A short-track launch structure and installation method for unmanned aerial vehicles

Abstract

The present invention relates to the field of drone launch technology, and specifically to a drone short-track launch structure and installation method, comprising: a slide rail assembly and two adapter assemblies, wherein the slide rail assembly is arranged on a drone launch frame; the two adapter assemblies are evenly distributed on the slide rail assembly, and each adapter assembly is slidably connected to the slide rail assembly; wherein the adapter assembly comprises: a crossbeam, the end of which is provided with a roller, the roller and the slide rail assembly are slidably connected, the middle of the top surface of the crossbeam is provided with an explosive bolt assembly for connecting to a drone, two positioning components for assembly and positioning with the drone are provided on the crossbeams on both sides of the explosive bolt assembly, and the explosive bolt assembly is used to perform active explosive separation through electrical signal control. The present invention adds multi-degree-of-freedom force constraints to the drone, helps the drone maintain the desired direction and attitude, is beneficial to the launch and take-off control, and avoids the problem of the drone leaving the track prematurely.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) launch, and in particular to a UAV short-track launch structure and an installation method. Background Art

[0002] Drones, with their low cost and high maneuverability, have been widely adopted in various fields, profoundly transforming the industry landscape. Compared to rotary-wing drones, fixed-wing drones offer significant advantages in terms of payload, endurance, and speed, but they also suffer from the inability to take off and land vertically. Therefore, catapult launch, which doesn't rely on runways, has become a common launch method for fixed-wing drones. Small fixed-wing drones typically use compressed gas, electromagnetic, or hydraulic catapults. Large and medium-sized fixed-wing drones, however, require rocket-assisted takeoff due to their heavy takeoff weight. This involves using rocket boosters to quickly accelerate the drone to the required speed and altitude. The rocket then drops away, allowing the drone to continue its flight under its own power.

[0003] For large and medium-sized drones using rocket-assisted takeoff, the acceleration at launch is extremely high, reaching 4 to 5 times the acceleration of gravity. This phase is one of the most dangerous. Existing orbital structures for small drones cannot withstand heavy weights and high overloads, and are prone to premature deorbit, making them unsuitable for rocket-assisted takeoff. Currently, most rocket-assisted drones use zero-orbit launch. However, for drones with flying wing configurations or some special layouts, their heading is statically unstable or weakly stable, and their longitudinal moment arms are short, making their ability to suppress longitudinal disturbances less effective. This makes zero-orbit launch control more difficult.

[0004] Therefore, it is necessary to provide a UAV short-track launch structure and installation method to solve the above problems. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In order to solve the problems that the existing small UAV track structure cannot withstand heavy weight and large overload, is prone to premature deorbit, is not suitable for UAVs with rocket-assisted takeoff, and has great difficulty in controlling zero-length launch, the present invention provides a UAV short-track launch structure and installation method. During the launch process, multiple degrees of freedom force constraints are added to the UAV to help the UAV maintain the desired direction and attitude, thereby solving the existing problems.

[0006] The first solution of the present invention provides a short-track launch structure for a UAV. The UAV short-track launch structure of the present invention is applied to a UAV with a dual-launch booster rocket, and specifically adopts the following technical solutions, including:

[0007] A slide rail assembly, which is provided on the UAV launcher;

[0008] and two adapter assemblies, which are evenly distributed on the slide rail assembly, and each adapter assembly is slidably connected to the slide rail assembly;

[0009] Among them, the adapter assembly includes: a crossbeam, a roller is provided at the end of which, the roller and the slide rail assembly are slidably connected, an explosive bolt assembly for connecting to the drone is provided in the middle of the top surface, and two positioning components for assembly and positioning with the drone are provided on the crossbeams on both sides of the explosive bolt assembly. The explosive bolt assembly is used to perform active explosive separation through electrical signal control.

[0010] A further technical solution of the present invention is that the positioning component includes a positioning pin seat, on which a positioning pin is provided, and the positioning pin is used to assemble and position with a positioning seat provided on the inner bottom surface of the belly skin of the UAV.

[0011] A further technical solution of the present invention is: the explosive bolt assembly is arranged in the middle of the top surface of the beam through a connecting seat, wherein the connecting seat and the explosive bolt mounting seat arranged on the inner bottom surface of the belly skin of the UAV are connected through the explosive bolt assembly.

