I-shaped steel detection unmanned aerial vehicle

Abstract

The invention discloses an I-shaped steel detection unmanned aerial vehicle, and relates to the technical field of steel structure detection equipment. The support assemblies are symmetrically and evenly hinged to the two sides of the center base. The moving mechanism is arranged at the tail end of the support assembly; the support assembly can be switched between a takeoff and landing state and a working state. In the takeoff and landing state, the moving mechanism is located below the unmanned aerial vehicle. In the working state, the moving mechanism is located above the unmanned aerial vehicle, and the moving mechanism is placed on flanges on the two sides of a to-be-tested I-shaped steel web; and a visual identification mechanism and a control module. According to the invention, a'flight-crawling 'integrated composite robot system is constructed, and the autonomous flight capability is provided on the basis of the multi-rotor unmanned aerial vehicle; switching between the rising and falling state and the working state is achieved through the support assemblies symmetrically hinged to the two sides of the center base. The moving mechanism enables the equipment to walk on the flange of the I-shaped steel; and the visual identification mechanism and the control module form an intelligent detection closed loop.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of steel structure inspection equipment technology, and in particular to an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) for inspecting I-beams. Background Technology

[0002] As a core load-bearing component in infrastructure such as bridges, industrial plants, and large stadiums, the structural health of I-beams directly affects the safety of the entire building. In actual use, due to long-term loads and environmental corrosion, I-beams are prone to surface defects such as cracks and rust, requiring regular inspection.

[0003] Currently, inspecting I-beams, especially those at high altitudes or in complex locations (such as under bridges), faces two main challenges. First, traditional inspection methods heavily rely on manual labor. Inspectors must use scaffolding or aerial work platforms to approach the I-beams, which is not only inefficient and costly but also poses significant safety risks. Second, while some automated equipment has emerged to replace manual labor, such as wheeled or tracked wall-climbing robots, they typically suffer from limited functionality and poor deployment flexibility. These devices lack flight capabilities and struggle to autonomously reach and attach to the initial inspection point (such as the I-beams under bridges), often requiring auxiliary equipment for hoisting and placement, making the process cumbersome. Furthermore, their mobile mechanisms are usually fixed structures, which can become obstacles when not in operation (such as during transport or takeoff), affecting the overall mobility and passability of the equipment.

[0004] Therefore, there is an urgent need in this field for an automated inspection device that can autonomously reach the inspection station and flexibly switch between different forms to adapt to the needs of mobile inspection and stable flight. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to provide an I-beam inspection drone to solve the problems existing in the prior art. It can autonomously reach the inspection station and flexibly switch between different forms to adapt to the needs of mobile inspection and stable flight.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following solution: A drone for inspecting I-beams includes: The drone includes a center base, the center base having a plurality of radially extending arms spaced circumferentially, and the ends of the arms having propeller blades and a first drive mechanism for driving the propeller blades to rotate. The support assembly, in an even number of at least two sets, is symmetrically and balancedly hinged to both sides of the central seat; A moving mechanism, located at the end of the support assembly, is used to move on the flanges on both sides of the web of the I-beam to be tested; The support assembly can switch between a lifting mode and a working mode. The take-off and landing configuration positions the moving mechanism below the drone. The working configuration is such that the moving mechanism is positioned above the drone and placed on the flanges on both sides of the web of the I-beam to be tested. A visual recognition mechanism, mounted on the central seat and / or support assembly, is used to collect and identify surface defects of the I-beam; The control module, located on the central base, is connected to the moving mechanism, the support assembly, and the visual recognition mechanism via signals, and is used to control the coordinated operation of each mechanism.

[0007] In one exemplary embodiment, the support assembly includes: The connector is fixedly installed on the center seat; First arm; A rotary drive mechanism is used to realize the hinge between the connector and the first support arm, and the form transformation of the bracket assembly can be realized by controlling the angle between the connector and the first support arm. The second arm is disposed at the end of the first arm and forms an angle with the first arm, so that when the support assembly is in the lifting and lowering state, the second arm is parallel to the lifting and lowering surface. The third arm, used to mount the moving mechanism, is located at the end of the second arm and forms an angle with the second arm, so that when the support assembly is in the working state, the moving mechanism mounted on it can move on the flange of the I-beam to be tested.

