Unmanned aerial vehicle hoisting device and method

Abstract

The invention discloses an unmanned aerial vehicle lifting device and method, and relates to the aviation equipment industry, and the device comprises an unmanned aerial vehicle, a hanging mechanism and a container; the hanging mechanism comprises a grabbing terminal and a lifting executing mechanism. The grabbing terminal comprises a grabbing hand module and an automatic positioning module, the top of the grabbing hand module is fixedly connected with the lifting executing mechanism, the grabbing hand module comprises a mounting base, two claw bodies and a telescopic driving mechanism, the two claw bodies are movably and oppositely arranged on the mounting base, and the telescopic driving mechanism is arranged on the mounting base. The telescopic driving mechanism is used for driving the two claw bodies to swing oppositely or reversely; the automatic positioning module comprises an image recognition module and a positioning mark, the image recognition module is arranged at the bottom of the gripper module, and the positioning mark is arranged at the top of the container. The unmanned aerial vehicle can rapidly and stably achieve automatic positioning, accurate grabbing and safe hoisting of the box body, and the unmanned aerial vehicle is suitable for the complex mountain working environment.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to aviation equipment technology, specifically to a drone hoisting device and method. Background Technology

[0002] With the accelerating pace of urbanization in my country, an increasing number of laborers are migrating to cities, and a large number of agricultural workers are shifting to the secondary and tertiary industries. This has exacerbated the shortage of rural labor, making the labor-intensive and inefficient manual transportation process in orchards increasingly prominent. Orchards in Northeast my country and the hilly areas of southern China are mostly located in mountainous or plateau terrain with significant elevation changes, narrow and rugged roads, and poor ground transportation conditions. Mechanical vehicles struggle to pass, making manual fruit handling time-consuming and labor-intensive, severely impacting the efficiency of fruit harvesting and transportation.

[0003] In recent years, with the rapid development of aerial drone technology, its application in agriculture has gradually expanded from plant protection operations to material transportation and fruit transshipment. Aerial drones have advantages such as small size, light weight, flexible take-off and landing, convenient transportation, and simple operation. They can achieve rapid hoisting and precise delivery of fruits in complex terrains such as mountains, hills, and terraced fields, significantly improving transportation efficiency, reducing labor costs, and have broad application prospects.

[0004] However, current aerial drone lifting devices used for fruit transportation still have certain shortcomings. On the one hand, existing devices are complex in structure and heavy, requiring high payload capacity from the drones, which limits their widespread application in orchards. On the other hand, traditional lifting devices mostly use fixed hooks or simple clamping structures, lacking automatic positioning and precise gripping functions. In uneven terrain environments such as slopes and terraces, they are prone to gripping deviation, slippage, or collisions, affecting transportation safety and operational efficiency. Furthermore, most existing devices lack real-time detection and feedback on the gripping status, making it impossible to determine whether the claws accurately grip the fruit boxes or target objects, resulting in certain safety hazards during drone flight transportation.

[0005] Therefore, in order to address the problems of rugged roads, difficulties in manual transportation, and insufficient grasping accuracy of existing drone lifting devices in the transportation of fruits in mountainous orchards, there is an urgent need to design a drone automatic positioning, grasping, and lifting device with a compact structure, precise positioning, and real-time feedback. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The purpose of this invention is to overcome the above-mentioned problems and provide a drone hoisting device that can quickly and stably achieve automatic positioning, precise grasping and safe hoisting of containers by drones, adapting to complex mountainous operating environments.

[0007] The purpose of this invention is to overcome the above-mentioned problems and provide a method for unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) hoisting.

[0008] The objective of this invention is achieved through the following technical solution: A drone lifting device includes a drone, a lifting mechanism, and a cargo container; The lifting mechanism includes a gripping terminal for gripping the cargo box and a lifting actuator for driving the gripping terminal to move up and down. The gripping terminal includes a gripper module and an automatic positioning module. The top of the gripper module is fixedly connected to the lifting actuator. The gripper module includes a mounting base, claws, and a telescopic drive mechanism. Two claws are provided and movably arranged opposite each other on the mounting base. The telescopic drive mechanism is used to drive the two claws to swing towards or away from each other. The automatic positioning module includes an image recognition module and a positioning mark. The image recognition module is located at the bottom of the gripper module, and the positioning mark is located at the top of the cargo box. The top of the cargo box is equipped with a gripping and engaging structure for the gripper module to grasp.

[0009] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the telescopic drive mechanism includes a telescopic transmission component and a telescopic hydraulic cylinder. The telescopic transmission component is disposed between two claw bodies, with its two ends hinged to the two claw bodies respectively. The upper ends of the two claw bodies are rotatably connected to a mounting base. The cylinder body of the telescopic hydraulic cylinder is mounted on the mounting base, and the telescopic rod of the cylinder passes downward through the mounting base and is fixedly connected to the telescopic transmission component. With this structure, when the telescopic hydraulic cylinder performs telescopic drive, the telescopic transmission component synchronously transmits power to the two claw bodies, causing them to swing synchronously in opposite directions, thus achieving a gripping or releasing operation.

