Split type unmanned aerial vehicle and control method thereof

Abstract

The invention discloses a split type unmanned aerial vehicle and a control method thereof, and relates to the technical field of unmanned aerial vehicles. The split type unmanned aerial vehicle comprises a plurality of sub unmanned aerial vehicles, a plurality of quick release structures, a plurality of waterproof structures and a fishing mechanism; the plurality of sub unmanned aerial vehicles are annularly distributed and are sequentially connected end to end; the plurality of quick release structures are respectively arranged between the adjacent sub unmanned aerial vehicles and are used for detachably connecting the plurality of sub unmanned aerial vehicles; the plurality of waterproof structures are respectively arranged on the plurality of sub unmanned aerial vehicles and are used for realizing waterproofness of the plurality of sub unmanned aerial vehicles; the fishing mechanism is connected with the multiple sub unmanned aerial vehicles and used for being matched with the multiple sub unmanned aerial vehicles to achieve fishing. Based on the technical scheme disclosed by the invention, not only is the fishing effect of the unmanned aerial vehicle fishing operation improved, but also the participation degree of operators can be further reduced, full intellectualization and automation are realized, and the labor intensity of the operators is reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) technology, and more specifically to a split-type UAV and its control method. Background Technology

[0002] Fishing is a productive activity that uses fishing gear to catch economically valuable aquatic animals, and it is the most important component of the aquaculture industry. Broadly speaking, there are three methods of fishing: net fishing, hook fishing, and hand fishing. Traditional fishing work relies solely on manual labor and cannot meet the growing demand for automation.

[0003] Chinese patent publication number CN109258589A discloses a method and device for fishing using a drone, including a drone and a camera fixed on it, a remotely operated controller, a fishing generator set at the bottom of the drone, one end of the fishing generator being connected to a fishing rod via a fishing line, and a fishing mechanism connected to the other end of the fishing generator, and the fishing generator controlling the fishing line to fall freely.

[0004] It is evident that there are already technical solutions using drones to assist in fishing, but these solutions have the following drawbacks: First, the drones in these technologies cannot enter the water, resulting in limited depth for the fishing equipment and an inability to accurately determine the location of fish schools, leading to poor fishing results; second, the involvement of fishing personnel is still too high, failing to achieve full intelligence and automation, resulting in high labor intensity for the fishing personnel. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to overcome the above-mentioned technical deficiencies and propose a split-type unmanned aerial vehicle and its control method to solve the technical problems of poor fishing effect, low level of intelligence and automation, and high labor intensity of fishing personnel in the prior art.

[0006] To achieve the above-mentioned technical objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution: In a first aspect, the present invention provides a split-type unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), comprising: Multiple sub-drones are arranged in a ring and connected end to end in sequence; Multiple quick-release structures are respectively disposed between adjacent sub-drones for detachable connection of the multiple sub-drones; Multiple waterproof structures are respectively installed on the multiple sub-drones to achieve waterproofing for the multiple sub-drones; and The fishing mechanism is connected to the multiple sub-drones and is used to cooperate with the multiple sub-drones to achieve fishing.

[0007] In some embodiments, the quick-release structure includes: A front-end connection mechanism is disposed at the front end of the sub-UAV; and A tail-end connection mechanism is disposed at the tail end of the sub-drone and is used to connect to the front-end connection mechanism on an adjacent sub-drone.

[0008] In some embodiments, the front-end connection mechanism includes a first platform component for connecting to the corresponding sub-drone and a front-end connector fixedly connected to the first platform component; the tail-end connection mechanism includes a second platform component for connecting to the corresponding sub-drone, and the second platform component is provided with a tail-end connector for detachably connecting to the front-end connector.

[0009] In some embodiments, the first platform component and the second platform component are respectively provided with a first magnetic element and a second magnetic element, and the first magnetic element and the second magnetic element can be magnetically attracted and connected.

[0010] In some embodiments, the first magnetic component and the second magnetic component are both electromagnets, and the electromagnets include at least two working modes: a strong adsorption mode and a weak adsorption mode. The adsorption force of the electromagnet in the strong adsorption mode is greater than that in the weak adsorption mode.

[0011] In some embodiments, the tail connector is provided with an SMA shape memory lock, which can lock the front connector when powered on.

[0012] In some embodiments, a first elastic element is connected to the first platform component or the second platform component, and the end of the first elastic element away from the corresponding platform component is connected to the corresponding sub-drone.

[0013] In some embodiments, the fishing apparatus includes: Multiple fixed connectors are respectively fixedly mounted on the multiple sub-drones for mounting the fishing mechanism; and Fishing nets are connected to the multiple fixed connectors and are used to cooperate with the multiple sub-drones for fishing operations.

[0014] In some embodiments, the waterproof structure includes: A nano-waterproof coating is applied to a designated surface of the corresponding sub-UAV; A waterproof pressure relief membrane, uniformly attached to the side of the nano-waterproof coating facing away from the designated surface; and A corrugated pipe is fixedly sleeved at the rotor joint corresponding to the sub-UAV, and the inside of the corrugated pipe is filled with silicone oil to waterproof the rotor joint.

