Unmanned aerial vehicle endurance device

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of unmanned aerial vehicle endurance, in particular to an unmanned aerial vehicle endurance device which comprises a main body, a light energy collecting mechanism and a sinking airflow collecting mechanism. The luminous energy collecting mechanism is arranged at the top of the main body and efficiently converts luminous energy through a main solar panel and an adjustable solar panel; the sinking airflow collecting mechanism is located at the bottom of the body, and airflow kinetic energy is recycled and converted into electric energy through an acceleration type collecting bin and an included angle type turbine. The unmanned aerial vehicle can remarkably improve the cruising ability of the unmanned aerial vehicle, is suitable for the fields of logistics distribution, environment monitoring, agricultural plant protection and the like, and has important technical value and economic significance.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of UAV endurance, and specifically to a UAV endurance device. Background Art

[0002] With the rapid development of UAV technology, its applications in fields such as logistics distribution, environmental monitoring, and agricultural plant protection are becoming increasingly widespread. However, the endurance of UAVs has always been a key issue restricting their further promotion and application. Existing UAVs mainly rely on battery power supply, but the energy density of batteries is limited, resulting in a short endurance time. Frequent battery replacement or charging not only increases the operation complexity but also limits the use efficiency of UAVs in long-term tasks. In addition, there is energy waste in the operation process of traditional UAVs. For example, the energy of the downdraft generated during hovering or descending is usually not effectively utilized, further exacerbating the problem of insufficient endurance.

[0003] To solve the endurance problem, some existing technologies attempt to collect light energy through solar panels to extend the flight time of UAVs. However, these technologies often have problems such as low photoelectric conversion efficiency, excessive weight of solar panels, and inflexible angle adjustment, making it difficult to achieve efficient energy collection under different lighting conditions. At the same time, existing technologies have less research on the recovery and utilization of the energy of the downdraft generated during the operation of UAVs, lacking an effective energy conversion mechanism, resulting in this part of the energy being ignored or wasted. Summary of the Invention

[0004] Aiming at the problem that the endurance of existing UAVs is limited by the battery capacity during long-term flight or hovering, the present invention proposes a UAV endurance device that works through the coordinated action of a light energy collection mechanism and a downdraft collection mechanism. The device includes a main body, a light energy collection mechanism, a downdraft collection mechanism, and a connection structure, aiming to significantly extend the endurance time of UAVs through a multi-energy recovery mechanism.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention is realized through the following technical solutions: A UAV endurance device includes the following components: The main body serves as the core support framework for carrying and connecting all functional components; the light energy collection mechanism is arranged on the top of the main body for collecting light energy and converting it into electrical energy; the downdraft collection mechanism is arranged at the bottom of the main body for collecting and converting the energy of the downdraft generated when the UAV hovers or descends into electrical energy. The main body preferably adopts the structure of a four-wing UAV to ensure flight stability and load capacity.

[0006] Furthermore, the light energy collection mechanism consists of a main solar panel, U-shaped connecting bars, adjusting rotating rods, micro motors, and adjustable solar panels. The main solar panel is fixed on the top of the main body and serves as the core light energy collection component. The U-shaped connecting bars are fixed around the main solar panel and are used to connect the adjusting rotating rods. The adjusting rotating rods are driven by the micro motors to rotate and are used to adjust the angles of the adjustable solar panels. The adjustable solar panels are installed on the connecting bars and can rotate with the adjusting rotating rods to achieve angle adjustment. The micro motors are fixed on one side of the U-shaped connecting bars, and the output ends penetrate through the U-shaped connecting bars and are fixedly connected to the adjusting rotating rods to precisely control the angles of the adjustable solar panels. Among them, both the main solar panel and the adjustable solar panel adopt a lightweight honeycomb structure design. The core material is an aramid fiber composite material, and the surface layer is a carbon fiber reinforced epoxy resin, which not only ensures the strength but also reduces the weight. In addition, a multi-layer nano-scale light absorption film is integrated on its surface, which is composed of a quantum dot material and a metal-organic framework and can efficiently convert light energy in a low-light environment.

[0007] Specifically, the working principle of the light energy collection mechanism is as follows:

[0008] S1, the control system calculates the solar incidence angle θ and the geographical latitude β based on the data real-time feedback by the light sensor, and determines the optimal inclination angle α of the adjustable solar panel through the formula α = 90° - θ + β;

[0009] S2, the micro motor drives the adjusting rotating rod to rotate, so that the adjustable solar panel is always at the optimal angle, thereby achieving the maximum light energy absorption efficiency;

[0010] S3, when the drone is flying at high speed, the control system issues an instruction to quickly retract the adjustable solar panel to the initial state, and the switching speed is 0.5 seconds / time to reduce the wind resistance.

