Triphibian unmanned aerial vehicle

Abstract

The triphibian unmanned aerial vehicle comprises a vehicle body, rolling wheels, a lifting force assembly, a steering driving assembly, a power module, a control module and a buoyancy adjusting unit. The steering driving assembly independently controls the propelling direction of the lifting force assembly. The lifting force assembly is connected with the vehicle body through the telescopic supporting mechanism, and the telescopic supporting mechanism drives the lifting force assembly to be switched among the extending position, the semi-extending position and the retracting position. The telescopic supporting mechanism is matched with the steering driving assembly, so that the lifting assembly has the telescopic and steering integrated function. The buoyancy adjusting unit ensures the underwater work of the device; an environment perception and power cooperative self-adaptive system is formed, seamless switching of water-land-air triphibian operation is achieved, maneuverability and stability in a multi-medium environment are improved, and the problems that an existing device is low in efficiency and insufficient in adaptability due to power system separation, structural interference and buoyancy unbalance are solved. And the operation reliability and the complex scene response capability of the triphibian unmanned aerial vehicle are remarkably improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a drone, and in particular to an amphibious drone. Background Art

[0002] With the rapid development of drone technology, its application in military reconnaissance, disaster relief, environmental monitoring and other fields is becoming increasingly widespread. Existing amphibious drones generally adopt a mechanical superposition approach, simply combining aerial rotors, ground drive mechanisms, and surface buoyancy devices, resulting in redundant and complex structures. For example, the coexistence of multiple independent power systems not only increases weight but also causes energy loss due to excessively long transmission links. Mechanical mode switching mechanisms further increase system complexity and reduce reliability. In addition, traditional amphibious drones lack adaptability to underwater environments, making it difficult to achieve deep-diving maneuvers or precise attitude control. These problems have exposed existing amphibious drones to defects such as delayed environmental response and limited endurance in complex missions. Summary of the Invention

[0003] Purpose of the invention: The purpose of the present invention is to provide an amphibious drone with high system integration and strong environmental adaptability.

[0004] Technical solution: The amphibious drone described in the present invention includes a body, rolling wheels symmetrically fixed at both ends of the body, two or more lift components, a steering drive component, a power module, a control module, and a buoyancy adjustment unit for adjusting the buoyancy state of the drone.

[0005] The steering drive assembly is fixedly connected to the lift assembly and independently controls its propulsion direction; the lift assembly is connected to the body through a telescopic support mechanism, and the telescopic support mechanism drives the lift assembly to switch between an extended position, a semi-extended position, and a retracted position; the lift assembly is completely contained within the outline of the rolling wheel in the retracted position, and the outer end of the lift assembly exceeds the outline of the rolling wheel in the extended position; the power module provides power for the lift assembly, the steering drive assembly, and the telescopic support mechanism; the control module coordinates the actions of the buoyancy adjustment unit, the telescopic support mechanism, the lift assembly, and the steering drive assembly.

[0006] In flight or submerged mode, the rolling wheels are parallel to the horizontal plane. The power module drives the telescopic support mechanism to extend, aligning the lift assembly with the rolling wheel plane to prevent other components from interfering with the lift assembly's airflow. The steering drive assembly then shifts the tilt angle of some lift assemblies, thereby changing the direction of airflow and movement. Furthermore, when operating underwater, the buoyancy of the buoyancy control unit is adjusted to control the drone's diving depth. In the event of a malfunction, the drone can be brought out of the water to avoid damage.

[0007] In land mode: the rolling wheel is perpendicular to the horizontal plane, the power module drives the telescopic support mechanism to retract, so that the lift component is completely contained within the outline of the rolling wheel and remains perpendicular to the plane of the rolling wheel. The lift component is driven to form a propulsion airflow, driving the rolling wheel to roll, and the steering drive component is driven to make part of the lift component change its tilt angle, thereby changing the direction of the airflow and movement.