[0015] Secondly, the present invention also provides a control method for a split-type unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), applied to the aforementioned split-type UAV, comprising: Send a dismantling command to control each sub-drone to detach and dismantle in sequence; Send water entry command to control each sub-drone to disperse and complete water entry; Send out water command to control each sub-drone to lift and leave the water surface; Send a regrouping command to control each sub-UAV to fly to the designated coordinates and connect them in sequence to achieve regrouping.

[0016] Compared with existing technologies, this invention provides a modular unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and its control method. Multiple sub-UAVs are detachably connected via quick-release structures, collectively forming a modular UAV. This modular UAV can function as a single UAV or be disassembled into multiple sub-UAVs. Furthermore, by installing waterproof structures on each sub-UAV, each sub-UAV is capable of entering water. Combined with a fishing mechanism connected to the sub-UAVs, the sub-UAVs can enter the water and cooperate to achieve automated fishing operations. This approach not only improves the fishing efficiency of UAV fishing operations but also further reduces the involvement of personnel, achieving full intelligence and automation, and reducing the labor intensity of workers. Attached Figure Description

[0017] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of a split-type UAV in one embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the sub-UAV in one embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the quick-release structure in one embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a first structural schematic diagram of a waterproof structure in one embodiment of the present invention; Figure 5 This is a second structural schematic diagram of the waterproof structure in one embodiment of the present invention; Figure 6 This is a flowchart illustrating a control method for a split-type unmanned aerial vehicle in one embodiment of the present invention; Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the process of reassembling a split-type drone in one embodiment of the present invention.

[0018] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached drawings: 1. Sub-UAV; 11. Rotor; 2. Quick-release structure; 21. Front-end connection mechanism; 211. Front-end connecting rod; 212. Front-end platform; 213. First elastic element; 214. Tapered pin; 215. First magnetic element; 22. Tail-end connection mechanism; 221. Tail-end connecting rod; 222. Tail-end platform; 223. Connecting sleeve; 224. Guide groove; 225. Second magnetic element; 226. SMA shape memory lock; 227. Second elastic element; 3. Fixing hook; 4. Waterproof structure; 41. Nano-waterproof coating; 42. Waterproof pressure relief membrane; 43. Corrugated pipe; 44. Silicone oil. Detailed Implementation

[0019] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this invention clearer, the invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative and not intended to limit the invention.

[0020] To address the aforementioned technical problems, this invention provides a split-type unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and its control method, which not only helps improve the fishing effect of UAV fishing operations but also further reduces the involvement of operators, achieving full intelligence and automation and reducing the labor intensity of personnel.

[0021] Please see Figure 1-2 The present invention provides a split-type drone that can be used for fishing operations. It may include multiple sub-drones 1 and multiple quick-release structures 2. The multiple sub-drones 1 can be detachably connected through the quick-release structures 2. The multiple sub-drones 1 are also connected to a fishing mechanism.

[0022] Thus, multiple sub-drones 1 are detachably connected through multiple quick-release structures 2, enabling the split-type drone to fly as a whole, and to be disassembled into multiple sub-drones 1 when necessary through multiple quick-release structures 2; the multiple sub-drones 1, together with the fishing mechanism, can carry out automatic fishing operations in designated waters.

[0023] It should be noted that the aforementioned multiple sub-drones 1 can be combined to form the split-type drone through multiple quick-release structures 2. At this time, the number of sub-drones 1 included in the split-type drone can be flexibly set as needed. However, considering that it is difficult to operate when there are too many sub-drones 1, which will lead to an overly complex flight control system, the split-type drone can preferably be composed of 4 sub-drones 1, and all 4 sub-drones 1 are preferably single-rotor drones 11. Thus, when the 4 sub-drones 1 are connected to each other, the split-type drone can form a quadcopter drone 11.

[0024] Therefore, in this embodiment, the split-type drone includes four sub-drones 1, with a quick-release structure 2 between any two adjacent sub-drones 1. Thus, when the four sub-drones 1 are arranged in a ring, each sub-drone 1 can be connected end-to-end through the quick-release structure 2 to form the split-type drone.

[0025] Please see Figure 1 In this embodiment, taking any two adjacent sub-drones 1 as an example, the quick-release structure 2 mentioned above may include a front-end connection mechanism 21 and a rear-end connection mechanism. The front-end connection mechanism 21 is connected to the front end of one of the sub-drones 1, and the rear-end connection mechanism is connected to the tail end of the adjacent sub-drone 1. The front-end connection mechanism 21 can be detachably connected to the tail-end connection mechanism 22.

[0026] Combination Figure 3 The front-end connection mechanism 21 includes a first platform component and a front-end connector. The first platform component is connected to the front end of the corresponding sub-UAV 1. The front-end connector can be fixedly mounted on the first platform component for connecting to the tail-end connection mechanism 22 that cooperates with it.

