Autonomous launching control system for rocket-boosted unmanned aerial vehicle cluster

Abstract

The invention, which belongs to the unmanned aerial vehicle cluster autonomous launching field, discloses a rocket-assisted unmanned aerial vehicle cluster autonomous launching control system comprising a ground control station, N unmanned aerial vehicle clusters and X standby unmanned aerial vehicle clusters. The vehicle-mounted ad hoc network data chain is wirelessly connected with all airborne ad hoc network data chains at the same time, and uplink and downlink remote control telemetry data are sent and received through an antenna; each unmanned aerial vehicle is provided with an airborne exploder and is equipped with a booster rocket; the ground control station sends a take-off instruction to the cluster unmanned aerial vehicle, ignition is executed through an airborne exploder of the unmanned aerial vehicle, and autonomous and ordered rocket boosting launching control of the one-station multi-vehicle type unmanned aerial vehicle cluster is achieved; after the rocket is successfully ignited, the unmanned aerial vehicle is pushed away from the launcher, and the ignition cable is stressed and tightened to be automatically disconnected from the exploder; after fuel burns out, the rocket is safely separated from the unmanned aerial vehicle under the action of gravity and aerodynamic resistance, and rocket boosting launching is completed. According to the invention, the system complexity is reduced, and the launching efficiency and safety are improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention belongs to the field of autonomous launch of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) clusters, and in particular relates to a rocket-assisted autonomous launch control system for unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) clusters. Background Art

[0002] The traditional rocket-propelled UAV cluster launch method usually uses ground power supply and ground booster rocket detonator to ignite the booster rocket for launch. The ground booster rocket detonator and booster rocket are connected by wire. The cluster UAVs need to have wired connections equal to the number of UAVs at the launch site. The booster rockets of each UAV in the cluster are ignited by a number of operators equal to the number of UAVs. The wired connection is limited by the cable distance, which is usually tens to hundreds of meters.

[0003] In the scenario of launching N drones, N sets of ignition and launch circuits, N sets of ground booster rocket detonators arranged in a safe location on site, and N groups of operators are required. In this scenario, the on-site operation is extremely chaotic, the launch safety risk is greatly increased, and safety accidents are prone to occur. At the same time, the N sets of ignition and launch circuits are intertwined with each other. If one or more sets have connection failures, short circuits or open circuits, the on-site faults cannot be easily eliminated, especially when N sets of booster rockets have been installed in place, which poses a huge safety risk.

[0004] Reference documents: CN 114399897 B "UAV swarm intensive continuous launch control system based on high-speed fiber optic bus" etc. Summary of the Invention

[0005] To address the complexities and site limitations of traditional wired connections for rocket-assisted UAV swarm launch systems, the high redundancy in manpower and equipment required at the swarm launch site, the high launch safety risks and difficulty troubleshooting, and the low efficiency and reliability of swarm launches, this paper proposes an autonomous launch control system for rocket-assisted UAV swarms. This system utilizes a wireless connection between a ground control station and swarm UAVs, combined with an integrated design that integrates a rocket detonator with a single UAV, to reduce system complexity. By integrating wireless ad hoc networking with a single-unit design, this system achieves lightweight, intelligent, and highly reliable swarm launches, improving launch success rates and maximizing launch site safety.

[0006] The rocket-assisted UAV swarm autonomous launch control system includes a ground control station, a swarm of N UAVs, and a swarm of X backup UAVs. The ground control station's on-board ad hoc network data link is simultaneously connected to the on-board ad hoc network data links of the N UAVs and the X backup UAVs, and receives downlink telemetry data and sends uplink remote control commands through antennas to achieve uplink and downlink communications.

[0007] Each UAV (including N main mission UAVs and X backup UAVs) is equipped with a detonator and a booster rocket. The takeoff command is sent through the ground control station, triggering the respective onboard detonators to execute the rocket ignition operation, realizing the orderly and autonomous launch control of a one-station multi-uav cluster.

[0008] The detonator is connected to the UAV via a power supply and communication aerial plug, and is also connected to the rocket via an ignition output aerial plug;

[0009] The drone's onboard battery connects to the detonator's power supply and communication aviation plug through its own power supply and communication aviation plug, providing a stable and reliable power supply to all functional modules inside the detonator that need power.

[0010] After the flight control computer receives the rocket ignition command sent by the ground operator, it connects the UAV's built-in power supply and communication aviation plug to the power supply and communication aviation plug socket of the detonator, and sends the rocket ignition command to the main control CPU module inside the detonator; the main control CPU module converts the ignition command into an ignition control signal, turns on the circuit through the MOS tube or solid-state relay inside the detonator, and transmits it to the ignition output aviation plug connected to it through the ignition output aviation plug socket, providing a continuous and stable ignition drive current to the rocket; the ignition drive current is converted into heat energy, igniting the propellant for ignition boost, or controlling the operation of the parachute door opening, airbag door opening actuator or parachute ejection actuator.

