Power module, unmanned aerial vehicle and control system and control method of unmanned aerial vehicle

Abstract

The invention provides a power module, an unmanned aerial vehicle and a control system and method of the unmanned aerial vehicle, and the power module is applied to the unmanned aerial vehicle and comprises an oil cylinder, an oil pool, at least three speed regulation units, at least three hydraulic motors, at least one fuel engine unit, at least one oil pump and at least three rotor units. Each fuel engine unit is mechanically connected with a corresponding oil pump, the input end of each oil pump is connected with the corresponding output end of the oil pool, the output end of each oil pump is connected with the corresponding input end of the oil cylinder, the input end of each speed regulation unit is connected with the corresponding output end of the oil cylinder, and the output end of each speed regulation unit is connected with the input end of the corresponding hydraulic motor. The output end of each hydraulic motor is connected with the corresponding input end of the oil pool, each hydraulic motor is further rotationally connected with the corresponding rotor wing unit, the power module provides power for the unmanned aerial vehicle in a fuel oil mode, and the flight distance, the flight time and the load capacity of the unmanned aerial vehicle are improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) technology, and in particular to a power module, an UAV and its control system and control method. Background Technology

[0002] Multirotor unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) offer advantages such as vertical takeoff and landing, arbitrary hovering, arbitrary flight direction, low-speed flight capability, flexible movement, compact structure, and high reliability. Furthermore, because they are unmanned, the risk of human injury is reduced, and the operating conditions for aircraft are simplified. Therefore, they are more adaptable than fixed-wing aircraft in certain environments and are better suited for working in dangerous and harsh conditions. In recent years, multirotor UAVs have experienced rapid development and are increasingly widely used in aerial photography, geodetic surveying, military and police patrols, agricultural plant protection, forest fire prevention and mitigation, disaster prevention and mitigation, urban fire fighting, and mobile smart cities.

[0003] Currently, multi-rotor unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) typically use batteries as their power source. The batteries supply power to the electric motors, which in turn drive the rotors to rotate. However, due to the low energy density and limited energy storage of existing batteries, the electric motors have insufficient output power, resulting in short flight distances and flight times for the UAVs. This significantly limits their application value in various industries. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to provide a power module, an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), its control system, and a control method that use fuel to power the UAV, thereby increasing the UAV's flight distance and flight time.

[0005] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, one technical solution adopted in this invention is: providing a power module for use in a multi-rotor unmanned aerial vehicle, comprising: a hydraulic cylinder, an oil tank, at least three speed control units, at least three hydraulic motors, at least one fuel-driven unit, at least one oil pump, and at least three rotor units; each fuel-driven unit is mechanically connected to a corresponding oil pump, and each fuel-driven unit is used to convert the chemical energy of fuel into kinetic energy to drive the corresponding oil pump; the input end of each oil pump is connected to the corresponding output end of the oil tank, and the output end of each oil pump is connected to the corresponding input end of the hydraulic cylinder; each oil pump is used to drive the fuel-driven unit to... The system extracts first hydraulic oil from the oil tank, pressurizes the first hydraulic oil to obtain second hydraulic oil, and outputs the second hydraulic oil to the oil cylinder. The input end of each speed regulating unit is connected to the corresponding output end of the oil cylinder, the output end of each speed regulating unit is connected to the input end of the corresponding hydraulic motor, the output end of each hydraulic motor is connected to the corresponding input end of the oil tank, and each hydraulic motor is also rotatably connected to the corresponding rotor unit. Each speed regulating unit is used to control the flow rate of the second hydraulic oil in the oil cylinder to the corresponding hydraulic motor, so as to drive the corresponding hydraulic motor to rotate, thereby causing the hydraulic motor to drive the corresponding rotor unit to rotate.

[0006] In some embodiments, the speed control unit includes a speed control valve or a throttle valve.

[0007] In some embodiments, the speed control unit further includes a speed controller; the speed controller is connected to the speed control valve, or the speed controller is connected to the throttle valve.

[0008] In some embodiments, the power module further includes a hydraulic pressure gauge; the hydraulic pressure gauge is used to obtain the hydraulic pressure value inside the hydraulic cylinder.

[0009] In some embodiments, the rotor unit includes a rotor and a rotor shaft; one end of the rotor shaft is rotatably connected to the rotor, and the other end of the rotor shaft is rotatably connected to the corresponding hydraulic motor.

[0010] In some embodiments, the rotor unit further includes a tachometer; the tachometer is used to obtain the rotational speed of the rotor shaft.

[0011] In some embodiments, the power module further includes a transmission; the other end of the rotor shaft is rotatably connected to the corresponding hydraulic motor via the transmission.

[0012] In some embodiments, each of the fuel-powered units includes a fuel engine; the fuel engine is mechanically connected to the corresponding fuel pump.

[0013] In some embodiments, each of the fuel-powered units further includes an engine controller and a fuel tank; the fuel engine is also connected to the corresponding engine controller and the corresponding fuel tank.

[0014] In some embodiments, the fuel-starting unit further includes a fuel gauge; the fuel gauge is used to obtain the fuel level in the corresponding fuel tank.

[0015] In a second aspect, embodiments of the present invention provide an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) including a flight controller and a power module as described in any one of the first aspects; the flight controller is connected to the power module.

[0016] In some embodiments, the flight controller includes a control unit, a display unit, and a storage unit, and the unmanned aerial vehicle further includes a first communication module and a navigation module; the control unit is connected to the display unit, the storage unit, the first communication module, and the navigation module respectively.

[0017] In some embodiments, the unmanned aerial vehicle further includes an attitude sensor; the control unit is also connected to the attitude sensor; the control unit is used to acquire attitude data of the unmanned aerial vehicle through the attitude sensor.