[0008] In one exemplary embodiment, the moving mechanism includes a wheel and a second drive mechanism, the second drive mechanism being fixedly mounted on the third support arm, and the output end of the second drive mechanism being connected to the wheel via a coupling.

[0009] In an exemplary embodiment, the central axis of the wheel is perpendicular to the mounting surface of the third arm; the third arm forms an angle with the second arm, such that when the bracket assembly is in the working state, the mounting surface of the third arm is parallel to the web of the I-beam to be tested.

[0010] In one exemplary embodiment, a shock-absorbing mechanism is provided at the bottom of the second arm to buffer landing vibrations.

[0011] In an exemplary embodiment, the shock absorption mechanism includes an upper buffer plate and a lower buffer plate, and a scissor mechanism and an elastic buffer are disposed between the upper buffer plate and the lower buffer plate.

[0012] In one exemplary embodiment, an adsorption mechanism disposed on the central seat is further included for adsorbing the drone onto the surface of the I-beam to be tested.

[0013] In one exemplary embodiment, the adsorption mechanism includes at least one electromagnet disposed on the side of the central seat facing the I-beam to be tested, for generating magnetic force to adsorb onto the surface of the I-beam to be tested when energized.

[0014] In one exemplary embodiment, the visual recognition mechanism includes at least one central camera and at least one end camera, respectively positioned toward the flange and web of the I-beam, for acquiring images of different parts of the I-beam.

[0015] In an exemplary embodiment, the visual recognition mechanism further includes an image processing module with a built-in deep learning-based defect recognition model. The defect recognition model is a model trained based on the YoLoV5 architecture, which can identify various defect types among I-beam flange cracks, web cracks, flange rust, web rust, early rust at weld points, incomplete welding, weld beads, cracks, and rust at the connection between the web and flange.

[0016] The present invention achieves the following technical effects compared to the prior art: 1. This invention achieves integrated flight arrival and surface walking inspection, improving deployment efficiency and applicability. By setting up a drone-like main body with a central base, outriggers, and propellers, the device is endowed with autonomous flight capabilities. This allows it to easily and quickly reach high-altitude, inverted, or difficult-to-access H-beam inspection locations. More importantly, by designing a support assembly that can switch between "take-off and landing mode" and "working mode," this invention creatively integrates the functions of an aircraft and a crawling inspection robot. In "take-off and landing mode," the device functions like a conventional multi-rotor drone, possessing excellent flight stability and take-off and landing capabilities. When switched to "working mode," it can stably "sit" on the H-beam and walk on the wing edges using a moving mechanism. This integrated design eliminates the need for additional hoisting equipment, achieving seamless connection from the air to the inspection surface and greatly expanding the device's application scenarios.

[0017] 2. The convertible support configuration optimizes the device's functionality and maneuverability. In "take-off and landing mode," the mobile mechanism is located beneath the drone, ensuring uninterrupted flight and aerodynamic performance, facilitating flight and landing in complex environments. When inspection is required, switching to "working mode" elevates the mobile mechanism above the drone and mounts it on the I-beam flange. The drone's weight is then stably transferred to the I-beam structure via the support assembly, providing a stable foundation for mobile inspection. This "transformation" capability allows the device to maintain optimal structural configuration across different mission phases, resolving the technical contradiction of traditional crawling robot mobile mechanisms becoming cumbersome during flight.

[0018] 3. By integrating a visual recognition mechanism and a control module, a complete and efficient automated inspection system is formed, ensuring the accuracy and comprehensiveness of the inspection. The UAV utilizes its flight capability to quickly locate the inspection section, and then achieves precise and stable movement along the I-beam via a mobile mechanism. The visual recognition mechanism performs full-coverage image acquisition and defect identification of the web and flanges. This "coarse positioning by flight + fine inspection by crawling" working mode, combined with automated recognition algorithms, not only significantly improves inspection efficiency and reduces manual labor intensity and risk, but also effectively improves the accuracy of identifying subtle defects through stable close-range imaging. Attached Figure Description

