Solar-powered flying wing unmanned aerial vehicle based on distributed reversible power omni-directional cooperative control

Abstract

The application discloses a flying-wing solar unmanned aerial vehicle based on distributed reversible power omnidirectional cooperative control and relates to the technical field of aircraft design. The flying-wing solar unmanned aerial vehicle comprises a cabin, flying-wing platforms symmetrically arranged on the two sides of the cabin, reversible power assemblies arranged on the flying-wing platforms, support units and driving units. A multi-mode flight control assembly is arranged in the cabin. The flying-wing solar unmanned aerial vehicle based on distributed reversible power omnidirectional cooperative control is adopted. In the air flight stage, based on the flexible characteristics of the flying-wing platforms, the driving units are arranged vertically in pairs, direct force driving is utilized, the characteristics of multi-mode control are embodied, and the reversible power assemblies are cooperatively used to realize the omnidirectional operation function. In the ground taking-off and landing stage, based on the large deformation characteristics of the flying-wing platforms, the spatial distribution form of the driving units is adjusted by the support units, the driving units are arranged horizontally in pairs, wing deformation is utilized for control, and thus, the collision between the power units and the ground is avoided.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of aircraft design technology, and in particular to a flying-wing solar-powered unmanned aerial vehicle based on distributed commutable power omnidirectional cooperative control. Background Technology

[0002] Solar-powered drones feature wings with high aspect ratios and low wing loading, making them more flexible than traditional drones and subject to greater deformation during flight. Most existing solar-powered drones use a conventional layout, but the negative lift generated by the horizontal stabilizer affects the overall lift-to-drag ratio. Therefore, a small number of solar-powered drones adopt a flying wing layout, which offers higher aerodynamic efficiency compared to other layouts, but suffers from lower handling efficiency and wind resistance, particularly exhibiting the following inherent drawbacks:

[0003] (1) If the aileron is used for roll control, the aileron effect will occur due to the excessive flexibility of the wing, which will threaten flight safety. In addition, the control surface seam will also lead to a decrease in the aerodynamic efficiency of the wing.

[0004] (2) If differential control is performed using the difference in motor position generated by the elastic deformation of the wing, the control law will be difficult to decouple and cannot be controlled normally when the wing undergoes aeroelastic deformation.

[0005] (3) The wings with high aspect ratio and low wing load are highly flexible structures and lack modal suppression measures, making them extremely prone to flutter under gusts of wind.

[0006] Therefore, all of the world's most advanced solar-powered drones have crashed due to encountering turbulence. Summary of the Invention

[0007] The purpose of this invention is to provide a flying-wing solar-powered unmanned aerial vehicle based on distributed commutative power omnidirectional cooperative control, thereby solving the problems mentioned in the background art.

[0008] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides a flying-wing solar-powered unmanned aerial vehicle based on distributed commutative power omnidirectional cooperative control, including a cabin, with flying-wing platforms symmetrically arranged on both sides of the cabin. Multiple sets of commutative power components are arranged on the flying-wing platforms. Each set of commutative power components includes a support unit and a drive unit. The drive units are all connected to the support unit, and the support unit is connected to the flying-wing platform.

[0009] The cabin is equipped with a multi-modal flight control system.

[0010] Preferably, the support unit includes a mounting rod and a support arm. The support arm includes a root rod and two support rods. A set of the drive unit is connected to the free end of each support rod. The root rod is connected to one end of the mounting rod, and the other end of the mounting rod is connected to the flying wing platform through a mounting shaft.

[0011] Preferably, each of the support arms rotates along the mounting rod, with the rotation angle ranging from 0° to 90°, and is locked when the rotation angle is 0° or 90°.

[0012] Preferably, when the support arm is in the process of changing direction from 0° to 90°, the positional difference caused by the drive unit is compensated by the elastic deformation of the flying wing platform, thereby providing control torque.

[0013] Preferably, each drive unit includes a driver, a motor, and a propeller, the propeller being connected to the output end of the motor, and the motor being connected to the driver.