[0008] In surface mode: the rolling wheel is perpendicular to the horizontal plane, the power module drives the telescopic support mechanism to a semi-retracted state, so that the lift component is partially exposed and remains perpendicular to the rolling wheel plane, the lift component is driven to form a propulsion airflow, driving the rolling wheel forward, and the steering drive component is driven to change the inclination angle of part of the lift component, thereby changing the direction of the airflow and movement.

[0009] Preferably, the lift assembly includes a duct, a propeller, and a motor that drives the propeller. The steering drive assembly independently controls the rotation of each lift assembly's duct about a vertical axis to adjust the propulsion direction. The motion of each lift assembly is independent of the others but is centrally controlled and adjusted by the control module. The motor can drive the propeller in both forward and reverse rotation, ensuring the stability of the rolling wheel when transitioning from horizontal to vertical rolling, preventing it from toppling over.

[0010] Preferably, the telescopic support mechanism includes a nested multi-stage telescopic shell and a threaded drive assembly inside the telescopic shell for driving the telescopic shell to achieve axial telescoping.

[0011] Preferably, the buoyancy adjustment unit includes an air tank, an inflation mechanism connected to the rolling wheel, and a solenoid valve, which adjusts the buoyancy state of the rolling wheel by inflation and deflation. The solenoid valve controls the opening and closing of the inflation and deflation passage between the air tank and the rolling wheel.

[0012] Preferably, the outer side of the rolling wheel is wrapped with an elastic material layer, which is connected to the air tank through an inflation tube and forms a buoyant support surface when inflated. The air tank compresses and stores air through a compressor to form a stable high-pressure air source. When the drone needs to operate on the water surface, the solenoid valve opens, allowing the compressed air in the air tank to inflate the elastic material layer through the inflation tube. The elastic material layer expands. When the set pressure value is reached, the solenoid valve closes, providing buoyancy for the drone to float on the water surface. The operation of the lift assembly drives the drone to move forward on the water surface. Adjusting the steering drive assembly rotates the lift assembly and changing its direction can change the direction of the drone's movement.

[0013] Preferably, the power module, control module, buoyancy adjustment unit and telescopic support mechanism are all integrated on the body between the two rolling wheels. The rolling wheels provide external protection for the power module, control module, buoyancy adjustment unit and telescopic support mechanism to a certain extent, and at the same time optimize their layout so that their parts are compactly arranged and easy to carry.

[0014] Preferably, the threaded drive assembly includes a first screw, a second screw with a hollow structure and a servo, the servo drives the first screw to rotate, and the external thread of the first screw engages with the internal thread of the second screw; a fixing pin is provided at the end of the second screw, which is used to fix the second screw and the first sliding shell to remain relatively fixed when the first screw is not fully screwed in, and to lock the relative positions of the first screw and the second screw after the first screw is fully screwed in, so that the second screw and the first sliding shell are loosened, so that the second screw can rotate synchronously with the first screw but the first sliding shell remains fixed; the multi-stage telescopic shell is composed of a fixed sleeve, a first sliding shell, and a second sliding shell nested in sequence; the servo is fixed to one end inside the fixed sleeve, the first screw is located inside the fixed sleeve, and the second screw is located inside the first sliding shell when the telescopic shell is fully extended, and the end of the second sliding shell close to the second screw is provided with a thread matching its external thread.

[0015] Preferably, guide grooves, guide protrusions and limiting bosses are provided between adjacent shell layers of the nested multi-stage telescopic shell. The guide grooves and guide protrusions limit the telescopic shell to move only in the axial direction. The limiting bosses engage with the adjacent shell layers when the telescopic shell is fully extended or retracted to prevent the shell layers from overtravelling.

[0016] Preferably, the control module synchronously controls the telescopic state of the telescopic support mechanism, the inflation and deflation actions of the buoyancy adjustment unit, and the propulsion mode of the lift assembly according to the environmental medium switching instruction.