[0018] Thirdly, embodiments of the present invention also provide a control system for an unmanned aerial vehicle, the control system including a ground control device and an unmanned aerial vehicle as described in any of the second aspects; the ground control device is communicatively connected to the unmanned aerial vehicle.

[0019] In some embodiments, the ground control device includes a control terminal, a display module, and a second communication module; the control terminal is connected to the display module, and the control terminal is communicatively connected to the unmanned aerial vehicle through the second communication module.

[0020] Fourthly, embodiments of the present invention also provide a control method for an unmanned aerial vehicle, which is applied to a control system as described in any of the third aspects. The control method includes: acquiring control commands through the ground control device; controlling the unmanned aerial vehicle to operate according to the control commands; and sending response information to the ground control device.

[0021] In some embodiments, controlling the operation of the unmanned aerial vehicle according to the control command includes: if the control command is a takeoff command, controlling at least one of the fuel engine units to operate, so as to rotate the rotor unit, thereby causing the unmanned aerial vehicle to take off.

[0022] In some embodiments, the control method further includes: acquiring the actual rotational speed and target rotational speed of each rotor unit; and controlling the corresponding speed regulating unit according to the actual rotational speed and the target rotational speed, so that the speed regulating unit controls the flow rate of the second hydraulic oil in the oil cylinder to the corresponding hydraulic motor, thereby controlling the rotational speed of the corresponding rotor unit.

[0023] In some embodiments, the control method further includes: acquiring target attitude data of the unmanned aerial vehicle and actual attitude data of the attitude sensor; adjusting the difference in rotational speed of each rotor unit according to the target attitude data and the actual attitude data, so that the attitude data of the unmanned aerial vehicle reaches the target attitude data.

[0024] In some embodiments, the control method further includes: acquiring the actual oil pressure value and the target oil pressure value of the cylinder; sending the actual oil pressure value to the ground control device; and controlling the fuel start-up unit to operate based on the actual oil pressure value and the target oil pressure value.

[0025] In some embodiments, the control method further includes: acquiring flight data of the unmanned aerial vehicle; and sending the flight data to the ground control device.

[0026] In some embodiments, the ground control device is used to store the flight data and / or the control commands, and to display the flight data and / or the control commands.

[0027] In some embodiments, the control method further includes: acquiring flight plan data; and controlling the unmanned aerial vehicle to operate based on the flight plan data.

[0028] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows: Unlike the prior art, the embodiments of the present invention provide a power module, an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), and its control system and control method. This power module is applied to a multi-rotor UAV and includes: a hydraulic cylinder, an oil sump, at least three speed regulating units, at least three hydraulic motors, at least one fuel-driven unit, at least one oil pump, and at least three rotor units. Each fuel-driven unit is mechanically connected to a corresponding oil pump, and each fuel-driven unit converts the chemical energy of the fuel into kinetic energy to drive the corresponding oil pump. The input end of each oil pump is connected to the corresponding output end of the oil sump, and the output end of each oil pump is connected to the corresponding output end of the hydraulic cylinder. At the input end of the system, each oil pump, driven by the fuel-powered unit, draws first hydraulic oil from the oil sump, pressurizes the first hydraulic oil to obtain second hydraulic oil, and outputs the second hydraulic oil to the cylinder. The input end of each speed control unit is connected to the corresponding output end of the cylinder, and the output end of each speed control unit is connected to the input end of the corresponding hydraulic motor. The output end of each hydraulic motor is connected to the corresponding input end of the oil sump. Each hydraulic motor is also rotatably connected to the corresponding rotor unit. Each speed control unit controls the flow rate of the second hydraulic oil in the cylinder to the corresponding hydraulic motor, thereby driving the corresponding hydraulic motor to rotate, which in turn drives the corresponding rotor unit to rotate. This power module uses fuel to provide power to the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), increasing its flight range, flight time, and payload capacity. Attached Figure Description

[0029] One or more embodiments are illustrated by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings. These illustrations do not constitute a limitation on the embodiments. Elements / modules and steps with the same reference numerals in the drawings are represented as similar elements / modules and steps. Unless otherwise stated, the figures in the drawings do not constitute a limitation on scale.

[0030] Figure 1 This is a structural block diagram of a power module provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0031] Figure 2 This is a structural block diagram of another power module provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0032] Figure 3 This is a structural block diagram of a fuel-powered engine unit provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0033] Figure 4 This is a structural block diagram of an unmanned aerial vehicle provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0034] Figure 5 This is a partial structural block diagram of an unmanned aerial vehicle provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0035] Figure 6This is a structural block diagram of another unmanned aerial vehicle provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0036] Figure 7 This is a structural block diagram of a ground control device provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0037] Figure 8 This is a structural block diagram of another ground control device provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0038] Figure 9 This is a flowchart illustrating a control method for an unmanned aerial vehicle provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0039] Figure 10 This is one of the embodiments provided by the present invention. Figure 9 A partial flowchart of step S200;

[0040] Figure 11 This is a partial flowchart illustrating a control method for an unmanned aerial vehicle provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0041] Figure 12 This is a partial flowchart illustrating another control method for an unmanned aerial vehicle provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0042] Figure 13 This is a partial flowchart illustrating another control method for an unmanned aerial vehicle provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0043] Figure 14 This is a partial flowchart illustrating another control method for an unmanned aerial vehicle provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0044] Figure 15 This is a partial flowchart illustrating the control method for the fifth type of unmanned aerial vehicle provided in this embodiment of the invention. Detailed Implementation

[0045] The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to specific embodiments. These embodiments will help those skilled in the art to further understand the present invention, but do not limit the invention in any way. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of the present invention. These all fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0046] To facilitate understanding of this application, a more detailed description is provided below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used in this specification have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application belongs. The terminology used in this specification is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the application. The term "and / or" as used in this specification includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0047] It should be noted that, unless there is a conflict, the various features in the embodiments of this invention can be combined with each other, all of which are within the protection scope of this application. Furthermore, although functional modules are divided in the device schematic diagram, in some cases, they can be divided differently from those in the device. In addition, the terms "first," "second," etc., used herein do not limit the data or execution order, but only distinguish identical or similar items with substantially the same function and effect.