[0014] Preferably, the total number of drive units is n sets, two sets of drive units form a group of drive units, and the number of drive units on each side of the flying wing platform is m groups, where n and m satisfy the following formula:

[0015] n=4m, m≥2;

[0016] Where m is an integer.

[0017] Preferably, the flying wing platform is provided with a sweep angle of 0 to 30°.

[0018] Preferably, the aspect ratio of the flying wing platform is greater than 10, and the wing load of the flying wing platform is less than 7 kg / m2.

[0019] Preferably, the multimodal flight control component includes a flight status information acquisition module, a dynamic analysis control module, and a distributed execution module;

[0020] The flight status information acquisition module includes an inertial measurement unit and an airspeed sensor, which acquires flight status parameters in real time, including pitch angle, roll angle, yaw angle and flight speed.

[0021] The dynamic analytical control module generates control commands, including thrust difference, based on flight status parameters.

[0022] The distributed execution module achieves simultaneous propulsion control and three-axis attitude control by independently adjusting the speed difference of the motors in each group of drive units.

[0023] Preferably, the dynamic analysis control module uses a multi-parameter coupling algorithm to establish a mapping relationship between the attitude deviation and the motor speed difference.

[0024] Therefore, the present invention employs the above-mentioned flying-wing solar-powered UAV based on distributed commutable power omnidirectional cooperative control, which has the following beneficial effects:

[0025] (1) The flying wing solar-powered UAV proposed in this invention has two adjacent sets of drive devices arranged vertically when flying in the air. It can achieve thrust adjustment and pitch, yaw and roll three-degree-of-freedom control by the direct force generated by the multi-modal flight control system. It is more efficient than the aerodynamic control method and more stable in control force output than the direct force control method that relies on the deformation of the wing structure.

[0026] (2) The flying wing solar-powered UAV proposed in this invention has two sets of drive devices arranged horizontally to avoid interference between the drive device and the ground when taking off and landing on the ground. At this time, the control torque is insufficient compared with the flight in the air. The control torque is mainly provided by the difference in the position of the drive device caused by the elastic deformation compensation of the wing.

[0027] (3) When the flying wing solar-powered UAV proposed in this invention encounters external interference and structural flutter occurs during flight, the two sets of drive devices in each group are arranged vertically. The distributed power system can still provide sufficient control force and control torque for the UAV through a large vertical lever arm. The response speed is fast and flutter can be effectively suppressed.

[0028] (4) The flying wing solar-powered UAV platform proposed in this invention eliminates the control surface structure of traditional flying wing UAVs, reducing structural weight; eliminates the control surface seams on the wing, improving wing aerodynamic efficiency; avoids the aileron effect problem caused by the large flexibility of the wing in traditional control surface control methods, and improves flight safety.

[0029] (5) The reversible power support device proposed in this invention can change the vertical distribution of the two motors to the horizontal distribution during the take-off and landing phase, avoid the collision between the drive device and the ground during the take-off and landing phase, allow the UAV to land by rubbing the belly of the aircraft, eliminate the dead weight of the landing gear, and thus enable the UAV to have both the control efficiency of the flight phase and the safety performance of the take-off and landing phase.

[0030] The technical solution of the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. Attached Figure Description

[0031] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an embodiment of the flying-wing solar-powered UAV based on distributed commutable power omnidirectional cooperative control of the present invention;

[0032] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the commutator power component of the flying-wing solar-powered UAV based on distributed commutator power omnidirectional cooperative control according to the present invention;

[0033] Figure 3The following is an aerodynamic layout diagram of the flying wing solar-powered UAV based on distributed reversible power omnidirectional cooperative control of the present invention, wherein (a) is an aerodynamic layout diagram with a 30° sweep angle of the flying wing platform, (b) is an aerodynamic layout diagram with a 15° sweep angle of the flying wing platform, and (c) is an aerodynamic layout diagram with a 0° sweep angle of the flying wing platform.

[0034] Figure 4 The diagram shows the distribution of the drive unit of the flying wing solar-powered UAV based on distributed reversible power omnidirectional cooperative control according to the present invention. (a) is the distribution of the drive unit in the ground take-off and landing state, and (b) is the distribution of the drive unit in the air flight state.