[0019] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0020] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an I-beam inspection drone disclosed in a specific embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 for Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the H-beam inspection drone in operation; Figure 3 for Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the middle support assembly; Figure 4 for Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of China Mobile; Figure 5 for Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the intermediate damping mechanism; Figure 6 for Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the structure of the multi-functional load module; The components include: 1. Drone; 2. Support assembly; 3. Mobility mechanism; 4. Visual recognition mechanism; 5. Center seat; 6. Rotor arm; 7. Propeller blade; 8. First drive mechanism; 9. Connector; 10. First support arm; 11. Second support arm; 12. Third support arm; 13. Rotary drive mechanism; 14. Rocker arm; 15. Wheel; 16. Second drive mechanism; 17. Coupling; 18. Shock absorption mechanism; 19. Upper buffer plate; 20. Lower buffer plate; 21. Elastic buffer; 22. First support rod; 23. Second support rod; 24. Pin; 25. Slide groove; 26. Electromagnet; 27. Central camera; 28. End camera; 29. ​​Multifunctional load module; 30. Mounting hole; 31. Integrated housing; 32. I-beam. Detailed Implementation

[0021] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Those skilled in the art can easily understand other advantages and effects of the present invention from the content disclosed in this specification. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0022] The purpose of this invention is to provide an I-beam inspection drone to solve the problems existing in the prior art. It can autonomously reach the inspection station and flexibly switch between different forms to adapt to the needs of mobile inspection and stable flight.

[0023] To make the above-mentioned objects, features and advantages of the present invention more apparent and understandable, the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0024] Please refer to Figures 1 to 6 This embodiment provides an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) for inspecting I-beams, including a UAV 1, a support assembly 2, a moving mechanism 3, a vision recognition mechanism 4, and a control module. The UAV 1 includes a central base 5, with multiple radially extending rotor arms 6 spaced circumferentially around the central base 5. Each rotor arm 6 has a propeller blade 7 at its end and a first drive mechanism 8 for driving the propeller blade 7 to rotate. The support assembly 2 consists of at least two even-numbered sets, symmetrically and balancedly hinged to both sides of the central base 5. The moving mechanism 3 is located at the end of the support assembly 2 and is used to move along the flanges on both sides of the web of the I-beam 32 to be inspected. The vision recognition mechanism 4 is located on the central base 5 and / or the support assembly 2, and is used to collect and identify surface defects on the I-beam 32. The control module is located on the central base 5 and is signal-connected to the moving mechanism 3, the support assembly 2, and the vision recognition mechanism 4, and is used to control the coordinated operation of each mechanism.

[0025] Among them, the support assembly 2 can switch between the lifting mode and the working mode: The take-off and landing configuration positions the mobile mechanism 3 below the drone 1. The working configuration is such that the mobile mechanism 3 is positioned above the drone 1, and the mobile mechanism 3 is placed on the flanges on both sides of the web of the I-beam 32 to be tested.

[0026] This embodiment constructs a composite robot system integrating "flight-crawling," with its core principle being morphological reconstruction. Based on a multi-rotor UAV, the system provides autonomous flight capability; the support components 2, symmetrically hinged to both sides of the central base 5, enable switching between takeoff / landing and working modes; the moving mechanism 3 allows the device to move on the flanges of the I-beam 32; and the visual recognition mechanism 4 and the control module form an intelligent detection closed loop. Thus, a single device solves the entire process from "arrival" to "precise detection."

[0027] Specifically, the support assembly 2 includes a connector 9, a first support arm 10, a second support arm 11, a third support arm 12, and a rotary drive mechanism 13. The connector 9 is fixedly mounted on the center seat 5. The first support arm 10 is hinged to the connector 9 via the rotary drive mechanism 13, which can be a servo motor. The servo motor is signal-connected to the control module, and a rocker arm 14 is fixedly mounted on the output shaft of the servo motor. One possible installation method for the servo motor, connector 9, and first support arm 10 is: the servo motor body is mounted on the connector 9, and the rocker arm 14 is fixedly connected to the first support arm 10; another possible installation method is: the servo motor body is mounted on the first support arm 10, and the rocker arm 14 is fixedly connected to the connector 9. Through these two installation methods, the control module can control the angle between the connector 9 and the first support arm 10 via the servo motor to achieve the shape transformation of the support assembly 2.

[0028] The second arm 11 is located at the end of the first arm 10 and forms an angle with the first arm 10, so that when the support assembly 2 is in the lifting and lowering state, the second arm 11 is parallel to the lifting and lowering surface, such as... Figure 1 As shown.