[0048] In a first aspect, embodiments of the present invention provide a power module, characterized in that it is applied to a multi-rotor unmanned aerial vehicle. (See also...) Figure 1 The power module includes: at least one fuel-powered unit 10, at least one oil pump 20, a hydraulic cylinder 30, an oil sump 40, at least three hydraulic motors 50, at least three rotor units 60, and at least three speed control units 70. Each fuel-powered unit 10 is mechanically connected to its corresponding oil pump 20. Each fuel-powered unit 10 converts the chemical energy of fuel into kinetic energy to drive the corresponding oil pump 20. The input end of each oil pump 20 is connected to the corresponding output end of the oil sump 40, and the output end of each oil pump 20 is connected to the corresponding input end of the hydraulic cylinder 30. Each oil pump 20, driven by the fuel-powered unit 10, draws first hydraulic oil from the oil sump 40, pressurizes the first hydraulic oil to obtain second hydraulic oil, and outputs the second hydraulic oil to the hydraulic cylinder 30. The input end of each speed control unit 70 is connected to the corresponding output end of the corresponding hydraulic cylinder 30, the output end of each speed control unit 70 is connected to the input end of the corresponding hydraulic motor 50, the output end of each hydraulic motor 50 is connected to the corresponding input end of the oil tank 40, and each hydraulic motor 50 is also rotatably connected to the corresponding rotor unit 60. Each speed control unit 70 is used to control the flow rate of the second hydraulic oil in the hydraulic cylinder 30 to the corresponding hydraulic motor 50, so as to drive the corresponding hydraulic motor 50 to rotate, thereby causing the hydraulic motor 50 to drive the corresponding rotor unit 60 to rotate.

[0049] The power module 100 is used in a multi-rotor unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). The multi-rotor UAV includes an unmanned aircraft with at least three rotor units. Each rotor unit 60 can generate lift or thrust to propel the UAV into flight when it rotates.

[0050] The hydraulic motor 50 converts the liquid pressure energy of the second hydraulic oil into the mechanical energy of its output shaft. This output shaft is rotatably connected to the rotor unit 60. Therefore, when the output shaft rotates, it drives the rotor unit 60 to rotate. After passing through the hydraulic motor 50, the second hydraulic oil becomes the first hydraulic oil. It is understood that the liquid pressure of the second hydraulic oil is greater than that of the first hydraulic oil; that is, the first hydraulic oil is low-pressure hydraulic oil, and the second hydraulic oil is high-pressure hydraulic oil. The oil pumps 20, cylinders 30, oil sump 40, speed control units 70, and hydraulic motors 50 are connected via oil pipes, thus providing a flow path for the hydraulic oil.

[0051] In the power module 100, the fuel-powered unit 10 provides kinetic energy to the oil pump 20 through fuel combustion. The low-pressure hydraulic oil in the oil sump 40 is drawn and pressurized into high-pressure hydraulic oil by the oil pump 20, and the high-pressure hydraulic oil is input to the oil cylinder 30. The high-pressure hydraulic oil in the oil cylinder 30 is output to the corresponding hydraulic motor 50 after the speed is adjusted by the speed regulating unit 70. At this time, the hydraulic motor 50 converts the liquid pressure energy of the high-pressure hydraulic oil into the mechanical energy of the output shaft, thereby driving the corresponding rotor unit 60 to rotate, generating lift or thrust, and outputting the high-pressure hydraulic oil to the oil sump 40 after converting it into low-pressure hydraulic oil.

[0052] As can be seen, in this power module 100, fuel from each fuel-powered unit 10 serves as the power source. Compared to unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) that use batteries as their power source, the power module 100 provided in this embodiment reduces the cost of power supply, increases the flight distance and time of the UAV, and also increases the payload capacity. Furthermore, in practical applications, multiple fuel-powered units 10 can be configured, increasing the number of power sources. When one fuel-powered unit 10 fails, the UAV can still obtain power from other fuel-powered units 10, improving the reliability of power supply and increasing the power output of the UAV.

[0053] In some embodiments, the speed control unit includes a speed control valve or a throttle valve. See also... Figure 2 The speed control valve 71 is a combination valve consisting of a differential pressure reducing valve and a throttle valve connected in series. Compared to using the speed control valve 71 in the speed control unit, using the throttle valve in the speed control unit is less costly.

[0054] In some of these embodiments, please refer to Figure 2The speed control unit 70 also includes a speed controller 72; the speed controller 72 is connected to the speed control valve 71, or the speed controller 72 is connected to a throttle valve. In this embodiment, the speed controller 72 can control the flow rate of hydraulic oil output by the speed control valve 71 or the throttle valve to adjust the speed of the hydraulic motor 50, thereby controlling the speed of the corresponding rotor 61. The speed controller 72 may include an STM8, STM16, or any other microcontroller that can be used to receive, process, and output data.

[0055] In some of these embodiments, please refer to Figure 2 The power module 100 also includes an oil pressure gauge 31. The oil pressure gauge 31 is used to obtain the oil pressure value inside the oil cylinder 30. The oil pressure gauge 31 can be any suitable oil pressure measuring device in the prior art, and is not limited here. In this embodiment, the oil pressure value inside the oil cylinder 30 is obtained by the oil pressure gauge 31, and the fuel start-up unit 10 can be controlled to work according to the oil pressure value so that the oil pressure inside the oil cylinder 30 is the target oil pressure value.