[0035] Figure 5 This is an omnidirectional cooperative control logic diagram of the flying wing solar-powered UAV based on distributed commutable power omnidirectional cooperative control in the air flight phase of the present invention; wherein, (a) is a cooperative control logic diagram of pitch control, (b) is a cooperative control logic diagram of roll control, and (c) is a cooperative control logic diagram of yaw control.

[0036] Figure 6 This is an omnidirectional cooperative control logic diagram of the ground take-off and landing phase of the flying-wing solar-powered UAV based on distributed reversible power omnidirectional cooperative control according to the present invention; wherein, (a) is a cooperative control logic diagram of pitch control, (b) is a cooperative control logic diagram of roll control, and (c) is a cooperative control logic diagram of yaw control.

[0037] Figure 7 This is a flowchart of the multimodal flight control component of the flying-wing solar-powered UAV based on distributed commutable power omnidirectional cooperative control according to the present invention;

[0038] Reference numerals: 1. Cabin; 2. Flying wing platform; 3. Reversible power unit; 311. Mounting rod; 312. Support arm; 313. Mounting shaft; 321. Driver; 322. Motor; 323. Propeller; 4. Multimodal flight control unit. Detailed Implementation

[0039] The technical solution of the present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0040] Unless otherwise defined, the technical or scientific terms used in this invention shall have the ordinary meaning understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains. The terms "first," "second," and similar terms used in this invention do not indicate any order, quantity, or importance, but are merely used to distinguish different components. Terms such as "comprising" or "including" mean that the element or object preceding the word encompasses the elements or objects listed following the word and their equivalents, without excluding other elements or objects. Terms such as "connected" or "linked" are not limited to physical or mechanical connections, but can include electrical connections, whether direct or indirect. Terms such as "upper," "lower," "left," and "right" are used only to indicate relative positional relationships; when the absolute position of the described object changes, the relative positional relationship may also change accordingly.

[0041] Example

[0042] Please see Figures 1-7 This invention provides a flying-wing solar-powered unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) based on distributed commutative propulsion omnidirectional cooperative control, comprising a cabin 1, with flying-wing platforms 2 symmetrically arranged on both sides of the cabin 1. Multiple sets of commutative propulsion components 3 are mounted on the flying-wing platforms 2, each set including a support unit and a drive unit. The drive units are all connected to the support units, which are in turn connected to the flying-wing platforms 2. A multi-modal flight control component 4 is installed inside the cabin 1.

[0043] like Figure 1 As shown, this UAV adopts a controlless, high-aspect-ratio flying wing aerodynamic layout design, with an overall streamlined blended wing-body configuration. The flying wing platform 2 features a high aspect ratio (aspect ratio > 10) and low wing loading (wing loading < 7 kg / m2). The two sides of the flying wing platform 2 are equipped with sweep angles of 0–30° to improve flight stability. Figure 3 As shown, the flying wing surface is a continuous smooth curved surface, without the gaps caused by traditional control surfaces. Compared with conventional solar-powered drones, it eliminates the flow field interference caused by control surface gaps, significantly improving the aerodynamic efficiency of the wing.

[0044] Each drive unit includes a driver 321, a motor 322, and a propeller 323. The propeller 323 is connected to the output of the motor 322, and the motor 322 is also connected to the driver 321. The total number of drive units is n sets, and the number of drive units on each side of the flying wing platform 2 is m sets, where n and m satisfy the following formula:

[0045] n=4m, m≥2;

[0046] Where m is an integer. That is, two adjacent drive units form a group of drive units, which are divided into n / 2 groups of commutative power components 3, arranged in a mirror image along the plane of symmetry of the whole aircraft. That is, n / 4 sets of commutative power components 3 are installed on the left and right flying wing platforms 2 respectively, and arranged in the leading edge area of ​​the flying wing platform 2.