[0029] The third support arm 12 is used to mount the moving mechanism 3. It is located at the end of the second support arm 11 and forms an angle with the second support arm 11, so that when the support assembly 2 is in the working state, the moving mechanism 3 mounted on it can move on the flange of the I-beam 32 to be tested. Figure 2 As shown.

[0030] This embodiment utilizes a rotary drive mechanism 13 as a joint to drive a multi-link system consisting of a first arm 10, a second arm 11, and a third arm 12. By controlling the rotation angle of the first arm 10, the entire support can be extended and retracted in the vertical plane. In particular, the specific angle design between the second arm 11 and the third arm 12 ensures that the equipment is stably parked in the lifting and lowering mode, and that the moving mechanism 3 can accurately align with the flange of the I-beam 32 in the working mode.

[0031] In this embodiment, the moving mechanism 3 includes a wheel 15 and a second drive mechanism 16. The second drive mechanism 16 is fixedly mounted on the third support arm 12, and its output end is connected to the wheel 15 via a coupling 17. This embodiment adopts the principle of direct connection between wheel drive and motor. The second drive mechanism 16, such as a stepper motor, is directly fixed on the third support arm 12 and connected to the control module via a signal connection. Its output end drives the wheel 15 via the coupling 17. This structure is simple in principle, has high transmission efficiency, and timely control response, enabling the equipment to move in a controllable and stable linear manner along the flange of the I-beam 32, providing a stable platform for high-definition image acquisition.

[0032] Please refer to Figure 2 As a preferred embodiment, the central axis of the wheel 15 is perpendicular to the mounting surface of the third arm 12, and the third arm 12 forms an angle with the second arm 11, so that when the bracket assembly 2 is in the working state, the mounting surface of the third arm 12 is parallel to the web of the I-beam 32 to be tested.

[0033] Precise positioning is achieved through geometric constraints: firstly, in the working state, the mounting surface of the third support arm 12 is parallel to the web of the I-beam 32; secondly, the central axis of the wheel 15 is perpendicular to the mounting surface of the third support arm 12, ensuring that the wheel 15 is subjected to perpendicular force on the upper surface of the flange. These two conditions work together to structurally guarantee that when the support assembly 2 is switched to the working state, the moving mechanism 3 can automatically and precisely position itself to the optimal posture for movement on the flange of the I-beam 32.

[0034] In a preferred embodiment, a shock-absorbing mechanism 18 is provided at the bottom of the second support arm 11 to buffer landing vibrations. The shock-absorbing mechanism 18 includes an upper buffer plate 19 and a lower buffer plate 20, with a scissor mechanism and an elastic buffer member 21 disposed between the upper buffer plate 19 and the lower buffer plate 20. The upper buffer plate 19 is located at the top of the shock-absorbing mechanism 18 and is connected to the second support arm 11, serving as the movable upper surface of the mechanism; the lower buffer plate 20 is located at the bottom of the shock-absorbing mechanism 18 and serves as the base that contacts the landing surface.

[0035] The scissor mechanism includes two sets of first support rods 22 and second support rods 23 arranged symmetrically on the edges of the upper buffer plate 19 and the lower buffer plate 20. The first support rods 22 and the second support rods 23 are hinged to each other in the middle by a pin 24 to form an "X" or scissor-shaped movable joint. This hinge point is the core of the entire mechanism's movement.

[0036] The upper end of the first support rod 22 is hinged to the upper buffer plate 19 via a pin 24, and the lower end is slidably connected to the lower buffer plate 20 via a sliding shaft 33 and a sliding groove 25, so that it can slide along the lower buffer plate 20.

[0037] The lower end of the second support rod 23 is hinged to the lower buffer plate 20 via a pin 24, and the upper end is slidably connected to the upper buffer plate 19 via a sliding shaft 33 and a sliding groove 25, so that it can slide along the upper buffer plate 19.

[0038] When the shock absorption mechanism 18 is subjected to a vertical force, the movable joint in the middle will expand or retract, thereby driving the upper buffer plate 19 to make a vertical translational movement relative to the lower buffer plate 20. The sliding shaft 33 and the slide groove 25 ensure that the end point of the support rod can move smoothly along the buffer plate when the angle changes, converting the rotational movement of the support rod into the translational movement of the upper buffer plate 19.

