A power management and information monitoring system for unmanned aerial vehicles

Abstract

The application relates to a kind of unmanned aerial vehicle power management and information monitoring systems, comprising: power management and information monitoring equipment, power management and information monitoring equipment is connected between unmanned aerial vehicle power, unmanned aerial vehicle flight control and unmanned aerial vehicle load set;Wherein, power management and information monitoring equipment internally integrated: unified power management module, for receiving the electric energy of unmanned aerial vehicle power, and provides one or more transformed stable power supply for unmanned aerial vehicle load set;Information and control hub module, for as unmanned aerial vehicle flight control and unmanned aerial vehicle load set and sensor between information and control relay.The application aims to help solve the problem that the flight control interface is complex, the operation burden is too heavy due to the data and control interaction of numerous on-board devices directly with flight controller in the existing unmanned aerial vehicle system, and the system integration is low, the reliability is insufficient due to the dispersed management of power.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of communication and control technology for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and in particular to a power management and information monitoring system for UAVs. Background Technology

[0002] In recent years, drone technology has developed rapidly, and its applications have expanded from consumer-grade aerial photography to industrial inspection, agricultural plant protection, logistics transportation, and even military applications. To meet increasingly complex mission requirements, drones are continuously evolving towards larger payloads, longer endurance, and more multi-functional payloads. This development trend places higher demands on the reliability and efficiency of drone onboard system architecture, particularly power supply systems, communication links, and control logic.

[0003] In traditional UAV system architectures, especially for large and medium-sized UAVs with complex functions, there are numerous types of onboard equipment, including engines, generators, various mission payloads (such as high-definition cameras and LiDAR), navigation modules (GPS, IMU), data links, and a large number of servo motors. Typically, these devices need to independently communicate and exchange commands with the UAV's core controller—the flight controller (FController). This direct, point-to-point star topology has revealed a series of technical bottlenecks in practice. First, the FController is overburdened. The FController not only runs the core flight attitude control and navigation algorithms but also requires a significant amount of hardware and software resources to manage connections with numerous peripherals. This necessitates reserving a large number of physical interfaces for different electrical standards (such as UART, CAN, I2C, PWM) and communication protocols, resulting in complex and costly hardware design. Simultaneously, processing heterogeneous data streams from numerous devices places a huge computational burden on the FController's CPU, affecting its real-time performance and stability in executing core flight tasks. Second, power management solutions are fragmented and lack scalability. Small drones typically use a single battery pack, which is insufficient for long-endurance, high-power missions. Large drones, on the other hand, have varying requirements for the stability of power supply voltage and current for their components (e.g., servos require 8V, communication equipment may need 12V, and mission payloads may require 24V or higher). To meet these diverse needs, existing solutions often employ multiple independent DC-DC power conversion modules distributed throughout the fuselage. This approach not only results in complex power wiring, increasing cabling difficulty and system weight, but also easily leads to electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) issues, such as crosstalk between power lines affecting the accuracy of sensitive sensors like GPS. Furthermore, distributed power modules make unified monitoring and management difficult, hindering accurate real-time statistics and intelligent allocation of overall power consumption.

[0004] Third, the system suffers from low integration and insufficient reliability and security. The dispersed connections of various devices result in complex wiring and numerous connectors, increasing the difficulty of assembly and troubleshooting, and creating weak points in system reliability. Loose connectors or worn wiring are common sources of failure. Furthermore, without effective isolation measures, electrical connections between different devices can easily create ground loops due to potential differences, introducing noise interference and degrading signal quality. More seriously, when a load device experiences a short circuit or other electrical fault, this fault may be transmitted through shared power or signal lines to the flight control system or other critical equipment, triggering a chain reaction and posing a serious threat to the safety of the entire UAV.

[0005] Therefore, existing technologies generally suffer from problems such as heavy flight control burden, chaotic power management, and low system integration and reliability when dealing with the complexity of large, multi-functional unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) systems. Summary of the Invention

[0006] To help solve the technical problems existing in the prior art, the present invention provides a UAV power management and information monitoring system, which aims to help solve the problems in existing UAV systems, such as complex flight control interfaces and excessive computing burden caused by numerous airborne devices directly interacting with the flight controller for data and control, as well as low system integration and insufficient reliability caused by distributed power management.

[0007] This invention discloses a power management and information monitoring system for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), comprising:

[0008] A power management and information monitoring device, wherein the power management and information monitoring device is connected between the UAV power supply, the UAV flight control system and the UAV payload assembly;

[0009] The power management and information monitoring equipment integrates the following:

[0010] A unified power management module is used to receive electrical energy from the UAV power supply and provide one or more transformed stable power supplies to the UAV payload set;

[0011] An information and control hub module is used as an information and control relay between the UAV flight controller and the UAV payload set and sensors;

[0012] The information and control hub module is configured as follows:

[0013] Collect device status information related to the UAV payload set and sensors, integrate and package the device status information, and send it to the UAV flight controller; and...

[0014] The system receives control commands from the UAV flight controller and generates corresponding control signals based on the control commands to control the actuators in the UAV payload set.