[0047] The support unit includes a mounting rod 311 and a support arm 312. The support arm 312 includes a root rod and two support rods. A drive unit is connected to the free end of each support rod. The root rod is connected to one end of the mounting rod 311, and the other end of the mounting rod 311 is connected to the flying wing platform 2 via a mounting shaft 313. Each support arm 312 can rotate around the mounting rod 311, with a rotation angle range of 0° to 90°. It is locked when the rotation angle is 0° or 90°, allowing the two drive units to switch between horizontal and vertical distribution. When the support arm 312 is in the process of changing direction from 0° to 90°, the elastic deformation of the flying wing platform 2 compensates for the positional difference caused by the drive unit, providing control torque.

[0048] The reversible propulsion assembly 3 is one of the core technologies of this invention, designed to achieve efficient, stable, and omnidirectional attitude control and propulsion for a solar-powered flying-wing UAV. During flight, the support unit locks each drive unit in a vertical arrangement, with the upper and lower motors 322 arranged vertically in a staggered pattern to form a symmetrical thrust vector network. At this time, the upper and lower motors 322 form a vertical lever arm. This layout greatly enhances the efficiency of the attitude control torque. Specifically, due to the significant lever arm in the vertical direction of the thrust application point, compared to a horizontal arrangement of the motors 322, a larger control torque can be achieved with a smaller thrust difference, thereby improving control efficiency and response speed. During takeoff and landing, to avoid the propellers 323 touching the ground, the support unit switches to a horizontal arrangement. While the control lever arm is relatively short at this time, considering the short duration of takeoff and landing and the fact that it usually takes place under relatively controllable weather conditions, the maneuvering torque provided by the horizontal arrangement still meets the control requirements.

[0049] The multimodal flight control component 4 includes a flight status information acquisition module, a dynamic analysis control module, and a distributed execution module. The flight status information acquisition module includes an inertial measurement unit and an airspeed sensor, which acquires flight status parameters in real time, including pitch angle, roll angle, yaw angle, and flight speed, providing accurate and real-time flight status feedback for the multimodal flight control component 4.

[0050] The dynamic analysis control module generates corresponding control commands based on flight status parameters and preset control laws or operator instructions. These commands include, but are not limited to, total throttle adjustment commands, thrust difference, and attitude adjustment commands for the pitch, yaw, and roll axes. A multi-parameter coupling algorithm is used to establish the mapping relationship between the attitude deviation Δθ and the motor speed difference ΔR. This module is typically integrated into an onboard flight control computer or embedded computing platform, enabling dynamic analysis of flight status and real-time, efficient output of control commands.

[0051] The distributed execution module is the core execution unit of the entire multimodal flight control component 4. Based on the commands output by the dynamic analysis control module, it independently adjusts the speed difference of the motors 322 in each drive unit, simultaneously achieving propulsion control and three-axis attitude control. Specifically, this includes precise and coordinated control of multiple motor 322-propeller 323 combinations. This module achieves stable control and flexible maneuvering of the UAV in different flight phases (such as cruise, maneuvering, takeoff and landing) through fine-tuning of the thrust of each drive unit (i.e., the speed of the motor 322). Figure 7 As shown, the control mode switching logic is shown when the aircraft is in the flight (variant, i.e., motor 322 is arranged vertically) state and the take-off and landing (unvariant, i.e., motor 322 is arranged horizontally) state. In the figure, "+" indicates that the thrust of the corresponding motor 322 increases, and "-" indicates that the thrust decreases. Through different combinations and differentials of these thrusts, the effective control of the aircraft's various attitude degrees of freedom is precisely achieved.

[0052] The core of the distributed dynamic cooperative control system adopts an advanced hierarchical architecture. The upper-level control system receives flight commands from the pilot or autonomous navigation system and, combined with real-time flight attitude, speed, and altitude information acquired from inertial measurement units (IMUs), airspeed sensors, etc., quickly calculates the total thrust and pitch, yaw, and roll control torques required for the UAV to achieve the target attitude and trajectory using advanced control algorithms (such as model-based control or reinforcement learning algorithms). The lower-level control system, based on the thrust and torque commands calculated by the upper level, dynamically distributes these commands to each distributed motor 322 using precise PID controllers or more complex nonlinear control algorithms, adjusting the speed of each motor 322 in real time.