[0011] Furthermore, the downdraft collection mechanism consists of an accelerated collection bin, an angular turbine, a permanent magnet synchronous motor, a spoiler, and a support disk. The accelerated collection bin is designed with a gradually shrinking channel, and the ratio of the inlet area to the outlet cross-sectional area satisfies the continuity equation ρ1A1v1 = ρ2A2v2, where ρ is the gas density, v is the air flow velocity, and A1:A2 = 3:1, which is used to significantly increase the air flow velocity. The angular turbine is located inside the accelerated collection bin. The windward surface of the blade forms a 30° angle with the air flow direction, and the leeward surface forms a 60° angle with the air flow direction. It is designed based on the Betz theory, and the efficiency coefficient Cp satisfies Cp = 4a(1 - a) 2, the optimal induction factor a = 1 / 3, and the theoretical maximum efficiency is 59.3%. The permanent magnet synchronous motor is installed at the bottom of the support disk and is connected to the angle-type turbine through a transmission shaft to convert mechanical energy into electrical energy. The spoiler plates are evenly distributed on the inner wall of the acceleration-type collection bin. The optimal number of them is 12, the spacing between each piece is 15 mm, and the inclination angle is 30°. They are used to guide the air flow path and reduce the turbulent loss. The support disk is located at the bottom of the acceleration-type collection bin and is connected to the acceleration-type collection bin through three connecting bars. There are air circulation holes on the surface with a diameter of 5 mm and an opening ratio of 30%, which are used for heat dissipation.

[0012] Specifically, the working principle of the downdraft collection mechanism is as follows:

[0013] S1, when the drone hovers or lands, the downdraft enters the acceleration-type collection bin, and after being accelerated through the tapered channel, it pushes the angle-type turbine to rotate at a high speed;

[0014] S2, the angle-type turbine converts the kinetic energy of the air flow into mechanical energy and transmits it to the permanent magnet synchronous motor through the transmission shaft, and finally stores it as electrical energy;

[0015] S3, the spoiler plates guide the air flow path and reduce the turbulent loss; part of the air flow blows to the permanent magnet synchronous motor through the air circulation holes on the support disk for heat dissipation, forming an efficient collaborative heat dissipation system.

[0016] Furthermore, the present invention also includes a connecting rod and a support frame. The connecting rod is used to connect the acceleration-type collection bin and the bottom of the main body to enhance the overall structural stability. The support frames are evenly distributed on the outer surface of the acceleration-type collection bin to provide additional support.

[0017] The present invention provides a drone endurance device. It has the following beneficial effects:

[0018] 1. The light energy collection mechanism of the present invention significantly improves the light energy conversion efficiency through the control system and the nano-level light absorption film. Secondly, the downdraft collection mechanism uses the Betz theory to optimize the turbine design, realizing the efficient recovery of the kinetic energy of the air flow, and the theoretical maximum efficiency reaches 59.3%. Thirdly, the spoiler plates and the air circulation holes work together to effectively reduce the temperature rise of the permanent magnet synchronous motor and improve the system reliability. Finally, by using aramid fiber composite materials and carbon fiber reinforced epoxy resin, the overall weight is reduced and the flight performance of the drone is improved.

[0019] 2. The present invention solves the technical problem of limited endurance of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and has remarkable technical effects. On the one hand, the light energy collection mechanism can adapt to different lighting conditions to ensure efficient conversion of light energy in various environments. On the other hand, the downdraft collection mechanism maximally recovers the energy loss during the hovering or landing of the UAV by optimizing the air flow path and energy conversion efficiency. In addition, the lightweight design further improves the flight performance of the UAV, making it have broad application prospects in fields such as logistics distribution, environmental monitoring, and agricultural plant protection.

[0020] In summary, through the innovative light energy collection mechanism and downdraft collection mechanism, the present invention realizes a significant improvement in the endurance of UAVs and has important technical value and economic significance. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] Figure 1 is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of the present invention;

[0022] Figure 2 is a front view structural schematic diagram of the present invention;

[0023] Figure 3 is a structural schematic diagram of the main solar panel and the adjustable solar panel in the initial state of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 4 is an exploded structural schematic diagram of the main solar panel and the adjustable solar panel in the present invention;

[0025] Figure 5 is a top view structural schematic diagram of the accelerated collection bin in the present invention;

[0026] Figure 6 is a bottom view structural schematic diagram of the accelerated collection bin in the present invention;

[0027] Figure 7 is an exploded internal structure schematic diagram of the accelerated collection bin in the present invention;

[0028] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of the operation process of the light energy collection mechanism in the present invention;

[0029] Figure 9 is a schematic diagram of the operation process of the downdraft collection mechanism in the present invention.

