Vehicle-mounted unmanned aerial vehicle honeycomb and unmanned aerial vehicle take-off method

Abstract

The invention provides a vehicle-mounted unmanned aerial vehicle honeycomb and an unmanned aerial vehicle take-off method.The vehicle-mounted unmanned aerial vehicle honeycomb comprises a box body provided with a parking cabin, the box body is provided with a plurality of partition plates at intervals in the vertical direction so that the parking cabin can be divided into a plurality of first parking platforms, an unmanned aerial vehicle is carried on the corresponding first parking platforms, and openings are formed in the two opposite sides of the parking cabin; the opening is rotationally provided with a side plate used for opening or closing the parking cabin. The partition plates can extend out of the opening under the action of external force, and the moving distance of the partition plate located on the upper layer is larger than that of the partition plate located on the lower layer, so that the first parking platforms are exposed out of the parking cabin. The technical problem that in the prior art, unmanned aerial vehicles are inconvenient to store, and take-off is limited is solved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) technology, and in particular to a vehicle-mounted UAV cellular system and a method for UAV takeoff. Background Technology

[0002] With the widespread application of drone technology in logistics, agricultural plant protection, power line inspection, emergency rescue, and military reconnaissance, higher demands are being placed on the mobile deployment and rapid response capabilities of drones. Vehicle-mounted drone pods (or mobile drone pods, drone motherships) have emerged to address this need. They integrate the storage, charging, scheduling, and transportation functions of drones onto a single mobile vehicle, greatly expanding the operational radius and flexibility of drones and enabling a "stop and fly, resupply on the go" operational mode. Currently, most existing vehicle-mounted drone pods adopt a fixed box structure. To accommodate more drones within the limited vehicle space, a common practice is to install multi-level parking platforms inside the box. However, this design generally suffers from several significant drawbacks: low drone retrieval and deployment efficiency; most vehicle-mounted pods only have doors on one side or at the top; when multiple drones need to be launched or retrieved simultaneously, drones located on the inner or lower levels are often obstructed by drones on the outer or upper levels and their parking platforms. Operators or automated robotic arms must operate them one by one in a specific sequence, making it impossible to achieve parallel and rapid entry and exit of all drones, severely impacting task execution efficiency. Although multi-layered designs improve space utilization, the dense layout makes maintenance, repair, and manual operation of each drone difficult. Operators have limited access to drones located deep within the cellular network, making tasks such as battery replacement, payload installation, or troubleshooting extremely inconvenient. Therefore, there is an urgent need in this field for a new type of vehicle-mounted drone cellular system that can quickly and clearly present all onboard drones to the operator when needed, eliminating layers of obstruction and enabling synchronized, efficient scheduling and maintenance of the drone swarm. Summary of the Invention

[0003] To address the shortcomings of existing technologies, this invention provides a vehicle-mounted drone cellular system and a drone takeoff method, which solves the technical problem of limited takeoff caused by inconvenient drone storage in existing technologies.

[0004] According to embodiments of the present invention, the present invention adopts the following technical solution: A vehicle-mounted drone hive for carrying drones, comprising: The container has a parking compartment. The container has multiple partitions spaced vertically to divide the parking compartment into multiple first parking platforms. The UAV is mounted on the corresponding first parking platform. The parking compartment has openings on opposite sides. The openings are rotatably equipped with side plates for opening or closing the parking compartment. Under the action of external force, the partition can extend out of the opening, and the moving distance of the upper partition is greater than the moving distance of the lower partition, so that each of the first parking platforms is exposed outside the parking compartment.

[0005] Preferably, the difference in movement distance between adjacent partitions satisfies: ; Where S is the safety distance, and R is the maximum radius of the drone, and W is the width of the partition 4.

[0006] Preferably, the moving distance of each of the partitions satisfies: ,in Let be the distance the i-th partition moves, and n be the total number of partitions. S1 represents the minimum safe movement distance of the bottom partition, and S2 represents the safe difference in movement distance between adjacent partitions.