[0010] Furthermore, the gripper module also includes an automatic downward correction component, which comprises a downward correction plate and correction links. The downward correction plate is connected to the lower part of the telescopic transmission component via a telescopic sleeve structure. Two correction links are provided and symmetrically arranged. One end of each correction link is rotatably connected to the telescopic transmission component, and the other end is rotatably connected to the downward correction plate. The advantages of this structure are: firstly, because the rope is a flexible structure rather than a rigid one, the gripper module preparing to perform the gripping operation below may not be in a completely standard posture and may have a slight tilt, which could lead to an insufficiently firm grip or gripping failure, preventing the successful completion of the lifting operation. To address the aforementioned issues, this solution incorporates an automatic downward correction component below the downward correction plate. As it approaches the cargo box (with the two claws open), the downward correction plate first rests on the gripping engagement structure at the top of the cargo box. During this process, supported by the gripping engagement structure, the downward correction plate automatically aligns itself, simultaneously correcting the entire gripping module. This ensures the two claws are positioned squarely on either side of the gripping engagement structure before the gripping operation is performed. Secondly, during the gripping process, the telescopic hydraulic cylinder drives the telescopic transmission component downwards, causing it to move and simultaneously swing the two claws in opposite directions, preparing to clamp the gripping engagement structure at the top of the cargo box. Simultaneously, the telescopic transmission component, aided by the telescopic sleeve structure, gradually moves downwards towards the downward correction plate, causing the two correction linkages to swing accordingly. This reduces the distance between the downward correction plate and the telescopic transmission component, providing a larger clamping space suitable for cargo boxes of different sizes.

[0011] Furthermore, the gripper module also includes a clamping self-locking mechanism, which comprises a self-locking transmission assembly and a telescopic self-locking cylinder assembly. The self-locking transmission assembly includes a self-locking transmission telescopic structure, a self-locking transmission gear, and a self-locking transmission rack. The self-locking transmission telescopic structure includes a first telescopic bar and a second telescopic bar. One end of the first telescopic bar is provided with a telescopic clearance hole, and the other end of the first telescopic bar is connected to one of the claw bodies and is connected to one end of the mounting base. One end of each of the two claw bodies respectively fits into two elongated holes in the mounting base. One end of the second telescopic bar is connected to the other claw body and is connected to one end of the mounting base. The other end of the second telescopic bar extends into the telescopic clearance hole of the first telescopic bar. The self-locking transmission rack is fixedly connected to the first telescopic bar. The telescopic self-locking cylinder assembly has a telescopic direction that is perpendicular to the telescopic direction of the self-locking transmission telescopic structure. The telescopic self-locking cylinder assembly is disposed between the telescopic transmission component and the mounting base. It includes a telescopic self-locking upper cylinder and a telescopic self-locking lower cylinder. The upper end of the telescopic self-locking upper cylinder is rotatably connected to the mounting base, and the lower end of the upper cylinder extends into the inner cavity of the telescopic self-locking lower cylinder. The bottom of the telescopic self-locking lower cylinder is fixedly connected to the telescopic transmission component. The self-locking transmission gear is coaxially and fixedly sleeved on the outer side of the telescopic self-locking upper cylinder. The lower end of the outer wall of the telescopic self-locking upper cylinder has an external thread structure, and the upper end of the inner wall of the telescopic self-locking lower cylinder has an internal thread structure.

[0012] With the above structure, when the two claws are open to their maximum angle, the distance between the telescopic transmission component and the mounting base is minimized, while the distance between the external thread structure and the internal thread structure is maximized. During the clamping operation, the telescopic hydraulic cylinder drives the telescopic transmission component downwards, causing it to gradually move away from the mounting base. This, in turn, causes the two claws to swing towards each other. At this time, the telescopic self-locking upper and lower cylinders gradually extend, and the external and internal thread structures gradually approach each other. During this process, one end of each claw moves laterally in opposite directions within two elongated holes, respectively driving the first and second telescopic bars to move laterally. Simultaneously, the self-locking transmission rack moves laterally, and then the self-locking transmission gear drives the telescopic self-locking upper cylinder to rotate. At this time, the telescopic self-locking upper cylinder rotates away from the telescopic self-locking lower cylinder until the external thread structure mates with the internal thread structure (at which point the two claws almost clamp the cargo box). In the vertical direction, this is equivalent to connecting the telescopic transmission component to the mounting base, preventing the telescopic transmission component from moving downwards. This ensures that the two claws can more stably grip the cargo box and prevent it from falling.

[0013] Furthermore, an opening assist spring is provided between the mounting base and the telescopic transmission component. This opening assist spring is sleeved on the telescopic rod of the telescopic hydraulic cylinder, with its two ends respectively abutting against the mounting base and the telescopic transmission component. Through this structure, when the telescopic rod of the telescopic hydraulic cylinder retracts, the opening assist spring provides a reverse rebound force to ensure that the claw body can open quickly and smoothly.

[0014] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the gripper module further includes a swing drive mechanism, which comprises a swing base, a swing drive motor, and a swing transmission assembly. The swing base includes a first swing base and a second swing base, which are rotatably connected. The first swing base is fixedly connected to the mounting base, and the second swing base is directly or indirectly fixedly connected to the rope of the lifting actuator. The swing drive motor is mounted on the second swing base. The swing transmission assembly includes a swing transmission belt and two swing transmission pulleys, which are respectively fixedly connected to the first and second swing bases. The swing transmission belt connects the two swing transmission pulleys. With the above structure, driven by the swing drive motor, the swing transmission belt drives the first swing base to rotate at a certain angle, thereby driving the gripper to rotate slightly longitudinally to optimize gripping and positioning. The swing drive mechanism is not limited to belt drive; it can also use hydraulic or pneumatic methods to achieve multi-directional stretching and rotation, or use artificial memory fiber heating to cause directional rotation on its inner side.

[0015] Furthermore, the second swing seat is fixedly connected to the rope of the lifting actuator via a quick-release module. This quick-release module is equipped with an automatic separation / contraction assembly, a first load sensor, and a friction damper. The automatic separation / contraction assembly includes an automatic telescopic rod and a ring lock. The automatic telescopic rod is mounted on the second swing seat. The first load sensor is fixedly connected between the ring lock and the rope. The friction damper is located inside the ring lock and connected to the automatic telescopic rod. With this structure, when dangerous conditions such as overload, abnormal flight attitude, or drone malfunction are detected, the quick-release module can trigger rapid unlocking, allowing the cargo box to quickly separate from the drone for safety protection. The friction damper is used to reduce axial sway during lifting, improving stability.

