Lightweight unmanned aerial vehicle frame and unmanned aerial vehicle

Abstract

The invention provides a lightweight unmanned aerial vehicle frame and an unmanned aerial vehicle, the frame comprises a vehicle body, vehicle arms and an undercarriage, the vehicle body is polygonal, the vehicle arms are arranged at the corner ends of the vehicle body, the undercarriage is connected to the lower part of the vehicle body, and the vehicle body is formed by mutually connecting and welding a plurality of aluminum profile connecting rods in a mortise and tenon joint manner; the vehicle arms are formed by carbon fiber tubes, and the center lines of the vehicle arms are arranged in a coplanar mode. The fuselage of the unmanned aerial vehicle is made of the aluminum profile, the vehicle arms are made of the carbon fibers, the requirement for the structural strength of the rack can be met, the weight of the rack can be reduced, in addition, the fuselage is connected through the tenon-and-mortise structure, connecting accessories are not needed, the situation that the connecting accessories occupy the space, the weight of the fuselage is increased is avoided, the assembly efficiency of the rack is improved, and the production cost is reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of unmanned aerial vehicle technology, and more specifically, to a lightweight unmanned aerial vehicle frame and an unmanned aerial vehicle. Background Technology

[0002] In recent years, drone technology has developed rapidly worldwide and has been widely used in many fields such as aerial surveying and mapping, agricultural plant protection, logistics and distribution, security inspection, emergency rescue, and infrastructure construction. As application scenarios continue to expand and deepen, the market has placed more stringent demands on drone performance, prompting drones to continue evolving towards greater efficiency, intelligence, and reliability.

[0003] As industry demands continue to upgrade, heavy-duty drones, with their ability to carry large equipment and transport heavy materials, are playing an increasingly important role in industrial applications.

[0004] In the construction sector, the planning and construction of large-scale infrastructure projects such as bridges, railways, tunnels, buildings, and facilities require drones equipped with heavy equipment such as lidar and high-precision mapping cameras for terrain modeling, construction progress monitoring, and structural inspection. In construction sites with rugged terrain and inconvenient transportation, drones can be used for transportation and inspection, and can also carry building materials. The application of drones can solve the problems of low efficiency and specific requirements of traditional transportation methods in terms of construction environment and transportation. They can also replace helicopters in addressing the high costs and landing space requirements of these tasks. For example, in the construction of cross-sea bridges, high-payload drones can carry inspection equipment weighing several kilograms to conduct close-range inspections of key structural parts of the bridge, promptly identifying potential hazards. In the field of emergency rescue, when natural disasters occur, such drones can deliver emergency supplies such as food, medicine, and life jackets to remote disaster areas or inaccessible regions, with a single payload reaching several kilograms or even higher, providing strong support for rescue efforts. In the logistics and transportation sector, some companies are exploring the use of high-payload drones to achieve cross-regional, long-distance cargo transportation to solve the delivery problems of traditional logistics in remote or inaccessible areas.

[0005] To meet heavy payload requirements, drone fuselages are often made of high-strength aluminum alloys, titanium alloys, and other metal materials. These aluminum or titanium alloys are assembled and reinforced with metal connectors, ensuring a certain load-bearing capacity. However, the numerous additional support structures and reinforcement components not only increase the weight of the fuselage but also increase structural complexity, reducing assembly efficiency and maintenance convenience, and raising overall costs. Furthermore, the complex structure leads to an unbalanced center of gravity distribution, making the drone prone to swaying and vibration during flight, affecting flight stability and controllability. For example, some heavy-duty drones used for logistics transportation have excessively reinforced fuselage frames to carry heavier loads, resulting in an unexpectedly high weight. This requires more power to maintain balance during flight and frequently leads to malfunctions such as loose parts and wear.

[0006] To further expand the application boundaries of heavy-payload UAVs and improve their operational efficiency in fields such as construction, rescue, and logistics, it is urgent to overcome existing technological bottlenecks. Solving problems such as large airframe weight, high cost, low assembly efficiency, and poor flight stability can significantly improve the assembly efficiency and reliability of heavy-payload UAVs, reduce production costs, and enable them to better adapt to complex environments and diverse mission requirements. Summary of the Invention

[0007] The purpose of this invention is to provide a lightweight drone frame and a drone using the lightweight drone frame, in order to solve at least one of the aforementioned technical problems.