[0027] The first platform component includes a front-end connecting rod 211, which can be hinged to the front end of the corresponding sub-drone 1, and the end of the front-end connecting rod 211 away from the corresponding sub-drone 1 is fixedly connected to the front-end platform 212.

[0028] Since the connection between the front connecting rod 211 and the corresponding sub-drone 1 is hinged, in order to ensure that the front connecting mechanism 21 can remain stable when docking with the tail connecting mechanism 22, two first elastic elements 213 can be connected to the front connecting rod 211. The first elastic element 213 can be a spring, and the two ends of the spring can be fixedly connected to the front end of the front connecting rod 211 and the front end of the corresponding sub-drone 1 respectively. The two springs can be symmetrically arranged on opposite sides of the front connecting mechanism 21.

[0029] Thus, with the help of the elastic restoring force of the two first elastic elements 213, the front end connecting mechanism 21 can not only remain stable at the front end of the corresponding sub-UAV 1, but also be able to be adjusted within a certain range when connecting to the tail end connecting mechanism 22.

[0030] Based on this, the aforementioned front-end connector can be a tapered pin 214, which can be coaxially arranged with the front-end connecting rod 211 and vertically fixed on the front-end platform 212. The tapered pin 214 can be made of titanium alloy, and its surface can be covered with a tetrafluoroethylene coating to ensure the structural strength of the tapered pin 214 and reduce the risk of breakage.

[0031] Please refer to Figure 3. In this embodiment, the tail connection mechanism 22 may include a second platform component and a tail connector. The second platform component is connected to the tail end of the corresponding sub-UAV 1, and the tail connector may be fixedly mounted on the second platform component for connecting the aforementioned front connector.

[0032] The second platform component includes a tail end connecting rod 221, which can be fixedly connected to the tail end of the corresponding sub-UAV 1, and the end of the tail end connecting rod 221 away from the corresponding sub-UAV 1 is fixedly connected to a tail end platform 222.

[0033] Based on this, the aforementioned tail-end connector can be a connecting sleeve 223. The connecting sleeve 223 can be coaxially arranged with the tail-end connecting rod 221 and can be vertically fixed on the tail-end platform 222. The connecting sleeve 223 can be made of chromium-molybdenum steel. The connecting sleeve 223 can be inserted into the aforementioned tapered pin 214, and its end can be provided with a funnel-shaped guide groove 224 along its axial direction. The guide groove 224 can facilitate positioning and guidance.

[0034] It is understandable that the tapered pin 214 and the connecting sleeve 223 can be inserted to achieve the positioning connection of two adjacent sub-UAVs 1. However, in order to form a stable structure, a locking structure should also be provided on the aforementioned front-end connecting mechanism 21 and / or tail-end connecting mechanism 22.

[0035] Specifically, the locking structure may include a first magnetic element 215 disposed on the front platform 212 and a second magnetic element 225 disposed on the rear platform 222. Both the first magnetic element 215 and the second magnetic element 225 may be electromagnets. Thus, when the tapered pin 214 is inserted into the connecting sleeve 223, the flight control systems on the two sub-UAVs 1 can control the first magnetic element 215 and the second magnetic element 225 to be energized respectively, thereby enabling them to achieve magnetic adsorption connection and improving the stability of the connection between the two adjacent sub-UAVs 1.

[0036] In one embodiment, the first magnetic element 215 and the second magnetic element 225 are both electromagnets, and the current magnitude of the two electromagnets when energized can be controlled by the flight control system on the corresponding sub-UAV 1 (which can be achieved by adjusting the resistance value of the circuit), so that the magnetic attraction component formed by the first magnetic element 215 and the second magnetic element 225 can include at least one strong attraction mode and one weak attraction mode, and the attraction force of the electromagnet in the strong attraction mode is greater than its attraction force in the weak attraction mode.

[0037] Thus, when the front connecting mechanism 21 and the rear connecting mechanism 22 begin to align, i.e., when the tapered pin 214 begins to align with the connecting sleeve 223, the electromagnet can be controlled to be in a weak adsorption mode. In the weak adsorption mode, after the electromagnet is energized, it can generate a guiding magnetic field of a specified intensity, so that the first magnetic component 215 and the second magnetic component 225 can achieve autonomous adsorption and correction within a certain distance range. This allows the tapered pin 214 to be instantly inserted into the connecting sleeve 223 under the guidance of the guide groove 224, realizing the insertion and positioning of the tapered pin 214 and the connecting sleeve 223.

[0038] Once the tapered pin 214 is aligned with the connecting sleeve 223, the electromagnet can be switched to a strong adsorption mode. In this mode, the first magnetic component 215 and the second magnetic component 225 are magnetically connected, generating a specified adsorption force between them to improve the connection stability between the front-end connecting mechanism 21 and the rear-end connecting mechanism 22.