[0039] An elastic buffer 21 is provided between the two sets of support rods. The two ends of the elastic buffer 21 are fixedly connected to the upper buffer plate 19 and the lower buffer plate 20, respectively. The elastic buffer 21 can be made of elastic materials such as springs or rubber. Its main function is to absorb and disperse vibration energy when the UAV 1 lands, thereby enhancing the shock absorption effect.

[0040] When the UAV 1 contacts the landing surface, the elastic buffer 21 will deform due to compression, thereby converting part of the impact force into elastic potential energy. After the impact force decreases or disappears, the elastic potential energy will be gradually released, allowing the UAV 1 to return to a stable state.

[0041] As a preferred embodiment, the device further includes an adsorption mechanism disposed on the central seat 5. The adsorption mechanism includes at least one electromagnet 26 disposed on the side of the central seat 5 facing the I-beam 32 to be tested, and is used to generate magnetic force to adsorb onto the surface of the I-beam 32 when energized. The switch of the electromagnet 26 is connected to the control module signal, and the magnetic force can be generated or eliminated in real time and quickly by controlling the energization and de-energization.

[0042] In this embodiment, the visual recognition mechanism 4 includes at least one central camera 27 and at least one end camera 28. The central camera 27 is disposed on the side of the central seat 5 facing the flange of the I-beam 32 to be tested, and the end camera 28 is disposed on the side of the third support arm 12 facing the web of the I-beam 32 to be tested, for collecting images of different parts of the I-beam 32.

[0043] By positioning the central camera 27 facing the flange of the I-beam 32 and the end camera 28 facing the web of the I-beam 32, a collaborative visual sensor network is formed. This layout ensures that all inspected surfaces of the I-beam 32 can be effectively captured during equipment movement, solving the problem of missed detections caused by the limited field of view of a single camera. The cameras are wide-angle cameras, which have a larger field of view and can cover a wider area of ​​the I-beam 32 at once, further reducing the possibility of missed detections. Simultaneously, the wide-angle cameras also have distortion correction capabilities, ensuring the accuracy of the acquired image information and providing a reliable basis for subsequent defect identification and analysis.

[0044] In this embodiment, the visual recognition mechanism 4 includes an image processing module with a built-in deep learning-based defect recognition model. This model, trained on the YoLoV5 architecture, can identify various defect types in I-beams, including flange cracks, web cracks, flange rust, web rust, early rust at weld points, incomplete welds, weld beads, cracks, and rust at the connection between the web and flange. The YoLoV5 defect recognition model is existing technology; trained on a large amount of I-beam defect image data, it possesses powerful feature extraction and classification capabilities. In practical applications, it can quickly and accurately analyze and process images captured by the camera, efficiently identifying various defects in the I-beam. Furthermore, the model exhibits good robustness, adapting to images acquired under different lighting conditions and shooting angles, ensuring stable defect recognition performance in various complex environments, providing solid technical support for I-beam inspection.

[0045] In a preferred embodiment, the central base 5 of the UAV 1 is provided with a multi-functional payload module 29 for mounting a central camera 27, electromagnets 26, a power supply, and a control module. The multi-functional payload module 29 has a mounting hole 30 in its center for placing an integrated housing 31. The power supply and control module are installed inside the integrated housing 31, and the central camera 27 is mounted on the upper surface of the integrated housing 31. Electromagnets 26 are mounted on both sides of the multi-functional payload module 29, with the electromagnets 26 positioned higher than the central camera 27.

[0046] This embodiment has two working modes: Mobile detection mode: The adsorption mechanism is powered off and moves on the flange of the I-beam 32 via wheels 15; this mode prioritizes efficiency and coverage. The adsorption mechanism is powered off and the equipment moves on the flange for rapid surveying.

[0047] Fixed-point detection mode: The adsorption mechanism is energized and adsorbs onto the surface of the I-beam 32, the wheel 15 is detached from the flange, and the visual recognition mechanism 4 performs fixed-point image acquisition and defect recognition; this mode prioritizes detection accuracy and stability. When the adsorption mechanism is energized, the wheel 15 is suspended in the air, and the equipment firmly adsorbs it for fine recognition.