[0030] Wherein, 1. Main body; 2. Main solar panel; 21. U-shaped connecting strip; 22. Adjusting rotating rod; 23. Micro motor; 24. Adjustable solar panel; 25. Connecting strip; 3. Accelerated collection bin; 31. Angular turbine; 311. Permanent magnet synchronous motor; 312. Transmission shaft; 32. Support disk; 321. Connecting plate; 33. Turbulence generating fin; 4. Connecting rod; 5. Support frame. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0031] The technical solutions of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present invention, rather than all the embodiments. All other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art based on the embodiments of the present invention without creative efforts belong to the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0032] The present invention relates to a drone endurance device, aiming to significantly improve the endurance ability of the drone through the synergistic effect of a light energy collection mechanism and a downdraft collection mechanism. The following will detail the specific implementation manners of the present invention in conjunction with the drawings.

[0033] As Figures 1 to 9 shown, the core structure of the present invention includes a main body 1, a light energy collection mechanism, and a downdraft collection mechanism. The main body 1 serves as the core support framework for carrying and connecting all functional components. It preferably adopts the structure of a four-wing drone to ensure flight stability and load capacity. The light energy collection mechanism is arranged at the top of the main body 1, and the downdraft collection mechanism is installed at the bottom. The two are respectively responsible for collecting solar energy and downdraft energy and converting them into electrical energy for storage, thereby providing continuous energy support for the drone.

[0034] The light energy collection mechanism mainly includes a main solar panel 2, a U-shaped connecting strip 21, an adjusting rotating rod 22, a micro motor 23, and an adjustable solar panel 24. The main solar panel 2 is fixed on the top of the main body 1 and is the core light energy collection component. Its periphery is connected to the adjusting rotating rod 22 through the U-shaped connecting strip 21. A connecting strip 25 is fixed on the outer diameter of the adjusting rotating rod 22, and an adjustable solar panel 24 is installed on one side of the connecting strip 25. A micro motor 23 is also fixed on one side of the U-shaped connecting strip 21, and its output end penetrates through the U-shaped connecting strip 21 and is fixedly connected to the adjusting rotating rod 22. By driving the adjusting rotating rod 22 to rotate with the micro motor 23, the angle of the adjustable solar panel 24 can be accurately controlled. Both the main solar panel 2 and the adjustable solar panel 24 adopt a lightweight honeycomb structure design. The core material is selected as an aromatic fiber composite material, and the surface layer is carbon fiber-reinforced epoxy resin, which not only ensures strength but also reduces weight. In addition, a multi-layer nanoscale light absorption film is integrated on the surface of the solar panel, which is composed of a composite of quantum dot materials and metal-organic frameworks and can efficiently convert light energy in low-light environments. This design enables the light energy collection mechanism to maintain a high photoelectric conversion efficiency under different light conditions.

[0035] The operating principle of the light energy collection mechanism is as follows: It is equipped with a control system, and the adjustable solar panel 24 is equipped with a light sensor. Therefore, the solar incident angle θ is calculated based on the data real-time feedback by the light sensor, and the micro-motor 23 is driven to adjust the optimal inclination angle α of the adjustable solar panel 24. The optimal inclination angle α satisfies the formula α = 90° - θ + β, where β is the geographical latitude. Through the above calculation, it is ensured that the adjustable solar panel 24 is always at the optimal angle, thereby achieving the maximum light energy absorption efficiency. When the drone is flying at high speed, the control system will issue an instruction to automatically retract the adjustable solar panel 24 to the initial state, and the switching speed is 0.5 seconds / time, thereby reducing the wind resistance and ensuring that the flight performance is not affected. During this process, the micro-motor 23 uses the stepping motor model 28BYJ-48, and its control accuracy is 5.625° / 64, ensuring the accuracy of the solar panel angle adjustment.