[0007] Preferably, the aircraft compartment is provided with guide rails, and the bulkhead is slidably disposed on the guide rails; and / or The guide rail is a multi-stage telescopic guide rail.

[0008] Preferably, it also includes a drive device, which is one of a hydraulic cylinder, an electric push rod, or a linear motor, for driving the partition to move back and forth on the guide rail.

[0009] Preferably, the honeycomb further includes multiple drive motors, which are electrically connected to the drive device and used to control the moving speed of the partition.

[0010] Preferably, the parking platform is provided with a fixing mechanism, which includes at least one of an electromagnetic lock, a mechanical buckle, or a vacuum adsorption device.

[0011] Preferably, the top of the housing is provided with a second stopping platform and four movable limiting rods. The second stopping platform has a first direction and a second direction, and the limiting rods are arranged at intervals along the first direction and the second direction.

[0012] The present invention also provides a method for the take-off of a vehicle-mounted unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) swarm, comprising the following steps: Receive takeoff instructions; Open the left and right side panels of the control box; Control each bulkhead to extend horizontally outside the parking bay. The upper bulkhead with the longest moving distance moves at a higher speed, and so on, while the speed of the lower bulkhead with the shortest moving distance decreases layer by layer. Once the top partition reaches the preset position, control the drone on that layer to take off vertically, and then control the drones on each lower layer to take off vertically when they reach the preset position. After completing the takeoff mission, control all partitions to retract into the box 1 and close the side panels.

[0013] Compared with existing technologies, this invention has the following advantages: by changing the drone's mounting structure, multiple drones can be simultaneously located outside the hangar compartment during launch, with no takeoff obstacles between drones. Each drone can take off vertically after exiting the hangar compartment, improving rapid response speed and meeting the requirements of high-frequency operations. After the vehicle arrives at the scene, all drones can be deployed and launched in a very short time, achieving immediate deployment and combat readiness. This has unparalleled value for scenarios such as emergency reconnaissance and rapid logistics. Attached Figure Description

[0014] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the box in one embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the structure of the box from another position in one embodiment of the present invention.

[0015] In the above attached figures: 1. Box body; 2. Side panel; 3. Parking compartment; 31. Opening; 4. Partition; 5. First parking platform; 6. Guide rail; 7. Second parking platform; 8. Limiting rod; 81. Slide rail; 9. UAV 1; 10. UAV 2. Detailed Implementation

[0016] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and beneficial effects of this invention clearer, the technical solutions of this invention are further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative of the invention and are not intended to limit the invention.

[0017] See Figures 1 to 2 The present invention provides a vehicle-mounted drone hive for carrying drones, comprising: a housing 1, a landing cabin 3, wherein the housing 1 is provided with a plurality of partitions 4 spaced vertically to divide the landing cabin 3 into a plurality of first landing platforms 5, the drones are mounted on the corresponding first landing platforms 5, and the landing cabin 3 is provided with openings 31 on opposite sides, and the openings 31 are rotatably provided with side plates 2 for opening or closing the landing cabin 3; Under the action of external force, the partition 4 can extend out of the opening 31, and the moving distance of the upper partition 4 is greater than the moving distance of the lower partition 4, so that each of the first parking platforms 5 is exposed outside the parking cabin 3.

[0018] In this embodiment, the present invention provides a vehicle-mounted drone hive, which is mainly composed of a rectangular box 1. Inside the box 1 is a parking compartment 3 for accommodating multiple drones. Within the parking compartment 3, multiple partitions 4 are arranged parallel and spaced along the vertical direction (this embodiment uses two partitions 4 as an example). The partitions 4 divide the parking compartment 3 into multiple independent first parking platforms 5, each of which carries at least one drone. Openings 31 are provided on opposite side walls of the box 1. Side plates 2 are rotatably mounted on the openings 31. The side plates 2 can rotate outwards to open the parking compartment 3, or rotate inwards to close the parking compartment 3, thus protecting the drones inside during transportation. Both partitions 4 can extend outwards from the openings 31 under the action of an external force provided by a drive mechanism (such as a linear motor), and the design ensures... The upper partition 4 moves a greater distance than the lower partition 4. When the side panel 2 is opened, the upper and lower partitions 4 extend in sequence, with the upper partition 4 extending a greater distance than the lower partition 4, thus forming a stepped layout. This ensures that the first parking platform 5 on each level and the drones on it are fully exposed to the operator's field of vision and reach without any obstruction. During operation, after the vehicle arrives at the target area, the side panels 2 on both sides are opened first, and then the drive mechanism is activated to make the partitions 4 on each level extend synchronously according to different preset strokes. The operator can immediately perform synchronous inspections of all drones, load cargo, or issue takeoff commands. The drones can take off sequentially or in formation from their respective exposed first platforms. Due to the stepped layout, the drones above and below are not obstructed, allowing them to take off vertically directly, thus improving response speed.