[0015] Specifically, the core of the technical solution of this invention lies in the establishment of a power management and information monitoring device. This device serves as the central hub between the UAV power supply, UAV flight control, and UAV payload assembly in terms of physical connection and functional division. Internally, this power management and information monitoring device integrates two core functional modules: a unified power management module and an information and control hub module. In specific operation, the unified power management module first connects to the UAV power supply, receiving electrical energy from primary energy sources such as the power generation system or batteries. Subsequently, this module performs necessary voltage transformation, filtering, and voltage regulation on the received electrical energy, generating one or more stable DC currents of different voltage levels, which are then distributed to various electrical devices in the UAV payload assembly, such as mission payloads, servos, and image transmission devices, to meet their respective power supply needs. Meanwhile, the information and control hub module acts as an information and control relay between the UAV flight control and the underlying devices. On one hand, it actively collects the operating status information of each device in the UAV payload assembly and monitoring data from various sensors distributed throughout the UAV, such as voltage, current, and temperature, through its integrated multiple interfaces. This module integrates and packages raw data from various sources and in different formats, forming standardized data frames before sending them to the UAV flight controller via a centralized communication link. On the other hand, the module receives high-level control commands from the UAV flight controller, such as controlling the gimbal's rotation or switching a device on and off. The module's internal processor parses these commands and converts them into low-level control signals that the specific actuators can recognize, such as PWM signals or high / low level signals. These signals are then output through the corresponding control interfaces to drive the actuators in the UAV's payload to complete the specified actions. Through this structure, power distribution and management, as well as information uploading and command issuance, are all centrally managed, forming an orderly and efficient closed-loop operation.

[0016] According to a UAV power management and information monitoring system of the present invention, the unified power management module includes multiple isolated power modules. Each isolated power module is configured as a DC-DC converter with input-side and output-side electrical isolation functions, used to convert the voltage from the UAV power supply into output voltages of different voltage levels to power various UAV loads in the UAV load set. Specifically, in this technical solution, the unified power management module internally includes multiple isolated power modules connected in parallel. These isolated power modules are all DC-DC converters with input-side and output-side electrical isolation functions in their circuit structure, for example, by using built-in transformers or optocouplers to achieve physical isolation between the input and output ground wires. Each isolated power module is responsible for converting the unified input voltage from the UAV power supply into an output voltage of a specific voltage level, such as 28V, 24V, 12V, or 8V. These different voltage levels of output respectively supply specific load devices in the UAV load set with different operating voltage requirements. By employing multiple electrically isolated power modules, when a serious electrical fault such as a short circuit occurs in the load of one power supply branch, the electrical isolation prevents the fault from being conducted to other power supply branches through the power ground wire. This confines the fault to a localized area, avoiding a cascading effect on the entire system and thus improving the safety and reliability of the overall power supply system. Simultaneously, this multi-output design effectively suppresses electromagnetic noise generated by different load devices during operation, preventing crosstalk through the power lines and ensuring the purity of each power supply.

[0017] According to a UAV power management and information monitoring system of the present invention, each isolated power module has a pre-stage filter circuit connected to its input terminal and a post-stage filter circuit connected to its output terminal. Specifically, in this technical solution, to further improve power quality, each isolated power module also has a pre-stage filter circuit connected to its input terminal and a post-stage filter circuit connected to its output terminal. The pre-stage filter circuit typically consists of components such as inductors and capacitors, used to filter out noise and spike pulses from the UAV's power supply, providing a more stable input voltage for the isolated power module. After the isolated power module completes voltage transformation, its output voltage may still contain a certain amount of high-frequency switching ripple; the post-stage filter circuit is responsible for further filtering and smoothing these ripples. This dual input and output filtering design ensures that the DC power finally supplied to each UAV load has a low ripple coefficient and good stability, which is particularly important for precision equipment sensitive to power quality, such as GPS and high-precision sensors, ensuring their normal and accurate operation.

[0018] According to a UAV power management and information monitoring system of the present invention, the UAV power supply includes an induction power supply and a backup battery; the unified power management module further includes a backup battery interface circuit, wherein the backup battery interface circuit is provided with an ideal diode controller and a MOSFET controlled by the ideal diode controller, the ideal diode controller and the MOSFET being connected in series in the power supply path of the backup battery; wherein, the ideal diode controller is configured to: control the MOSFET to turn off when it detects that the voltage of the induction power supply is higher than the voltage of the backup battery, and otherwise control the MOSFET to turn on. Specifically, in this technical solution, the UAV power supply specifically includes an induction power supply as a conventional power source and a backup battery as an emergency backup. The unified power management module is correspondingly provided with a backup battery interface circuit, the core structure of which is a series combination of an ideal diode controller and a MOSFET controlled by it, which is connected in series in the power supply path of the backup battery. The ideal diode controller monitors and compares the voltage of the induction power supply and the backup battery in real time. Under normal operating conditions where the induction power supply is working normally and its voltage is higher than the backup battery voltage, the controller outputs a signal to keep the MOSFET in the off state, thereby cutting off the discharge circuit of the backup battery. This design not only avoids unnecessary power loss of the backup battery in non-emergency situations, but also effectively prevents the heuristic power supply from improperly reverse-charging or float-charging the backup battery, thus protecting the backup battery's health and lifespan. If the heuristic power supply fails due to a malfunction or its voltage drops below the backup battery voltage, the controller immediately detects the voltage difference and quickly drives the MOSFET to conduct, allowing the backup battery's power to seamlessly connect to the power supply bus. This voltage comparison-based automatic switching mechanism ensures that core equipment receives uninterrupted power supply in critical moments of heuristic power supply failure, effectively improving the UAV's survivability in complex environments and the reliability of mission execution.