[0036] The downdraft collection mechanism mainly includes an accelerating collection bin 3, an angle-type turbine 31, a permanent magnet synchronous motor 311, a support disk 32, and spoiler vanes 33. The accelerating collection bin 3 is designed as a tapered channel, and the ratio of the inlet cross-sectional area A1 to the outlet cross-sectional area A2 satisfies the continuity equation ρ1A1v1 = ρ2A2v 2， where ρ is the gas density and v is the air flow velocity. Through optimized design, A1:A2 = 3:1 is achieved, thereby significantly increasing the air flow velocity. The angle-type turbine 31 is located inside the accelerating collection bin 3. The windward side of the blade forms a 30° angle with the air flow direction, and the leeward side forms a 60° angle with the air flow direction. Designed based on the Betz theory, its efficiency coefficient Cp satisfies Cp = 4a(1 - a) 2 where a is the axial induction factor. By calculation, the optimal induction factor a = 1 / 3 is determined, and at this time, the turbine efficiency reaches the theoretical maximum value of 59.3%. The permanent magnet synchronous motor 311 is installed at the bottom of the support disk 32 and is connected to the angle-type turbine 31 through a transmission shaft 312, converting mechanical energy into electrical energy. The support disk 32 is located at the bottom of the accelerating collection bin 3 and is connected to the accelerating collection bin 3 through three connecting bars 321. The spoiler vanes 33 are evenly distributed on the inner wall of the accelerating collection bin 3. The optimal number of them is 12, the spacing between each vane is 15 mm, and the inclination angle is 30°, effectively guiding the air flow path and reducing the turbulent loss. The air flow holes are opened on the surface of the support disk 32, with a diameter of 5 mm and an opening ratio of 30%. Part of the air flow is guided through the air flow holes to the permanent magnet synchronous motor 311 for heat dissipation.

[0037] The operation process of the downdraft collection mechanism is as follows: When the drone hovers or lands, the downdraft enters the accelerated collection bin 3. After being accelerated through the converging channel, it drives the angled turbine 31 to rotate at high speed. The angled turbine 31 converts the kinetic energy of the airflow into mechanical energy and transmits it to the permanent magnet synchronous motor 311 through the transmission shaft 312, ultimately achieving energy conversion and storage. During this process, the spoiler 33 inside the accelerated collection bin 3 and the air flow holes on the surface of the support disk 32 cooperate to form an efficient heat dissipation system, thus significantly increasing the service life of the motor.

[0038] The present invention also includes a connecting rod 4 and a support frame 5. The connecting rod 4 is used to connect the accelerated collection bin 3 to the bottom of the main body 1. The support frames 5 are evenly distributed on the outer surface of the accelerated collection bin 3 to provide additional support and enhance the overall structural stability. In practical applications, during flight, the drone needs to retract the adjustable solar panel 24 to its initial state to reduce the wind resistance generated during flight. When the drone hovers or lands, the downdraft enters the accelerated collection bin 3, and the blades of the angled turbine 31 rotate at high speed under the action of the airflow, converting the kinetic energy of the airflow into mechanical energy through centrifugal force. The entire system also includes a control system for the solar panel and a rectifying system for recovering energy to ensure the efficient collection and utilization of energy.

[0039] The technical advantages of the present invention are as follows: By means of the control system and the nano-scale light absorption film, the light energy conversion efficiency is significantly improved; the turbine design is optimized using the Betz theory to achieve efficient recovery of the kinetic energy of the airflow; through the synergistic effect of the spoiler and the air flow holes, the temperature rise of the permanent magnet synchronous motor 311 is effectively reduced, improving the reliability of the system; the use of aramid fiber composite materials and carbon fiber reinforced epoxy resin reduces the overall weight and improves the flight performance of the drone.

[0040] In summary, through the innovative light energy collection mechanism and downdraft collection mechanism, the present invention has significantly improved the endurance of the drone and has broad application prospects.

[0041] The specific operating principle of the present invention is as follows: When the drone is in a hovering or landing state, the downdraft enters the accelerated collection bin 3. Due to the tapered channel design, the air flow velocity is significantly increased. The accelerated air flow drives the angled turbine 31 to rotate at a high speed, converting the kinetic energy of the air flow into mechanical energy, and transmitting it to the permanent magnet synchronous motor 311 through the transmission shaft 312, and finally storing it as electrical energy. At the same time, the spoiler 33 guides the air flow path to reduce turbulent losses. Part of the air flow blows through the air flow holes on the support disk 32 towards the permanent magnet synchronous motor 311 for heat dissipation, forming an efficient collaborative heat dissipation system. Under daytime or sufficient light conditions, the light energy collection mechanism starts to work. The control system calculates the optimal inclination angle α in real time according to the solar incidence angle θ and the geographical latitude β, and drives the adjustable solar panel 24 to adjust to the optimal angle through the micro motor 23, so as to achieve the maximum light energy absorption efficiency. When the drone is in a high-speed flight state, the control system issues an instruction to quickly retract the adjustable solar panel 24 to the initial state to reduce wind resistance and ensure that the flight performance is not affected.