[0019] The difference in movement distance between adjacent partitions 4 satisfies: ; Where S is the safety distance, and R is the maximum radius of the drone, and W is the width of the partition 4.

[0020] In this embodiment, to ensure the absolute safety of the partition 4 in its deployed state and to prevent collisions between the upper and lower layer drones during takeoff, the difference in movement distance between adjacent partitions 4 must satisfy the following mathematical relationship: Where Li is the moving distance of the i-th (upper) partition 4, and Li+1 is the moving distance of the (i+1)-th (adjacent to the lower) partition 4; S is the required minimum safety distance, the value of which is determined by the size of the drone and the partition 4 itself, and must satisfy: R is the maximum rotation radius or maximum body radius of the drone being carried; W is the width of the partition 4200. When the blades or body edge of the lower drone (maximum distance from its platform center is R) and the outer edge of the upper partition 4 (maximum distance from its platform center is W / 2) are in contact on the vertical projection, a small gap can still be maintained between them, thus fundamentally eliminating the risk of collision between upper and lower drones during takeoff due to insufficient space. During operation, after the vehicle arrives at the target area, the side panels 2 on both sides are opened first, and then the drive mechanism is activated so that the partitions 4 of each layer extend according to the above-mentioned preset safe distance difference. The operator can immediately conduct synchronous inspections of all drones, load cargo, or issue takeoff commands in a safe space. The drones can take off safely from their respective exposed first platforms in sequence or in formation.

[0021] 3. The vehicle-mounted UAV hive according to claim 1, characterized in that the moving distance of each of the partitions 4 satisfies: ,in Let n be the distance the i-th partition 4 moves, and n be the total number of partitions. S1 represents the minimum safe moving distance of the bottom partition 4, and S1 represents the safe difference in moving distance between adjacent partitions 4.

[0022] In this embodiment, to further optimize the movement of the partition 4, the movement distance of each layer of partition 4 is calculated using the following arithmetic sequence formula: in: L is the moving distance of the i-th partition 4 (i=1, 2, ..., n, where the 1st layer is the top layer and the nth layer is the bottom layer), and n is the total number of partition 4 layers. S1 represents the minimum safe moving distance for the bottommost (nth) partition 4. This distance must ensure that the bottommost drone can completely escape the shadow of the container 1 after deployment and is easy to operate. S1 is the safe difference in moving distance between adjacent partitions 4. To ensure safety, the value of S1 should be greater than or equal to the aforementioned minimum safe distance S, i.e., S1 ≥ S. Only the total number of floors n and the bottom floor travel distance need to be determined. By using the safety difference S1, the extension distance of all layers can be determined, simplifying the design process. The drive mechanism only needs to pre-store or calculate the target position of each layer according to this formula to achieve synchronous or sequential control, which is clear and reliable.

[0023] The following is an example, assuming a 4-layer (n=4) honeycomb structure carrying a drone with a radius of R=0.4m, and partition 4 with a width of W=0.6m. What is the minimum safe distance? Taking a safety difference of S1 = 0.8m, the movement distance of the bottom layer (4th layer) is set. ; The movement distance for the first (top) layer is: ; The movement distance on the second layer is: ; The movement distance on the 3rd floor is: ; The movement distance for the 4th (bottom) level is: ; At this time, the difference in movement distance between any two adjacent partitions 4 is 0.8m, which is greater than the minimum safe distance of 0.7m. When the vehicle arrives at the target area, it first opens the side panels 2 on both sides, and then starts the drive mechanism to make each partition 4 extend at the preset distance calculated by the above formula. The operator can then operate any drone.