[0048] The aforementioned mode switching principle enables the equipment to intelligently balance "efficiency" and "accuracy," maximizing its overall performance and resolving the contradiction that a single working mode cannot simultaneously handle both general surveys and detailed investigations.

[0049] The I-beam inspection drone system described in this embodiment is primarily designed for typical application scenarios involving high-altitude, suspended I-beam structures, enabling rapid, accurate, and non-destructive inspection of the web and lower flange of the I-beam. Specific application areas include, but are not limited to: In the field of bridge engineering: This method is applicable to the quality acceptance and defect screening of I-beams in the main structure of bridges before cement pouring and sealing. It involves archiving and evaluating the original condition of the web and lower flange of the I-beams before concrete covering, ensuring the health of the core load-bearing components before the concealed works are completed, and guaranteeing the long-term safety of the bridge from the source.

[0050] Industrial plant facilities: This system is used for regular inspection and condition monitoring of the I-beams suspended from the overhead crane tracks on the plant roof, as well as the load-bearing I-beams suspended from various equipment. Without affecting normal production, this system can efficiently detect defects such as fatigue cracks and corrosion caused by long-term dynamic loads, vibrations, and environmental corrosion, providing crucial data support for predictive maintenance.

[0051] Large public buildings: Suitable for roof suspension I-beam structure systems of large-span buildings such as stadiums and convention centers. It allows for systematic inspection of complex nodes, welds, and high-stress areas, promptly detecting and locating surface damage caused by wind vibration, load changes, and other factors, ensuring the structural safety of public buildings.

[0052] Warehousing and Transportation Hubs: Comprehensive safety inspections are conducted on suspended load-bearing I-beams in automated warehouses, as well as on suspended I-beam structures within subway and high-speed rail stations, such as equipment ceiling beams and pipeline support systems. In these areas with high concentrations of personnel and equipment, this drone system provides a non-invasive and efficient inspection method, significantly reducing disruption to daily operations.

[0053] It is important to note that in most of the aforementioned application scenarios, the upper flange of the I-beam is often covered or encased due to architectural functional requirements, such as floor slab installation, rail installation, or decorative encapsulation, making direct inspection impossible in this area. Therefore, the focus and technical advantages of this embodiment lie in high-precision visual identification of the fully exposed web area and the unencapsulated lower flange surface, ensuring effective coverage and diagnosis of defects in critical stress-bearing components.

[0054] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms "longitudinal," "lateral," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicating orientations or positional relationships, are based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings and are used only for the convenience of describing the invention, and do not imply or require that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation or construction method, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of the invention. Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," and "third," etc., are only used to distinguish the objects of description and should not be construed as limiting importance or order, and the features defined by such terms may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of those features. Unless otherwise stated, "a plurality of" in the description of this invention refers to two or more.

[0055] The terms "installation," "connection," and "joining" should be interpreted broadly, unless otherwise explicitly defined, to include, but are not limited to, fixed connections, detachable connections, or integrally formed connections; mechanical or electrical connections; direct connections or indirect connections via an intermediate medium; and internal communication between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand their meaning based on the specific technical solution. The fixed connections involved in this invention, unless otherwise stated, include both detachable fixed connections (such as bolt and screw connections) and non-detachable fixed connections (such as riveting and welding), and may also include integral structures achieved through an integral forming process (such as casting) (except where integral forming is clearly not feasible).

[0056] Unless otherwise stated, the terms used in any of the technical solutions disclosed in this invention to indicate positional relationships or shapes cover states or shapes that are similar to, close to, or adjacent to them.

[0057] Any component provided by this invention can be assembled from multiple individual components or can be a single component manufactured using a one-piece molding process.

[0058] It should be noted that the structures, proportions, sizes, etc., depicted in the accompanying drawings of this specification are only used to complement the content disclosed in the specification, so as to enable those skilled in the art to understand and read them, and are not intended to limit the conditions under which the present invention can be implemented. Therefore, they have no substantial technical significance. Any modifications to the structure, changes in the proportions, or adjustments to the size, without affecting the effects and objectives that the present invention can produce, should still fall within the scope of the technical content disclosed in the present invention.

[0059] In the embodiments of this application, the same reference numerals are used to denote the same component or part.