[0011] The ignition drive circuits of the rocket and the drone are connected through an ignition cable wrapped around the launcher's rotating arm; two ignition drive cables (corresponding to the positive and negative poles of the rocket's ignition) are led out from the tail of the rocket, with disconnect plugs welded at the ends; the ignition cable is fixed to the launcher's rotating arm by spiral winding; the disconnect plug is connected to the disconnect socket installed on the drone's belly by magnetic attraction.

[0012] The rocket and drone are connected via a conical surface. The main conical surface is composed of a male cone (plug) and a female cone (socket). The male cone is located on the drone's belly, while the female cone is located on the rocket's end. These two cones are precisely machined to achieve a high-precision fit. When installing the rocket, the male cone at the rear of the drone is inserted into the female cone at the front of the booster rocket, with the cone guiding the initial positioning. When the booster rocket ignites, thrust is transmitted to the drone through the conical connection. The cones are then tightly fitted together under the action of axial force. When the rocket fuel is exhausted, the thrust drops to zero, the axial compressive force between the cones disappears, and the separation mechanism automatically unlocks due to the coupling of aerodynamic drag and gravity.

[0013] The working principle of the autonomous launch control system of the rocket-assisted UAV cluster is as follows:

[0014] Step 1: Fix N drones on N groups of launchers on the ground, turn on the onboard battery power switch, and power on all drones;

[0015] Step 2: The ground control station sends a full-aircraft self-test command to each of the N flight control computers, completes the pre-flight ground self-test of each UAV, and transmits the self-test status to the ground control station;

[0016] Step 3: The flight commander confirms whether there are any drones with abnormal self-test status. If so, he selects a replacement drone from the spare drones according to the pre-set mission number and performs a self-test. Otherwise, proceed to Step 4 and perform a rocket-assisted launch on the drone with normal self-test status.

[0017] Step 4: After receiving the takeoff command, the flight operator operates the onboard computer to send the takeoff command of the specified launch sequence and the specified launch interval information to all drones in normal self-test status, and launch them in sequence and interval;

[0018] For N drones with normal self-test status, their launch sequence and launch interval, as well as flight-related parameters such as flight mission route, flight altitude, flight speed, flight area, etc., have been bound to the onboard flight control computer in advance, or can be changed in real time during the flight.

[0019] The specific launch process is:

[0020] Step 401: N UAVs each start their engines and, after reaching takeoff speed, report their status to the ground control station via radio connection via the airborne ad hoc network data link.

[0021] Step 402: The flight operator automatically sends the takeoff command of UAV #1 in sequence according to the preset program by operating the network interface or serial communication interface of the onboard computer. After an interval of T1, the flight operator sends the takeoff command of UAV #2. After an interval of T2, the flight operator sends the takeoff command of UAV #3. After an interval of T3, the flight operator sends the takeoff command of UAV #4. N-1 After the time has passed, the N# UAV takeoff command is sent again until all takeoff commands are sent to the vehicle-mounted ad hoc network data link, eliminating the need for the flight operator to repeatedly send the UAV takeoff command;

[0022] The flight commander issues the takeoff command at the ground control station, and the flight operator sends the takeoff command through the ground station software interface on the onboard computer;

[0023] The take-off command includes the aircraft number of each drone;

[0024] Step 403: The vehicle-mounted ad hoc network data link sends the takeoff command to the airborne ad hoc network data link of each UAV via the antenna;

[0025] Time division multiplexing or frequency division multiplexing technology can be used between the vehicle-mounted ad hoc network data link and the airborne ad hoc network data links of N drones to achieve a one-station-multiple-machine communication mode.

[0026] Step 404: After receiving the takeoff command, the airborne ad hoc network data link transmits it to the flight control computer, which then sends it to the respective airborne rocket detonators via the serial port connection;

[0027] Step 405: After receiving the command, the initiator controls the internal MOS tube or relay to conduct, and provides continuous current to the booster rocket through the ignition output circuit (including the plug-in connection). When the ignition threshold is reached, the rocket ignites;

[0028] Step 406: Each UAV determines whether its own ignition has failed. If ignition has failed, it broadcasts an ignition failure signal to the ground control station and surrounding backup UAVs via the airborne ad hoc network data link, triggering the replacement process; otherwise, it proceeds to step 407;

[0029] The specific replacement process is:

[0030] Based on the number of ignition failures (denoted as M), the backup UAV system automatically selects an equal number (M) of backup UAVs from X according to the preset mission sequence number, puts them into the launch ready state, and reports the launch ready state to the ground control station.

[0031] The ground control station sends a full-aircraft self-test command to the flight control computers of the M backup drones, completing their pre-flight ground self-tests. The backup drones that pass the self-tests will then undergo a rocket-assisted launch to replace and complete the M drones in the original N drone formation that failed to launch.

[0032] The onboard computer recalculates the launch sequence and intervals for all backup drones according to pre-set logic, as well as flight parameters such as the mission route, altitude, speed, and flight area. After confirmation by ground operators, the flight operator, through the onboard computer, issues takeoff commands to all M backup drones that have self-tested and are in normal condition, using the recalculated launch sequence and intervals.