[0024] The parking cabin 3 is equipped with a guide rail 6, and the partition 4 is slidably mounted on the guide rail 6; the guide rail 6 is a multi-stage telescopic guide rail 6.

[0025] In this embodiment, the reliable telescopic movement of the partition 4 is achieved by fixing a guide rail 6 on the inner wall of the parking cabin 3. The partition 4 is slidably mounted on the guide rail 6. The guide rail 6 is a multi-stage telescopic guide rail 6, which may include a first-stage slide rail fixed to the housing 1 and a second-stage slide rail extending from the first-stage slide rail 81. The partition 4 is fixedly mounted on the second-stage slide rail. The use of multi-stage telescopic guide rail 6 ensures that the partition 4 moves in a straight line without swaying, thereby accurately ensuring the safe distance between each layer of partition 4. It can effectively support the weight of the UAV and the partition 4, and provide sufficient structural strength and rigidity when fully extended to prevent platform shaking. The multi-stage telescopic design makes the guide rail 6 the shortest length when retracted, saving parking space inside the housing 1 to the maximum extent.

[0026] It also includes a drive device, which is one of a hydraulic cylinder, an electric push rod or a linear motor, used to drive the partition 4 to move back and forth on the guide rail 6.

[0027] In this embodiment, the driving device adopts a linear motor, which has high speed, high precision, high response, and optimal control performance. It can realize complex speed and position control. The linear motor works in conjunction with the guide rail 6. After the vehicle arrives at the target area, the side panels 2 on both sides are opened first, and then the linear motor is started to drive each layer of partition 4 to extend synchronously along its corresponding guide rail 6 according to the preset distance calculated by the above formula.

[0028] There are multiple driving devices, each connected to a corresponding partition 4, and each driving device has a different driving speed. The moving speed of the partition 4 satisfies the following: ; in, Let be the moving speed of the i-th partition 4. Let K be the moving distance of the i-th partition 4, and K be the speed coefficient.

[0029] In this embodiment, the driving device consists of multiple linear motors connected to the partition 4 in various ways. A central controller sends different speed commands to each linear motor according to a preset program, and the speed control satisfies the following relationship: ; in, Let be the moving speed of the i-th partition 4; Let be the distance traveled in the i-th layer; K is the velocity coefficient; According to the physics formula time (T) = distance (L) / velocity (V), if all partitions 4 start moving simultaneously and reach their destination simultaneously, then the movement time T must be equal, that is... Since it is a constant, we can obtain: The speed of movement is directly proportional to the distance traveled; The following example uses a 4-layer partition 4 to calculate the movement time of each partition 4. The moving speed of partition 4 satisfies the formula Where Vi is the moving speed of the i-th layer, Li is the moving distance of the i-th layer partition 4, K is the speed coefficient, and the moving distance Li is given by the formula Calculate, where n is the total number of partitions 4 (n is 4), Lmin is the minimum safe movement distance of the bottom partition 4, and S1 is the safe difference in movement distance between adjacent partitions 4.

[0030] Moving Time Formula Therefore, the moving time Ti of each partition 4 is the same, and only depends on the velocity coefficient L, that is: Since the speed Vi is proportional to the moving distance Li, the partition 4 with a longer moving distance (such as the uppermost partition 4) moves at a higher speed, while the partition 4 with a shorter moving distance (such as the lowermost partition 4) moves at a lower speed. This design can ensure that all partitions 4 start moving at the same time and can reach the predetermined position at the same time, that is, all of them are exposed outside the parking compartment 3, and achieve synchronous deployment.