[0019] According to a UAV power management and information monitoring system of the present invention, the power management and information monitoring device further includes a power supply control module. The power supply control module is connected between a microcontroller within the information and control hub module and the input terminal of one of the isolated power supply modules, and is used to control the on / off state of the input of the isolated power supply module according to the control signal issued by the microcontroller. Specifically, in this technical solution, to achieve intelligent management of specific critical loads, a power supply control module is added to the power management and information monitoring device. This power supply control module is located in the circuit connection between the microcontroller within the information and control hub module and the input terminal of a specific isolated power supply module that supplies power to the load device. The microcontroller, as the core controller of the device, can precisely control the on / off state of the input power of the isolated power supply module that supplies power to the load device through the power supply control module according to a preset power management mechanism, UAV flight control commands, or real-time monitored system status. This design brings significant technical advantages:

[0020] One advantage is mission-oriented energy management: enabling the system to independently control the power supply to core payload devices. For example, payloads that are not currently in use can be shut down during specific phases of a mission (such as takeoff or cruise), and powered only when performing specific tasks (such as reconnaissance or mapping). This greatly optimizes the overall energy consumption distribution and effectively extends the UAV's endurance.

[0021] Advantage two: Fault isolation of critical loads: providing effective fault protection capabilities. When the microcontroller detects a serious electrical fault such as a short circuit or overcurrent in a load device branch through current monitoring or other means, it can immediately and actively cut off the power supply through the power supply control module, thereby isolating the fault in that branch and preventing the failure of a single load from affecting the stability of the entire main power supply bus, thus ensuring the flight safety of the UAV's core system.

[0022] Therefore, by adding this power supply control link for a specific load, the present invention provides a more reliable hardware foundation for achieving higher-level refined power consumption management and targeted fault isolation functions.

[0023] According to a UAV power management and information monitoring system of the present invention, the information and control hub module includes an information acquisition interface; the information acquisition interface includes multiple signal input terminals, a decoder, and a microcontroller; the I / O port of the microcontroller is connected to the selection control terminal of the decoder via an optocoupler isolator; a front-end signal processing circuit, a linear signal isolator, and a back-end processing circuit are connected in series between the output terminal of the decoder and the A / D acquisition interface of the microcontroller. Specifically, in this technical solution, the information and control hub module includes an information acquisition interface, and the information acquisition interface includes multiple signal input terminals for connecting external sensors, a decoder as a signal selection channel, and a microcontroller as the core processing unit. The connection method is as follows: the I / O port of the microcontroller is connected to the selection control terminal of the decoder via an optocoupler isolator, while the only output terminal of the decoder is connected to a single A / D acquisition interface of the microcontroller via a common signal path. A front-end signal processing circuit, a linear signal isolator, and a back-end processing circuit are also connected in series on this common signal path. During operation, the microcontroller outputs a digital selection signal through its I / O port. This signal, after optocoupler isolation, controls the decoder to select one of multiple input signals. The selected analog signal then passes sequentially through pre- and post-processing circuits and a linear signal isolator before finally entering the A / D interface for sampling. This multiplexing design allows for time-division multiplexing of sensor signals using only a single A / D sampling channel, significantly saving microcontroller hardware resources and reducing costs. Simultaneously, this structure provides dual electrical isolation: the optocoupler isolator isolates the microcontroller's digital control ground from the external decoder and sensor grounds, while the linear signal isolator isolates the analog signal path itself from the microcontroller's analog ground. This comprehensive isolation effectively prevents external electrical noise or high-voltage surges from damaging the microcontroller through the acquisition channel, ensuring the safety of the core controller.

[0024] According to a UAV power management and information monitoring system of the present invention, the plurality of signal input terminals are configured to: receive voltage, current, or resistance signals from various sensors on the UAV; the front-end signal processing circuit is configured to amplify and filter the signal selected by the decoder; achieve isolated transmission of signal amplitude through the linear signal isolator; and process the isolated transmitted signal through the rear-end processing circuit to match the input requirements of the microcontroller's A / D acquisition interface. Specifically, in this technical solution, the plurality of signal input terminals are configured to be compatible with receiving different signal types output from various sensors on the UAV, such as voltage signals, current signals, or resistance signals. When the decoder selects a certain signal, the front-end signal processing circuit first performs necessary conditioning, such as signal amplification to match the dynamic range of subsequent circuits, or filtering to remove noise from the original signal. Subsequently, the linear signal isolator, while achieving electrical isolation between the front and rear stages, ensures that the amplitude information of the analog signal is transmitted linearly and without distortion. Finally, the isolated signal enters the subsequent processing circuit, which performs final adjustments to the signal, such as level clamping or impedance matching, to ensure it fully meets the input voltage range and electrical characteristics requirements of the microcontroller's A / D acquisition interface. This complete and well-defined signal processing flow helps ensure high accuracy and reliability in every data acquisition path from the sensor to the microcontroller, providing an accurate data foundation for flight control decisions.

[0025] According to a UAV power management and information monitoring system of the present invention, the information and control hub module includes a communication interface; an electrical isolation device and a bus transceiver are sequentially arranged on the communication circuit of the communication interface; the communication controller pin of the microcontroller in the information and control hub module is connected to the input side of the electrical isolation device, the output side of the electrical isolation device is connected to the bus transceiver, and the bus transceiver is then connected to an external communication bus. Specifically, in this technical solution, the electrical isolation device and the bus transceiver are sequentially arranged in series on the communication circuit of the communication interface. The connection relationship is as follows: the communication controller pin (such as a UART or CAN pin) of the microcontroller in the information and control hub module is connected to the input side of the electrical isolation device, the output side of the isolation device is then connected to the bus transceiver (such as a MAX232, MAX485, or other chips), and finally the bus transceiver is connected to the external communication bus. This structure physically isolates the microcontroller's main control ground from the communication bus ground through the electrical isolation device. This design effectively avoids ground loop interference caused by inconsistent ground potentials between different devices, significantly enhancing the electromagnetic interference immunity of the communication link. The bus transceiver is responsible for converting the logic levels output by the microcontroller into differential or single-ended level signals conforming to the corresponding bus standards (such as RS232, RS422, CAN), and providing sufficient drive capability. This solution ensures the stability and integrity of data transmission in the complex electromagnetic environment of UAVs.