[0016] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the lifting actuator includes a winch and a rope, the winch is mounted on the drone, and the two ends of the rope are fixedly connected to the winch and the gripper module, respectively.

[0017] Furthermore, the rope is internally equipped with two first light strips and two hemp ropes wrapped around it, and the outside of the rope is covered with a waterproof sleeve. The first light strips are used to provide significant visual identification at night or in low visibility environments. The surface of the waterproof sleeve is provided with scale lines, and the drone is equipped with a visual sensor for identifying the length of the rope that has been released, thereby improving operational accuracy and safety.

[0018] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the cargo container comprises an outer hoisting compartment and an inner storage compartment. The top of the outer hoisting compartment is provided with a solar panel cover to provide auxiliary power to the load system and maintain a relatively constant internal temperature.

[0019] Furthermore, the bottom of the outer hoisting cabin integrates a second load sensor and an ultrasonic sensor. The second load sensor is used to acquire the weight information of the fruit box in real time, and the ultrasonic sensor is used to detect the relative height between the hoisting cabin and the ground, thereby providing data support for the control of the UAV's landing altitude and safe hoisting.

[0020] Furthermore, a second light strip is installed around the outer hoisting cabin and on its top, which can provide auxiliary lighting and positioning support for nighttime operations or low visibility environments, thereby improving the reliability and safety of automated operations.

[0021] Furthermore, the outer hoisting cabin is equipped with a display screen and a weather sensor on its side, which are used to simultaneously display current weight information, temperature and humidity data of the cabin and the external environment, and the cumulative number of hoisting operations, so as to facilitate the monitoring and management of the operation process.

[0022] Furthermore, the outer hoisting compartment has a door on its side, and the inner storage compartment is aligned and inserted along the lower slide after the door is opened. The door is equipped with a spring-loaded latch structure to prevent the door from being accidentally opened during flight.

[0023] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the gripping and engaging structure includes a top crossbeam and an electromagnet. Metal clamping grooves are provided on both sides of the middle portion of the top crossbeam. A positioning marker is disposed on the top surface of the middle portion of the top crossbeam, and the image recognition module is disposed at the bottom of the pressure correction plate. The electromagnet is disposed on the inner side of the other end of the claw body, and a Hall sensor is also provided on the claw body to detect changes in the magnetic field strength of the electromagnet. With this structure, when the drone descends to a predetermined height, the electromagnet on the claw body magnetically attracts the metal clamping grooves, enabling the claw body to quickly grip the auxiliary positioning box. Simultaneously, the Hall sensor feeds back the magnetic field changes to the main control module in real time to determine whether the gripping is successful.

[0024] Furthermore, the surface of the electromagnet is provided with an anti-slip rubber pad layer to increase contact friction and ensure that the cargo box is not easily detached during hoisting.

[0025] Furthermore, an acceleration sensor is installed at the bottom of the downward correction plate to collect triaxial acceleration changes in real time during the hoisting process, thereby reflecting the swing amplitude and swing angle of the load system. The acceleration data is processed and transmitted to the main control module. The main control module dynamically adjusts the jet direction and jet intensity of the pneumatic jet attitude correction unit of the outer hoisting cabin according to the swing characteristics, and synchronously coordinates the working state of the telescopic hydraulic cylinder and the damper, thereby realizing active stability control of the hoisting process, effectively suppressing the swaying of the load system, and improving the safety and reliability of grasping and transportation. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the telescopic transmission component is provided with a main control module, a communication module and a power supply module.

[0026] Furthermore, the main control module uses a microcontroller, PLC, and Raspberry Pi programmable control board as the core control unit to automate the entire process of grasping, positioning, hoisting and releasing, and to realize the fusion processing of multi-sensor data and the coordinated scheduling of actuators.

[0027] Furthermore, the communication module adopts wireless data link technology, which can establish a stable two-way communication channel between the UAV and the ground remote control terminal. It is used to transmit position, attitude, payload weight, environmental data and operation status information in real time, and receive instructions issued by the ground terminal to realize remote monitoring and operation status management.

[0028] A method for lifting objects using a drone includes the following steps: S1. The drone flies to the area above the target area where the cargo container is located, according to the instructions of the ground remote control terminal or the preset waypoint; S2. The image recognition module collects the position information of the positioning mark on the top of the cargo box and transmits the data to the main control module. The main control module processes the data and controls the drone to make fine-tuning of its position so that it can hover precisely above the cargo box. S3. The winch releases the rope, and the drone descends to the preset height. The swing drive mechanism drives the claw to adjust its attitude so that it aligns with the gripping and engaging structure on the top of the cargo box. At the same time, the main control module controls the electromagnet on the claw to be energized, so that it magnetically attracts the metal clamping slot on the top of the cargo box. The Hall sensor detects the change in magnetic field and feeds back the signal to the main control module to confirm that the pre-positioning is complete. S4. The telescopic hydraulic cylinder is controlled by the main control module to extend its telescopic rod downwards, driving the telescopic transmission component to move downwards, causing the two claws to swing towards each other to clamp the gripping structure of the cargo box; during this process, the clamping self-locking mechanism moves synchronously to achieve mechanical self-locking in the clamping state; at the same time, the downward pressure correction plate falls on the top of the cargo box, automatically aligning the posture of the entire gripping module, so that the two claws are placed on both sides of the gripping structure in a relatively upright posture. S5. The drone takes off and performs hoisting; the three-axis acceleration data of the cargo box is collected in real time by the accelerometer and transmitted to the main control module; S6. The drone flies to the target area and hovers, adjusting to the release height; when the first load sensor detects that the load weight has dropped to the set value, and the ultrasonic sensor detects that the cargo box is zero above the ground, the main control module controls the telescopic hydraulic cylinder to retract, driving the clamping self-locking mechanism to unlock, and the claw body opens smoothly under the action of the opening assist spring, completing the safe release of the cargo box; S7. After the cargo box is released, the winch retracts the rope, and the drone flies back to the starting position autonomously according to the preset program; after the system performs self-check, data transmission and status update, it enters standby mode.