[0039] Understandably, in the weak adsorption mode, the magnetic induction intensity of the magnetic field generated by the electromagnet can be controlled by controlling the current on the electromagnet. At this time, the specific magnetic induction intensity of the magnetic field can be flexibly set as needed. For example, in one embodiment, the magnetic induction intensity of the magnetic field in the weak adsorption mode can be controlled at 0.5T (Tesla), without any specific limitation.

[0040] At this point, the range of distances within which the first magnetic element 215 and the second magnetic element 225 can achieve autonomous adsorption correction can be determined based on the strength of the magnetic field and the dimensions of the front-end connecting mechanism 21 and the tail-end connecting mechanism 22. For example, in one embodiment, when the magnetic induction intensity of the magnetic field is 0.5T, the distance between the first magnetic element 215 and the second magnetic element 225 that can achieve adsorption correction can be ±5mm.

[0041] In strong adsorption mode, the magnitude of the magnetic attraction force between the first magnetic component 215 and the second magnetic component 225 can be changed by controlling the magnitude of the current flowing through the electromagnet. The specific value of the attraction force between the first magnetic component 215 and the second magnetic component 225 can be flexibly controlled as needed. For example, in one embodiment, the first magnetic component 215 and the second magnetic component 225 can generate an initial attraction force of 200N in strong adsorption mode, which can be used to initially lock the front-end connecting mechanism 21 and the tail-end connecting mechanism 22.

[0042] Please see Figure 3The aforementioned locking structure may also include an SMA shape memory lock 226 disposed on the inner wall of the connecting sleeve 223. The SMA shape memory lock 226 may be made of Ni-Ti alloy wire and may be arranged in multiples at intervals along the circumference of the connecting sleeve 223. During operation, the power-on state of each SMA shape memory lock 226 may be controlled by the flight control system on the corresponding sub-UAV 1 in conjunction with the corresponding circuit.

[0043] It should be noted that the SMA shape memory lock 226 is an intelligent locking device based on shape memory alloy design. Its core principle is to utilize the property of SMA (Shape Memory Alloy, such as nickel-titanium alloy) material to "remember" and restore the original shape when the temperature changes, so as to switch between locking and unlocking.

[0044] In one embodiment, the aforementioned SMA shape memory lock 226 can be made of 0.8mm Ni-Ti alloy wire. In practical applications, when the tapered pin 214 is inserted into the connecting sleeve 223, the flight control system on the corresponding UAV 1 can control the SMA shape memory lock 226 to be energized, causing the Ni-Ti alloy wire to heat up; when the temperature of the SMA shape memory lock 226 reaches 70°C, the SMA shape memory lock 226 can thermally shrink and tighten around the tapered pin 214, thereby providing the tapered pin 214 with at least 150N of locking force.

[0045] At this time, a pressure sensor (not shown in the figure) can also be installed on the conical pin 214. The pressure sensor can be electrically connected to the flight control system on the corresponding sub-UAV 1. In this way, the flight control system can monitor the pressure on the conical pin 214 in real time through the pressure sensor. When the pressure exceeds 180N, the system can determine that the front connecting mechanism 21 and the tail connecting mechanism 22 have been successfully locked.

[0046] It should be noted that since the front-end connecting mechanism 21 and the rear-end connecting mechanism 22 adopt a connection method in which the tapered pin 214 and the connecting sleeve 223 are inserted together, positioning of the tapered pin 214 and the connecting sleeve 223 is required to achieve the insertion and engagement of the tapered pin 214 and the connecting sleeve 223. However, in practical applications, considering costs, only the two sub-UAVs 1 are usually positioned appropriately, making it difficult to accurately position the insertion and engagement between the tapered pin 214 and the connecting sleeve 223.

[0047] In this embodiment, the front-end connecting mechanism 21 is hinged to the front end of the corresponding sub-UAV 1 via the front-end connecting rod 211, and the stability of the front-end connecting mechanism 21 is controlled by two first elastic elements 213. When the front-end connecting mechanism 21 and the tail-end connecting mechanism 22 begin to dock, as long as the tapered pin 214 is initially aligned with the guide groove 224, the tapered pin 214 and the connecting sleeve 223 will complete docking in a very short time under the action of the first magnetic element 215 and the second magnetic element 225.

[0048] During the docking process, the front-end connecting mechanism 21 is stabilized by two first elastic elements 213, enabling it to be adaptive within a certain angle range. Therefore, a certain positioning error is permissible during docking. This means that within the allowable positioning error range, even if the tapered pin 214 has a certain angular deviation relative to the connecting sleeve 223, the front-end connecting mechanism 21 can adaptively adjust the angle of the tapered pin 214 after it contacts the connecting sleeve 223, aligning it with the guide groove 224 to ensure successful docking.