[0053] In flight, the drive units are vertically distributed. The following control strategy is the key to achieving stable flight, attitude control, and mission execution for the UAV:

[0054] 1. Propulsion control: This is achieved through a global synchronization mode, where all motors 322 increase or decrease by the same amount based on the baseline speed, thereby achieving a smooth increase or decrease in the overall thrust of the UAV and controlling the flight speed.

[0055] 2. Pitch control: such as Figure 5 As shown in the "Pitch" section, the control is primarily based on a differential strategy using vertically adjacent motors 322 (i.e., upper and lower motors 322). When pitching is required, the upper motor 322 increases its speed ("+" in the diagram indicates increased thrust), while the lower motor 322 decreases its speed ("-" in the diagram indicates decreased thrust), thus generating a downward pitching torque. Conversely, when the upper motor 322 decelerates and the lower motor 322 accelerates, an upward pitching torque is generated. This direct force control method offers rapid response and high control precision.

[0056] 3. Yaw control: such as Figure 5 As shown in the "Yaw" section, yaw is achieved through the asymmetrical thrust of the motors 322 on the left and right sides of the same layer. For example, to make the drone yaw to the right, the left motors 322 increase their speed, while the right motors 322 decrease their speed. The resulting thrust difference forms an effective yaw torque.

[0057] 4. Roll control: such as Figure 5 As shown in the "Roll" section, this is achieved using the reverse differential of the diagonal motors 322. For example, to make the UAV roll to the right, the motors 322 on the upper left and lower right increase their speed, while the motors 322 on the upper right and lower left decrease their speed. This diagonal differential thrust combination generates torque, causing the flying wing platform 2 to twist. The lift on the left and right wings changes due to the altered effective angle of attack, creating a difference in lift. This effectively replaces the traditional fixed-wing aircraft's reliance on ailerons for roll control. This not only simplifies the wing structure but, more importantly, utilizes the flexible characteristics of such high-aspect-ratio, low-wing-load wings for flight control, avoiding the aileron effect problem that easily occurs when using ailerons on high-aspect-ratio flexible wings, significantly improving flight safety and control robustness.

[0058] During ground takeoff and landing, the drive units are horizontally distributed. Due to the near-ground effect and aerodynamic loads, the flexible wing may undergo a certain degree of upward bending deformation, causing the outer motor 322 to be slightly higher in the vertical direction compared to the inner motor 322. The specific control strategy is as follows:

[0059] 1. Propulsion control: This is achieved through a global synchronization mode, where all motors 322 increase or decrease by the same amount based on the baseline speed, thereby achieving a smooth increase or decrease in the overall thrust of the UAV and controlling the flight speed.

[0060] 2. Pitch control: such as Figure 6 As shown in the "Pitch" section, when a head-down movement is required, the outer motor 322 increases its speed, while the lower motor 322 decreases its speed, thus generating a downward head-down torque. Conversely, when the outer motor 322 decelerates and the inner motor 322 increases its speed, an upward head-up torque is generated. This direct force control method offers rapid response and high control precision.

[0061] 3. Yaw control: such as Figure 6 As shown in the "Yaw" section, yaw is achieved through the asymmetrical thrust of the motors 322 on the left and right sides of the same layer. For example, to make the drone yaw to the right, the left motors 322 increase their speed, while the right motors 322 decrease their speed. The resulting thrust difference forms an effective yaw torque.

[0062] 4. Roll control: such as Figure 6 As shown in the "Roll" section, the wing twist is achieved by the reverse differential of the high and low position motors 322. For example, to make the UAV roll to the right, the low position motor 322 on the left wing increases its speed, while the high position motor 322 decreases its speed, thus increasing the twist angle of the left wing; at the same time, the low position motor 322 on the right wing decreases its speed, while the high position motor 322 increases its speed, thus decreasing the twist angle of the right wing.

[0063] During the transition between ground takeoff / landing and in-flight states, especially when the UAV is at a low altitude and the power support system is transitioning from horizontal (0°) to vertical (90°), standard vertical differential control capabilities are not yet fully established. To address this, this invention utilizes the elastic deformation characteristics of the wing for compensatory control. At this time, the multimodal analytical control module can sense or predict the positional difference caused by this elastic deformation. By precisely adjusting the thrust difference between the outer and inner motor sets 322, a compensatory pitch control torque is generated to ensure attitude stability during the transition phase. Simultaneously, the left and right motors 322 can still maintain independent differential control capabilities, providing necessary redundancy and backup for roll and yaw maneuvers, ensuring a smooth and safe takeoff and landing process.