[0008] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution: This invention provides a lightweight unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) frame, including a fuselage, arms, and landing gear. The fuselage is polygonal, the arms are located at the corners of the fuselage, and the landing gear is connected to the lower part of the fuselage. The fuselage is formed by tenon-and-mortise joints and welding of multiple aluminum profile connecting rods. The arms are formed of carbon fiber tubes, and the center lines of each arm are coplanar.

[0009] In one embodiment, the fuselage includes a first polygonal frame and a second polygonal frame that are spliced ​​together with staggered corners. The first polygonal frame includes multiple first connecting rods connected in sequence, and the second polygonal frame includes multiple second connecting rods connected in sequence. Both the first and second connecting rods are aluminum profile connecting rods with mortise and tenon joints that fit together. They are assembled by embedding the tenon of one connecting rod into the mortise of the other connecting rod.

[0010] In one embodiment, both the first connecting rod and the second connecting rod include a rod body, wherein a tenon groove is cut from one side to the other side along the vertical direction, and the portion from the bottom of the tenon groove to the other end face of the rod body forms a tenon.

[0011] In one embodiment, after the first connecting rod and the second connecting rod are assembled, the two sides of the first connecting rod in the vertical direction of the machine body are flush with the corresponding sides of the second connecting rod.

[0012] In one embodiment, the ends of every two first connecting rods that are close to each other and the ends of every two second connecting rods that are close to each other are connected by a mounting block. The mounting block is supported by an aluminum profile and is provided with a robot arm mounting sleeve made of carbon fiber. The center line of the robot arm mounting sleeve coincides with the angle bisector of the angle defined by the corresponding two connecting rods. The robot arm is inserted into the robot arm mounting sleeve.

[0013] In one embodiment, the ends of the first connecting rod and the second connecting rod are each cut to form a first connecting bevel, which abuts against and is welded to the end face of the mounting block.

[0014] In one embodiment, both the first connecting rod and the second connecting rod have support holes through which the arm mounting sleeve at the corner of another polygonal frame passes.

[0015] In one embodiment, the fuselage further includes a flight control mounting bracket, which is located at the center of the fuselage and welded to a first polygonal frame and a second polygonal frame.

[0016] In one embodiment, the flight control mounting bracket includes a pair of parallel support rods and a reinforcing rod spanning between the two support rods. The two ends of the support rods are connected to two sides of a polygonal frame. A cable protection tube is also connected between the support rods and the first connecting rod or the second connecting rod. The centerline of the cable protection tube is collinear with the centerline of the corresponding arm.

[0017] In one embodiment, both the first polygonal frame and the second polygonal frame are triangular frames.

[0018] Secondly, the present invention also provides a drone comprising the aforementioned lightweight drone frame. The beneficial effects of the technical solution provided by the present invention are: The drone fuselage of this invention is made of aluminum profile and the arms are made of carbon fiber, which can meet the structural strength requirements of the frame and reduce the weight of the frame. In addition, the fuselage is connected by a mortise and tenon structure, eliminating the need for connecting parts, avoiding the space occupied by connecting parts and the increase in the weight of the fuselage, improving the assembly efficiency of the frame and reducing production costs. Attached Figure Description

[0019] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments of the present invention will be briefly introduced below.

[0020] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a lightweight unmanned aerial vehicle frame provided in one embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the fuselage structure provided in one embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 for Figure 2 The diagram shows the fuselage without the second connecting rod. Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the first connecting rod provided in one embodiment of the present invention; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the second connecting rod provided in one embodiment of the present invention; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a support rod provided in one embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0021] Embodiments of the present invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. While some embodiments of the invention are shown in the drawings, it should be understood that the invention can be implemented in various forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided to provide a more thorough and complete understanding of the invention. It should be understood that the accompanying drawings and embodiments are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the invention.

[0022] It should be understood that the various steps described in the method embodiments of the present invention may be performed in different orders and / or in parallel. Furthermore, the method embodiments may include additional steps and / or omit the steps shown. The scope of the present invention is not limited in this respect.