[0012] A further technical solution of the present invention is: the explosive bolt assembly includes: an explosive bolt, one end of which is used to connect to the explosive bolt mounting seat on the inner bottom surface of the belly skin of the drone, and the other end of which is an explosive separation surface, on which an explosive threaded column is coaxially connected, the explosive threaded column is passed through the connecting seat, and a nut is provided on one end of the explosive threaded column passing through the connecting seat 11.

[0013] A further technical solution of the present invention is that a mounting lug is provided around the explosive bolt near the explosion separation surface, and the mounting lug is connected to the explosive bolt mounting seat on the inner bottom surface of the UAV belly skin through a mounting screw.

[0014] A further technical solution of the present invention is as follows: the slide rail assembly comprises: a front slide rail assembly and a rear slide rail assembly with butted ends, and the front slide rail assembly and the rear slide rail assembly have the same structure, wherein one adapter assembly is mounted on the front slide rail assembly, and the other adapter assembly is mounted on the rear slide rail assembly;

[0015] Among them, the rear slide rail assembly includes two slide rails, and the slide rails include: a lower support plate and an upper constraint plate, and the end faces of one side of the lower support plate and the upper constraint plate are connected by a connecting plate to form a structure with a C-shaped cross-section, wherein the openings of the two slide rails are opposite to each other, and the rollers are slidably connected in the slide rails.

[0016] A further technical solution of the present invention is: the length of the slide rail of the rear slide rail assembly is one third to one half of the total length of the belly of the drone, and the width between the two slide rails of the rear slide rail assembly is smaller than the width between the two slide rails of the front slide rail assembly.

[0017] A further technical solution of the present invention is that a plurality of lightening holes are evenly distributed on the connecting plate.

[0018] A further technical solution of the present invention is that a detachable slide rail pressure plate is connected to the end of the slide rail

[0019] The second solution of the present invention provides a short-track launch method for a UAV using a twin-launch booster rocket. The UAV short-track launch structure using a twin-launch booster rocket of the present invention is used to launch the UAV. The launch steps include:

[0020] Mounting the drone on the rail assembly on the unmanned launcher;

[0021] The drone is powered on, communicates with the ground station, and completes self-tests;

[0022] Control the unmanned launcher to erect to the predetermined launch angle;

[0023] Start the UAV engine. After the engine starts successfully, remove the UAV power supply and starting cables.

[0024] The ground station controls the engine throttle to the launch state, the rocket booster ignites, the drone is launched, and the drone moves along the slide rail assembly until the drone detaches from the front slide rail assembly of the slide rail assembly, the explosive bolt works, and the adapter assembly falls off;

[0025] After the rocket booster finishes its work, it separates from the drone and falls off, completing the launch of the drone.

[0026] The beneficial effects of the present invention are:

[0027] 1. The present invention provides a launch rail assembly for a rocket-assisted takeoff drone, as well as an adapter connected to the drone. The rail assembly and the adapter assembly add multi-degree-of-freedom force constraints to the drone, helping the drone maintain a desired direction and attitude, facilitating launch and takeoff control, and overcoming the shortcomings of small drone track structures that cannot withstand heavy weight and large overloads and are prone to premature derailment.

[0028] 2. The rail assembly of the present invention features a lower support plate and an upper restraint plate, which constrain the adapter within the rail. The adapter is rigidly connected to the drone and can withstand an axial tensile force exceeding one ton, ensuring the drone's trajectory and preventing premature derailment, thereby enhancing launch stability. The adapter is connected to the drone via explosive bolts, which can be actively detonated and separated by an electrical signal, allowing the adapter to reliably disengage. This ensures a smooth, protruding surface on the drone, reduces aerodynamic drag, and enhances flight performance. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0029] In order to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the description of the prior art. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying any creative work.