[0017] Preferably, the wheel surface of the rolling wheel is provided with drainage grooves distributed along the circumference of the wheel surface, which are used to enhance propulsion efficiency and reduce resistance when traveling underwater or on the water surface. At the same time, the braking and reversing of the rolling wheel can be achieved by adjusting the forward and reverse rotation of the propeller.

[0018] Preferably, the surfaces of the components of the lift assembly, steering drive assembly, power module, control module and buoyancy adjustment unit are all provided with a waterproof coating.

[0019] Beneficial effects: Compared with the existing technology, the present invention has the following significant advantages: through the mutual cooperation of the telescopic support mechanism and the steering drive assembly, the lift assembly has the integrated functions of telescopic and steering; the buoyancy adjustment unit ensures the underwater operation of the device; supplemented by the cooperation of the rolling wheels, an adaptive system of environmental perception and power coordination is formed, which realizes the seamless switching of amphibious operations on land, water and air, improves the maneuverability and stability in multi-media environments, and solves the problems of low efficiency and insufficient adaptability of existing devices caused by power system separation, structural interference and buoyancy imbalance, and significantly improves the operation reliability and complex scene response capability of the amphibious UAV. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] Figure 1 This is a bottom view of the overall structure of the lift assembly of the present invention in the extended state.

[0021] Figure 2 It is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the lift assembly of the present invention in the extended state.

[0022] Figure 3 It is a top view of the lift assembly of the present invention in a retracted state.

[0023] Figure 4 It is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the telescopic support mechanism of the present invention in the extended state.

[0024] Figure 5 It is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the telescopic support mechanism of the present invention in a retracted state.

[0025] Figure 6-10 It is a process diagram of the present invention being transformed into land mode.

[0026] Figure 11-12 This is a diagram of the water surface working principle of the present invention.

[0027] Figure 13 This is a cross-sectional structural diagram of the rolling wheel of the present invention when working on the water surface.

[0028] Figure 14-17 This is a diagram of the underwater working principle of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0029] The following is combined with Figure 1-17 The technical solution of the present invention is further described.

[0030] like Figure 1-17 As shown, the amphibious drone of the present invention utilizes a modular integrated design. Its main body consists of two symmetrically arranged rolling wheels 1 and a connecting body. The rolling wheels 1 are wrapped in an elastic rubber layer, and their hollow interiors are connected to an air tank via an air charging line. The wheel surface is also equipped with a circumferential drainage groove. Integrated between the two wheels are a power module 4, a control module 5, and a buoyancy adjustment unit 6. The air tank of the buoyancy adjustment unit 6 houses a micro-compressor, which controls the filling and release of air into and out of the rolling wheels 1 via a solenoid valve.

[0031] The lift assembly 2 adopts a ducted propeller structure, each group includes a duct 201 that can rotate around a vertical axis, a propeller 202 driven by a high-speed motor 203, and realizes independent vector steering through a steering drive assembly 3. The three groups of lift assemblies are symmetrically distributed around the body and connected to the body through a telescopic support mechanism 7. The telescopic support mechanism 7 is composed of a three-level nested fixed shell 705, a first sliding shell 706, and a second sliding shell 707. A threaded drive assembly is used inside it. The servo 703 drives the first screw 701 to rotate and engage with the internal thread of the hollow second screw 702. When the first screw 701 is fully screwed in, the fixing pin 704 at the end of the second screw 702 pops out to lock the two positions. At this time, the external thread of the second screw 702 cooperates with the thread at the end of the second sliding shell 707. Continuing to rotate can achieve the second stage of retraction. Guide grooves and limit bosses are provided between the shell layers to ensure the accuracy of the telescopic trajectory.