[0056] In some of these embodiments, please refer to Figure 2 The rotor unit includes a rotor 61 and a rotor shaft 62. One end of the rotor shaft 62 is rotatably connected to the rotor 61, and the other end is rotatably connected to a corresponding hydraulic motor 50. In this rotor unit, the hydraulic motor 50 can drive the rotor shaft 62, which in turn drives the rotor 61 to rotate, thereby generating lift or thrust. When subsequently applied to unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), this can propel the UAV into flight.

[0057] In some of these embodiments, please refer to Figure 2 The power module 100 also includes a transmission 63. The other end of the rotor shaft 62 is rotatably connected to a corresponding hydraulic motor 50 via the transmission 63. Thus, the rotational speed of the hydraulic motor 50, after being appropriately changed by the transmission 63, drives the rotor shaft 62 to rotate, which in turn drives the rotor 61 to rotate, generating lift or thrust to propel the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) to take off. In this embodiment, by setting the transmission 63, not only can the rotational speed of the rotor 61 be controlled by the speed regulating unit 70, but the rotational speed of the UAV's control rotor 61 can also be adjusted by controlling the transmission 63, thereby increasing the degree of freedom in controlling the rotational speed of the UAV's control rotor 61.

[0058] In some of these embodiments, please refer to Figure 2 The rotor unit also includes a tachometer 64; the tachometer 64 is used to obtain the rotational speed of the rotor shaft 62. The tachometer 64 can be any suitable tachometer, such as a mechanical tachometer, an electromagnetic tachometer, a photoelectric tachometer, or a laser tachometer. For example, it can be a suitable sensor such as an eddy current speed sensor, a passive magnetoelectric speed sensor, or an active magnetoelectric speed sensor. No limitation is made here.

[0059] In some of these embodiments, please refer to Figure 3Each fuel-powered unit 10 includes a fuel engine 11, and each fuel engine 11 is mechanically connected to a corresponding fuel pump 20. The fuel engine 11 can convert the chemical energy of fuel into kinetic energy to drive the corresponding fuel pump 20.

[0060] In some of these embodiments, please refer to Figure 3 Each fuel-powered unit 10 also includes a fuel tank 12; the fuel engine 11 is also connected to a corresponding fuel tank 12. The fuel tank 12 contains fuel, which can be gasoline, diesel, aviation kerosene, etc. Specifically, the fuel engine 11 can be connected to the fuel tank 12 via a fuel supply pipe. In this way, the fuel engine 11 can obtain fuel through the fuel supply pipe and convert the chemical energy of the fuel into kinetic energy to drive the corresponding fuel pump 20.

[0061] In some of these embodiments, please refer to Figure 3 Each fuel-powered unit 10 also includes an engine controller 13. The engine controller 13 is also connected to the corresponding fuel-powered engine 11. The engine controller 13 may include an STM8, STM16, or any other microcontroller that can receive, process, and output data. The engine controller 13 controls the operation of the fuel-powered engine 11.

[0062] In some of these embodiments, please refer to Figure 3 The fuel-powered unit 10 also includes a fuel gauge 14; the fuel gauge 14 is used to obtain the fuel level in the corresponding fuel tank 12. The fuel gauge 14 can be any suitable fuel gauge in the prior art, and is not limited here.

[0063] The following is combined with Figure 2 and Figure 3 The embodiments shown illustrate in detail the specific working process of the power module 100 provided in the embodiments of the present invention.

[0064] Specifically, the power module 100 includes two fuel start-up units 10, two oil pumps 20, multiple rotor units 60, multiple speed control units 70, etc. The specific connection method is as described above and will not be repeated here.

[0065] In the power module 100, each engine controller 13 controls the corresponding fuel engine 11 to draw fuel from the corresponding fuel tank 12, and provides kinetic energy to the corresponding oil pump 20 through fuel combustion. In this way, the low-pressure hydraulic oil in the oil sump 40 is drawn and pressurized into high-pressure hydraulic oil by each oil pump 20, and the high-pressure hydraulic oil is input to the oil cylinder 30.

[0066] Next, the high-pressure hydraulic oil in the cylinder 30 is output to the corresponding hydraulic motor 50 after being adjusted by the speed control valves 71. At this time, each hydraulic motor 50 converts the liquid pressure energy of the high-pressure hydraulic oil into the mechanical energy of the output shaft, thereby driving the rotor shaft 63 to rotate, causing the rotor 61 to rotate and generating lift or thrust. In addition, each hydraulic motor 50 converts the high-pressure hydraulic oil into low-pressure hydraulic oil and outputs it to the oil sump 40.

[0067] As can be seen, in this power module 100, fuel from each fuel-powered unit 10 serves as the power source. Compared to unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) that use batteries as their power source, the power module 100 provided in this embodiment reduces the cost of power supply, increases the flight distance and time of the UAV, and also increases the payload capacity. Furthermore, in practical applications, multiple fuel-powered units 10 can be configured, increasing the number of power sources. When one fuel-powered unit 10 fails, the UAV can still obtain power from other fuel-powered units 10, improving the reliability of power supply and increasing the power output of the UAV.

[0068] Secondly, embodiments of the present invention also provide an unmanned aerial vehicle, please refer to [link to relevant documentation]. Figure 4 The unmanned aerial vehicle includes a flight controller 200 and a power module 100 as described in any of the first aspects; the flight controller 200 is connected to the power module 100. In this embodiment, the power module 100 has the same structure and function as the power module 100 described in any of the first aspects, and will not be repeated here.

