ensuring that the tower frame structure can be accurately installed in place, avoiding repeated adjustments and corrections caused by inaccurate positioning in traditional construction, saving a lot of time, and further improving construction efficiency. Moreover, the buffer mechanism in the pole-holding positioning device can play a buffering role during the installation of the tower frame structure, avoiding damage to the tower structure and installation equipment caused by the impact force caused by the sudden force or release of the sling. The buffer mechanism can not only play a buffering role when the drone places the tower frame structure on the pole-holding positioning device, but also realize the slow descent of the frame structure when the two frame structures are docked and installed and fixed in place, thereby completing the positioning more accurately. The present invention uses drone transportation and auxiliary installation of a pole positioning device to reduce the working time of personnel at high altitudes, reduce the probability of high-altitude fall accidents caused by human operating errors or equipment failures, and ensure the personal safety of construction personnel. Compared with traditional cableway transportation, crawler vehicle transportation or helicopter transportation, the purchase and maintenance costs of drones are relatively low. The modular assembly and drone transportation methods reduce the personnel requirements of the construction site. Especially when constructing in some remote mountainous areas or areas with inconvenient transportation, the transportation, accommodation and other costs of personnel are relatively high. By adopting the construction method of the present invention, the number of construction personnel can be effectively reduced, thereby reducing labor cost expenditure and achieving effective control of construction costs.

[0013] As a preferred solution of the present invention, the following steps are further included: after completing the installation of the frame structure of one section of the tower body, the height of the holding pole positioning device is raised, and then step S5 is repeated to assemble the frame structure of the next section of the tower body until the entire tower body is installed.

[0014] As a preferred solution of the present invention, in step S5, after the frame structure of the tower body is stably placed on the holding pole positioning device, the drone releases the sling through the automatic unhooking device, and then returns to the take-off site to prepare for the next tower body frame structure lifting operation.

[0015] As a preferred solution of the present invention, in step S2, a mounting device for a frame structure of a tower body is provided on the UAV, wherein the mounting device includes a fixing mechanism, a movable pulley group, and a stranding mechanism passing through the movable pulley group. The fixing mechanism is fixed to the bottom of the UAV and connected to the stranding mechanism below; the stranding mechanism includes a driving motor, a stranding drum, a frame, and a stranding rope. The stranding rope passes through the movable pulley group, and the driving motor controls the stranding drum to rotate forward and reverse to retract and release the stranding rope.

[0016] As a preferred solution of the present invention, the mounting device is also equipped with a built-in tensioning mechanism for controlling the descending speed of the movable pulley block.

[0017] As a preferred solution of the present invention, the following steps are also included: based on the AI ​​analysis of the complex environment transportation conditions, a flight control system suitable for complex construction environments is established.

[0018] As a preferred solution of the present invention, the specific steps of establishing a flight control system to adjust the flight attitude are: using sensors to measure the flight status of the UAV, its flight status includes three-axis roll angular rate and three-axis acceleration, and then using the attitude solution function to solve the current flight attitude of the UAV in real time according to the sensor data, and using the control law solution device to compare the calculated flight attitude with the preset flight command. According to the comparison result, the control law solution device outputs a corresponding control signal, and the control signal is transmitted to the servo steering gear to drive the operating control surface for adjustment. The adjustment of the operating control surface generates aerodynamic force and torque, thereby stabilizing and controlling the flight status of the UAV to ensure that it flies according to the preset command. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] Figure 1 This is a flowchart of the steps of a tower assembly construction method using drone modular transportation and lifting.

[0020] Figure 2 The figure is a schematic diagram of the structure of a pole holding device.

[0021] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the tower body suspended by a sling on the boom positioning device.

[0022] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the pole positioning device being placed vertically inside the tower body.

[0023] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of another pole-holding device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0024] The following will clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. All other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field based on the embodiments of the present invention without making any creative efforts shall fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0025] It should be noted that if the embodiments of the present invention involve directional indications (such as up, down, left, right, front, back, top, bottom, inside, outside, vertical, horizontal, longitudinal, counterclockwise, clockwise, circumferential, radial, axial...), then the directional indication is only used to explain the relative position relationship, movement status, etc. between the various components in a certain specific posture (as shown in the accompanying drawings). If the specific posture changes, the directional indication will also change accordingly.