[0029] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following advantages: 1. This invention achieves automatic identification and precise positioning of cargo boxes through the cooperation of image recognition module and positioning mark. Combined with swingable claw and telescopic drive mechanism, it ensures stable gripping on uneven terrain such as slopes and terraces, reducing deviation and slippage.

[0030] 2. The entire system is suitable for environments with poor road conditions and difficult ground transportation, such as mountains, hills, and terraced fields. It can realize the rapid and flexible hoisting of fruits and other materials, significantly improving transportation efficiency.

[0031] 3. From identification and positioning to grasping and releasing, the entire process is basically automated, reducing reliance on manpower and operational difficulty, which is conducive to its promotion and application in rural areas with labor shortages. Attached Figure Description

[0032] Figures 1-2 These are three-dimensional structural diagrams of the drone hoisting device of the present invention from two different perspectives.

[0033] Figures 3-4 These are front views of the grabbing terminal of the present invention in two different states.

[0034] Figure 5 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the grasping terminal of the present invention.

[0035] Figure 6 This is a partial three-dimensional exploded view of the rapid detachment module of the grasping terminal of the present invention.

[0036] Figure 7 This is a cross-sectional view of the grabbing terminal of the present invention.

[0037] Figures 8-9 for Figure 7 Enlarged views of X in two different states.

[0038] Figure 10 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the cargo box of the present invention.

[0039] Figure 11 for Figure 10 A magnified view of the Y-axis.

[0040] Figure 12 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the rope of the lifting actuator of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0041] To enable those skilled in the art to fully understand the technical solutions of the present invention, the present invention will be further described below in conjunction with embodiments and accompanying drawings, but the embodiments of the present invention are not limited thereto.

[0042] Example 1 Combination Figures 1-11 The drone lifting device of this embodiment includes a drone 1, a lifting mechanism, and a cargo box. The lifting mechanism includes a gripping terminal for gripping the cargo box and a lifting actuator for driving the gripping terminal to move up and down. The gripping terminal includes a gripper module and an automatic positioning module. The top of the gripper module is fixedly connected to the lifting actuator. The gripper module includes a mounting base 2, claws 3, and a telescopic drive mechanism. Two claws 3 are provided and movably arranged opposite each other on the mounting base 2. The telescopic drive mechanism is used to drive the two claws 3 to swing towards or away from each other. The automatic positioning module includes an image recognition module 4 and a positioning mark 5. The image recognition module 4 is located at the bottom of the gripper module, and the positioning mark 5 is located at the top of the cargo box. The top of the cargo box is provided with a gripping engagement structure for the gripper module to grip.

[0043] Combination Figures 3-9 The telescopic drive mechanism includes a telescopic transmission component 6 and a telescopic hydraulic cylinder 7. The telescopic transmission component 6 is disposed between two claw bodies 3, and its two ends are hinged to the two claw bodies 3 respectively. The upper ends of the two claw bodies 3 are rotatably connected to the mounting base 2. The cylinder body of the telescopic hydraulic cylinder 7 is disposed on the mounting base 2, and the telescopic rod of the telescopic hydraulic cylinder 7 passes downward through the mounting base 2 and is fixedly connected to the telescopic transmission component 6. With the above structure, when the telescopic hydraulic cylinder 7 is telescopically driven, the telescopic transmission component 6 synchronously transmits power to the two claw bodies 3, causing the two claw bodies 3 to swing synchronously in opposite directions, thereby realizing the gripping or releasing operation.

[0044] Combination Figures 3-9The gripper module also includes an automatic downward correction component, which comprises a downward correction plate 8 and correction links 9. The downward correction plate 8 is connected to the lower part of the telescopic transmission member 6 via a telescopic sleeve structure. Two correction links 9 are provided and symmetrically arranged. One end of each correction link 9 is rotatably connected to the telescopic transmission member 6, and the other end is rotatably connected to the downward correction plate 8. The advantages of this structure are: firstly, because the rope 25 is a flexible structure rather than a rigid one, the posture of the gripper module preparing to perform the gripping operation is not entirely standard and may have a slight tilt, which could lead to an insufficiently firm grip or gripping failure, preventing the successful completion of the lifting operation. To address the aforementioned issues, this solution incorporates an automatic downward correction component below the downward correction plate 8. As it approaches the cargo box (with the two claws 3 in an open state), the downward correction plate 8 first rests on the gripping engagement structure at the top of the cargo box. During this process, supported by the gripping engagement structure at the top of the cargo box, the downward correction plate 8 automatically aligns itself, thereby simultaneously aligning the entire gripping module. This ensures that the two claws 3 are positioned in a relatively upright position on either side of the gripping engagement structure before performing the gripping operation. Secondly, during the gripping process, the telescopic hydraulic cylinder 7 drives the telescopic transmission component 6 downward. The telescopic transmission component 6 moves downward, simultaneously causing the two claws 3 to swing towards each other, preparing to clamp the gripping engagement structure at the top of the cargo box. Simultaneously, the telescopic transmission component 6, under the action of the telescopic sleeve structure, gradually moves downward towards the downward correction plate 8. The two correction linkages 9 swing accordingly, thereby reducing the distance between the downward correction plate 8 and the telescopic transmission component 6, providing a larger clamping space suitable for cargo boxes of different sizes.