[0049] Furthermore, since the tapered pin 214 and the connecting sleeve 223 are fully connected by the magnetic attraction of the first magnetic element 215 and the second magnetic element 225, the docking of the tapered pin 214 and the connecting sleeve 223 can be completed quickly in a very short time due to the magnetic attraction of the first magnetic element 215 and the second magnetic element 225. This also leads to a collision effect when two adjacent sub-UAVs 1 dock.

[0050] To reduce the impact of this collision effect on the overall stability of the split-type drone, in one embodiment, a second elastic element 227, which can be a spring, can be provided at the bottom of the inner side of the connecting sleeve 223. Thus, when the tapered pin 214 is inserted into the connecting sleeve 223, the second elastic element 227 can buffer the tapered pin 214 and absorb the collision energy, thereby ensuring the stability of the split-type drone.

[0051] As can be seen from the above configuration, the split-type drone can be a quadcopter 11 drone, which is composed of 4 single-rotor 11 drones (i.e., sub-drones 1). Any two adjacent sub-drones 1 are connected by the quick-release structure 2 mentioned above. Thus, the split-type drone can not only fly as a whole quadcopter 11 drone, but also be disassembled into 4 single-rotor 11 drones after each quick-release structure 2 is unlocked. The 4 single-rotor 11 drones can cooperate with each other to work.

[0052] Please see Figure 1-2The fishing mechanism described above may include multiple fixed connectors and a fishing net (not shown in the figure). The fishing net can be connected to multiple sub-drones 1 through multiple fixed connectors and cooperate with the multiple sub-drones 1 to complete the fishing operation.

[0053] In this embodiment, based on the fact that there are 4 sub-drones 1, the above-mentioned fixed connectors can also be set to 4, and the 4 fixed connectors are respectively set on each sub-drone 1, which can be used to connect fishing nets.

[0054] Specifically, the fixing connector can be a fixing hook 3, which can be fixedly installed at the bottom of the corresponding sub-drone 1 and can be connected to a corner of the fishing net by hooking.

[0055] Thus, when the split-type drone is broken down into four sub-drones 1, the four sub-drones 1 fly in the designated directions and disperse, each able to pull a corner of the fishing net.

[0056] It should be noted that in this embodiment, the fishing net can be attached to each fixed hook 3 by means of hooking. Considering the problem of wind resistance, the fishing net can be in a rolled-up state in the initial state; when the four sub-drones 1 begin to disperse, the fasteners on the fishing net can be automatically released by the pull of the four sub-drones 1, thereby releasing the entire fishing net so that the entire fishing net can be spread out along the water surface, making it convenient to complete the fishing operation.

[0057] Please see Figure 4-5 In this embodiment, in order to further improve the fishing effect, each of the above-mentioned sub-drones 1 can be configured as a water-enterable structure, that is, each sub-drone 1 can be equipped with a waterproof structure 4.

[0058] With the help of the waterproof structure 4 set on each sub-drone 1, each sub-drone 1 is able to enter the water; therefore, after the four sub-drones 1 disperse and spread the fishing net, each sub-drone 1 can be controlled to enter the water and dive, so that it can travel a specified distance within a certain depth range underwater.

[0059] Specifically, taking any one of the sub-drones 1 as an example, the aforementioned waterproof structure 4 may include a nano-waterproof coating 41 and a waterproof pressure relief membrane 42. The nano-waterproof coating 41 can be uniformly coated on a designated surface of the corresponding sub-drone 1, while the waterproof pressure relief membrane 42 can be attached to the side of the nano-waterproof coating 41 facing away from the designated surface. In this way, the nano-waterproof coating 41, together with the waterproof pressure relief membrane 42, can fully guarantee the waterproof capability of the corresponding sub-drone 1 at the designated surface.

[0060] It is understood that the aforementioned designated surface can include any surface on the corresponding sub-drone 1 that requires waterproofing; for example, regarding the issue of electrolytic corrosion of motor bearings or circuit boards on drones, the so-called "designated surface" can include the outer surface of the electronic compartment on the corresponding sub-drone 1. Furthermore, the so-called "designated surface" can be extended to any waterproofing part on the corresponding sub-drone 1, which will not be elaborated further here.

[0061] Since the sub-drone 1 actually uses a single-rotor 11 drone, the joints of the rotor 11 on the sub-drone 1 also need to be waterproofed. Therefore, the aforementioned waterproof structure 4 can also include a bellows 43, which can be fixedly fitted onto the joint of the rotor 11 of the corresponding sub-drone 1, and the interior of the bellows 43 can be filled with silicone oil 44. In this way, the bellows 43, together with the silicone oil 44 inside, can ensure the mobility of the joint of the rotor 11 on the corresponding sub-drone 1 while also providing a waterproof effect.

[0062] In addition, any metal surface of any metal structure on the sub-UAV1 can be waterproofed with a waterproof coating. For example, a micro-arc oxidation ceramic layer can be set on the metal surface for protection, without any specific limitations.