[0026] According to a UAV power management and information monitoring system of the present invention, the information and control hub module includes a control interface; an electrical isolation device is provided on the control signal output circuit of the control interface; the electrical isolation device is disposed between the control signal output pin of the microcontroller in the information and control hub module and the drive circuit for driving the actuator; the microcontroller is capable of outputting control signals including PWM control signals, analog signals output by D / A converters, and high / low level switch control signals for I / O ports. Specifically, in this technical solution, an electrical isolation device is provided on the control signal output circuit of the control interface, and this electrical isolation device is disposed between the control signal output pin of the microcontroller in the information and control hub module and the drive circuit for driving the actuator. Furthermore, the interface is designed to output various types of control signals, including PWM control signals for servo motor or motor speed control, analog signals output by D / A converters for high-precision analog quantity control, and high / low level switch control signals for I / O ports for simple switch control. When the microcontroller issues a control signal, the signal is first transmitted through an electrical isolation device (such as an optocoupler), and the isolated signal then drives the external actuator. This design completely isolates the core control circuit of the microcontroller from the high-power actuator drive circuit, effectively preventing damage to the microcontroller from strong reverse current or high-voltage pulses through the control lines in the event of short circuits, overcurrents, or other faults in the actuator. Simultaneously, support for multiple control signal types gives the interface excellent versatility and expandability, enabling it to adapt to various actuators on UAVs and meet diverse control requirements.

[0027] According to a UAV power management and information monitoring system of the present invention, the microcontroller in the information and control hub module is further configured to: execute a dynamic power consumption allocation mechanism, selectively control the power supply to specific loads in the UAV load set based on mission phase information received from the UAV flight control and the estimation result of the state of charge of the UAV power supply; and execute a load health status monitoring mechanism, establish a current characteristic baseline under normal operating conditions for at least one load in the UAV load set, monitor the actual operating current of the load in real time during operation, compare the actual operating current with the current characteristic baseline to determine whether the load has a hard fault or a soft fault with performance degradation, and generate fault alarm information or perform fault isolation operation based on the determination result.

[0028] This solution, by deploying a dynamic power allocation mechanism and a load health status monitoring mechanism within the microcontroller of the information and control hub module, can achieve refined energy management, significantly extending the effective operational endurance of the UAV. It moves from passive power supply to active energy scheduling, whereas traditional power management units passively power all connected loads. The dynamic power allocation mechanism in this solution enables the power management and information monitoring equipment to proactively and intelligently control the independent power supply to non-core loads (especially high-power mission loads) based on the actual mission stage of the UAV (such as cruise or operation) and the real-time available power status. This fundamentally avoids energy waste during unnecessary periods, prioritizing limited power for core flight and critical missions, thereby directly extending the overall flight time of the UAV or supporting longer periods of high-power operation with the same flight time. Furthermore, it improves the accuracy of flight control decisions. Through precise estimation of the battery's state of charge (SoC), this system can not only perform internal energy scheduling but also report more reliable available power data and remaining flight time estimates to the UAV flight controller. This provides high-quality data support for flight control to perform advanced mission planning and autonomous return-to-home decisions, improving the intelligence and safety of UAV flight. In addition, it enhances system reliability and safety, enables predictive maintenance, and provides proactive fault isolation capabilities to prevent cascading failures. In traditional architectures, a severe electrical fault, such as a short circuit in a single load, can instantly collapse the entire power supply bus, causing critical equipment like the flight control system to lose power and resulting in catastrophic consequences. The load health status monitoring mechanism in this solution, through real-time current comparison, can identify hard faults within microseconds and immediately execute fault isolation operations (such as cutting off the power supply to that load). This proactive isolation mechanism effectively confines the fault to a single branch, ensuring the normal operation of the main power supply bus and other critical equipment, significantly improving UAV flight safety at the system level. Furthermore, it achieves a shift from post-fault repair to predictive maintenance. For performance degradation (soft faults) caused by component aging and mechanical wear, characterized by persistent, minute anomalies in power consumption, traditional methods struggle to detect them. This solution, through continuous comparison with a current characteristic baseline, can identify these signs of performance degradation in advance. Instead of immediately halting equipment operation, it generates and reports early warnings or maintenance recommendations. This allows maintenance personnel to intervene proactively, performing repairs or replacements before equipment fails completely, thus achieving predictive maintenance. This not only avoids the risks associated with sudden equipment failure during operations but also significantly reduces unplanned downtime and total lifecycle maintenance costs.