[0031] set up (The movement distance of the bottom partition 4); (Safety difference in spacing between partitions 4); (Speed ​​coefficient); The movement distance of each partition 4 layer is calculated (i ranges from 1 to 4, with 1=1 representing the top layer): ; The moving speed of each partition 4: ; The moving time of each partition 4: ; From the above formula, it can be seen that the moving time of each partition 4 is 2.0s; During operation, after the vehicle arrives at the target area, the side panels 2130 on both sides open, and then the controller moves according to the preset distance for each layer. According to the formula The target speed of each drive device (linear motor) is calculated and they are driven to start synchronously. Each partition 4 then extends smoothly to the predetermined position along its corresponding guide rail 6 at different speeds but with the same movement time. The operator can then perform synchronous flight operations on all the drones.

[0032] The parking platform is equipped with a fixing mechanism, which includes at least one of an electromagnetic lock, a mechanical buckle, or a vacuum adsorption device.

[0033] In this embodiment, the fixing mechanism uses an electromagnet installed inside the parking platform and a magnetic sheet installed at the corresponding position of the UAV landing gear. When energized, it generates magnetic force to attract and fix the UAV; when the power is turned off, the magnetic force disappears and it can be released. This method is simple to control, responds quickly, and facilitates the rapid take-off of the UAV.

[0034] The top of the housing 1 is provided with a second stopping platform 7 and four movable limiting rods 8. The second stopping platform 7 has a first direction and a second direction, and the limiting rods 8 are arranged at intervals along the first direction and the second direction.

[0035] In this embodiment, a second landing platform 7 is provided on the top of the housing 1. This platform is used for the take-off and landing of large, heavy, or special-mission drones, effectively utilizing the top space of the vehicle and not interfering with the internal cellular operations. Four limiting rods 8 are movably installed on the second landing platform 7. The second landing platform 7 has planes perpendicular to each other in a first direction (such as the length direction) and a second direction (such as the width direction). Of the four limiting rods 8, two are spaced apart along the first direction and the other two are spaced apart along the second direction. The four limiting rods 8 can slide on the slide rails 81 of the platform to adjust the interval distance, adjust the position of the landing gear of the drone on the second landing platform 7, and accurately position and limit it to prevent the drone from sliding on the platform. Especially in the case of vehicle movement or strong winds, this improves the safety of the take-off and landing of the second landing platform 7.

[0036] The present invention also provides a method for drone takeoff, including the vehicle-mounted drone cellular array described above. The drone takeoff method includes the following steps: Receive takeoff instructions; Open the left and right side panels 2 of the control box 1; Control each bulkhead 4 to extend horizontally out of the parking compartment 3. The upper bulkhead 4 with the longest moving distance moves at a higher speed, and so on, while the speed of the lower bulkhead 4 with the shortest moving distance decreases layer by layer. After the top partition 4 reaches the preset position, control the drone on that layer to take off vertically, and then control the drones on each lower layer to take off vertically when they reach the preset position. After completing the takeoff mission, control each partition 4 to retract into the box 1 and close the side panel 2.

[0037] In this embodiment, upon receiving a takeoff command, the system powers on and enters a standby state. The operator sends the takeoff command to the controller of the hive via a local control terminal or a remote control system. The controller receives and parses the command, confirms the mission initiation, and controls the opening of the left and right side panels 2 of the control housing 1. The controller first sends a signal to drive the left and right side panels 2 of the control housing 1 to rotate (e.g., via a motor-driven hinge), changing them from a closed state to a fully open state, exposing the various partitions 4 inside the parking compartment 3 and the UAV. The controller controls each partition 4 to extend horizontally out of the parking compartment 3, with the upper partition 4, which has the longest moving distance, moving at the highest speed, and the lower partition 4, which has the shortest moving distance, moving at the lowest speed, with the speed of each intermediate layer decreasing sequentially. The controller drives the corresponding drive speed of each partition 4 according to the preset moving distance of each layer. Subsequently, the controller synchronously starts all drive devices, driving each partition 4 to extend horizontally along the guide rail 6, thus opening each partition. The extension of plate 4 is completed synchronously, achieving time optimization in the drone deployment process. After the top plate 4 reaches the preset position, the drones on that layer are controlled to take off vertically. Subsequently, the drones on each lower layer that have reached the preset position are controlled to take off vertically. When all plates 4 have reached their preset final positions and stabilized, the system enters the drone launch sequence. First, the controller sends a takeoff command to the drone on the top (first layer) parking platform. This command can be issued wirelessly and the platform's fixing mechanism can be released simultaneously. The drone on the top layer takes off vertically first because it is at the highest position and has no obstacles. Subsequently, the controller can send takeoff commands to the drones on each lower layer in order from top to bottom (i.e., the second layer, the third layer, etc.) or according to the specific order set by the mission plan. Due to the stepped structure design, there are no physical obstructions above or to the sides of any drone when it takes off, ensuring the safety of the takeoff path.