[0063] It should be noted that for any one of the sub-drones 1, the moment of entry into the water may involve a significant impact, especially on the rotor 11 and motor shaft of the sub-drone 1. Therefore, taking any one of the sub-drones 1 as an example, its rotor 11 can be reinforced.

[0064] For example, in one embodiment, the rotor 11 of the sub-UAV 1 may be made of carbon fiber composite blades and titanium alloy hub.

[0065] Meanwhile, a water ingress sensor can be installed on the fuselage of the sub-UAV 1, and a miniature pneumatic valve can be installed at the heat dissipation holes on the fuselage. Both the water ingress sensor and the miniature pneumatic valve are electrically connected to the flight control system on the corresponding sub-UAV 1. Through the flight control system on the corresponding sub-UAV 1, the water ingress sensor can trigger the aforementioned miniature pneumatic valve the moment the corresponding sub-UAV 1 enters the water, thereby instantly sealing the heat dissipation holes on the fuselage and preventing water from entering the fuselage.

[0066] In other embodiments, since the rotor speed of the sub-UAV 11 may drop sharply when it enters the water, the motor on the sub-UAV 1 can be a dual-mode motor, which can include an air mode and an underwater mode. In air mode, the dual-mode motor can operate at high speed and low torque to ensure the flight performance of the sub-UAV 1; while in underwater mode, the dual-mode motor can switch to magnetic coupling transmission, thereby significantly increasing its torque and ensuring sufficient underwater power for the sub-UAV 1. The specific structure of the dual-mode motor is prior art in the field (e.g., it has applications in the automotive industry) and is not the focus of this invention, so it will not be described in detail here.

[0067] It should be noted that, as mentioned above, the sub-UAV 1 is a single-rotor UAV 11. The single-rotor UAV 11 includes structures such as rotor 11, motor, electronic compartment, and heat dissipation holes, all of which are existing technologies in this field.

[0068] Meanwhile, due to the aforementioned structural design, all four sub-UAVs 1 possess the capability to enter the water. After entering the water, each sub-UAV 1 can be equipped with components such as a thruster, a fully movable vertical tail, and a horizontally fixed fin to enable underwater movement. The thruster converts the electrical energy of the motor into kinetic energy for underwater propulsion, the rotation of the rotor 11 allows the sub-UAV 1 to maintain sufficient lift, the rotation of the fully movable vertical tail controls the sub-UAV 1's left and right swaying underwater, and the horizontally fixed fin maintains the stability of the sub-UAV 1 on the horizontal plane.

[0069] It should be noted that the aforementioned components such as the thruster, all-moving vertical tail, and horizontal fixed fin are designed to meet the underwater navigation requirements of the sub-UAV 1. In addition, other components that can improve the underwater navigation capability of the sub-UAV 1 may be installed on the sub-UAV 1, without any specific limitations.

[0070] At this point, the thruster, all-moving vertical tail, horizontal fixed fin, and other possible components can all adopt existing structures in related technologies. For example, the invention patent with publication number CN105775072B discloses a self-rotating underwater unmanned aerial vehicle 11. The underwater power structure (including the aforementioned thruster, all-moving vertical tail, and horizontal fixed fin, etc.) on the sub-unmanned aerial vehicle 1 in this embodiment can be set with reference to this scheme, and the specific design is not limited.

[0071] With the above settings, when the four sub-drones 1 are not disassembled, the diagonal rotors 11 of the four rotors 11 can be designed to rotate in opposite directions, so that the split-type drone can maintain a stable flight attitude in the air in the form of a quadcopter 11 drone.

[0072] After the four sub-drones 1 disintegrate and enter the water, each of them can pull a corner of the fishing net to move underwater. Moreover, the four sub-drones 1 can also quickly lift off the water and return to aerial mode under the lift provided by the rotor 11.

[0073] Ultimately, the flight control system can control the four sub-drones 1 to reconnect through various quick-release structures 2, thereby reassembling them into the split-type drone.

[0074] Please see Figure 6 The present invention also provides a control method for a split-type drone, used to control the aforementioned split-type drone to perform fishing operations, comprising the following steps: Send a dismantling command to control each sub-UAV1 to disconnect and dismantle sequentially; Send a water entry command to control each sub-UAV1 to disperse and complete the water entry; Send out water command to control each sub-drone 1 to lift and leave the water surface; Send a regrouping command to control each sub-UAV1 to fly to the designated coordinate position and connect with each other in sequence to achieve regrouping.

[0075] It is understood that the control method for the split-type drone in this embodiment can achieve fishing operations through the above steps, but before performing the above steps, the following steps can be performed first: Determine the coordinates of the fish school, and based on the coordinates, manually control the split-type drone to fly above the corresponding water area, and check the working status of each sub-drone 1 and the fishing mechanism on the split-type drone to complete the fishing preparation.

[0076] After the actual fishing operation begins, the aforementioned "sending disassembly commands to control each sub-drone 1 to detach and disassemble sequentially" specifically includes: The operator can send dismantling commands to each sub-drone 1 wirelessly; upon receiving the dismantling command, each sub-drone 1 will disconnect in sequence.