[0029] The technical advantages of the UAV power management and information monitoring system of this invention include: First, by introducing a power management and information monitoring device as an intermediate management layer between the flight controller and the underlying load, the complex tasks of power distribution, multi-source heterogeneous information acquisition, and underlying drive signal generation are separated from the flight controller. The flight controller no longer needs to design a large number of interfaces of different physical types and protocols to directly connect to each peripheral device, but only needs to conduct high-level information interaction with the central device through a few standardized communication interfaces. This architectural change directly simplifies the hardware design of the flight controller and reduces its software complexity, freeing its computing resources from cumbersome I / O management and data parsing tasks, thus allowing it to focus more on core algorithms such as flight attitude calculation, navigation planning, and advanced mission decision-making. This has a positive effect on improving the flight stability and autonomy of the UAV. Second, this solution integrates the originally dispersed functions of power conversion modules, sensor hubs, interface converters, etc., into a single device, changing the complex star-shaped connection topology between various devices and the flight controller in traditional UAV systems. This centralized design greatly simplifies the overall wiring, reducing the number and weight of wire harnesses and potential failure points introduced by excessive connectors. It also improves the system's integration and modularity, while facilitating subsequent maintenance, upgrades, and functional expansion. Finally, this architecture establishes a functional barrier between the flight controller and numerous loads. Electrical faults or data anomalies on the load side can be initially processed or isolated by the central equipment, reducing the risk of faults directly impacting the core flight control system. This, in turn, enhances the overall operational reliability and safety of the aircraft at the system level. Attached Figure Description

[0030] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in this invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of this invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained from these drawings without creative effort.

[0031] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the UAV power management and information monitoring system of the present invention;

[0032] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the functional modules of the UAV power management and information monitoring device of the present invention;

[0033] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the backup battery interface design of the present invention;

[0034] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the power supply design for this invention;

[0035] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the information acquisition interface design of the present invention;

[0036] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the communication interface design of the present invention;

[0037] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the control interface design of the present invention.

[0038] Figure label:

[0039] 100. Drone power supply; 101. Generator; 102. Starter power supply; 103. 7S battery;

[0040] 200. Power management and information monitoring equipment; 201. Ideal diode controller; 202. Fuse; 203. Isolated 28V power supply module; 204. Power supply control module; 205. Isolated 24V power supply module; 206. Isolated 12V power supply module; 207. Isolated 8V power supply module; 208. Microcontroller; 209. Sensor.

[0041] 300. Drone flight control;

[0042] 400. Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Load Set; 401. Load Equipment; 402. 28V Load; 403. 28V Load; 404. 24V Load; 405. 24V Load; 406. 24V Load; 407. 12V Load; 408. 12V Load; 409. 12V Load; 410. 8V Load.

[0043] 501. Information acquisition interface; 502. Communication interface; 503. Control interface. Detailed Implementation

[0044] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this invention clearer and more complete, the invention will be further described in detail below with reference to specific embodiments. It should be noted that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative of the invention and not intended to limit its scope of protection. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of this invention without inventive effort are within the scope of protection of this invention.

[0045] like Figure 1As shown in the figure, this embodiment provides a UAV power management and information monitoring system. The figure is a schematic diagram of the overall architecture of the UAV power management and information monitoring system provided in one embodiment of the present invention. This system aims to solve the technical problems in existing UAV systems, such as complex interfaces, excessive computational burden, low system integration, and insufficient reliability caused by the flight controller needing to directly interact with numerous airborne devices for power supply, communication, and control. As shown in the figure, this system includes a core power management and information monitoring device 200, which serves as a central hub in the UAV system in terms of both physical connection and function. Specifically, the power management and information monitoring device 200 is connected between the UAV power supply 100, the UAV flight controller 300, and the UAV payload assembly 400. In the system architecture proposed in this invention, the power management and information monitoring device 200, as the energy and information hub, is responsible for receiving power from the UAV power supply 100 and uniformly managing and distributing the electrical energy to provide stable and reliable power to various devices in the UAV payload assembly 400. Meanwhile, the device 200, acting as an intermediate management layer between the UAV flight controller 300 and the underlying devices, is responsible for centrally collecting status information of the device itself and the UAV payload. This information is then integrated, packaged, and sent to the UAV flight controller 300 via a standardized communication interface. Conversely, it also receives high-level control commands from the UAV flight controller 300 and parses them to generate specific control signals to drive the corresponding actuators in the UAV payload 400. This centralized management architecture removes the complex management tasks of the underlying devices from the UAV flight controller 300, effectively simplifying its hardware and software design burden and allowing it to focus more on core flight control algorithms, thereby improving the overall performance and intelligence level of the UAV.

[0046] To achieve the above functions, the power management and information monitoring device 200 integrates a unified power management module and an information and control hub module. The following will describe this in conjunction with... Figures 2 to 7 The specific structure and working principle of these two core modules are explained in detail.

[0047] like Figure 2 As shown, the unified power management module of device 200 is responsible for providing stable, reliable and diverse power supply to the UAV payload assembly 400.

[0048] To ensure the flight safety of the drone in extreme situations such as heuristic power failure, this module is designed with power redundancy. In this embodiment, the drone power supply 100 includes a heuristic power supply 102 powered by a generator 101 as the main power source, and a 7S battery 103 as a backup power source. Please refer to [link / reference]. Figure 3 This diagram shows the design schematic of the backup battery interface circuit, which corresponds to... Figure 2The ideal diode controller 201 and its peripheral circuitry are used in the device 200. The main power supply (such as the helium power supply 102) and the backup battery 103 serve as the power input for the device. The core of the backup battery interface circuit is an ideal diode controller 201 (e.g., an LTC4359 chip) and a MOSFET controlled by it. The ideal diode controller 201 can monitor and compare the voltages of the helium power supply 102 and the backup battery 103 in real time. When the helium power supply 102 is operating normally and its voltage is higher than that of the backup battery 103, the ideal diode controller 201 will control the MOSFET to remain off, effectively preventing unnecessary discharge of the backup battery 103 and reverse charging of it by the helium power supply. Once the helium power supply 102 fails or its voltage drops below that of the backup battery 103, the ideal diode controller 201 will momentarily control the MOSFET to turn on, allowing the power from the backup battery 103 to seamlessly connect to the main power supply bus, ensuring the continuous operation of the core equipment.