[0038] The beneficial effects of this method are: It achieves fully automated control from preparation to takeoff, with simple operation and rapid response; Through precise speed control, the simultaneous deployment of multiple platforms was achieved, minimizing deployment time. The strict top-to-bottom takeoff sequence, combined with the stepped, unobstructed design, fundamentally avoids collisions between drones during takeoff.

[0039] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention and are not intended to limit it. 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 be made to the technical solutions of the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the present invention, and all such modifications or substitutions should be covered within the scope of the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. A vehicle-mounted drone hive for carrying drones, characterized in that, include: The container has a parking compartment. The container has multiple partitions spaced vertically to divide the parking compartment into multiple first parking platforms. The UAV is mounted on the corresponding first parking platform. The parking compartment has openings on opposite sides. The openings are rotatably equipped with side plates for opening or closing the parking compartment. Under the action of external force, the partition can extend out of the opening, and the moving distance of the upper partition is greater than the moving distance of the lower partition, so that each of the first parking platforms is exposed outside the parking compartment.

2. The vehicle-mounted UAV cellular network according to claim 1, characterized in that, The difference in movement distance between adjacent partitions satisfies: ; Where S is the safety distance, and R is the maximum radius of the drone, and W is the width of the partition.

3. The vehicle-mounted UAV cellular network according to claim 1, characterized in that, The moving distance of each partition satisfies: ,in Let be the distance the i-th partition moves, and n be the total number of partitions. S1 represents the minimum safe movement distance of the bottom partition, and S2 represents the safe difference in movement distance between adjacent partitions.

4. The vehicle-mounted UAV cellular network according to claim 2, characterized in that, The aircraft compartment is equipped with guide rails, and the bulkhead is slidably mounted on the guide rails; and / or The guide rail is a multi-stage telescopic guide rail.

5. The vehicle-mounted UAV cellular network according to claim 4, characterized in that, It also includes a drive device, which is one of a hydraulic cylinder, an electric push rod or a linear motor, for driving the partition to move back and forth on the guide rail.

6. The vehicle-mounted UAV cellular network according to claim 5, characterized in that, There are multiple driving devices, each connected to a corresponding partition, and each driving device has a different driving speed. The moving speed of the partition satisfies the following: ;in, Let be the moving speed of the i-th partition. Let K be the moving distance of the i-th partition, and K be the speed coefficient.

7. The vehicle-mounted UAV cellular network according to claim 1, characterized in that, The parking platform is equipped with a fixing mechanism, which includes at least one of an electromagnetic lock, a mechanical buckle, or a vacuum adsorption device.

8. The vehicle-mounted UAV cellular network according to claim 1, characterized in that, The top of the housing is provided with a second stopping platform and four movable limiting rods. The second stopping platform has a first direction and a second direction, and the limiting rods are arranged at intervals along the first direction and the second direction.

9. A method for taking off a drone, comprising a vehicle-mounted drone cellular array as described in any one of claims 1-8, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: Receive takeoff instructions; Open the left and right side panels of the control box; Control each bulkhead to extend horizontally outside the parking bay. The upper bulkhead with the longest moving distance moves at a higher speed, and so on, while the speed of the lower bulkhead with the shortest moving distance decreases layer by layer. Once the top partition reaches the preset position, control the drone on that layer to take off vertically, and then control the drones on each lower layer to take off vertically when they reach the preset position. After completing the takeoff mission, control the retraction of each partition into the box and close the side panels.

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