[0064] Therefore, the present invention adopts the above-mentioned flying wing solar-powered UAV based on distributed reversible power omnidirectional cooperative control. During the flight phase, based on the flexible characteristics of the flying wing platform, the cooperative control of the reversible power components is used to simultaneously realize propulsion, pitch, roll, yaw and other control functions, thereby eliminating the control surface structure of traditional fixed-wing aircraft, as well as horizontal tail, vertical tail, fuselage and other components. During the take-off and landing phase, based on the large deformation characteristics of the flying wing platform, the spatial distribution of the drive unit is adjusted by reversing the support unit, thereby avoiding collision between the power unit and the ground.

[0065] 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 preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications or equivalent substitutions can still be made to the technical solutions of the present invention, and these modifications or equivalent substitutions cannot cause the modified technical solutions to deviate from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the present invention.

Claims

1. A flying-wing solar-powered unmanned aerial vehicle based on distributed commutative power omnidirectional cooperative control, characterized in that: The system includes a cabin, on both sides of which flying wing platforms are symmetrically arranged. Multiple sets of reversible power components are arranged on the flying wing platforms. Each set of reversible power components includes a support unit and a drive unit. The drive units are all connected to the support units, and the support units are connected to the flying wing platforms. The cabin is equipped with a multi-modal flight control system. The support unit includes a mounting rod and a support arm. The support arm includes a root rod and two support rods. A set of the drive unit is connected to the free end of each support rod. The root rod is connected to one end of the mounting rod, and the other end of the mounting rod is connected to the flying wing platform through a mounting shaft. Each of the support arms rotates along the mounting rod, with the rotation angle ranging from 0° to 90°, and is locked when the rotation angle is 0° or 90°. When the support arm is in the process of changing direction from 0° to 90°, the elastic deformation of the flying wing platform compensates for the positional difference caused by the drive unit and provides control torque. The multimodal flight control component includes a flight status information acquisition module, a dynamic analysis control module, and a distributed execution module; The flight status information acquisition module includes an inertial measurement unit and an airspeed sensor, which acquires flight status parameters in real time, including pitch angle, roll angle, yaw angle and flight speed. The dynamic analytical control module generates control commands, including thrust difference, based on flight status parameters. The distributed execution module achieves simultaneous propulsion control and three-axis attitude control by independently adjusting the speed difference of the motors in each group of drive units. The dynamic analytical control module uses a multi-parameter coupling algorithm to establish a mapping relationship between attitude deviation and motor speed difference; The dynamic analysis control module can sense or predict the positional differences caused by elastic deformation. By precisely adjusting the thrust difference between the outer and inner motor groups, it generates a compensatory pitch control torque to ensure attitude stability during the transition phase. At the same time, the left and right motors still maintain independent differential control capabilities, providing redundancy and backup for roll and yaw control.

2. The flying-wing solar-powered UAV based on distributed commutative power omnidirectional cooperative control as described in claim 1, characterized in that: Each of the drive units includes a driver, a motor, and a propeller, with the propeller connected to the output of the motor and the motor also connected to the driver.

3. The flying-wing solar-powered UAV based on distributed commutable power omnidirectional cooperative control according to claim 2, characterized in that: The total number of drive units is n sets, and two sets of drive units form a group of drive units. The number of drive units on each side of the flying wing platform is m groups, where n and m satisfy the following formula: n=4m, m≥2; Where m is an integer.

4. The flying-wing solar-powered UAV based on distributed commutative power omnidirectional cooperative control according to claim 3, characterized in that: The flying wing platform is equipped with a sweep angle of 0 to 30°.

5. The flying-wing solar-powered UAV based on distributed commutative power omnidirectional cooperative control according to claim 4, characterized in that: The flying wing platform has an aspect ratio greater than 10 and a wing loading of less than 7 kg / m. 2 .

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