[0069] In some of these embodiments, please refer to Figure 5 The flight controller 200 includes a control unit 210, a display unit 220, and a storage unit 230. The unmanned aerial vehicle also includes a first communication module 300 and a navigation module 400. The control unit 210 is connected to the display unit 220, the storage unit 230, the first communication module 300, and the navigation module 400.

[0070] Specifically, the control unit 210 can be an STM8, STM16, or any other microcontroller capable of receiving, processing, and outputting data. The display unit 220 can be one of LCD, OLED, LCOS, DMD, and Micro-LED; the display unit 200 is used to display flight data of the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). The first communication module 300 can be a wireless communication device such as a cellular module, Bluetooth module, 5G module, 4G module, or remote spread spectrum / frequency hopping communication module. This first communication module 300 can transmit data content wirelessly to the air for transmission, enabling wireless communication with ground control devices. The navigation module 400 can be an Inertial Navigation System (INS) and / or a Global Positioning System (GPS). The navigation module 400 is used to acquire data such as the UAV's position, speed, and heading. The storage unit 230 can be used to store the UAV's operating commands and flight data.

[0071] In this embodiment, the control unit 210 can achieve wireless communication with the ground control device through the first communication module 300, and obtain data such as the position, speed and heading of the unmanned aerial vehicle through the navigation module 400. It can also control the display unit 220 to display data and control the storage unit 230 to store data, and retrieve the stored data through the storage unit 230.

[0072] In some of these embodiments, please refer to Figure 6 The unmanned aerial vehicle also includes a bus 500. The control unit 210 is equipped with a first communication interface, a second communication interface, and a bus communication interface. The control unit 210 can connect to a first communication module 300 via the first communication interface, to a navigation module 400 via the second communication interface, and to a bus 50 via the bus communication interface. The bus 50 is also connected to the power module 100. The first and second communication interfaces can be RS232 or Ethernet ports, and the bus 50 can be a CAN bus or an RS485 bus.

[0073] In some of these embodiments, please refer to Figure 6 The unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) also includes an attitude sensor 80. The control unit 210 is also connected to the attitude sensor 80; the control unit 210 is used to acquire the attitude data of the UAV through the attitude sensor 80. The attitude sensor 80 is a high-performance three-dimensional motion attitude measurement system based on MEMS technology. It includes motion sensors such as a three-axis gyroscope, a three-axis accelerometer, and a three-axis electronic compass, and obtains temperature-compensated three-dimensional attitude and orientation data through an embedded low-power ARM processor. Specifically, the attitude data may include the UAV's attitude and steering, flight altitude, and speed.

[0074] In some embodiments, see, specifically, [the following is a description]. Figure 6 When the unmanned aerial vehicle includes an engine controller 13, a speed controller 72, an oil pressure gauge 31, a fuel gauge 14, and a tachometer 64, the engine controller 13, the speed controller 72, the oil pressure gauge 31, the fuel gauge 14, and the tachometer 64 are respectively connected to the bus 50. In this way, the control unit 210 can communicate with the engine controller 13, the speed controller 72, the oil pressure gauge 31, the fuel gauge 14, and the tachometer 64 through the bus 50.

[0075] Thirdly, embodiments of the present invention also provide a control system for an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), comprising a ground control device and an UAV as described in any of the second aspects; the ground control device is communicatively connected to the UAV. In this embodiment, the UAV has the same structure and function as the UAV described in any of the second aspects, and will not be repeated here. In this control system, the ground control device is communicatively connected to the UAV, wherein the communication connection is a wireless communication connection, thereby enabling the ground control device and the UAV to conduct bidirectional data transmission communication wirelessly. The ground control device can be installed in a fixed indoor room or mounted on a vehicle, moving on the ground according to mission requirements or mission location.

[0076] In some of these embodiments, please refer to Figure 7 The ground control device 600 includes a control terminal 610, a display module 620, and a second communication module 630; the control terminal 610 is connected to the display module 620, and the control terminal 610 communicates with the unmanned aerial vehicle through the second communication module 630.

[0077] Please refer to Figure 8 The control terminal includes a server 611 and / or a system operation terminal 612. The system operation terminal 612 can be a mobile device, remote controller, computer, or other terminal. The system operation terminal 612 and the server 611 can be used to obtain control commands from the operator. These control commands are used to control the operation of the unmanned aerial vehicle. The server 611 is also used to save the control commands as historical records. It is understood that when the system operation terminal 612 sends a control command, the control command is also transmitted to the server 611 for storage via the local area network 700.

[0078] The display module 620 can be one of LCD, OLED, LCOS, DMD, Micro-LED and projector, and can be used to display the flight data and flight status of the unmanned aerial vehicle, or display the control commands sent to the unmanned aerial vehicle by the server 611 or the system operation terminal 612.

[0079] The second communication module 630 can be a wireless communication device such as a cellular module, Bluetooth module, 5G module, 4G module, or remote spread spectrum / frequency hopping communication module. In this way, the control terminal 610 can communicate with the unmanned aerial vehicle through the second communication module 630.

[0080] In some of these embodiments, please refer to Figure 8 The server 611 and the system operation terminal 612 can be connected to the display module 620 and the second communication module 630 respectively via the local area network 700. The display module 620 is also connected to the second communication module 630 via the local area network 700. In this way, the display module 620, the server 611 and the system operation terminal 612 can communicate with the unmanned aerial vehicle through the second communication module 630.