[0077] Taking any two adjacent sub-drones 1 as an example, the specific disengagement process includes: the electromagnet and SMA shape memory lock 226 on the sub-drone 1 will be de-energized, causing the conical pin 214 to unlock; at this time, the two sub-drones 1 move away from each other, allowing the conical pin 214 to exit from the corresponding guide groove 224, thus achieving disengagement. In this way, the four sub-drones 1 can be quickly disengaged, allowing the split-type drone to quickly disassemble into four sub-drones 1.

[0078] After dismantling, the operators can further specify the flight coordinates of the four sub-drones 1 based on the specific location of the fish school, causing the four sub-drones 1 to fly away from each other to the designated coordinate positions. During this process, the fasteners on the fishing net will automatically unlock due to the pulling force; the four sub-drones 1 can each pull a corner of the fishing net to open it up.

[0079] After the fishing net is fully deployed, the above step of "sending the water entry command to control each sub-drone 1 to disperse and complete its entry into the water" can be performed. Specifically, this step includes: The operators send water entry commands to the flight control systems of the four sub-UAVs 1. Taking any one of the sub-UAVs 1 as an example, when it receives the water entry command, the sub-UAV 1 will adjust its attitude, try to make the belly of the fuselage face the water surface, and then descend and begin to enter the water.

[0080] Upon contact with the water surface, the flight control system can switch the dual-mode motors to underwater mode using the water entry sensor, and the micro pneumatic valves will also be triggered, thereby instantly closing the heat dissipation vents on the fuselage.

[0081] After entering the water, the sub-UAV 1 enters underwater mode; with the help of the underwater propulsion structure (i.e., thruster, all-moving vertical tail and horizontal fixed fin, etc.) set on the sub-UAV 1, the sub-UAV 1 can achieve "underwater flight" within a certain depth range underwater.

[0082] Understandably, the underwater trajectory of sub-drone 1 can be manually set by the operators, and the specific trajectory can be dynamically adjusted according to the distribution of the fish school to ensure the fishing effect. Ultimately, through the movement of the four sub-drones 1, the fishing net can be closed underwater.

[0083] Upon confirming the completion of the operation, the above steps can be performed: "Send the water exit command to control each sub-UAV 1 to lift and leave the water surface," specifically: The operator can send water-retreating commands to four sub-UAVs 1. Taking any one of the sub-UAVs 1 as an example, when it receives the water-retreating command, the flight control system can control the rotor 11 to increase its rotation speed; with the lift provided by the rotor 11, the sub-UAV 1 can quickly rise and leave the water surface. When the sub-UAV 1 leaves the water surface, the dual-mode motor can switch back to aerial mode under the control of the flight control system.

[0084] After exiting the water, the above steps can be performed: "Send a regrouping command to control each sub-UAV 1 to fly to the designated coordinate position and connect sequentially to achieve regrouping," specifically: The operator can specify the recombination coordinates of the four sub-drones 1 and send a recombination command to them. Upon receiving the recombination command, the four sub-drones 1 will fly to the specified recombination coordinates and then begin to recombine into a single, separate drone.

[0085] Please see Figure 7 The reorganization process may include the following steps: Step 1, Individual UAV Positioning. The relative positions of each sub-UAV 1 can be determined by using an Inertial Navigation System (INS), combined with satellite positioning and sonar-assisted calibration.

[0086] The inertial navigation system (INS) can output the angular velocity and acceleration of each sub-UAV 1 in real time, while satellite positioning can output the GPS coordinates of each sub-UAV 1. The sonar probe can emit ultrasonic waves, which are reflected by another sub-UAV 1 and then received. The flight control system can calculate and calibrate the relative positions of each sub-UAV 1 based on the received signals. In this way, individual positioning of each sub-UAV 1 can be achieved.

[0087] Step two, pose adjustment. One of the sub-drones 1 can be designated as the master drone, which hovers stationary, while the other three sub-drones 1 can act as slave drones. Based on the relative positions between the master and slave drones, and in conjunction with sonar calibration, the fused pose of each slave drone is determined. Each slave drone can then approach the master drone based on its determined fused pose and adjust its hovering attitude.

[0088] Step 3, interface drying. The connection points of the front-end connection mechanism 21 and the rear-end connection mechanism 22 can be irradiated with 2.4GHz microwaves to evaporate the water film at the connection points.

[0089] Step 4, Sonar Calibration: Recalibrate the relative positions of each single-rotor UAV using sonar.

[0090] Step 5, Electromagnetic Engagement. One of the sub-drones 1 can be used as the host hovering reference point, broadcasting its own coordinates via UWB (Ultra Wide Band) + sonar array; the three slave drones maintain relative pose synchronization based on the host coordinates through a backstepping sliding mode control algorithm; the electromagnets enter a weak attraction mode, generating a 0.5T (Tesla) guiding magnetic field to attract the four sub-drones 1 into the ±5mm tolerance range; the host's flight control system sends a command, and the electromagnets on the four sub-drones 1 simultaneously activate a strong attraction mode, which, together with the aforementioned quick-release structure 2, achieves instantaneous docking and locking.