[0033] Step 407: After the rocket is successfully ignited, it drives the drone upward. The ignition cable wrapped around the launcher's rotating arm gradually tightens as the drone rises. The disconnect plug at the end of the cable segment near the belly of the drone is automatically disconnected from the disconnect socket fixed to the belly of the drone, thereby achieving automatic separation of the disconnect plug connector.

[0034] Step 408: After fuel combustion is complete, the rocket separates from the drone due to gravity, completing the rocket-assisted launch and allowing the drone to reach its minimum design airspeed. Continuing with the engine's continued thrust, the drone's speed continues to increase until it reaches its mission airspeed, entering its respective mission phase.

[0035] The advantages of the present invention are:

[0036] 1: The present invention discloses a rocket-assisted UAV cluster autonomous launch control system, which abandons traditional ground detonators and wired connections, does not require ground power supply and manual close-range operation, simplifies the launch process, reduces system complexity, improves launch efficiency and safety, and maximizes the safety of ground personnel.

[0037] 2. This invention provides a rocket-assisted UAV swarm autonomous launch control system. The detachable connector automatically disconnects when the booster rocket is ignited. Once the rocket fuel is depleted, it can be safely and quickly separated from the UAV body without generating additional forces or torque on the swarm, nor affecting the swarm's attitude stability and control.

[0038] 3: The present invention provides a rocket-assisted UAV cluster autonomous launch control system. Based on the existing time division multiplexing or frequency division multiplexing technology, it can stably and reliably establish a communication connection between the vehicle-mounted ad hoc network data link and the airborne ad hoc network data link, quickly realize one-station multi-machine connection and multi-machine autonomous connection, send ignition commands to N UAVs respectively in a preset order and interval, and accurately transmit them to the airborne ad hoc network data link of each UAV through a wireless connection. Finally, the flight control computer of each UAV executes and controls the ignition, thereby improving the rocket launch efficiency, launch flexibility, and launch reliability.

[0039] 4. This invention provides an autonomous launch control system for a swarm of rocket-assisted drones. The power for the onboard detonators of N drones is derived from individual onboard batteries, typically installed on drones to power their avionics. The ignition process for each of the N drones' booster rockets is short (milliseconds), requiring low drive current (amperes), and resulting in low instantaneous power and energy requirements. Conventional onboard batteries can simultaneously meet the instantaneous power and energy requirements of booster rocket ignition, while still meeting the power needs of all avionics during flight. This approach reduces system equipment, complexity, and production costs. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0040] Figure 1 This is a block diagram of a cluster system with a ground control station, N drones, and X spare drones according to the present invention;

[0041] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of a single UAV and a booster rocket of the present invention;

[0042] Figure 3 This is a partial enlarged view of the connection between the ignition drive cable, the rocket, and the launcher's rotating arm;

[0043] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the entire process of transmitting takeoff instructions for swarm drones of the present invention;

[0044] Figure 5 It is a schematic diagram of the entire process of the take-off steps of the swarm UAV of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0045] To facilitate understanding and implementation of the present invention by those skilled in the art, the present invention is further described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It is apparent that the embodiments described are merely partial embodiments of the present invention, not all embodiments. All other embodiments derived by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of the present invention without creative effort shall fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0046] A rocket-assisted unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) swarm autonomous launch control system can simultaneously establish communication connections between the airborne ad hoc network data links of multiple UAVs via a vehicle-mounted ad hoc network data link installed on a ground control station. Based on the one-station multi-machine communication connection, the ground control station sends a takeoff command to implement one-station multi-machine cluster autonomous launch control. This system differs from traditional rocket-assisted UAV swarm launch methods in that: during the cluster autonomous launch process, the present invention uses wireless communication to control the cluster launch, eliminating the complex and messy wired connections of traditional ground cluster launches. Furthermore, by using an airborne booster rocket detonator integrated with a single UAV, convenient stand-alone autonomous launch of the rocket-assisted UAV is achieved, eliminating the need for additional ground detonator equipment. The comprehensive use of wireless connection technology between the ground control station and the swarm UAV, as well as the integrated design of the rocket detonator and the single UAV significantly reduces system complexity, improves launch success rate, and maximizes launch site safety.

[0047] The airborne booster rocket detonator in the present invention is a fixed airborne device mounted on the UAV, the airborne battery is a fixed airborne device mounted on a single UAV, the airborne ad hoc network data link is a fixed airborne device mounted on a single UAV, and the vehicle-mounted ad hoc network data link is a fixed vehicle-mounted device mounted on a ground control station. The necessary airborne / vehicle-mounted equipment of the cluster UAV and the ground control station is utilized as much as possible, thereby avoiding additional equipment, shortening the R&D cycle, and reducing R&D costs.

[0048] The rocket-assisted UAV cluster autonomous launch control system is as follows: Figure 1 As shown, it includes a ground control station, a cluster of N drones and a cluster of X backup drones.