[0030] Figure 1 A partial schematic diagram of a half-section of a UAV short-track launch structure according to an embodiment of the present invention applied to a UAV in a dual-rocket boosted short-track launch mode;

[0031] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of a UAV mounted on a UAV short-track launch structure in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0032] Figure 3 A schematic structural diagram of an adapter assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0033] Figure 4 A partial cross-sectional view of a mounting base on the belly skin of a drone according to an embodiment of the present invention connected to an adapter via explosive bolts;

[0034] Figure 5 is an isometric view of the slide rail in the right direction according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0035] Figure 6 It is an axonometric view of the slide rail in the left direction in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0036] In the figure: 1. UAV; 2. Slide rail assembly; 3. Front slide rail assembly; 4. Rear slide rail assembly; 5. Front adapter assembly; 6. Rear adapter assembly; 7. Explosive bolt mounting seat; 8. Positioning seat; 9. Rocket booster; 10. Roller; 11. Connecting seat; 12. Locating pin; 13. Explosive bolt; 14. Threaded hole; 15. Mounting ear; 16. Screw; 17. Explosive separation surface; 18. Nut; 19. Explosive threaded column; 20. Upper constraint plate; 21. Lower support plate; 22. Slide rail pressure plate. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0037] 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. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative efforts are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0038] An embodiment of a UAV short-track launch structure and installation method of the present invention is applied to a UAV with a dual-launch booster rocket (i.e., a UAV 1 with two rocket boosters 9), such as Figure 1As shown, it includes: a slide rail assembly 2 and two adapter assemblies. The slide rail assembly 2 is arranged on the UAV launcher. When performing a launch mission, the slide rail assembly 2 is adjusted to an elevation angle along with the UAV launcher, and the rocket booster 9 is ignited to launch at a predetermined launch angle; the two adapter assemblies are a front adapter assembly 5 and a rear adapter assembly 6, and the front adapter assembly 5 and the rear adapter assembly 6 are both slidably connected to the slide rail assembly 2; wherein, the two adapter assemblies have the same structure, the front adapter assembly 5 includes: a crossbeam, a roller 10 is provided at the end of the crossbeam, and the roller 10 is slidably connected to the slide rail assembly 2, and an explosive bolt assembly for connecting to the UAV 1 is provided in the middle of the top surface of the crossbeam, and two positioning components for assembly and positioning with the UAV 1 are provided on the crossbeams on both sides of the explosive bolt assembly. The explosive bolt assembly is used to perform active explosive separation through electrical signal control. It should be noted that, as Figure 1 As shown, the UAV 1 with two rocket boosters 9 is installed on the slide rail assembly 2 through an adapter assembly. The slide rail assembly 2 of the present invention provides a launch track and an adapter for the UAV 1 that takes off with rocket assistance, which adds multi-degree-of-freedom force constraints to the UAV 1, helps the UAV 1 maintain the desired direction and attitude, and is beneficial to the control of the launch and take-off stage.

[0039] For example, Figure 3 As shown, in one specific embodiment, the positioning component includes a positioning pin holder, which is provided with a positioning pin 12. The positioning pin 12 is used to assemble and position with the positioning seat 8 provided on the inner bottom surface of the belly skin of the drone 1. Specifically, the positioning seat 8 is provided with a positioning hole, which is used to cooperate with the positioning pin 12 on the adapter to assist in fixing the adapter. In this embodiment, the diameter of the positioning hole is slightly larger than the positioning pin 12 to facilitate smooth removal of the positioning pin 12 from the adapter.

[0040] For example, Figure 3 As shown, in a specific embodiment, the explosive bolt assembly is arranged in the middle of the top surface of the beam through the connecting seat 11, and the connecting seat 11 and the explosive bolt mounting seat 7 set on the inner bottom surface of the belly skin of the drone are connected through the explosive bolt assembly.

[0041] In one specific embodiment, Figure 4As shown, the explosive bolt assembly includes: an explosive bolt 13, one end of which is used to connect to the explosive bolt mounting seat 7 on the inner bottom surface of the UAV's belly skin, and the other end of which is an explosive separation surface 17. An explosive threaded column 19 is coaxially connected to the explosive separation surface 17. The explosive threaded column 19 is inserted into the connecting seat 11, and a nut 18 is provided on one end of the explosive threaded column 19 that passes through the connecting seat 11. Specifically, in this embodiment, a mounting lug 15 is provided around the explosive bolt 13 near the explosive separation surface 17. The mounting lug 15 is connected to the explosive bolt mounting seat 7 on the inner bottom surface of the UAV's belly skin by a screw 16 passing through a threaded hole 14 on the mounting lug 15. After the UAV 1 is launched and deorbited, the explosive bolt 13 is energized and separated from the explosive separation surface 17, thereby achieving active shedding of the adapter assembly, ensuring that the surface of the UAV 1 is smooth and free of protrusions, reducing aerodynamic drag, and enhancing the flight performance of the UAV 1.