[0091] Step Six, Power Coupling. Upon locking, the flight control systems of the four sub-UAVs 1 can interconnect and establish a master-slave control architecture. Based on the KV values ​​of each sub-UAV 1's motors, the rotational speed of each motor is dynamically adjusted to suppress oscillations after reassembly and achieve synchronized rotation of the four motors.

[0092] Step 7, Flight Control Synchronization. After the power coupling is completed, the four sub-UAVs 1 achieve centralized control through the host's flight control system using an adaptive robust sliding mode control algorithm, thus completing the reconfiguration.

[0093] After reorganization, the four sub-drones 1 (single-rotor 11 drone) together constitute the split-type drone (quad-rotor 11 drone). This split-type drone can use fishing nets to carry the catch back to the designated location to complete the fishing operation.

[0094] In the description of this application, it should be noted that the terms "upper" and "lower," etc., indicating the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this application. Unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installed," "connected," and "linked" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication between two elements. For those skilled in the art, the specific meaning of the above terms in this application can be understood according to the specific circumstances.

[0095] It should be noted that in this application, relational terms such as "first" and "second" are used merely to distinguish one entity or operation from another, and do not necessarily require or imply any such actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Furthermore, the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a process, method, article, or apparatus. Without further limitations, an element defined by the phrase "comprising one..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that includes said element.

[0096] The specific embodiments of the present invention described above do not constitute a limitation on the scope of protection of the present invention. Any other corresponding changes and modifications made in accordance with the technical concept of the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. A split-type unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), characterized in that, include: Multiple sub-drones are arranged in a ring and connected end to end in sequence; Multiple quick-release structures are respectively disposed between adjacent sub-drones for detachable connection of the multiple sub-drones; Multiple waterproof structures are respectively installed on the multiple sub-drones to achieve waterproofing for the multiple sub-drones; as well as The fishing mechanism is connected to the multiple sub-drones and is used to cooperate with the multiple sub-drones to achieve fishing.

2. The split-type UAV according to claim 1, characterized in that, The quick-release structure includes: A front-end connection mechanism is disposed at the front end of the sub-UAV; and A tail-end connection mechanism is disposed at the tail end of the sub-drone and is used to connect to the front-end connection mechanism on an adjacent sub-drone.

3. The split-type UAV according to claim 2, characterized in that, The front-end connection mechanism includes a first platform component for connecting the corresponding sub-drone and a front-end connector fixedly connected to the first platform component; the tail-end connection mechanism includes a second platform component for connecting the corresponding sub-drone, and the second platform component is provided with a tail-end connector for detachably connecting to the front-end connector.

4. The split-type UAV according to claim 3, characterized in that, The first platform component and the second platform component are respectively provided with a first magnetic component and a second magnetic component, and the first magnetic component and the second magnetic component can be magnetically attracted and connected.

5. The split-type UAV according to claim 4, characterized in that, Both the first magnetic component and the second magnetic component are electromagnets. The electromagnets have at least two working modes: a strong adsorption mode and a weak adsorption mode. The adsorption force of the electromagnet in the strong adsorption mode is greater than that in the weak adsorption mode.

6. The split-type UAV according to claim 3, characterized in that, The tail connector is equipped with an SMA shape memory lock, which can lock the front connector when powered on.

7. The split-type UAV according to claim 3, characterized in that, A first elastic element is connected to the first platform component or the second platform component, and the end of the first elastic element away from the corresponding platform component is connected to the corresponding sub-UAV.

8. The split-type UAV according to any one of claims 1-7, characterized in that, The fishing organization includes: Multiple fixed connectors are respectively fixedly mounted on the multiple sub-drones for mounting the fishing mechanism; and Fishing nets are connected to the multiple fixed connectors and are used to cooperate with the multiple sub-drones for fishing operations.

9. The split-type UAV according to any one of claims 1-7, characterized in that, The waterproof structure includes: A nano-waterproof coating is applied to a designated surface of the corresponding sub-UAV; A waterproof pressure relief membrane, uniformly attached to the side of the nano-waterproof coating facing away from the designated surface; and A corrugated pipe is fixedly sleeved at the rotor joint corresponding to the sub-UAV, and the inside of the corrugated pipe is filled with silicone oil to waterproof the rotor joint.

10. A control method for a split-type unmanned aerial vehicle as described in any one of claims 1-9, characterized in that, include: Send a dismantling command to control each sub-drone to detach and dismantle in sequence; Send water entry command to control each sub-drone to disperse and complete water entry; Send out water command to control each sub-drone to lift and leave the water surface; Send a regrouping command to control each sub-UAV to fly to the designated coordinates and connect them in sequence to achieve regrouping.

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