[0045] Combination Figures 3-9The gripper module further includes a clamping self-locking mechanism, which comprises a self-locking transmission assembly and a telescopic self-locking cylinder assembly. The self-locking transmission assembly includes a self-locking transmission telescopic structure, a self-locking transmission gear 10, and a self-locking transmission rack 11. The self-locking transmission telescopic structure includes a first telescopic bar 12 and a second telescopic bar 13. One end of the first telescopic bar 12 is provided with a telescopic clearance hole, and the other end of the first telescopic bar 12 is connected to one of the claw bodies 3 and connected to one end of the mounting base 2. One end of each of the two claw bodies 3 respectively fits into two elongated holes in the mounting base 2. One end of the second telescopic bar 13 is connected to the other claw body 3 and connected to one end of the mounting base 2. The other end of the second telescopic bar 13 extends into the telescopic clearance hole of the first telescopic bar 12. The self-locking transmission gear 10... Strip 11 is fixedly connected to the first telescopic strip 12; the telescopic self-locking cylinder assembly has a telescopic direction that is perpendicular to the telescopic direction of the self-locking transmission telescopic structure. The telescopic self-locking cylinder assembly is disposed between the telescopic transmission member 6 and the mounting base 2. The telescopic self-locking cylinder assembly includes a telescopic self-locking upper cylinder 14 and a telescopic self-locking lower cylinder 15. The upper end of the telescopic self-locking upper cylinder 14 is rotatably connected to the mounting base 2, and the lower end of the telescopic self-locking upper cylinder 14 extends into the inner cavity of the telescopic self-locking lower cylinder 15. The bottom of the telescopic self-locking lower cylinder 15 is fixedly connected to the telescopic transmission member 6. The self-locking transmission gear 10 is coaxially fixedly sleeved on the outside of the telescopic self-locking upper cylinder 14. The lower end of the outer wall of the telescopic self-locking upper cylinder 14 is provided with an external thread structure, and the upper end of the inner wall of the telescopic self-locking lower cylinder 15 is provided with an internal thread structure.

[0046] With the above structure, when the two claws 3 are open to their maximum angle, the distance between the telescopic transmission component 6 and the mounting base 2 is the smallest, and the distance between the external thread structure and the internal thread structure is the largest. During the clamping operation, the telescopic hydraulic cylinder 7 drives the telescopic transmission component 6 downward, causing the telescopic transmission component 6 to gradually move away from the mounting base 2, which in turn drives the two claws 3 to swing towards each other. At this time, the telescopic self-locking upper cylinder 14 and the telescopic self-locking lower cylinder 15 gradually extend, and the external thread structure and the internal thread structure gradually approach each other. During this process, one end of each of the two claws 3 moves laterally in opposite directions within the two elongated holes, respectively driving the first The telescopic bar 12 and the second telescopic bar 13 move laterally, which in turn drives the self-locking transmission rack 11 to move laterally. Then, the self-locking transmission gear 10 drives the telescopic self-locking upper cylinder 14 to rotate. At this time, the telescopic self-locking upper cylinder 14 rotates away from the telescopic self-locking lower cylinder 15 until the external thread structure and the internal thread structure are engaged (at this time, the two claws 3 almost clamp the cargo box). In the vertical direction, it is equivalent to connecting the telescopic transmission component 6 to the mounting base 2, preventing the telescopic transmission component 6 from moving downward, thereby ensuring that the two claws 3 can more stably grip the cargo box and avoid it from falling.

[0047] Combination Figures 3-9An opening assist spring 16 is provided between the mounting base 2 and the telescopic transmission component 6. The opening assist spring 16 is sleeved on the telescopic rod of the telescopic hydraulic cylinder 7, and its two ends abut against the mounting base 2 and the telescopic transmission component 6, respectively. With the above structure, when the telescopic rod of the telescopic hydraulic cylinder 7 retracts, the opening assist spring 16 provides a reverse rebound force to ensure that the claw body 3 can open quickly and smoothly.

[0048] Combination Figures 3-9 The gripper module further includes a swing drive mechanism, which comprises a swing base, a swing drive motor (not shown in the figure, but refer to existing technology), and a swing transmission assembly. The swing base includes a first swing base 17 and a second swing base 18, which are rotatably connected. The first swing base 17 is fixedly connected to the mounting base 2, and the second swing base 18 is directly or indirectly fixedly connected to the rope 25 of the lifting actuator. The swing drive motor is mounted on the second swing base 18. The swing transmission assembly includes a swing transmission belt 19 and two swing transmission pulleys (not shown in the figure, but refer to existing technology). Two swing transmission pulleys are provided and fixedly connected to the first swing base 17 and the second swing base 18 respectively. The swing transmission belt 19 is connected between the two swing transmission pulleys. With the above structure, driven by the swing drive motor, the swing transmission belt 19 drives the first swing base 17 to rotate at a certain angle, thereby driving the claw body 3 to rotate slightly longitudinally to optimize gripping and positioning. The swing drive mechanism is not limited to belt drive, but can also be hydraulic or pneumatic to achieve multi-directional stretching and rotation, or to cause directional rotation on the inner side by heating artificial memory fibers.