[0026] In the description of the present invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise expressly specified or limited, the terms "installed," "disposed," "connected," and "connected" should be understood in a broad sense. For example, they may refer to fixed connections, detachable connections, or integral connections; mechanical connections or electrical connections; direct connections or indirect connections through an intermediate medium; and internal connections between two components. Those skilled in the art will understand the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0027] If the embodiments of the present invention contain descriptions involving "first" or "second," the descriptions are for descriptive purposes only and should not be understood as indicating or implying their relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of the technical features indicated. Therefore, features specified as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of such features. In addition, the various technical features (including but not limited to structures, materials, or characteristics) of each embodiment can be arbitrarily combined. To keep the description concise, not all possible combinations of the various technical features in the embodiments are described. However, as long as there are no contradictions in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0028] like Figure 1 As shown, a tower construction method using modular transportation and hoisting of drones includes the following steps:

[0029] S1. Pre-assemble the tower materials into several frame structures constituting the tower body at the drone takeoff site;

[0030] S2. Connect the tower frame structure to the drone via a sling, and use the drone to transport it;

[0031] S3. Use drones to transport the frame structure at the bottom of the tower to the designated installation location and securely install it;

[0032] S4. A pole-holding device is installed inside the bottom frame of the tower body, which can rise with the height of the tower body. The pole-holding device includes a pole body placed vertically inside the tower body, a "Y"-shaped bifurcated rod is installed on the top of the pole body to support the guide sling, and a slide rail is installed on the bifurcated rod. A buffer mechanism is provided between the bifurcated rod and the pole body;

[0033] S5. Use a drone to hover the tower frame structure hanging point to the fork rod at the top of the holding pole, release the sling to the fork rod, slide down the guide rail to the center position, and then slowly descend through the buffer mechanism so that the two frame structures that need to be docked and installed are slowly positioned and fixed, so that the tower body can be accurately installed.

[0034] The tower construction method using modular transportation and lifting of drones is to assemble the tower materials into several frame structures in advance at the drone take-off site, thus realizing modular assembly, so that the tower materials can form relatively complete and stable units during the assembly stage, reducing the assembly workload at the construction site. Compared with traditional manual handling or large-scale mechanical transportation, drones have higher flexibility and maneuverability, can quickly shuttle through complex terrain, are not restricted by ground conditions, greatly shorten the transportation time, and thus speed up the overall construction progress; at the same time, with the help of drones, the tower frame structure hanging point is hovered to the fork rod at the top of the boom, which can achieve precise positioning, release the sling to the fork rod, and slide down to the center position under the guide of the slide rail. , and then it is slowly raised and lowered to its original position through the buffer mechanism, ensuring that the tower frame structure can be accurately installed in place, avoiding repeated adjustments and corrections caused by inaccurate positioning in traditional construction, saving a lot of time, and further improving construction efficiency. Moreover, the buffer mechanism in the pole-holding positioning device can play a buffering role during the installation of the tower frame structure, avoiding damage to the tower structure and installation equipment caused by the impact force caused by the sudden force or release of the sling. The buffer mechanism can not only play a buffering role when the drone places the tower frame structure on the pole-holding positioning device, but also realize the slow descent of the frame structure when the two frame structures are docked and installed and fixed in place, thereby completing the positioning more accurately. The present invention uses drone transportation and auxiliary installation of a pole positioning device to reduce the working time of personnel at high altitudes, reduce the probability of high-altitude fall accidents caused by human operating errors or equipment failures, and ensure the personal safety of construction personnel. Compared with traditional cableway transportation, crawler vehicle transportation or helicopter transportation, the purchase and maintenance costs of drones are relatively low. The modular assembly and drone transportation methods reduce the personnel requirements of the construction site. Especially when constructing in some remote mountainous areas or areas with inconvenient transportation, the transportation, accommodation and other costs of personnel are relatively high. By adopting the construction method of the present invention, the number of construction personnel can be effectively reduced, thereby reducing labor cost expenditure and achieving effective control of construction costs.

[0035] Furthermore, the following steps are included: after completing the installation of the frame structure of one tower section, the height of the pole-holding device is raised, and then step S5 is repeated to assemble the frame structure of the next tower section until the entire tower section is installed. During the installation process, by gradually raising the pole-holding device and installing the tower section in sections, the verticality and horizontality of the tower can be more accurately controlled, ensuring the stability and safety of the tower structure.

[0036] Furthermore, in step S5, after the tower frame structure is stably placed on the mast positioning device, the drone releases the slings via the automatic unhooking device and then returns to the takeoff site to prepare for the next tower frame hoisting operation. The automatic unhooking device is a conventional existing structure that automatically releases the slings upon reaching the designated position, eliminating the need for manual intervention, reducing operation time and improving the efficiency of tower material transportation and installation.