[0049] After power redundancy processing, the total current on the main power supply bus is monitored in real time by a sensor 209. This monitoring signal is sent to the microcontroller 208 for bus current acquisition. Subsequently, after overcurrent protection by a fuse 202, the power of the main power supply bus is distributed to multiple subsequent parallel power supply branches to output various voltage levels. The specific connection relationships are as follows:

[0050] 1. Controllable isolated 28V power supply branch: The main power supply bus is connected to the input terminal of a power supply control module 204, whose on / off state is controlled by a microcontroller 208. Its output terminal is connected to the input terminal of an isolated 28V power supply module 203, whose output (labeled as 28V1) is dedicated to powering the load device 401.

[0051] 2. Non-isolated 28V power supply branch: A branch (marked as 28V2) is directly branched off from the main power supply bus to directly supply power to two 28V loads (402, 403).

[0052] 3. Multiple isolated power supply branches: The main power supply bus is directly connected to the input terminals of the isolated 24V power supply module 205, the isolated 12V power supply module 206, and the isolated 8V power supply module 207, respectively. These modules transform the bus voltage to supply power to the corresponding 24V load (404, 405, 406), 12V load (407, 408, 409), and 8V load 410.

[0053] Preferably, to improve the power supply quality of each output, such as combining Figure 4As shown, each isolated power supply module (203, 205, 206, 207) can be connected to a pre-stage filter circuit at its input and a post-stage filter circuit at its output to filter out noise and suppress ripple, providing high-quality DC power for various precision load devices.

[0054] The information and control hub module of the power management and information monitoring device 200 is based on a microcontroller (MCU) 208, responsible for the collection and distribution of all information and control flows. To achieve highly intelligent management and reliability assurance, the MCU 208's internally embedded functional programs, in addition to performing basic information acquisition and command forwarding, are further configured to perform refined energy management and load status monitoring. This module includes a series of functional interfaces, and its specific design and collaborative operation are as follows.

[0055] Please see Figure 5 and combined Figure 2 As shown in the figure, this diagram illustrates a specific design principle of the information acquisition interface 501. This interface is used to implement... Figure 2 The sensor 209 shown provides functions such as bus current acquisition and voltage acquisition for various channels. To save hardware costs and ensure electrical safety, the information acquisition interface 501 adopts a multiplexing and isolation design. Multiple sensor signals (input 1, input 2, ...) are input to a decoder (i.e., an analog multiplexer). The microcontroller 208 (CPU) outputs a selection signal through an optocoupler isolator, controlling the decoder to select only one signal at any given time. The selected signal then passes through signal isolators and other processing circuits before finally being sent to the same A / D acquisition interface of the microcontroller 208 for digitization. This design achieves time-division sampling of multiple signals while ensuring electrical isolation and safety between the main control circuit and the front-end analog signals.

[0056] Please see Figure 6 and combined Figure 2 As shown in the figure, this diagram illustrates the design principle of communication interface 502. This interface is used to realize data exchange between microcontroller 208 and UAV flight controller 300. To ensure communication reliability, the communication circuit adopts an electrical isolation design. The communication pins of microcontroller 208 (CPU's 232 / 422 / CAN interface) are first connected to the input side of an electrical isolation chip, and the output side of this chip is then connected to the corresponding bus master chip (i.e., transceiver), and finally connected to the external communication bus. This architecture physically isolates the master control ground from the ground of the external communication bus, effectively avoiding ground loop interference and significantly enhancing the anti-interference capability of the communication link.

[0057] Please see Figure 7 and combined Figure 2As shown in the figure, this diagram illustrates the design principle of the control interface 503. This interface is used by the microcontroller 208 to output control signals to the actuators such as the load device 401. To protect the main control circuit, the control signal output circuit also employs electrical isolation. The control signal output pins of the microcontroller 208 (CPU's PWM / DA / IO control interfaces, etc.) are first connected to an electrical isolation circuit (such as an optocoupler), and its output is then connected to the subsequent control signal processing circuit (i.e., the drive circuit), ultimately driving the actuator. The microcontroller 208 can generate PWM control signals, analog signals from the D / A output, and high / low level switching control signals for the IO port, etc. These signals safely drive the load through isolation devices, ensuring that even if a serious electrical fault occurs at the actuator end, the core main control circuit will not be damaged.

[0058] To further enhance the central management role of this system, the microcontroller 208 also performs the following energy optimization and load monitoring functions based on the information collected through the aforementioned interfaces:

[0059] 1. Implementing task-state-based energy scheduling logic: The microcontroller 208 continuously acquires the total current flowing through the main power supply bus of the sensor 209 via the information acquisition interface 501. And the voltage of the drone power supply 100 To accurately determine the current available power state of the drone power supply 100, the microcontroller 208 calculates the battery's state of charge by integrating the collected current over time. The specific calculation method is as follows:

[0060]

[0061] in, The initial state of charge, The rated capacity of the power supply is represented by the integral term in the discrete system of the microcontroller, which is calculated by frequently sampling and accumulating the current value. To achieve this, the 208 microcontroller also utilizes real-time voltage to correct for potential cumulative errors caused by long-term integration. Compare with the pre-stored battery open circuit voltage - Characteristic curves, for drones with light payloads The calculation results are calibrated.