[0049] Furthermore, the second swing seat 18 is fixedly connected to the rope 25 of the lifting actuator via a quick-release module 20. The quick-release module 20 is equipped with an automatic separation and engagement assembly, a first load sensor 20-1, and a friction damper 20-2. The automatic separation and engagement assembly includes an automatic telescopic rod 20-3 and a ring lock 20-4. The automatic telescopic rod 20-3 is mounted on the second swing seat 18. The first load sensor 20-1 is fixedly connected between the ring lock 20-4 and the rope 25. The friction damper 20-2 is located inside the ring lock 20-4 and connected to the automatic telescopic rod 20-3. With this structure, when dangerous conditions such as overload, abnormal flight attitude, or drone malfunction are detected, the quick-release module can trigger rapid unlocking, allowing the cargo box to quickly separate from the drone for safety protection. The friction damper is used to reduce axial sway during lifting, improving stability.

[0050] Combination Figures 3-9 The telescopic transmission component 6 is equipped with a main control module 21, a communication module 22 and a power supply module 23.

[0051] Furthermore, the main control module 21 uses a microcontroller, PLC, and Raspberry Pi programmable control board as the core control unit to automate the entire process of grasping, positioning, hoisting and releasing, and to realize the fusion processing of multi-sensor data and the coordinated scheduling of the actuators.

[0052] Furthermore, the communication module 22 adopts wireless data link technology, which can establish a stable two-way communication channel between the UAV 1 and the ground remote control terminal. It is used to transmit position, attitude, payload weight, environmental data and operation status information in real time, and receive instructions issued by the ground terminal to realize remote monitoring and operation status management.

[0053] Combination Figures 1-2 The lifting mechanism includes a winch 24 and a rope 25. The winch 24 is mounted on the UAV 1, and the two ends of the rope 25 are fixedly connected to the winch 24 and the gripper module, respectively.

[0054] Combination Figure 12 The rope 25 is internally equipped with two first light strips 25-1 and two hemp ropes 25-2 wrapped around it. The rope 25 is externally covered with a waterproof sleeve 25-3. The first light strips 25-1 are used to provide significant visual identification at night or in low visibility environments. The surface of the waterproof sleeve 25-3 is provided with scale lines 25-4. The drone 1 is equipped with a visual sensor 26 for identifying the length of the rope 25, thereby improving operational accuracy and safety.

[0055] Combination Figures 1-2 and Figures 9-10 The cargo container consists of an outer hoisting compartment 27 and an inner storage compartment 28. The top of the outer hoisting compartment 27 is equipped with a solar panel cover 29, which provides auxiliary power to the cargo container and maintains a relatively constant internal temperature.

[0056] Combination Figures 10-11 The bottom of the outer hoisting cabin 27 is integrated with a second load sensor 30 and an ultrasonic sensor 31. The second load sensor 30 is used to acquire the weight information of the fruit box in real time, and the ultrasonic sensor 31 is used to detect the relative height between the hoisting cabin and the ground, thereby providing data support for the landing altitude control and safe hoisting of the UAV 1.

[0057] Combination Figures 10-11 The outer hoisting cabin 27 is equipped with a second light strip 32 around its perimeter and top, which can provide auxiliary lighting and positioning support for nighttime operations or low visibility environments, thereby improving the reliability and safety of automated operations.

[0058] Combination Figures 10-11The outer hoisting cabin 27 is equipped with a display screen 33 and a weather sensor 34 on its side, which are used to simultaneously display the current weight information, temperature and humidity data of the cabin and the external environment, and the cumulative number of hoisting operations, so as to facilitate the monitoring and management of the operation process.

[0059] Combination Figures 10-11 The outer hoisting compartment 27 is provided with a door 35 on its side. After the door 35 is opened, the inner storage compartment 28 is aligned and inserted along the lower slide rail 36. The door 35 is provided with a spring buckle structure 37 to prevent the door 35 from being opened accidentally during flight.

[0060] Combination Figures 10-11 The gripping and engaging structure includes a top crossbeam 38 and an electromagnet 39. The top crossbeam 38 has metal clamping grooves 38-1 on both sides of its middle section. A positioning marker 5 is located on the top surface of the middle section of the top crossbeam 38, and an image recognition module 4 is located at the bottom of the pressure correction plate 8. The electromagnet 39 is located on the inner side of the other end of the claw body 3, and a Hall sensor 40 is also provided on the claw body 3 to detect changes in the magnetic field strength of the electromagnet 39. With this structure, when the drone 1 descends to a predetermined height, the electromagnet 39 on the claw body 3 magnetically attracts the metal clamping grooves 38-1, enabling the claw body 3 to quickly grip the auxiliary positioning box. Simultaneously, the Hall sensor 40 feeds back the magnetic field changes to the main control module 21 in real time to determine whether the gripping is complete.

[0061] Combination Figure 5 The surface of the electromagnet 39 is provided with an anti-slip rubber pad 41 to increase contact friction and ensure that the cargo box is not easily detached during hoisting.

[0062] Furthermore, an acceleration sensor 42 is provided at the bottom of the downward correction plate 8 to collect triaxial acceleration change information in real time during the hoisting process, thereby reflecting the swing amplitude and swing angle of the cargo box. The acceleration data is processed and transmitted to the main control module 21. The main control module 21 dynamically adjusts the jet direction and jet intensity of the pneumatic jet attitude correction unit 43 of the outer hoisting cabin 27 according to the swing characteristics, and synchronously coordinates the working state of the telescopic hydraulic cylinder 7 and the damper, thereby realizing active stability control of the hoisting process, effectively suppressing cargo box swaying, and improving the safety and reliability of grabbing and transportation.