[0042] For example, in a specific embodiment, the slide rail assembly 2 includes: a front slide rail assembly 3 and a rear slide rail assembly 4 with butted ends, and the front slide rail assembly 3 and the rear slide rail assembly 4 have the same structure, wherein one adapter assembly is installed on the front slide rail assembly 3, and the other adapter assembly is installed on the rear slide rail assembly 4; wherein the rear slide rail assembly 4 includes two slide rails, such as Figure 6 As shown, the slide rail includes: a lower support plate 21 and an upper constraint plate 20, and the end faces of one side of the lower support plate 21 and the upper constraint plate 20 are connected by a connecting plate to form a structure with a C-shaped cross-section, wherein the openings of the two slide rails are opposite to each other, and the roller 10 is slidably connected to the slide rail. It should be noted that at the moment of launch of the drone 1, the roller 10 and the slide rail are subjected to rolling friction, which can effectively reduce the friction coefficient, and the lower support plate 21 and the upper constraint plate 20 of the slide rail of the slide rail assembly 2 have upper and lower constraints on the roller 10 of the adapter assembly at the same time, ensuring that the drone 1 will not leave the track prematurely when moving along the track direction, thereby increasing the launch stability.

[0043] It should be noted that the roller 10 of the front adapter assembly 5 slides in the slide rail of the front slide rail assembly 3, and the roller 10 of the rear adapter assembly 6 slides in the slide rail of the rear slide rail assembly 4. The roller 10 and the slide rail are used for rolling friction, thereby reducing the friction coefficient of the UAV 1 when it moves rapidly on the slide rail at the moment of launch. The connecting seat 11 set in the middle of the upper surface of the adapter is connected to the UAV 1 through the explosive bolt 13. In this embodiment, after the UAV 1 is launched and leaves the launch pad, the explosive bolt 13 is triggered to separate the adapter from the UAV 1 and fall off by gravity. Positioning columns are provided on both sides of the upper end of the adapter, which cooperate with the positioning holes on the UAV to assist in fixing the relative position of the adapter and the UAV. In this embodiment, the front adapter assembly 5 and the rear adapter assembly 6 are connected to the belly of the aircraft in the same manner. The height of the front adapter assembly 5 and the rear adapter assembly 6 is determined according to the distance between the belly surface and the slide rail.

[0044] For example, in a specific embodiment, the length of the slide rail of the rear slide rail assembly 4 is one-third of the total length of the belly of the UAV 1, and the width between the two slide rails of the rear slide rail assembly 4 is smaller than the width between the two slide rails of the front slide rail assembly 3. It should be noted that in this embodiment, the launch direction of the UAV 1 is along the direction from the rear slide rail assembly 4 to the front slide rail assembly 3.

[0045] For example, Figure 5 As shown, in a specific embodiment, a plurality of lightening holes are evenly distributed on the connecting plate.

[0046] For example, Figure 6 As shown, in a specific embodiment, a detachable rail pressing plate 22 is connected to the end of the rail, and the rail pressing plate 22 is used to facilitate the roller 10 of the adapter assembly to enter the rail of the rail assembly 2.

[0047] A short-track launch method for a UAV using a dual-launch booster rocket comprises the following specific steps:

[0048] Step 1: Install the drone 1 on the slide rail assembly 2 on the unmanned launcher;

[0049] Specifically, install the left rocket booster and the right rocket booster on the drone 1; install the front adapter assembly 5 and the rear adapter assembly 6 on the belly of the drone 1, insert the locating pins 12 of the adapter assembly into the locating holes on the belly of the drone, and fix the middle of the adapter to the drone 1 with an explosive bolt assembly; hoist the drone 1 to the drone launcher, and make sure to remove the slide rail pressure plate 22 first, put the roller 10 of the adapter assembly into the slide rail of the slide rail assembly, and then cover the slide rail pressure plate 22;

[0050] Step 2: Power on UAV 1, connect to the ground station, and complete self-test.