[0023] The term "comprising" and its variations as used herein are open-ended, meaning "including but not limited to". The term "connection" can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection via intermediate components (elements). The term "one embodiment" means "at least one embodiment"; the term "another embodiment" means "at least one additional embodiment"; the term "some embodiments" means "at least some embodiments". Definitions of other terms will be given in the following description.

[0024] It should be noted that the concepts of "first" and "second" mentioned in this invention are only used to distinguish between devices, modules or units, and are not intended to limit these devices, modules or units to necessarily be different devices, modules or units, nor are they intended to limit the order or interdependence of the functions performed by these devices, modules or units.

[0025] See Figures 1 to 6This invention provides a lightweight drone frame (hereinafter referred to as "frame"), with the fuselage made of high-strength aluminum alloy (such as aerospace aluminum profile) and the arms made of carbon fiber. This achieves high mechanical strength through a lighter weight, thus providing a stronger load-bearing capacity. Additionally, a drone using this frame is also provided.

[0026] The frame includes a fuselage 100, arms and landing gear 200. The fuselage 100 is polygonal, the arms are arranged radially around the outer periphery of the fuselage, specifically at the corners of the fuselage 100, and the landing gear 200 is connected to the lower part of the fuselage 100.

[0027] The fuselage 100 includes a first polygonal frame 110 and a second polygonal frame 120. The first polygonal frame 110 and the second polygonal frame 120 are connected by a mortise and tenon structure with their corners staggered, and the center lines of each arm are set in the same plane.

[0028] Taking a hexagonal drone as an example, the overall fuselage of this hexagonal drone is hexagonal, with six rotors mounted at the six corners of the hexagonal fuselage via corresponding arms. The hexagonal fuselage is formed by splicing together two equilateral triangular frames, with the corners of the two frames offset from each other to form the hexagon. The two triangular frames serve as the first polygonal frame 110 and the second polygonal frame 120, respectively, and are riveted together along the vertical direction. It should be understood that the equilateral triangular frames are generally equilateral triangles and have a centrally symmetrical structure.

[0029] In one embodiment, the first polygonal frame 110 includes three sequentially connected first connecting rods 10, and the second polygonal frame 120 includes three sequentially connected second connecting rods 20. Both the first and second connecting rods are aluminum profile connecting rods.

[0030] One of the first connecting rod 10 and the second connecting rod 20 is provided with at least one of a mortise and a tenon, and the other of the first connecting rod 10 and the second connecting rod 20 is provided with a tenon at a position corresponding to the mortise and a mortise at a position corresponding to the tenon.

[0031] The tenon and mortise mentioned above are opposite assembly surfaces. The first connecting rod 10 and the second connecting rod 20 are connected by mortise and tenon joints in which the tenon of one connecting rod is embedded in the mortise of the other connecting rod.

[0032] It is understandable that the first connecting rod 10 is provided with a mortise 11, and the second connecting rod 20 is provided with a tenon 22 corresponding to the mortise 11; conversely, the first connecting rod 10 is provided with a tenon 12, and the second connecting rod 20 is provided with a mortise 21; or both the first connecting rod 10 and the second connecting rod 20 are provided with tenons and mortises, which can achieve the mortise and tenon connection between the first connecting rod 10 and the second connecting rod 20.

[0033] In one embodiment, both the first connecting rod 10 and the second connecting rod 20 include a rod body. The rod body is cut with the tenon groove from one side to the other in the vertical direction. The remaining part of the rod body after cutting the tenon groove in the vertical direction of the body 100, that is, the part of the rod body from the bottom of the tenon groove to the other end face of the rod body, forms a tenon. In this embodiment, the sum of the depth of the tenon groove and the height of the tenon is equal to the height of the rod body in the vertical direction of the body 100.

[0034] In one embodiment, after the first connecting rod 10 and the second connecting rod 20 are assembled, the two sides of the first connecting rod 10 in the vertical direction of the body 100 are flush with the corresponding sides of the second connecting rod 20.

[0035] Optionally, the first connecting rod 10 and the second connecting rod 20 have the same rod structure, both of which are formed by processing square rods or square tubes. The dimensions of the square rods (or square tubes) along the vertical direction of the machine body 100 are the same, so that the outer surface of the tenon and mortise of the two connecting rods after they are engaged and assembled is a continuous surface, ensuring the flatness of the connecting rod surface.