[0063] Example 2 The drone hoisting method of this embodiment includes the following steps: S1. Before starting the hoisting operation in the mountain orchard, the drone will fly to the target area above the cargo box according to the instructions of the ground remote control terminal or the preset waypoint to achieve preliminary positioning. S2. After reaching the initial position, the image recognition module collects the spatial position, attitude characteristics, and surrounding obstacle distribution information of the cargo box in real time. The main control module analyzes and fuses the collected data to generate high-precision three-dimensional positioning data of the cargo box, which is then transmitted to the ground terminal via the communication module. The drone is then remotely controlled to fine-tune the flight process, allowing it to hover precisely above the cargo box, providing stable support and attitude assurance for subsequent grasping operations. S3. When the drone descends to the preset height, the winch releases the hoisting rope and detects the length of the released rope through the visual sensor. The swing drive mechanism adjusts the claw's posture to align with the metal clamping slot on the top of the outer hoisting cabin. The image recognition module identifies the barcode on the top of the cargo box. After confirming the recognition result, the main control module controls the electromagnet module to enter the magnetic field enhancement state. Under the action of magnetic field closed-loop detection and Hall sensor feedback, the claw is automatically aligned and oriented for adsorption. S4. The telescopic hydraulic cylinder is controlled by the main control module to extend its telescopic rod downwards, driving the telescopic transmission component to move downwards, causing the two claws to swing towards each other to clamp the gripping structure of the cargo box; during this process, the clamping self-locking mechanism moves synchronously to achieve mechanical self-locking in the clamping state; at the same time, the downward pressure correction plate falls on the top of the cargo box, automatically aligning the posture of the entire gripping module, so that the two claws are placed on both sides of the gripping structure in a relatively upright posture. S5. After the grab is completed, the drone takes off, and the main control module activates the aerodynamic jet attitude correction unit to stabilize the cargo box in real time. During this process, the system monitors the load weight, swing amplitude, ground height and weather conditions in real time, and dynamically adjusts the cargo box attitude to maintain stability. S6. The drone flies to the target area and hovers, adjusting to the release height; when the first load sensor detects that the load weight has dropped to the set value, and the ultrasonic sensor detects that the cargo box is zero above the ground, the main control module controls the telescopic hydraulic cylinder to retract, driving the clamping self-locking mechanism to unlock, and the claw body opens smoothly under the action of the opening assist spring, completing the safe release of the cargo box; S7. After the mission is completed, the UAV will autonomously fly back to the starting position according to the preset return strategy, and the winch will retrieve the hoisting rope. After completing the system self-check, data transmission and hoisting count update, it will enter the standby state to prepare to receive the next operation instruction.

[0064] The above are preferred embodiments of the present invention, but the embodiments of the present invention are not limited to the above content. Any changes, modifications, substitutions, combinations, or simplifications made without departing from the spirit and principle of the present invention shall be considered equivalent substitutions and shall be included within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. An unmanned aerial vehicle hoist, comprising: The unmanned aerial vehicle, the hanging mechanism and the box are included; The hanging mechanism includes a grabbing terminal for grabbing the box and a lifting actuator for driving the grabbing terminal to lift; the grabbing terminal includes a gripper module and an automatic positioning module; the top of the gripper module is fixedly connected with the lifting actuator; the gripper module includes a mounting seat, a claw body and a telescopic driving mechanism; the claw body is provided with two claws and movably arranged on the mounting seat; the telescopic driving mechanism is used for driving the two claws to swing towards or away from each other; the automatic positioning module includes an image recognition module and a positioning mark; the image recognition module is arranged at the bottom of the gripper module; and the positioning mark is arranged at the top of the box. The top of the box is provided with a grabbing matching structure for the gripper module to grab.

2. The drone hoist of claim 1, wherein, The telescopic driving mechanism includes a telescopic transmission member and a telescopic hydraulic cylinder; the telescopic transmission member is arranged between the two claws and hinged to the two claws at both ends; the upper ends of the two claws are movably rotatably connected to the mounting seat; and the cylinder body of the telescopic hydraulic cylinder is arranged on the mounting seat, and the telescopic rod of the telescopic hydraulic cylinder penetrates downward through the mounting seat and is fixedly connected with the telescopic transmission member.

3. The drone hoist of claim 2, wherein, The gripper module further includes an automatic downward pressing correction assembly, which includes a downward pressing correction plate and a correction link; the downward pressing correction plate is connected below the telescopic transmission member through a telescopic sleeve structure; the correction link is provided with two links and symmetrically arranged; one end of the correction link is movably rotatably connected to the telescopic transmission member; the other end of the correction link is movably rotatably connected to the downward pressing correction plate; and the bottom of the downward pressing correction plate is provided with an acceleration sensor.

4. The drone hoist of claim 3, wherein, The gripper module further includes a clamping self-locking mechanism, which includes a self-locking transmission assembly and a telescopic self-locking cylinder assembly; the self-locking transmission assembly includes a self-locking transmission telescopic structure, a self-locking transmission gear and a self-locking transmission rack; the self-locking transmission telescopic structure includes a first telescopic strip and a second telescopic strip; one end of the first telescopic strip is provided with a telescopic avoiding hole; the other end of the first telescopic strip is connected with one of the claws at one end of the mounting seat; the two claws are respectively matched in two long circular holes of the mounting seat; one end of the second telescopic strip is connected with the other claw at one end of the mounting seat; the other end of the second telescopic strip extends into the telescopic avoiding hole of the first telescopic strip; and the self-locking transmission rack is fixedly connected with the first telescopic strip. The telescopic direction of the telescopic self-locking cylinder assembly is different from the telescopic direction of the self-locking transmission telescopic structure and perpendicular to the telescopic direction of the self-locking transmission telescopic structure; the telescopic self-locking cylinder assembly is arranged between the telescopic transmission member and the mounting seat; the telescopic self-locking cylinder assembly includes a telescopic self-locking upper cylinder and a telescopic self-locking lower cylinder; the upper end of the telescopic self-locking upper cylinder is rotatably connected to the mounting seat; the lower end of the telescopic self-locking upper cylinder extends into the inner cavity of the telescopic self-locking lower cylinder; the bottom of the telescopic self-locking lower cylinder is fixedly connected to the telescopic transmission member; the self-locking transmission gear is coaxially fixedly sleeved on the outer side of the telescopic self-locking upper cylinder; the lower end of the outer wall of the telescopic self-locking upper cylinder is provided with an external thread structure; and the upper end of the inner wall of the telescopic self-locking lower cylinder is provided with an internal thread structure.