[0032] like Figure 1 and 2 As shown, in flight mode, the rolling wheel 1 is parallel to the horizontal plane. The control module 5 activates the telescopic support mechanism 7 to fully extend, causing the lift assembly 2 to move outward beyond the outline of the rolling wheel 1 and parallel to the plane of the rolling wheel 1, preventing other components from interfering with the lift airflow of the lift assembly 2. The steering drive assembly 3 deflects the two sets of ducts 201 by 30°, combining the thrust of the propeller 202 to generate lift and horizontal propulsion, enabling vertical takeoff and landing and aerial maneuvers.

[0033] like Figure 6-10 As shown, this is the land mode, the telescopic support mechanism 7 is fully retracted, and the lift assembly 2 is retracted within the outline of the rolling wheel 1. When the rolling wheel 1 is placed flat on the ground, the lift assembly 2 on one side of the body operates, and the lift assembly 2 on the opposite side operates in the opposite direction, generating lift to drive the rolling wheel 1 to lift one side off the ground until the rolling wheel 1 is perpendicular to the ground and stops. At this time, the lift assembly 2 at the bottom of the rolling wheel 1 is controlled to operate and calibrate the posture of the rolling wheel 1 to ensure that it can stand stably on the ground. The steering drive assembly 3 then rotates the lift assembly 2 to be perpendicular to the plane of the rolling wheel 1, as shown in FIG. Figure 9 As shown, by controlling the operation of the lift assembly 2, the purpose of moving forward on land can be achieved, and the direction of the moving forward can be changed by changing the direction of the lift assembly 2 through the steering drive assembly 3.

[0034] like Figure 11-13 As shown, this is the water surface mode, the rolling wheel 1 is perpendicular to the horizontal plane, the telescopic support mechanism 7 is in a semi-telescopic state, the lift assembly 2 is partially exposed, and at the same time the air tank inflates the elastic layer to form a buoy, the propeller 202 pushes the water flow to drive the drone to glide, and the drainage groove enhances the water grabbing efficiency.

[0035] like Figure 14-17As shown, this is the underwater mode. The control module 5 activates the telescopic support mechanism 7 to fully extend, and the lift assembly 2 moves outward beyond the outline of the rolling wheel 1. The control module 5 shuts down the lift assembly 2 and activates the buoyancy adjustment unit 6, which controls the diving depth by adjusting the air pressure in the rolling wheel 1. During propulsion, the lift assembly 2 is extended to the outside of the rolling wheel 1, and the steering drive assembly 3 fine-tunes the angle of the duct 201 to change the direction of underwater movement, and the propeller 202 rotates to propel the water forward. In the event of a fault, the air tank is quickly inflated to cause the rolling wheel 1 to expand and float. At the same time, the steering drive assembly 3 fine-tunes the angle of the duct 201 to make the lift assembly 2 horizontal and then quickly operates to provide emergency lift.

[0036] The entire system achieves environmental adaptation through control module 5. Its onboard pressure sensors and visual recognition unit determine the medium type in real time, triggering coordinated actions such as position adjustment of the telescopic support mechanism 7, inflation and deflation of the buoyancy adjustment unit 6, and propulsion mode switching. A nano-waterproof coating is applied to the surfaces of each component, ensuring the sealing and protection of electronic components during transit between land, water, and air.

[0037] Through the above-mentioned embodiment, the present invention enables the lift assembly 2 to have the integrated functions of telescopic and steering through the mutual cooperation of the telescopic support mechanism 7 and the steering drive assembly 3; the underwater operation of the device is guaranteed by the buoyancy adjustment unit 6; and with the cooperation of the rolling wheel 1, an adaptive system of environmental perception and power coordination is formed, which realizes the seamless switching of amphibious operations on land, water and air, improves the maneuverability and stability in multi-media environments, and solves the problems of low efficiency and insufficient adaptability of existing devices caused by power system separation, structural interference and buoyancy imbalance, and significantly improves the operation reliability and complex scene response capability of the amphibious UAV.