[0049] The ground control station's onboard ad hoc network data link is simultaneously connected to the onboard ad hoc network data links of N drones and X backup drones, receiving downlink telemetry data and sending uplink remote control commands via antennas to achieve uplink and downlink communication. Within the maximum number of networking nodes supported by the onboard ad hoc network data link, the onboard ad hoc network data links of the N drones and the X backup drones can all access the network, enabling ad hoc network communication between all drones and the ground control station.

[0050] The UAV's onboard equipment includes a flight control computer, an onboard ad hoc data link, a combined inertial navigation system, an engine, an onboard battery, an onboard booster rocket detonator, and other onboard equipment. The flight control computer is used to complete full-process flight control and management; the onboard ad hoc data link is used to transmit telemetry data and receive remote control data with the ground control station's onboard ad hoc data link; the combined inertial navigation system is used to measure attitude and position data during flight; the engine is used to provide the power required for flight within the UAV's flight envelope; the onboard battery is used to provide power support for the onboard avionics equipment during flight and meet power consumption requirements, as well as the instantaneous power and energy requirements required for booster rocket ignition during launch; the onboard booster rocket detonator is used to complete the booster rocket ignition and canopy actuator ignition functions; and other onboard equipment is used to complete other specific functional requirements of the UAV.

[0051] The main onboard equipment of the ground control station includes the onboard computer, onboard ad hoc network data link, and other onboard equipment. The onboard computer is used to deploy the ground station software and implement human-machine interaction functions such as telemetry data display and remote control command planning. The onboard ad hoc network data link is used to transmit telemetry data and remote control data to the onboard ad hoc network data link of the drone onboard equipment. Other onboard equipment is used to complete other specific functional requirements of the ground control station.

[0052] The airborne ad hoc network data link and the vehicle-mounted ad hoc network data link send and receive radio data through airborne antennas and vehicle-mounted antennas respectively, and both have uplink and downlink communication capabilities.

[0053] During command transmission, if the signal connection between the vehicle-mounted and airborne ad hoc network data links is poor or the command transmission fails, the vehicle-mounted computer will repeatedly transmit the command until the command is successfully transmitted or the signal is completely interrupted, making the command transmission impossible. This prompt will be displayed in a key part of the ground station software, allowing the flight operator and flight commander to make an on-site decision on whether to continue or abort the launch. This invention eliminates the need for multiple vehicle-mounted ad hoc network data links. Time-division multiplexing or frequency-division multiplexing can be used between the vehicle-mounted ad hoc network data link and the airborne ad hoc network data links of each of the N drones to achieve a one-station, multi-machine communication mode, reducing system complexity and lowering system cost.

[0054] like Figure 2As shown, each UAV is equipped with an onboard detonator and a booster rocket. The take-off command is sent through the ground control station, and the orderly and autonomous rocket-boosted launch control of a one-station multi-machine cluster is achieved through its respective detonators.

[0055] The detonator is connected to the booster rocket via a removable connector (non-fixed connection connector), connected to the UAV via a power supply and communication aviation plug, and connected to the rocket via an ignition output aviation plug;

[0056] The drone's onboard battery connects to the detonator's power supply and communication aviation plug through its own power supply and communication aviation plug, providing a stable and reliable power supply to all functional modules inside the detonator that need power. The power supply power and capacity should be designed to meet the working requirements of the onboard avionics equipment during flight and the ignition requirements of the booster rocket during launch.

[0057] After the flight control computer receives the rocket ignition command sent by the ground operator, it connects the UAV's built-in power supply and communication aviation plug to the power supply and communication aviation plug socket of the detonator, and sends the rocket ignition command to the main control CPU module inside the detonator; the main control CPU module converts the ignition command into an ignition control signal, turns on the circuit through the MOS tube or solid-state relay inside the detonator, and transmits it to the ignition output aviation plug connected to it through the ignition output aviation plug socket, providing a continuous and stable ignition drive current to the rocket; the ignition drive current is converted into heat energy, igniting the propellant for ignition boost, or controlling the operation of the parachute door opening, airbag door opening actuator or parachute ejection actuator.

[0058] like Figure 3 As shown, the rocket and drone's ignition drive circuits are connected via an ignition cable wrapped around the launcher's rotating arm. Two high-temperature silicone ignition drive cables (corresponding to the rocket's positive and negative ignition terminals) extend from the rocket's tail. These cables are wrapped in a Kevlar braid and have disconnect plugs welded to the ends. The ignition cables are spirally secured to the launcher's rotating arm, with a length sufficient to allow for maximum stretching before the drone leaves the launcher, preventing under-stretching or over-tightening. The disconnect plug connects magnetically to a disconnect socket mounted on the drone's belly. This magnetic connection prevents mechanical wear, and an automatic force-induced disconnect mechanism ensures easy disconnection.