[0062] To provide a basis for judgment in the energy dispatching logic, the microcontroller 208 calculates an estimated remaining operation time based on the current state of charge and recent average power consumption. :

[0063]

[0064] in, To set a safe power threshold, To pass through the recent total current The average operating current is calculated using a moving average method to smooth out the impact of instantaneous current fluctuations on the results.

[0065] Available power status calculated based on the above formula and estimated remaining job time This logic, combined with the current mission stage identifier (e.g., takeoff, cruise, operation, return) received from the UAV flight controller 300 via communication interface 502, is not a simple judgment but is implemented based on a "task-load priority" mapping table and an energy status decision matrix stored in the microcontroller's internal non-volatile memory. The specific workflow of this scheduling logic is as follows: First, the microcontroller 208 continuously acquires the energy status (…). Real-time value), time margin ( The system receives real-time values ​​of the load and the mission status (e.g., "cruise") from the flight controller. Next, it queries the "mission-load priority" mapping table based on the current mission status to determine the necessity level (e.g., "high" or "low") of each load at the current stage. Finally, it inputs the retrieved load priorities and the current energy status into the energy status decision matrix for matching to determine the final power-on or power-off operation to be performed. For example, this decision matrix stipulates: if a load priority is "high," then power is maintained regardless of the energy status; if the priority is "low" and... If the value is below the preset energy-saving threshold, a shutdown operation will be performed.

[0066] To more clearly illustrate the execution process of this energy scheduling logic, a specific working scenario example is provided below. Assume the drone's power supply 100 has a rated capacity of 10Ah, and the preset energy-saving threshold is SoC=40%. When the drone takes off fully charged and enters the "cruise" mission phase, initially... The power consumption is 95%, which is higher than the energy-saving threshold. At this time, the microcontroller queries the mapping table and learns that the priority of the payload device 401 (assuming it is a camera) during the "cruise" phase is "low". Based on the decision matrix (priority "low" but SoC higher than the threshold), the microcontroller decides to maintain power supply to the camera. After a period of flight, when the microcontroller calculates the current integration... When the energy efficiency drops to 39%, falling below the 40% energy-saving threshold for the first time, it executes the decision-making process again. Since the task remains "cruising," the camera priority remains "low," but at this point, the decision matrix meets the requirement of... When the condition of "below the energy-saving threshold" is met, the microcontroller immediately sends a shutdown command to the power supply control module 204 through the control interface 503, causing the camera to lose power and the drone to enter energy-saving cruise mode. Subsequently, when the drone reaches its destination and the flight control system issues a new task phase identifier "Operation", the microcontroller finds that the camera's priority has changed to "High" in the "Operation" phase, and according to the rules for "High" priority loads in the decision matrix, immediately issues a power-on command to restore power to the camera to execute the task. Through this set of interlocking scheduling processes based on clear rules, this system transforms the abstract "energy management" into concrete and executable machine operations, realizing refined and automated control of the overall energy allocation, thereby maximizing the effective operating time of the drone while ensuring the core mission.

[0067] 2. Implementation of a real-time monitoring and fault response mechanism for load operating status: To enhance the system's ability to perceive load health, preferably, current sensors are added to the output terminals of each isolated power supply module (203, 205, 206, 207), and their monitoring data is collected to the microcontroller 208 via the information acquisition interface 501. During system initialization, the microcontroller 208 records the current range of each load in normal operating mode and stores this range as a reference baseline in its internal memory. During UAV flight, the microcontroller 208 collects the actual operating current of each load in real time and compares it with the corresponding reference baseline.

[0068] If the actual current of a certain load is detected to instantaneously exceed its reference baseline upper limit, the microcontroller 208 determines that the load has a hard fault of short circuit or severe overcurrent. For controllable power supply branches (such as the branch where the load device 401 is located), the microcontroller 208 will immediately perform a fault isolation operation, that is, cut off its power supply through the power supply control module 204, and at the same time report alarm information containing the fault location and type to the UAV flight controller 300.

[0069] If the actual current of a certain load is detected to deviate slightly and continuously from its reference baseline (e.g., power consumption is consistently abnormally high), the microcontroller 208 determines that there are signs of a soft fault, such as performance degradation or malfunction. In this case, it does not immediately cut off the power supply, but instead generates a maintenance suggestion message and sends it to the UAV flight controller 300 via the communication interface 502. This mechanism allows ground personnel to receive a warning before the fault worsens, facilitating targeted maintenance after the mission and thus improving the overall reliability of the system.

[0070] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, and not to limit them; although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some of the technical features; and these modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention.