Claims

1. An amphibious drone, characterized in that: The drone comprises a body, rolling wheels (1) symmetrically arranged at both ends of the body, two or more lift assemblies (2), a steering drive assembly (3), a power module (4), a control module (5), and a buoyancy adjustment unit (6) for adjusting the buoyancy state of the drone; The steering drive assembly (3) is fixedly connected to the lift assembly (2) and independently controls the propulsion direction thereof; the lift assembly (2) is connected to the body via a telescopic support mechanism (7), and the telescopic support mechanism (7) drives the lift assembly (2) to switch between an extended position, a semi-extended position, and a retracted position; the lift assembly (2) is completely accommodated within the outline of the rolling wheel (1) when in the retracted position, and the outer end of the lift assembly (2) exceeds the outline of the rolling wheel (1) when in the extended position; the control module (5) coordinates the actions of the buoyancy adjustment unit (6), the telescopic support mechanism (7), the lift assembly (2), and the steering drive assembly (3).

2. The drone according to claim 1, characterized in that: The lift assembly (2) comprises a duct (201), a propeller (202) and a motor (203) for driving the propeller (202) to rotate. The steering drive assembly (3) independently controls the duct (201) of each lift assembly (2) to rotate around a vertical axis to adjust the propulsion direction.

3. The drone according to claim 1, wherein: The telescopic support mechanism (7) comprises a nested multi-stage telescopic shell and a threaded drive assembly inside the telescopic shell for driving the telescopic shell to achieve axial telescoping.

4. The drone according to claim 1, wherein: The buoyancy adjustment unit (6) comprises an air storage tank, an air charging mechanism connected to the rolling wheel (1), and an electromagnetic valve. The buoyancy state of the rolling wheel (1) is adjusted by charging and discharging air. The electromagnetic valve controls the opening and closing of the air charging and discharging passage between the air storage tank and the rolling wheel (1).

5. The drone according to claim 1, wherein: The power module (4), the control module (5), the buoyancy adjustment unit (6) and the telescopic support mechanism (7) are all integrated on the body between the two rolling wheels (1).

6. The drone according to claim 1, wherein: The outer side of the rolling wheel (1) is wrapped with an elastic material layer, and the elastic material layer is connected to the air storage tank through an inflation tube, and forms a buoyancy support surface when inflated.

7. The drone according to claim 3, characterized in that: The thread drive assembly comprises a first screw (701), a second screw (702) with a hollow structure, and a steering gear (703), wherein the steering gear (703) drives the first screw (701) to rotate, and the external thread of the first screw (701) engages with the internal thread of the second screw (702); a fixing pin (704) is provided at the end of the second screw (702) for locking the relative positions of the two after the first screw (701) is fully screwed in; the multi-stage telescopic shell is composed of a fixed shell (705), a first sliding shell (706), and a second sliding shell (707) nested in sequence; the steering gear (703) is fixed to one end inside the fixed shell (705), the first screw (701) is located inside the fixed shell (705), and the second screw (702) is located inside the first sliding shell (706) when the telescopic shell is fully extended, and a thread matching the external thread of the second screw (702) is provided at the end of the second sliding shell (707) near the end thereof.

8. The drone according to claim 3, wherein: A guide groove, a guide protrusion and a limiting boss are provided between adjacent shell layers of the telescopic shell. The guide groove and the guide protrusion limit the telescopic shell to move only in the axial direction. The limiting boss engages with the adjacent shell layer when the telescopic shell is fully extended or retracted.

9. The drone according to claim 1, wherein: The control module (5) synchronously controls the telescopic state of the telescopic support mechanism (7), the inflation and deflation actions of the buoyancy adjustment unit (6), and the propulsion mode of the lift assembly (2) according to the environmental medium switching instruction.

10. The drone according to claim 1, wherein: The wheel surface of the rolling wheel (1) is provided with drainage grooves distributed along the circumference of the wheel surface.

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