[0060] Any adaptive changes made according to actual needs are within the scope of protection of this invention.

[0061] It should be noted that, for those skilled in the art, it is obvious that the present invention is not limited to the details of the exemplary embodiments described above, and that the invention can be implemented in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics of the invention. Therefore, the embodiments should be considered illustrative and non-limiting in all respects, and the scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims rather than the foregoing description. Thus, all variations falling within the meaning and scope of equivalents of the claims are intended to be included within the present invention. No reference numerals in the claims should be construed as limiting the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A drone for inspecting I-beams, characterized in that, include: The drone includes a center base, the center base having a plurality of radially extending arms spaced circumferentially, and the ends of the arms having propeller blades and a first drive mechanism for driving the propeller blades to rotate. The support assembly, in an even number of at least two sets, is symmetrically and balancedly hinged to both sides of the central seat; A moving mechanism, located at the end of the support assembly, is used to move on the flanges on both sides of the web of the I-beam to be tested; The support assembly can switch between a lifting mode and a working mode. The take-off and landing configuration positions the moving mechanism below the drone. The working configuration is such that the moving mechanism is positioned above the drone and placed on the flanges on both sides of the web of the I-beam to be tested. A visual recognition mechanism, mounted on the central seat and / or support assembly, is used to collect and identify surface defects of the I-beam; The control module, located on the central base, is connected to the moving mechanism, the support assembly, and the visual recognition mechanism via signals, and is used to control the coordinated operation of each mechanism.

2. The UAV for inspecting I-beams according to claim 1, characterized in that, The support assembly includes: The connector is fixedly installed on the center seat; First arm; A rotary drive mechanism is used to realize the hinge between the connector and the first support arm, and the form transformation of the bracket assembly can be realized by controlling the angle between the connector and the first support arm. The second arm is disposed at the end of the first arm and forms an angle with the first arm, so that when the support assembly is in the lifting and lowering state, the second arm is parallel to the lifting and lowering surface. The third arm, used to mount the moving mechanism, is located at the end of the second arm and forms an angle with the second arm, so that when the support assembly is in the working state, the moving mechanism mounted on it can move on the flange of the I-beam to be tested.

3. The UAV for inspecting I-beams according to claim 2, characterized in that: The moving mechanism includes a wheel and a second drive mechanism. The second drive mechanism is fixedly mounted on the third support arm, and the output end of the second drive mechanism is connected to the wheel via a coupling.

4. The UAV for inspecting I-beams according to claim 3, characterized in that: The central axis of the wheel is perpendicular to the mounting surface of the third arm; the third arm forms an angle with the second arm, so that when the bracket assembly is in the working state, the mounting surface of the third arm is parallel to the web of the I-beam to be tested.

5. The UAV for inspecting I-beams according to claim 2, characterized in that: The bottom of the second arm is equipped with a shock-absorbing mechanism to buffer landing vibrations.

6. The UAV for inspecting I-beams according to claim 5, characterized in that: The shock absorption mechanism includes an upper buffer plate and a lower buffer plate, and a scissor mechanism and an elastic buffer are provided between the upper buffer plate and the lower buffer plate.

7. The UAV for inspecting I-beams according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes an adsorption mechanism disposed on the central seat for adsorbing the UAV onto the surface of the I-beam to be tested.

8. The UAV for inspecting I-beams according to claim 7, characterized in that: The adsorption mechanism includes at least one electromagnet, which is disposed on the side of the central seat facing the I-beam to be tested, and is used to generate magnetic force to adsorb onto the surface of the I-beam to be tested when energized.

9. The UAV for inspecting I-beams according to claim 1, characterized in that: The visual recognition mechanism includes at least one central camera and at least one end camera, respectively positioned facing the flange and web of the I-beam, for acquiring images of different parts of the I-beam.

10. The UAV for inspecting I-beams according to claim 9, characterized in that: The visual recognition mechanism also includes an image processing module with a built-in deep learning-based defect recognition model. The defect recognition model is a model trained on the YoLoV5 architecture and can identify various defect types in I-beams, including flange cracks, web cracks, flange rust, web rust, early rust at weld points, incomplete welding, weld beads, cracks, and rust at the connection between the web and flange.

Images