Claims

1. A power management and information monitoring system for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), characterized in that, include: A power management and information monitoring device (200) is connected between the UAV power supply (100), the UAV flight controller (300), and the UAV payload assembly (400); The power management and information monitoring device (200) integrates the following: A unified power management module is used to receive electrical energy from the UAV power supply (100) and provide one or more transformed stable power supplies to the UAV load set (400); The information and control hub module is used as an information and control relay between the UAV flight controller (300) and the UAV payload set (400) and sensors; The information and control hub module is configured as follows: Collect device status information related to the UAV payload set (400) and sensors, and integrate and package the device status information before sending it to the UAV flight controller (300); and, Receive control commands from the UAV flight controller (300), and generate corresponding control signals based on the control commands to control the actuators in the UAV payload set (400); The microcontroller (208) within the information and control hub module is also configured as follows: The dynamic power allocation mechanism is implemented, and its specific configuration is as follows: By integrating the total current of the main power supply bus over time and calibrating it in conjunction with the real-time voltage against the pre-stored battery open-circuit voltage-SoC characteristic curve, the state of charge calculation results obtained by time integration are calibrated when the UAV load is light, so as to estimate the state of charge of the UAV power supply (100). An estimated remaining operating time is calculated by multiplying the difference between the current estimated state of charge and a set safe power threshold by the rated capacity of the power supply, and then dividing by the average operating current calculated by a moving average of the recent total current. Based on the current mission phase information received from the UAV flight controller (300), the task-load priority mapping table stored in the non-volatile memory inside the microcontroller (208) is queried to determine the necessity level of a specific load. Based on the estimated state of charge of the UAV power supply (100), the estimated remaining operating time, and the determined necessity level, and according to an energy state decision matrix, selective power-on / off control is performed on specific loads in the UAV load set (400). The energy state decision matrix specifies that if a load has a high priority, it will continue to supply power regardless of its energy state; if the load has a low priority and its state of charge is below a preset energy-saving threshold, it will perform a shutdown operation. as well as, Implement a load health status monitoring mechanism, the specific configuration of which is as follows: During the system initialization phase, the current range of each load in the UAV load set (400) under normal operating mode is recorded to establish a current characteristic baseline under normal operating conditions. During operation, the actual operating current of the load is monitored in real time and compared with the current characteristic baseline to determine whether the load has a hard fault or a soft fault that causes performance degradation. Based on the determination result, differentiated response operations are performed: If the fault is determined to be a hard fault where the actual current instantaneously exceeds the upper limit of its reference baseline, the microcontroller (208) will cut off the power supply of the controllable power supply branch through the power supply control module (204) to immediately perform fault isolation operation, and generate and report fault alarm information containing the fault location and type of the load to the UAV flight controller (300). If the fault is determined to be a soft fault with a continuous and slight deviation of the actual current from its reference baseline, the power supply is not immediately cut off. Instead, a maintenance suggestion message is generated and sent to the UAV flight controller (300) through the communication interface (502) so that ground personnel can be alerted before the fault worsens, which facilitates targeted maintenance after the mission.

2. The UAV power management and information monitoring system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The unified power management module includes multiple isolated power modules. Each isolated power module is configured as a DC-DC converter with input-side and output-side electrical isolation functions, used to convert the voltage from the UAV power supply (100) into output voltages of different voltage levels, so as to supply power to each UAV load in the UAV load set (400).

3. The UAV power management and information monitoring system according to claim 2, characterized in that, Each of the isolated power supply modules has a pre-stage filter circuit connected to its input terminal and a post-stage filter circuit connected to its output terminal.

4. The UAV power management and information monitoring system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The drone power supply (100) includes an induction power supply (102) and a backup battery (103). The unified power management module also includes a backup battery interface circuit, which is equipped with an ideal diode controller (201) and a MOSFET controlled by the ideal diode controller (201). The ideal diode controller (201) and the MOSFET are connected in series in the power supply path of the backup battery (103). The ideal diode controller (201) is configured to turn off the MOSFET when the voltage of the heuristic power supply (102) is detected to be higher than the voltage of the backup battery (103), and turn on the MOSFET when the voltage is lower than the voltage of the backup battery (103).

5. The UAV power management and information monitoring system according to claim 2, characterized in that, The power management and information monitoring equipment (200) also includes a power supply control module (204). The power supply control module (204) is connected between the microcontroller (208) in the information and control hub module and the input terminal of one of the isolated power supply modules, and is used to control the on / off of the input of the isolated power supply module according to the control signal issued by the microcontroller (208).

6. The UAV power management and information monitoring system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The information and control hub module includes an information acquisition interface (501); the information acquisition interface (501) includes multiple signal input terminals, a decoder, and a microcontroller (208). The I / O port of the microcontroller (208) is connected to the selection control terminal of the decoder via an optocoupler isolator; Between the output of the decoder and the A / D acquisition interface of the microcontroller (208), a pre-stage signal processing circuit, a linear signal isolator, and a post-stage processing circuit are connected in series.

7. The UAV power management and information monitoring system according to claim 6, characterized in that, The plurality of signal input terminals are configured to receive voltage, current or resistance signals from various sensors on the UAV; The front-end signal processing circuit is configured to amplify and filter the signal selected by the decoder. The linear signal isolator enables isolated transmission of signal amplitude. The isolated transmission signal is processed by the post-processing circuit to match the input requirements of the A / D acquisition interface of the microcontroller (208).

8. The UAV power management and information monitoring system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The information and control hub module includes a communication interface (502). The communication circuit of the communication interface (502) is provided with an electrical isolation device and a bus transceiver in sequence; The communication controller pin of the microcontroller (208) in the information and control hub module is connected to the input side of the electrical isolation device, the output side of the electrical isolation device is connected to the bus transceiver, and the bus transceiver is then connected to an external communication bus.

9. The UAV power management and information monitoring system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The information and control hub module includes a control interface (503). The control signal output circuit of the control interface (503) is equipped with an electrical isolation device; The electrical isolation device is disposed between the control signal output pin of the microcontroller (208) in the information and control hub module and the drive circuit for driving the actuator; wherein the microcontroller (208) is capable of outputting control signals including PWM control signals, analog signals from D / A output, and high and low level switching control signals of IO ports.

Images