[0036] In one embodiment, the first connecting rod 10 and the second connecting rod 20 are welded together at a mortise and tenon joint. Thus, through the mortise and tenon connection between the connecting rods, combined with welding, the frame has sufficient structural strength, eliminating the need for connecting accessories and reducing the weight of the frame.

[0037] In one embodiment, the adjacent ends of every two first connecting rods 10 and the adjacent ends of every two second connecting rods 20 are connected by mounting blocks 30. The mounting blocks 30 have mounting holes into which arm mounting sleeves 40 are inserted. The centerline of the arm mounting sleeve 40 coincides with the angle bisector of the angle defined by the corresponding two connecting rods. The arm is inserted into the arm mounting sleeve 40. By using mounting blocks 30 at the corners of the fuselage 100 to connect the adjacent ends of two connecting rods and mounting the arm onto the mounting blocks 30, the structural stability of the UAV is improved.

[0038] In one embodiment, the ends of the first connecting rod 10 and the second connecting rod 20 are each cut to form a first connecting bevel, which abuts against and is welded to the end face of the mounting block 30.

[0039] In one embodiment, the first connecting rod 10 has a support hole 13 for placing the end of the arm mounting sleeve 40 on the second polygonal frame, and the second connecting rod 20 has a support hole 23 for the arm mounting sleeve 40 at the corner of the first polygonal frame to pass through. The arm mounting sleeve 40 passes through the mounting hole of the mounting block 30 and is inserted into the corresponding support hole. The arm mounting sleeve 40 can be fastened to each hole by a tight fit, or by a clearance fit and welding.

[0040] In one embodiment, the fuselage 100 further includes a flight control mounting bracket, which is located at the center of the fuselage 100 and welded to the first polygonal frame 110 and the second polygonal frame 120.

[0041] In one embodiment, the flight control mounting bracket includes a pair of parallel support rods 50 and a reinforcing rod 60 spanning between the two support rods 50. The two ends of the support rods 50 are connected to two sides of the polygonal frame. A cable protection tube 41 is also connected between the support rods 50 and the first connecting rod 10 or the second connecting rod 20. The center line of the cable protection tube 41 is collinear with the center line of the corresponding arm. The cable protection tube 41 can both store the wiring and reduce the resonance generated by the rotor to a certain extent.

[0042] The support rod 50 is connected to the intersection of the first polygonal frame 110 and the second polygonal frame 120. Its end is provided with an end face and a second connecting inclined surface 52 that is inclined to the end face. The end face is connected to one of the polygonal frames, and the second connecting inclined surface 52 is connected to the other polygonal frame.

[0043] Optionally, the arm mounting sleeve 40, the cable protection tube 41, and the arm are all formed by processing round tubes, preferably made of carbon fiber tubes. While meeting the strength requirements, this further reduces the weight of the frame, thereby improving the drone's endurance.

[0044] In another embodiment, the first polygonal frame 110 and the second polygonal frame 120 are both quadrilateral frames, forming the fuselage 100 of the octocopter UAV. In other embodiments, the number of sides of the first polygonal frame 110 and the second polygonal frame 120 can be other numbers, and can be the same or different. They can be pentagons or other polygons; they can be regular polygons or irregular polygons; they can also be irregular shapes, which can be selected by technicians according to the payload requirements of the UAV.

[0045] The frame of this invention, with its fuselage 100 portion using mortise and tenon joints of square-section straight rods and insertion mortise and tenon joints of round tubes and holes, is entirely secured by mortise and tenon joints and welded together, eliminating the need for connecting accessories. This reduces the frame's weight and improves the drone's endurance. The fuselage is primarily made of aluminum profiles, while the arms are made of carbon fiber tubing, thus achieving high structural strength while reducing frame weight and improving the drone's endurance.

[0046] The landing gear 200 adopts a frame structure, primarily made of lightweight alloy, to ensure sufficient strength to support the weight of the UAV while reducing its own weight. The landing gear 200 plays a crucial role in the UAV's takeoff and landing. First, it maintains a safe distance between the fuselage and the ground, preventing the aircraft from tilting due to instability when taking off or landing close to the ground, thus avoiding rotor collisions and protecting the rotor and fuselage. Second, the landing gear creates sufficient space between the rotor and the ground, effectively reducing airflow interference during takeoff and landing, improving stability and safety during the process. The landing gear 200 is installed at the bottom of the frame, typically symmetrically mounted at the four corners of the fuselage 100, ensuring stable support and maintaining the aircraft's balance during takeoff and landing. In this invention, the landing gear 200 is welded to the fuselage.