[0037] Further, such as Figure 2-5 As shown, in step S4, the pole-holding device used in the tower assembly construction method of the present invention includes a pole body 2 vertically placed in the tower body 1, a "Y"-shaped bifurcated rod 4 for supporting the guide sling 3 is provided on the top of the pole body 2, a slide rail 5 is installed on the bifurcated rod, and a buffer mechanism 6 is provided between the bifurcated rod and the pole body. Figure 5 As shown, the bifurcated portion of the bifurcated rod 4 can also be directly connected to the buffer mechanism 6, and the angle of the opening of the bifurcated rod 4 is adapted to the opening of the uppermost tower body. The aforementioned pole-holding device cleverly utilizes the symmetrical structure of the tower frame so that when the sling connecting the tower frame is placed on the bifurcated rod, it can quickly slide along the slide rail to the bifurcated portion at the center of the bifurcated rod, achieving rapid and precise positioning, thereby improving installation efficiency. At the same time, the buffer mechanism can play a buffering role during the installation of the tower frame structure, effectively preventing damage to the tower structure and installation equipment caused by the impact force generated by the sudden stress or release of the sling.

[0038] Furthermore, the buffer mechanism 6 is an air pump or a hydraulic pump. Using an air pump or a hydraulic pump as a buffer mechanism can effectively reduce mechanical shock and vibration and play an effective buffering and protective role. Furthermore, the hydraulic pump can be an oil pump.

[0039] Furthermore, the pole body 2 is assembled from a multi-section frame structure, which allows the pole body to be flexibly adjusted according to actual needs. The pole holding device of the present invention is installed inside the tower body when in use. As the tower body gradually increases in height, the pole body of the device can also be raised synchronously, and the assembly process is simple and quick.

[0040] Furthermore, the rod body is fixed in the installed tower frame by an upper pull-up wire 7 and a lower pull-up wire 8. Specifically, the upper pull-up wire 7 is composed of four steel ropes, one end of which is fixed to the top of the rod body, and the other end of which is fixed to the node of the installed tower frame; the lower pull-up wire 8 is composed of four steel ropes, one end of which is fixed to the bottom of the rod body, and the other end of which is fixed to the middle of the installed tower frame. The arrangement of the upper and lower pull-up wires makes the rod body more stable in the tower frame. The upper pull-up wire is composed of four steel ropes, one end of which is fixed to the top of the rod body, and the other end of which is fixed to the node of the installed tower frame. This can effectively prevent the rod body from tilting during the lifting process, thereby ensuring the stability of the lifting process; the lower pull-up wire is composed of four steel ropes, one end of which is fixed to the bottom of the rod body, and the other end of which is fixed to the middle of the installed tower frame. This makes the main material of the tower body and the foundation bear force evenly, further enhancing the stability of the entire structure and ensuring the safety and reliability of the rod body.

[0041] In step S2, a mounting device (not shown) for hoisting the tower frame structure is installed on the drone. The mounting device includes a fixing mechanism, a movable pulley assembly, and a twisting mechanism that passes through the movable pulley assembly. The fixing mechanism is fixed to the bottom of the drone and connected to the twisting mechanism below. The twisting mechanism includes a drive motor, a twisting drum, a frame, and a twisting rope. The twisting rope passes through the movable pulley assembly. The drive motor controls the twisting drum's forward and reverse rotation to retract and release the twisting rope, achieving precise hoisting control of the tower frame structure. Compared with traditional manual operations or simple mechanical devices, this device can adjust the position of the tower frame structure more quickly and accurately, greatly improving hoisting efficiency. The use of a movable pulley assembly not only saves labor but also maintains the stability of the tower frame structure during the hoisting process and reduces wind interference. The movable pulley assembly distributes the weight of the load across multiple twisting rope sections, reducing the stress on a single twisting rope and the risk of rope breakage. It also effectively buffers vibration and impact during the hoisting process, ensuring the stability of the tower frame structure during transportation.

[0042] The mounting device also has a built-in tensioning mechanism (not shown) for controlling the descending speed of the movable pulley block, making the frame structure of the longer tower body more stable and safer when hanging.

[0043] The system also includes the following steps: Based on AI analysis of complex transportation conditions, a flight control system is established that is suitable for complex construction environments. Specifically, the steps for establishing a flight control system to adjust flight attitude are as follows: using sensors to measure the drone's flight state, including three-axis roll rate and three-axis acceleration. Then, using an attitude solver, the drone's current flight attitude is calculated in real time based on the sensor data. A control law solver compares the calculated flight attitude with preset flight commands. Based on the comparison results, the control law solver outputs corresponding control signals, which are transmitted to the servo actuators to drive the control surfaces for adjustment. These adjustments generate aerodynamic forces and torque, thereby stabilizing and controlling the drone's flight state and ensuring it flies according to preset commands. The drone uses sensors to monitor its flight state in real time, including three-axis roll rate and three-axis acceleration. Using the attitude solver, the drone's current attitude is instantly and accurately calculated. This real-time feedback and adjustment mechanism ensures that the drone can quickly respond to sudden airflow or wind speed changes in complex environments, such as mountainous areas, forests, and urban high-rise buildings, and maintain stable flight. The flight control system automatically optimizes strategies based on the environment. For example, in strong winds, it increases the speed of specific rotors to effectively resist wind force and ensure smooth flight.