[0051] Step 3: Control the UAV launcher to stand upright to a predetermined launch angle;

[0052] Step 4: Start the engine of the UAV 1. After the engine starts successfully, remove the power supply and starting cables of the UAV 1 and evacuate to a safe area.

[0053] Step 5: The ground station controls the engine throttle to the launch state, the rocket booster 9 ignites, and the UAV 1 is launched; the UAV 1 moves along the slide rail assembly 2; until the UAV 1 is separated from the front slide rail assembly 3 of the slide rail assembly 2, the explosive bolt 13 works, and the adapter assembly falls off;

[0054] Step 6: After the rocket booster 9 has finished working, it separates from the drone 1 and falls off, and the drone 1 takes off successfully.

[0055] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc. made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included in the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A short-track launch structure for a UAV, applied to a UAV with a twin-launch booster rocket, characterized in that: include: A slide rail assembly, which is provided on the UAV launcher; and two adapter assemblies, each adapter assembly being slidably connected to the slide rail assembly; The adapter assembly includes: a crossbeam, a roller is provided at the end thereof, and the roller is slidably connected to the slide rail assembly. An explosive bolt assembly for connecting to the drone is provided in the middle of the top surface of the crossbeam. Two positioning components for assembly and positioning with the drone are provided on the crossbeam on both sides of the explosive bolt assembly. The explosive bolt assembly is used to perform active explosive separation through electrical signal control; The slide rail assembly includes: a front slide rail assembly and a rear slide rail assembly with butted ends, and the front slide rail assembly and the rear slide rail assembly have the same structure, wherein one adapter assembly is installed on the front slide rail assembly, and the other adapter assembly is installed on the rear slide rail assembly; The rear rail assembly includes two rails, each rail including a lower support plate and an upper restraining plate, wherein the lower support plate and the upper restraining plate are connected by a connecting plate on one side of the end surface thereof to form a C-shaped cross-section structure, wherein the openings of the two rails face each other, and the roller is slidably connected to the rails; The length of the rear rail assembly is one-third to one-half of the total length of the drone's belly, and the width between the two rails of the rear rail assembly is smaller than the width between the two rails of the front rail assembly; The end of the slide rail is connected with a detachable slide rail pressing plate.

2. The UAV short-track launch structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The positioning component includes: a positioning pin seat, on which a positioning pin is provided. The positioning pin is used to assemble and position with a positioning seat provided on the inner bottom surface of the belly skin of the UAV.

3. The UAV short-track launch structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The explosive bolt assembly is arranged at the middle of the top surface of the beam through a connecting seat, wherein the connecting seat and the explosive bolt mounting seat arranged on the inner bottom surface of the belly skin of the UAV are connected through the explosive bolt assembly.

4. The UAV short-track launch structure according to claim 3, characterized in that: The explosive bolt assembly includes: an explosive bolt, one end of which is used to connect to the explosive bolt mounting seat on the inner bottom surface of the belly skin of the drone, and the other end of which is an explosive separation surface, on which an explosive threaded column is coaxially connected, and the explosive threaded column is passed through the connecting seat, and a nut is provided on one end of the explosive threaded column passing through the connecting seat.

5. The UAV short-track launch structure according to claim 4, characterized in that: A mounting lug is provided around the explosive bolt near the explosion separation surface, and the mounting lug is connected to the explosive bolt mounting seat on the inner bottom surface of the UAV belly skin through mounting screws.

6. The UAV short-track launch structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: A plurality of lightening holes are evenly distributed on the connecting plate.

7. A short-track launch method for a UAV using a dual-launch booster rocket, characterized in that: The UAV short-track launching structure according to any one of claims 1 to 6 is used to launch the UAV short-track, and the launching steps include: Mounting the drone on the slide assembly on the drone launcher; The drone is powered on, communicates with the ground station, and completes self-tests; Control the UAV launcher to erect to the predetermined launch angle; Start the UAV engine. After the engine starts successfully, remove the UAV power supply and starting cables. The ground station controls the engine throttle to the launch state, the rocket booster ignites, the drone is launched, and the drone moves along the slide rail assembly until the drone detaches from the front slide rail assembly of the slide rail assembly, the explosive bolt assembly works, and the adapter assembly falls off; After the rocket booster finishes its work, it separates from the drone and falls off, completing the launch of the drone.

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