[0042] The present invention has a wide range of application scenarios and is applicable to fields such as logistics distribution, environmental monitoring, and agricultural plant protection. For example, in logistics distribution, the drone needs to fly for a long time to complete the cargo transportation task. The present invention significantly extends the flight time, reduces the battery replacement frequency, and improves the distribution efficiency through light energy collection and downdraft energy recovery. In environmental monitoring, the drone needs to hover for a long time to collect data. The present invention ensures the continuous operation of the device and improves the monitoring accuracy through an efficient energy recovery mechanism. In agricultural plant protection, the drone needs to take off and land frequently to spray pesticides. The present invention converts the energy generated during the takeoff and landing process into electrical energy through the downdraft collection mechanism, further enhancing the flight endurance.

[0043] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that various changes, modifications, substitutions, and variations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principle and spirit of the present invention. The scope of the present invention is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. An endurance device for a drone, characterized in that, Comprising: A main body (1), which serves as a core support framework for carrying and connecting all functional components; A light energy collection mechanism, which is arranged on the top of the main body (1) for collecting light energy and converting it into electric energy; A downdraft collection mechanism, which is arranged at the bottom of the main body (1) for collecting the energy of the downdraft generated when the drone hovers or descends and converting it into electric energy.

2. The endurance device for an unmanned aerial vehicle according to claim 1, wherein The main body (1) is a four-wing drone.

3. The endurance device for a drone according to claim 1, wherein The light energy collection mechanism includes a main solar panel (2) installed on the top of the main body (1). U-shaped connecting bars (21) are fixed around the main solar panel (2). Adjusting rotating rods (22) are rotatably connected between the inner sides of the four U-shaped connecting bars (21). Connecting strips (25) are fixed to the outer diameters of the four adjusting rotating rods (22). Adjusting solar panels (24) are installed on one side of the four connecting strips (25). Miniature motors (23) are fixed to one side of the four U-shaped connecting bars (21), and the output ends of the miniature motors (23) penetrate through the U-shaped connecting bars (21) and are fixedly connected to the adjusting rotating rods (22).

4. The endurance device for a drone according to claim 3, characterized in that, Both the main solar panel (2) and the adjusting solar panel (24) adopt a lightweight honeycomb structure design. Their core materials are aramid fiber composites, and the surface layers are carbon fiber-reinforced epoxy resins, which not only ensure strength but also reduce weight. Moreover, a multi-layer nano-scale light absorption film is integrated on the surfaces of the main solar panel (2) and the adjusting solar panel (24). This absorption film is composed of a composite of quantum dot materials and metal-organic frameworks, enabling it to efficiently convert light energy in low-light environments.

5. The endurance device for a drone according to claim 1, characterized in that, The downdraft collection mechanism includes an accelerating collection bin (3) arranged at the bottom of the main body (1). The accelerating collection bin (3) is designed as a tapered channel for increasing the air flow speed. The accelerating collection bin (3) is connected to the bottom of the main body (1) through four connecting rods (4).

6. The endurance device for an unmanned aerial vehicle according to claim 5, wherein An angled turbine (31) is arranged inside the accelerating collection bin (3) and relatively close to the bottom. The windward surface of the blades of the angled turbine (31) forms an angle of 30° with the air flow direction, while the leeward surface forms an angle of 60° with the air flow direction.

7. The endurance device for an unmanned aerial vehicle according to claim 6, wherein A support disk (32) is arranged at the bottom of the accelerating collection bin (3). The support disk (32) is connected to the accelerating collection bin (3) through three connecting plates (321). Turbulence generating vanes (33) are fixedly arranged on the inner wall surface of the accelerating collection bin (3) and are located between the angled turbine (31) and the support disk (32). A permanent magnet synchronous motor (311) is installed at the bottom of the support disk (32), and the permanent magnet synchronous motor (311) is connected to the angled turbine (31) through a transmission shaft (312). Air flow through holes are evenly distributed on the surface of the support disk (32) so that part of the discharged air flow can blow through the air flow through holes to the permanent magnet synchronous motor (311) for heat dissipation.

8. A drone endurance device according to claim 5, characterized in that Four evenly distributed support frames (5) are installed on the outer surface of the accelerating collection bin (3).

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