[0081] In some embodiments, the server 611 is also used to store the flight data of the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). This flight data can be obtained through the second communication module 630. The flight data may include the oil pressure value in the oil cylinder 30, the oil quantity in each fuel tank 12, the rotational speed of each rotor shaft 62, the attitude data of the UAV, and the current position, speed, and heading of the UAV. The position may include latitude, longitude, altitude, and other data. In addition, the server can obtain and store the corresponding geographical and meteorological information based on the UAV's position, and save it for future reference by system operators in formulating mission plans.

[0082] Fourthly, embodiments of the present invention also provide a control method for an unmanned aerial vehicle, which is applied to a control system as described in any of the third aspects. Please refer to [link to third aspect]. Figure 9 The control method includes:

[0083] Step S100: Obtain control commands through the ground control device;

[0084] Step S200: Control the unmanned aerial vehicle to operate according to the control command and send response information to the ground control device.

[0085] The control commands can be operational commands for unmanned aerial vehicles, such as takeoff commands, landing commands, deceleration commands, and turning commands.

[0086] For details, please refer to Figure 8 The control command can be issued by an operator from the system operation terminal 612 in the ground control device, or it can be issued by the server 611 in the ground control device. Then, the control command is transmitted via the local area network 700 to the second communication module 630. After receiving the control command, the second communication module 630 transmits it wirelessly into the air. Then, please refer to... Figure 5The first communication module 300 of the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) in the air receives the control command; then, the first communication module 300 sends the control command to the control unit 210. In this way, the control unit 210 can control the UAV to work according to the control command, and send response information to the server 611 or system operation terminal 612 in the ground control device through the first communication module 300. The response information is used to indicate that the UAV has received the control command.

[0087] As can be seen, in this embodiment, the unmanned aerial vehicle and the ground control device can communicate data through the first communication module 300 and the second communication module 630.

[0088] In some embodiments, when the server 611 or system operation terminal 612 sends control commands to the unmanned aerial vehicle, it also sends the control commands to the display module 620 so that the display module 620 can display the control commands.

[0089] In some of these embodiments, please refer to Figure 10 Step S200 includes:

[0090] Step S210: If the control command is a takeoff command, then control at least one of the fuel engine units to operate, so that the rotor unit rotates, thereby causing the unmanned aerial vehicle to take off.

[0091] Specifically, when the control command is a takeoff command, the control unit 210 controls each engine controller 13 via the bus 500 to control the corresponding fuel engine 11 to draw fuel from the corresponding fuel tank 12, and provides kinetic energy to the corresponding oil pump 20 through fuel combustion. In this way, the low-pressure hydraulic oil in the oil sump 40 is drawn and pressurized into high-pressure hydraulic oil by each oil pump 20, and the high-pressure hydraulic oil is input to the oil cylinder 30. Then, the high-pressure hydraulic oil in the oil cylinder 30 is output to the corresponding hydraulic motor 50 after speed regulation by each speed regulating valve 71. At this time, each hydraulic motor 50 converts the liquid pressure energy of the high-pressure hydraulic oil into the mechanical energy of the output shaft, thereby driving the rotor shaft 62 to rotate, causing the rotor 61 to rotate, generating lift or thrust, thereby enabling the unmanned aerial vehicle to take off.

[0092] In some of these embodiments, please refer to Figure 11 The control method further includes:

[0093] Step S310: Obtain the actual rotational speed and target rotational speed of each rotor unit;

[0094] Step S320: Based on the actual rotational speed and the target rotational speed, control the corresponding speed regulating unit so that the speed regulating unit controls the flow rate of the second hydraulic oil in the oil cylinder to the corresponding hydraulic motor, thereby controlling the rotational speed of the corresponding rotor unit.

[0095] Specifically, the control unit 210 can obtain the actual rotation speed of the corresponding rotor shaft 62 through each tachometer 64. Then, the control unit 210 also sends the rotation speed of each rotor unit 60 to the second communication module 630 through the first communication module 300. In this way, the rotation speed of each rotor unit 60 can be transmitted to the display module 620 through the local area network 700, and the display module 620 can display the rotation speed of each rotor unit 60.

[0096] Meanwhile, the control unit 210 compares the target speed of the rotor shaft 62 to form a closed-loop control, and controls each speed controller 72 to control the flow of high-pressure hydraulic oil output from the corresponding speed control valve 71 to the corresponding hydraulic motor 50, thereby controlling the hydraulic motor 50 to drive the corresponding rotor 61 to rotate at the target speed, so that the speed of the corresponding rotor shaft 62 reaches the target speed. The closed-loop control can be a PID algorithm.

[0097] As can be seen, in this embodiment, by obtaining the actual rotational speed of the unmanned aerial vehicle, the rotational speed of the rotor unit can be controlled, thereby enabling the rotor unit to reach the target rotational speed and achieving closed-loop control.

[0098] In some of these embodiments, please refer to Figure 12 The control method further includes:

[0099] Step S410: Obtain the target attitude data of the unmanned aerial vehicle and the actual attitude data of the attitude sensor;

[0100] Step S420: Based on the target attitude data and the actual attitude data, adjust the difference in rotational speed of each rotor unit so that the attitude data of the unmanned aerial vehicle reaches the target attitude data.

[0101] Specifically, the control unit 210 acquires the actual attitude data of the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) through each attitude sensor 80, then compares it with the target attitude data and adjusts the differences in the rotational speeds of each rotor 61 to bring the UAV's attitude data to the target attitude data. Simultaneously, the control unit 210 also transmits the actual attitude data to the second communication module 630 via the first communication module 300. This actual attitude data can then be transmitted to the display module 620 via the local area network 700, where it can be displayed.

[0102] The attitude data may include the attitude and turn of the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), flight altitude and speed, etc. When the UAV includes four rotor units (front, rear, left, and right), the control unit 210 can adjust the attitude and turn of the UAV by controlling the speed difference of the four rotor units, and adjust the flight altitude and speed of the UAV by adjusting the speed of the four rotor units.