[0059] The rocket and drone are connected via a conical surface. The main conical surface is composed of a convex cone (plug) and a concave cone (socket). The drone's belly is a convex cone, and the rocket's end is a concave cone. The convex cone (plug) and concave cone (socket) are precisely machined to achieve high-precision fit, ensuring axial and radial positioning. When installing the rocket, the convex cone at the rear of the drone is inserted into the concave cone at the head of the booster rocket, and the initial positioning is completed by the guiding effect of the conical surface. When the booster rocket ignites and burns, the thrust is transmitted to the drone through the conical connection. At this time, the conical surfaces are tightly fitted under the action of axial force. When the rocket fuel is exhausted, the thrust drops sharply to zero, the axial compression force between the cone surfaces disappears, and the separation mechanism is automatically unlocked under the coupling of aerodynamic resistance and gravity.

[0060] like Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, the working principle of the rocket-assisted UAV cluster autonomous launch control system is as follows:

[0061] Step 1: Fix N drones on N groups of launchers on the ground, turn on the onboard battery power switch, and power on all drones;

[0062] Turn on the onboard battery power switch of each of the N drones, and all the N drones fixed on the ground launcher start to power on;

[0063] Step 2: The ground control station sends a full-aircraft self-test command to each of the N flight control computers, completes the pre-flight ground self-test of each UAV, and transmits the self-test status to the ground control station;

[0064] After the ground control station sends the full-aircraft self-check command, the flight control computers of each of the N UAVs receive the self-check command and complete the pre-flight check of the entire aircraft equipment, including the aerodynamic control surfaces, engines, and integrated inertial navigation.

[0065] Step 3: The flight commander confirms whether there are any drones with abnormal self-test status. If so, he selects a replacement drone from the spare drones according to the pre-set mission number and performs a self-test. Otherwise, proceed to Step 4 and perform a rocket-assisted launch on the drone with normal self-test status.

[0066] Step 4: After receiving the takeoff command, the flight operator operates the onboard computer to send the takeoff command of the specified launch sequence and the specified launch interval information to all drones in normal self-test status, and launch them in sequence and interval;

[0067] For N drones with normal self-test status, their launch sequence and launch interval, as well as flight-related parameters such as flight mission route, flight altitude, flight speed, flight area, etc., have been bound to the onboard flight control computer in advance, or can be changed in real time during the flight.

[0068] The specific launch process is:

[0069] Step 401: N UAVs each start their engines and, after reaching takeoff speed, report their status to the ground control station via radio connection via the airborne ad hoc network data link.

[0070] Step 402: The flight operator automatically sends the takeoff command of UAV #1 in sequence according to the preset program by operating the network interface or serial communication interface of the onboard computer. After an interval of T1, the flight operator sends the takeoff command of UAV #2. After an interval of T2, the flight operator sends the takeoff command of UAV #3. After an interval of T3, the flight operator sends the takeoff command of UAV #4. N-1 After the time has passed, the N# UAV takeoff command is sent again until all takeoff commands are sent to the vehicle-mounted ad hoc network data link, eliminating the need for the flight operator to repeatedly send the UAV takeoff command;

[0071] The flight commander issues the takeoff command at the ground control station, and the flight operator sends the takeoff command through the ground station software interface on the onboard computer;

[0072] The take-off command includes the aircraft number of each drone;

[0073] Step 403: The vehicle-mounted ad hoc network data link sends the takeoff command to the airborne ad hoc network data link of each UAV via the antenna;

[0074] Time division multiplexing or frequency division multiplexing technology can be used between the vehicle-mounted ad hoc network data link and the airborne ad hoc network data links of N drones to achieve a one-station-multiple-machine communication mode.

[0075] Step 404: After receiving the takeoff command, the airborne ad hoc network data link transmits it to the flight control computer, which then sends it to the respective airborne rocket detonators via the serial port connection;

[0076] Step 405: After receiving the command, the initiator controls the internal MOS tube or relay to conduct, and provides continuous current to the booster rocket through the ignition output circuit (including the plug-in connection). When the ignition threshold is reached, the rocket ignites;

[0077] Step 406: Each UAV determines whether its own ignition has failed. If ignition has failed, it broadcasts an ignition failure signal to the ground control station and surrounding backup UAVs via the airborne ad hoc network data link, triggering the replacement process; otherwise, it proceeds to step 407;

[0078] The specific replacement process is:

[0079] If M drones out of N drones fail to ignite, the M failed drones broadcast an ignition failure signal to X backup drones and the ground control station via the airborne ad hoc network data link. After the X backup drones receive the ignition failure signal from the M failed drones, the first M drones, ranked by their preset mission sequence, automatically enter a launch-ready state and report this state to the ground control station. These backup drones will then replace the drones that failed to ignite to perform the swarm mission.

[0080] After the ground control station confirms the launch readiness of the first M of the X backup drones, if the status is acceptable, it issues a full-drone self-test command. Repeating step 2, it sends a full-drone self-test command to the flight control computers of each of the backup drones (the first M of the X), completing each drone's preflight ground self-test and transmitting the self-test status to the ground control station. The M drones with normal self-test status continue to perform the boost launch mission according to the new sequence, completing the cluster formation of the M failed drones, ensuring that N drones are still in good condition and can continue the cluster formation mission.