[0047] As a second aspect, the present invention also discloses a drone, which includes the aforementioned lightweight drone frame, battery, flight control module and multiple rotors, wherein each rotor is installed in a corresponding manner at the end of the arm away from the fuselage 100 and is electrically connected to the battery and flight control module.

[0048] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and an explanation of the technical principles employed. Those skilled in the art should understand that the scope of the invention is not limited to the specific combination of the above-described technical features, but also includes other technical solutions formed by arbitrary combinations of the above-described technical features or their equivalents without departing from the inventive concept. For example, technical solutions formed by substituting the above-described features with (but not limited to) technical features with similar functions as those in the present invention.

[0049] Although the subject matter has been described using language specific to structural features and / or methodological logic, it should be understood that the subject matter defined in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the specific features or actions described above. Rather, the specific features and actions described above are merely illustrative examples of implementing the claims.

Claims

1. A lightweight unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) frame, comprising a fuselage, arms, and landing gear, wherein the fuselage is polygonal, the arms are disposed at the corners of the fuselage, and the landing gear is connected to the lower part of the fuselage, characterized in that, The fuselage is formed by multiple aluminum profile connecting rods that are mortise and tenon jointed and welded together. The arms are formed from carbon fiber tubes, and the centerlines of each arm are arranged in a coplanar manner.

2. The lightweight UAV frame according to claim 1, characterized in that, The fuselage includes a first polygonal frame and a second polygonal frame that are spliced ​​together with staggered corners. The first polygonal frame includes multiple first connecting rods connected in sequence, and the second polygonal frame includes multiple second connecting rods connected in sequence. Both the first and second connecting rods are aluminum profile connecting rods with mortise and tenon joints that fit together. They are assembled by inserting the tenon of one connecting rod into the mortise of the other connecting rod.

3. The lightweight UAV frame according to claim 2, characterized in that, Both the first connecting rod and the second connecting rod include a rod body, and the rod body is cut with a tenon groove from one side to the other side in the vertical direction, and the part from the bottom of the tenon groove to the other end face of the rod body forms a tenon.

4. The lightweight UAV frame according to claim 2, characterized in that, After the first connecting rod and the second connecting rod are assembled, the two sides of the first connecting rod in the vertical direction of the machine body are flush with the corresponding sides of the second connecting rod.

5. The lightweight UAV frame according to claim 2, characterized in that, The ends of every two first connecting rods that are close to each other and the ends of every two second connecting rods that are close to each other are connected by a mounting block. The mounting block is supported by an aluminum profile and is provided with a machine arm mounting sleeve made of carbon fiber. The center line of the machine arm mounting sleeve coincides with the angle bisector of the angle defined by the corresponding two connecting rods. The machine arm is inserted into the machine arm mounting sleeve.

6. The lightweight UAV frame according to claim 5, characterized in that, The ends of the first connecting rod and the second connecting rod are each cut to form a first connecting bevel, which abuts against and is welded to the end face of the mounting block.

7. The lightweight UAV frame according to claim 5, characterized in that, Both the first and second connecting rods have support holes for the arm mounting sleeves at the corners of another polygonal frame to pass through.

8. The lightweight UAV frame according to claim 1, characterized in that, The fuselage also includes a flight control mounting bracket, which is located at the center of the fuselage and welded to the first polygonal frame and the second polygonal frame.

9. The lightweight unmanned aerial vehicle frame according to claim 8, characterized in that, The flight control mounting frame includes a pair of parallel support rods and a reinforcing rod spanning between the two support rods. The two ends of the support rods are connected to two sides of the polygonal frame. A cable protection tube is also connected between the support rod and the first connecting rod or the second connecting rod. The center line of the cable protection tube is collinear with the center line of the corresponding arm.

10. The lightweight unmanned aerial vehicle frame according to claim 1, characterized in that, Both the first polygonal frame and the second polygonal frame are triangular frames.

11. A drone, characterized in that, The lightweight unmanned aerial vehicle frame includes any one of claims 1 to 10.

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