[0103] As can be seen, in this embodiment, by acquiring the actual attitude data of the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), the attitude of the UAV can be controlled, thereby enabling the UAV to reach the target attitude and achieving closed-loop control.

[0104] In some of these embodiments, please refer to Figure 13 The control method further includes:

[0105] Step S510: Obtain the actual oil pressure value and target oil pressure value of the cylinder;

[0106] Step S520: Send the actual oil pressure value to the ground control device, and control the fuel start-up unit to work according to the actual oil pressure value and the target oil pressure value.

[0107] Specifically, the control unit 210 can obtain the actual oil pressure value of the cylinder 30 through the oil pressure gauge 31, and send the actual oil pressure value to the second communication module 630 through the first communication module 300. In this way, the actual oil pressure value can be transmitted to the display module 620 through the local area network 700, and the display module 620 can display the actual oil pressure value.

[0108] Simultaneously, the control unit 210 compares the actual oil pressure value with the target oil pressure value, and sends a signal to the engine controller 13 in the fuel engine unit 10 to control the speed of the corresponding fuel engine 11, so that the actual oil pressure value in the cylinder 30 reaches the target oil pressure value. Furthermore, after the actual oil pressure value in the cylinder 30 reaches the target oil pressure value, the control unit 210 can control each speed controller 72 to open the corresponding speed control valve 71, causing the corresponding speed control valve 71 to output high-pressure hydraulic oil to the corresponding hydraulic motor 50, thereby causing the hydraulic motor 50 to drive the corresponding rotor 61 to rotate, thus propelling the aircraft to take off.

[0109] As can be seen, in this embodiment, by obtaining the actual oil pressure value of the oil cylinder, the operation of the fuel starting unit can be controlled, so that the actual oil pressure value of the oil cylinder reaches the target oil pressure value, thereby realizing closed-loop control. The closed-loop control algorithm can adopt the PID control algorithm.

[0110] In some of these embodiments, please refer to Figure 14 The control method further includes:

[0111] Step S610: Acquire the flight data of the unmanned aerial vehicle;

[0112] Step S620: Send the flight data to the ground control device.

[0113] Specifically, flight data can include the oil pressure in the oil cylinder 30, the fuel level in each fuel tank 12, the rotational speed of each rotor shaft 62, the attitude data of the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), and the current position, speed, and heading of the UAV. The position can include latitude, longitude, altitude, and other data. The control unit 210 can obtain the oil pressure in the oil cylinder 30 through the oil pressure gauge 31, the fuel level in each fuel tank 12 through each fuel level gauge 14, the rotational speed of each rotor shaft 62 through each tachometer 64, the attitude data through the attitude sensor 80, and the current position, speed, and heading through the navigation module 400.

[0114] Next, the control unit 210 sends the flight data to the second communication module 630 through the first communication module 300. In this way, the flight data can be transmitted to the display module 620 or the control terminal 610 through the local area network 700, and the display module 620 can display the flight data.

[0115] In some embodiments, the ground control device is used to store the flight data and / or the control commands, and to display the flight data and / or the control commands.

[0116] In some embodiments, after the unmanned aerial vehicle receives the control command, the control unit 210 can store the control command in the storage unit 230.

[0117] In some of these embodiments, please refer to Figure 15 The control method further includes:

[0118] Step S710: Obtain flight plan data;

[0119] Step S720: Control the unmanned aerial vehicle to operate according to the flight plan data.

[0120] The unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) can fly automatically according to a predetermined flight plan route. Specifically, the control terminal 610 can send flight plan data to the control unit 210 in advance via the second communication module 630. The control unit 210 stores the flight plan data in the storage unit 230. The flight plan data includes the takeoff time and the corresponding position, heading, and speed of the UAV at a series of subsequent times. Upon reaching the takeoff time, the control unit 210 will control the fuel engine unit 10 to operate and, according to the positions at each time point in the flight plan data, control the UAV to adjust to the corresponding heading and speed, flying point by point until the entire flight plan is completed.

[0121] As can be seen, in this embodiment, flight plan data can be pre-defined so that the unmanned aerial vehicle can fly according to the flight plan data.

[0122] It should be noted that the device embodiments described above are merely illustrative. The units described as separate components may or may not be physically separate, and the components shown as units may or may not be physical units; that is, they may be located in one place or distributed across multiple network units. Some or all of the modules can be selected to achieve the purpose of this embodiment according to actual needs.

[0123] Through the above description of the embodiments, those skilled in the art can clearly understand that each embodiment can be implemented by means of software plus a general-purpose hardware platform, and of course, it can also be implemented by hardware. Based on this understanding, the above technical solutions, in essence or the part that contributes to the related technology, can be embodied in the form of a software product. This computer software product can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium, such as ROM / RAM, magnetic disk, optical disk, etc., and includes several instructions for at least one computer device (which may be a personal computer, server, or network device, etc.) to execute the methods described in various embodiments or some parts of the embodiments.

[0124] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, and not to limit them; under the concept of the present invention, the technical features of the above embodiments or different embodiments can also be combined, the steps can be implemented in any order, and there are many other variations of different aspects of the present invention as described above, which are not provided in detail for the sake of brevity; although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some of the technical features; and these modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention.