[0081] After repeating step 2, the ground control station performs step 3 for self-check confirmation. Once confirmed, the onboard computer recalculates the launch sequence and interval for the M backup drones that will replace the swarm formation mission, as well as flight-related parameters such as the mission route, altitude, speed, and flight area, according to pre-set logic. After confirmation by the ground operator, the flight operator, through the onboard computer, issues takeoff commands to all M backup drones that have self-checked normally, using the recalculated launch sequence and interval.

[0082] Step 407: After the rocket is successfully ignited, it drives the drone upward. The ignition cable wrapped around the launcher's rotating arm gradually tightens as the drone rises. The disconnect plug at the end of the cable segment near the belly of the drone is automatically disconnected from the disconnect socket fixed to the belly of the drone, thereby achieving automatic separation of the disconnect plug connector.

[0083] Step 408: After fuel combustion is complete, the rocket separates from the drone due to gravity, completing the rocket-assisted launch and allowing the drone to reach its minimum design airspeed. Continuing with the engine's continued thrust, the drone's speed continues to increase until it reaches its mission airspeed, entering its respective mission phase.

[0084] Airborne booster rocket detonators are commonly used in the launch and recovery process of rocket-assisted UAVs:

[0085] During the launch phase, the onboard booster rocket detonator provides a continuous and stable ignition current to the booster rocket through a safe and controllable ignition circuit, completing the ignition of the booster rocket; the booster rocket provides a continuous and stable boosting force through a continuous and stable chemical combustion process, completing the physical movement of the rocket-assisted drone from zero to establishing the initial speed; the initial speed provided after the booster rocket ignition is completed is generally above the stall speed of the drone, effectively ensuring the initial safe flight of the drone; after the booster rocket completes its work, the booster rocket automatically detaches from the drone, and the engine provides continuous and stable flight power through a continuous and stable chemical combustion process, completing the drone's subsequent mission flight.

[0086] During the recovery phase, after the rocket-assisted drone shuts down its engine, air resistance causes the drone's speed to continue decreasing to within a safe parachute opening speed range. At this point, the onboard booster rocket detonator triggers the parachute door actuator through a safe and controllable ignition circuit, opening the parachute door. Once the parachute door opens, the drone's speed further decreases, entering the stable parachute landing phase. Once in the stable parachute landing phase, the onboard booster rocket detonator provides a continuous and stable ignition current to the airbag door actuator through a safe and controllable ignition circuit, completing the opening of the airbag door. Once the airbag door opens, the landing cushion airbag begins to inflate, reducing the impact of the drone's landing overload and protecting the drone's structure and onboard avionics. The moment the drone lands, the flight control computer detects the impact of the landing overload and sends a parachute cut command to the onboard booster rocket detonator. The onboard booster rocket detonator, through a safe and controllable ignition circuit, provides a continuous and stable ignition current to the parachute actuator, severing the rope connection between the drone and the parachute, completing the recovery process.

[0087] The cluster autonomous launch control system described in the present invention does not require a ground power supply, ground detonator, or manual operation, and does away with the traditional wired connection method, avoiding the need for ground personnel to operate the detonator at close range, simplifying the launch process and improving safety. This method shortens the launch process, reduces system complexity, improves launch efficiency and safety, and maximizes the safety of ground personnel. With the help of the automatic detachment method of the plug-in connector, when the booster rocket begins to ignite and boost, the plug-in connector will automatically disconnect the connection between the plug and the socket. After the rocket fuel is exhausted, the rocket can be safely and quickly separated from the UAV body, without generating additional force or additional torque on the cluster UAV, and will not affect the attitude stability and control of the cluster UAV. Based on the existing time division multiplexing or frequency division multiplexing technology, a stable and reliable communication connection can be established between the vehicle-mounted ad hoc network data link and the airborne ad hoc network data link, and one-station multi-machine connection can be quickly realized. Ignition commands can be sent to N drones respectively in a preset order and interval, and accurately transmitted to each drone's own airborne ad hoc network data link through a wireless connection. Finally, the flight control computer of each drone executes and controls the ignition, which improves the efficiency, flexibility and reliability of rocket launch.

[0088] The power supply for the onboard detonators of N drones is derived from their own onboard batteries, which are typically installed on drones to power their avionics. The ignition process for each of the N drones' booster rockets is quick (milliseconds), requiring low drive current (amps), and resulting in low instantaneous power and energy requirements. Conventional onboard batteries can simultaneously meet the instantaneous power and energy requirements of booster rocket ignition, while still meeting the power needs of all avionics during flight. This approach reduces system equipment, complexity, and production costs.

[0089] In the cluster autonomous launch control system described in the present invention, the airborne booster rocket detonator serves as the terminal actuator, which is mainly responsible for receiving and executing control instructions from the flight control computer, supplying power to the ignition circuit, and triggering the rocket to work.

[0090] The pyrotechnics commonly used in rocket-propelled UAV launch and recovery operations typically include rocket boosters, airbag door actuators, parachute door actuators, and parachute squibs. The onboard booster rocket detonator is primarily used to control the ignition of the rocket boosters, the ignition of the airbag door actuators, the parachute door actuators, and the ignition and cutting of the parachute squibs.