[0044] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention, and does not limit the patent scope of the present invention. All equivalent structural transformations made by using the contents of the present invention and the drawings under the inventive concept of the present invention, or directly / indirectly applied in other related technical fields are included in the patent protection scope of the present invention. The reference to "embodiment" in this article means that the specific features, structures or characteristics described in conjunction with the embodiment may be included in at least one embodiment of the present application. The appearance of this phrase in various places in the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor is it an independent or alternative embodiment that is mutually exclusive with other embodiments. It is explicitly and implicitly understood by those skilled in the art that, in the absence of conflict, the embodiments described herein can be combined with other embodiments, and the embodiments of the present invention and the features in the embodiments can be combined with each other.

Claims

1. A tower construction method using modular transportation and hoisting of drones, characterized in that: The following steps are involved: S1. Pre-assemble the tower materials into several frame structures constituting the tower body at the drone takeoff site; S2. Connect the tower frame structure to the drone via a sling, and use the drone to transport it; S3. Use drones to transport the frame structure at the bottom of the tower to the designated installation location and securely install it; S4. A pole-holding device is installed inside the bottom frame of the tower body, which can rise with the height of the tower body. The pole-holding device includes a pole body placed vertically inside the tower body, with a "Y"-shaped bifurcated rod at the top of the pole body for supporting the guide sling. The bifurcated rod is equipped with a slide rail, and a buffer mechanism is provided between the bifurcated rod and the pole body; S5. Use a drone to hover the tower frame structure hanging point to the fork rod at the top of the holding pole, release the sling to the fork rod, slide down the guide rail to the center position, and then slowly descend through the buffer mechanism so that the two frame structures that need to be docked and installed are slowly positioned and fixed, so that the tower body can be accurately installed.

2. The tower construction method using modular transportation and hoisting of drones according to claim 1 is characterized in that: The process also includes the following steps: after completing the installation of the frame structure of one section of the tower body, raising the height of the holding pole positioning device, and then repeating step S5 to assemble the frame structure of the next section of the tower body until the entire tower body is installed.

3. The tower construction method using modular transportation and hoisting of drones according to claim 1 is characterized in that: In step S5, after the frame structure of the tower body is stably placed on the pole positioning device, the drone releases the sling through the automatic unhooking device, and then returns to the take-off site to prepare for the next tower body frame structure lifting operation.

4. The tower construction method using modular transportation and hoisting of drones according to claim 1 is characterized in that: In step S2, a mounting device for a frame structure of a tower body is provided on the UAV, wherein the mounting device includes a fixing mechanism, a movable pulley block, and a twisting mechanism passing through the movable pulley block. The fixing mechanism is fixed to the bottom of the UAV and connected to the twisting mechanism below; the twisting mechanism includes a driving motor, a twisting drum, a frame, and a twisting rope. The twisting rope passes through the movable pulley block, and the twisting rope is retracted and released by controlling the forward and reverse rotation of the twisting drum by the driving motor.

5. The tower construction method using modular transportation and hoisting of drones according to claim 4 is characterized in that: The mounting device is also equipped with a tensioning mechanism for controlling the descending speed of the movable pulley block.

6. The tower construction method using modular transportation and hoisting of drones according to claim 1 is characterized in that: The following steps are also included: Based on AI analysis of complex environmental transportation conditions, a flight control system suitable for complex construction environments is established.

7. The tower construction method using modular transportation and hoisting of drones according to claim 6 is characterized in that: The specific steps of establishing a flight control system to adjust the flight attitude are as follows: using sensors to measure the flight status of the UAV, which includes the three-axis roll angular rate and the three-axis acceleration, and then using the attitude solver function to solve the current flight attitude of the UAV in real time based on the sensor data, and using the control law solver to compare the calculated flight attitude with the preset flight command. Based on the comparison result, the control law solver outputs a corresponding control signal, which is transmitted to the servo steering gear to drive the operating control surface for adjustment. The adjustment of the operating control surface generates aerodynamic force and torque, thereby stabilizing and controlling the flight status of the UAV and ensuring that it flies according to the preset command.

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