Claims

1. A power module, characterized in that, Applied to multi-rotor unmanned aerial vehicles, including: hydraulic cylinders, oil tanks, at least three speed control units, at least three hydraulic motors, at least one fuel start-up unit, at least one oil pump, and at least three rotor units; Each of the fuel-starting units is mechanically connected to the corresponding fuel pump. Each of the fuel-starting units is used to convert the chemical energy of the fuel into kinetic energy to drive the corresponding fuel pump. The input end of each of the oil pumps is connected to the corresponding output end of the oil sump, and the output end of each of the oil pumps is connected to the corresponding input end of the oil cylinder. Each of the oil pumps is used to draw first hydraulic oil from the oil sump under the drive of the fuel starting unit, pressurize the first hydraulic oil to obtain second hydraulic oil, and output the second hydraulic oil to the oil cylinder. The input end of each speed regulating unit is connected to the corresponding output end of the oil cylinder, the output end of each speed regulating unit is connected to the input end of the corresponding hydraulic motor, the output end of each hydraulic motor is connected to the corresponding input end of the oil tank, and each hydraulic motor is also rotatably connected to the corresponding rotor unit. Each speed regulating unit is used to control the flow rate of the second hydraulic oil in the oil cylinder to the corresponding hydraulic motor, so as to drive the corresponding hydraulic motor to rotate, thereby causing the hydraulic motor to drive the corresponding rotor unit to rotate.

2. The power module according to claim 1, characterized in that, The speed control unit includes a speed control valve or a throttle valve.

3. The power module according to claim 2, characterized in that, The speed control unit also includes a speed controller; The speed controller is connected to the speed control valve, or the speed controller is connected to the throttle valve.

4. The power module according to claim 1, characterized in that, The power module also includes an oil pressure gauge; The hydraulic gauge is used to obtain the hydraulic pressure value inside the hydraulic cylinder.

5. The power module according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that, The rotor unit includes a rotor and a rotor shaft; One end of the rotor shaft is rotatably connected to the rotor, and the other end of the rotor shaft is rotatably connected to the corresponding hydraulic motor.

6. The power module according to claim 5, characterized in that, The rotor unit also includes a tachometer; The tachometer is used to obtain the rotational speed of the rotor shaft.

7. The power module according to claim 6, characterized in that, The power module also includes a transmission; The other end of the rotor shaft is rotatably connected to the corresponding hydraulic motor via the gearbox.

8. The power module according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that, Each of the aforementioned fuel-powered units includes a fuel engine; The oil pump is mechanically connected to the fuel engine.

9. The power module according to claim 8, characterized in that, Each of the aforementioned fuel-powered starting units also includes an engine controller and a fuel tank; The fuel engine is also connected to the corresponding engine controller, and the fuel engine is also connected to the corresponding fuel tank.

10. The power module according to claim 9, characterized in that, The fuel-powered unit also includes a fuel gauge; The fuel gauge is used to obtain the fuel level in the corresponding fuel tank.

11. An unmanned aerial vehicle, comprising a flight controller and a power module as described in any one of claims 1-10; The flight controller is connected to the power module.

12. The unmanned aerial vehicle according to claim 11, characterized in that, The flight controller includes a control unit, a display unit, and a storage unit; the unmanned aerial vehicle also includes a first communication module and a navigation module. The control unit is connected to the display unit, the storage unit, the first communication module, and the navigation module, respectively.

13. The unmanned aerial vehicle according to claim 12, characterized in that, The unmanned aerial vehicle also includes an attitude sensor; The control unit is also connected to the attitude sensor; the control unit is used to acquire the attitude data of the unmanned aerial vehicle through the attitude sensor.

14. A control system for an unmanned aerial vehicle, characterized in that, Includes ground control devices and unmanned aerial vehicles as described in any one of claims 11-13; The ground control device is communicatively connected to the unmanned aerial vehicle.

15. The control system according to claim 14, characterized in that, The ground control device includes a control terminal, a display module, and a second communication module; The control terminal is connected to the display module, and the control terminal communicates with the unmanned aerial vehicle through the second communication module.

16. A control method for an unmanned aerial vehicle, characterized in that, The control method, applied to the control system as described in any one of claims 14-15, comprises: Control commands are obtained through the ground control device; According to the control commands, the unmanned aerial vehicle is controlled to operate and a response message is sent to the ground control device.

17. The control method according to claim 16, characterized in that, The step of controlling the unmanned aerial vehicle to operate according to the control command includes: If the control command is a takeoff command, then at least one of the fuel-powered units is controlled to operate, causing the rotor unit to rotate, thereby enabling the unmanned aerial vehicle to take off.

18. The control method according to claim 17, characterized in that, The control method further includes: Obtain the actual rotational speed and target rotational speed of each rotor unit; Based on the actual rotational speed and the target rotational speed, the corresponding speed control unit is controlled so that the speed control unit controls the flow rate of the second hydraulic oil in the oil cylinder to the corresponding hydraulic motor, thereby controlling the rotational speed of the corresponding rotor unit.

19. The control method according to claim 17, characterized in that, The control method further includes: Acquire the target attitude data of the unmanned aerial vehicle and the actual attitude data of the attitude sensor; Based on the target attitude data and the actual attitude data, the difference in rotational speed of each rotor unit is adjusted so that the attitude data of the unmanned aerial vehicle reaches the target attitude data.

20. The control method according to claim 17, characterized in that, The control method further includes: Obtain the actual oil pressure value and the target oil pressure value of the hydraulic cylinder; The actual oil pressure value is sent to the ground control device, and the fuel start-up unit is controlled to operate based on the actual oil pressure value and the target oil pressure value.

21. The control method according to claim 17, characterized in that, The control method further includes: Acquire the flight data of the unmanned aerial vehicle; The flight data is sent to the ground control device.

22. The control method according to claim 21, characterized in that, The ground control device is used to store the flight data and / or the control commands, and to display the flight data and / or the control commands.

23. The control method according to claim 17, characterized in that, The control method further includes: Obtain flight plan data; The unmanned aerial vehicle is controlled to operate based on the flight plan data.

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