[0091] The airborne booster rocket detonator uses a solid-state switch to achieve on-off control of the ignition current of various types of pyrotechnics. By adopting isolation methods, photoelectric, electromagnetic and other means are used to achieve isolation between strong current and weak current, and a microcontroller is used to achieve intelligent control of the ignition switch and ignition detection functions.

[0092] The airborne booster rocket detonator adopts a mature isolated drive power module as the basic functional unit, communicates with the flight control computer through the main control CPU module, receives instructions from the flight control computer, and realizes the ignition timing output function.

[0093] The airborne booster rocket detonator consists of a shell, a connector, an isolated power supply module, a main control CPU module, an isolated drive module, an isolated communication module, a current limiting protection module and an ignition detection module.

[0094] The housing supports the main circuit board and connector components of the airborne booster rocket initiator. The connectors, including power supply and communication connectors and ignition output connectors, provide internal and external electrical connections between the airborne booster rocket initiator, flight control computer, onboard battery, and pyrotechnics. The isolated power supply module converts the operating power supply into an internal power source and performs necessary EMI filtering and shielding. The main control CPU module generates control timing, controls the output of the isolated driver module, and ignites the pyrotechnics. The isolated driver module receives control signals from the main control CPU module and implements isolated drive control of the pyrotechnics through the connector. The isolated communication module communicates externally, receiving ignition control commands from the flight control computer and sending them to the main control CPU, while also transmitting necessary information back to the flight control computer at regular intervals. The current limiting protection module ensures that power remains operational even if the pyrotechnics short-circuit, ensuring proper ignition of other pyrotechnics. The ignition detection module monitors ignition results and transmits them back to the flight control computer at regular intervals.

[0095] The flight control computer sends the pyrotechnic ignition command to the isolated communication module on the airborne booster rocket detonator board through the power supply communication plug; the isolated communication module transmits the pyrotechnic ignition command to the main control CPU module through the serial port connection; after the main control CPU module receives the pyrotechnic ignition command, it outputs the ignition control signal and sends it to the isolated drive module through the signal connection; after receiving the ignition control signal, the isolated drive module controls the conduction of the ignition circuit, generates the ignition drive current, and drives the pyrotechnic to ignite through the ignition output plug; the current limiting protection module controls the size of the ignition drive current by setting current limiting protection resistors of different resistance values ​​to drive pyrotechnics with different current requirements; the ignition detection module is used to monitor the drive current size of the current limiting protection module and the temperature near the current limiting protection resistor in real time, and transmits the current data and temperature data back to the main control CPU module through the serial port connection.

Claims

1. A rocket-assisted UAV cluster autonomous launch control system, characterized in that: The system comprises a ground control station, a cluster of N UAVs, and a cluster of X backup UAVs; the vehicle-mounted ad hoc network data link of the ground control station is simultaneously connected to the airborne ad hoc network data links of the N UAVs and the X backup UAVs, and receives downlink telemetry data and sends uplink remote control commands through antennas to achieve uplink and downlink communications; Each drone is equipped with an onboard detonator and a booster rocket. The ground control station sends a takeoff command, triggering the onboard detonator to execute the rocket ignition operation, realizing the orderly autonomous launch control of multiple drones in a one-station cluster. The detonator is connected to the UAV via a power supply and communication aerial plug, and is also connected to the rocket via an ignition output aerial plug; The ignition drive circuits of the rocket and the drone are connected through an ignition cable wrapped around the launcher's rotating arm; two ignition drive cables are led out from the tail of the rocket, corresponding to the positive and negative poles of the rocket's ignition, with disconnect plugs welded at the ends; the ignition cable is fixed to the launcher's rotating arm by spiral winding; the disconnect plug is connected to the disconnect socket installed on the drone's belly by magnetic attraction.

2. The rocket-assisted UAV swarm autonomous launch control system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The drone's onboard battery is connected to the detonator's power supply and communication aviation plug via its own power supply and communication aviation plug, providing a stable and reliable power supply to all functional modules in the detonator that need power. After the flight control computer receives the rocket ignition command sent by the ground operator, it connects the UAV's built-in power supply and communication aviation plug to the power supply and communication aviation plug socket of the detonator, and sends the rocket ignition command to the main control CPU module inside the detonator; the main control CPU module converts the ignition command into an ignition control signal, turns on the circuit through the MOS tube or solid-state relay inside the detonator, and transmits it to the ignition output aviation plug connected to it through the ignition output aviation plug socket, providing a continuous and stable ignition drive current to the rocket; the ignition drive current is converted into heat energy, igniting the propellant for ignition boost, or controlling the operation of the parachute door opening, airbag door opening actuator or parachute ejection actuator.

3. The rocket-assisted UAV swarm autonomous launch control system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The rocket and the UAV are connected by a conical surface. The main conical surface is composed of a convex cone and a concave cone. The belly of the UAV is a convex cone device, and the end of the rocket is a concave cone device. The convex cone and the concave cone are precisely matched through precision machining. When installing the rocket, the convex cone at the tail of the drone is inserted into the concave cone at the head of the booster rocket, and the initial positioning is completed by the guidance of the cone surface; When the booster rocket ignites and burns, the thrust is transmitted to the drone through the conical connection. At this time, the conical surface is tightly fitted under the action of axial force; when the rocket fuel is exhausted, the thrust drops sharply to zero, the axial compression force between the conical surfaces disappears, and the separation mechanism is automatically unlocked under the coupling of aerodynamic resistance and gravity.

4. The rocket-assisted UAV swarm autonomous launch control system according to claim 1, characterized in that: Here’s how it works: Step 1: Fix N drones on N groups of launchers on the ground, turn on the onboard battery power switch, and power on all drones; Step 2: The ground control station sends a full-aircraft self-test command to each of the N flight control computers, completes the pre-flight ground self-test of each UAV, and transmits the self-test status to the ground control station; Step 3: The flight commander confirms whether there are any drones with abnormal self-test status. If so, he or she will select a replacement drone from the backup drones according to the pre-set mission sequence number and perform a self-test. Otherwise, the flight commander will proceed to Step 4 and perform a rocket-assisted launch on the drone with normal self-test status. Step 4: After receiving the takeoff command, the flight operator operates the onboard computer to send the takeoff command of the specified launch sequence and the specified launch interval information to all drones in normal self-test status, and launch them in sequence and interval; The specific launch process is: Step 401: N UAVs each start their engines and, after reaching takeoff speed, report their status to the ground control station via radio connection via the airborne ad hoc network data link. Step 402: The flight operator automatically sends the takeoff command of UAV #1 in sequence according to the preset program by operating the network interface or serial communication interface of the onboard computer. After an interval of T1, the flight operator sends the takeoff command of UAV #2. After an interval of T2, the flight operator sends the takeoff command of UAV #3. After an interval of T3, the flight operator sends the takeoff command of UAV #4. N-1 After the time has passed, the N# UAV takeoff command is sent again until all takeoff commands are sent to the vehicle-mounted ad hoc network data link; The take-off command includes the aircraft number of each drone; Step 403: The vehicle-mounted ad hoc network data link sends the takeoff command to the airborne ad hoc network data link of each UAV via the antenna; Step 404: After receiving the takeoff command, the airborne ad hoc network data link transmits it to the flight control computer, which then sends it to the respective airborne rocket detonators via the serial port connection; Step 405: After receiving the command, the initiator controls the internal MOS tube or relay to conduct, and provides continuous current to the booster rocket through the ignition output circuit. When the ignition threshold is reached, the rocket ignites; Step 406: Each UAV determines whether its own ignition has failed. If so, it broadcasts an ignition failure signal to the ground control station and surrounding backup UAVs via the airborne ad hoc network data link, triggering a replacement process. Otherwise, go to step 407; Step 407: After the rocket is successfully ignited, it drives the drone upward. The ignition cable wrapped around the launcher's rotating arm gradually tightens as the drone rises. The disconnect plug at the end of the cable segment near the belly of the drone is automatically disconnected from the disconnect socket fixed to the belly of the drone, thereby achieving automatic separation of the disconnect plug connector. Step 408: When the fuel combustion is completed, the rocket separates from the UAV fuselage due to gravity, the rocket-assisted launch is completed, and the UAV reaches the minimum design airspeed; under the continuous thrust of the engine, the speed of the UAV continues to increase, reaching the mission flight airspeed, and entering its respective mission phase.

5. The rocket-assisted UAV swarm autonomous launch control system according to claim 4, characterized in that: In step 4, for the N drones in normal self-test status, their launch sequence and launch interval, as well as flight mission route, flight altitude, flight speed and flight area flight-related parameters have been bound to the onboard flight control computer in advance.

6. A rocket-assisted UAV swarm autonomous launch control system as claimed in claim 4 or 5, characterized in that: In step 403, the vehicle-mounted ad hoc network data link and the airborne ad hoc network data links of the N UAVs use time division multiplexing or frequency division multiplexing technology to realize a one-station-multiple-machine communication mode.

7. A rocket-assisted UAV swarm autonomous launch control system as claimed in claim 4 or 5, characterized in that: The specific replacement process of step 406 is as follows: The backup UAV system automatically selects an equal number of backup UAVs from X according to the preset mission sequence based on the number of ignition failures, denoted as M, and enters the launch ready state, and reports the launch ready state to the ground control station; The ground control station sends a full-aircraft self-test command to the flight control computers of the M backup drones to complete their pre-flight ground self-tests. The backup drones that are in normal self-test status will continue to be launched with rocket boosters to replace and complete the M drones in the original N drone formation that failed to launch. The onboard computer will recalculate the launch order and launch interval of all backup drones according to the preset logic, as well as the flight mission route, flight altitude, flight speed, flight area and other flight-related parameters; After confirmation by the ground operator, the flight operator sends takeoff instructions to all M standby drones in normal self-test status through the on-board computer according to the recalculated launch sequence and interval.

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