5. The drone hoist of claim 3, wherein, The opening assisting spring is sleeved on the telescopic rod of the telescopic hydraulic cylinder, and two ends of the opening assisting spring abut against the mounting seat and the telescopic transmission member respectively.

6. The drone hoist of claim 1, wherein, The gripper module further comprises a swing driving mechanism, the swing driving mechanism comprising a swing seat, a swing driving motor and a swing transmission assembly, the swing seat comprising a first swing seat and a second swing seat, the first swing seat and the second swing seat being rotatably connected, the first swing seat being fixedly connected with the mounting seat, the second swing seat being directly or indirectly fixedly connected with the rope of the lifting execution mechanism, the swing driving motor being arranged on the second swing seat, the swing transmission assembly comprising a swing transmission belt and swing transmission pulleys, the swing transmission pulleys being provided with two and being fixedly connected on the first swing seat and the second swing seat respectively, the swing transmission belt being connected between the two swing transmission pulleys; The second swing seat is fixedly connected with the rope of the lifting execution mechanism through a quick release module, the quick release module being provided with an automatic opening and closing assembly, a first load sensor and a friction damper, the automatic opening and closing assembly comprising an automatic telescopic rod and a ring-shaped lock, the automatic telescopic rod being arranged on the second swing seat, the first load sensor being fixedly connected between the ring-shaped lock and the rope, the friction damper being arranged on the inner side of the ring-shaped lock and being connected with the automatic telescopic rod.

7. The drone hoist of claim 1, wherein, The lifting execution mechanism comprises a winch and a rope, the winch being arranged on the unmanned aerial vehicle, two ends of the rope being fixedly connected with the winch and the gripper module respectively; The inside of the rope is provided with two first lamp strips and two hemp ropes, and the outside of the rope is covered with a waterproof sleeve, the first lamp strips being used for providing significant visual identification in night or low-visibility environment, the waterproof sleeve being provided with scale lines, and the unmanned aerial vehicle being provided with a visual sensor for identifying the length of the rope.

8. The drone hoist of claim 1, wherein, The cargo box comprises an outer lifting cabin and an inner storage cabin, the top of the outer lifting cabin being provided with a solar panel box cover for providing auxiliary power supply and maintaining the relative constancy of the temperature inside the cabin body; The bottom of the outer lifting cabin is integrated with a second load sensor and an ultrasonic sensor, wherein the second load sensor is used for acquiring the weight information of the fruit box in real time, and the ultrasonic sensor is used for detecting the relative height between the lifting cabin and the ground; The periphery and the top of the outer lifting cabin are provided with second lamp strips, which can provide auxiliary lighting and positioning support in night operation or low-visibility environment; The side of the outer lifting cabin is provided with a display screen and a weather sensor, which are used for synchronously displaying the current weight information, the temperature and humidity data inside the cabin body and the external environment, and the cumulative lifting frequency; The side of the outer lifting cabin is provided with a cabin door, the inner storage cabin is aligned and inserted along the lower slide after the cabin door is opened, and the cabin door is provided with a spring buckle structure for preventing the cabin door from being accidentally opened during flight; The outer wall of the outer lifting cabin is provided with symmetrically arranged pneumatic jet attitude correction units.

9. The drone hoist of claim 1, wherein, The grabbing matching structure comprises a top beam and an electromagnet, the middle part of the top beam is provided with metal clamping grooves on both sides, the positioning mark is arranged on the top surface of the middle part of the top beam, and the image recognition module is arranged at the bottom of the downward pressing correction plate; the other end of the claw body is provided with the electromagnet on the inner side surface, and a Hall sensor is further arranged on the claw body to detect the change of the magnetic field strength of the electromagnet. The surface of the electromagnet is provided with an anti-skid rubber pad layer to increase the contact friction.

10. A method for applying the unmanned aerial vehicle hoisting device of any one of claims 1-9, characterized in that, The method comprises the following steps: S1, the unmanned aerial vehicle flies to the target area above the cargo box according to the instruction of the ground remote control terminal or the preset flight point; S2, the image recognition module collects the position information of the positioning mark on the top of the cargo box and transmits the data to the main control module; the main control module processes the data and controls the unmanned aerial vehicle to make fine adjustment of position to make it accurately hover above the cargo box; S3, the winch releases the rope, the unmanned aerial vehicle descends to the preset height, the posture of the claw body is adjusted by the swing driving mechanism to make it align with the grabbing matching structure on the top of the cargo box, at the same time, the main control module controls the electromagnet on the claw body to be electrified to make it magnetically adsorb the metal clamping groove on the top of the cargo box, the Hall sensor detects the change of the magnetic field and feeds back the signal to the main control module to confirm the completion of the pre-positioning; S4, the main control module controls the extension rod of the telescopic hydraulic cylinder to extend downward to drive the telescopic transmission part to move downward to drive the two claw bodies to swing towards each other to clamp the grabbing matching structure of the cargo box; in this process, the clamping self-locking mechanism moves synchronously to realize mechanical self-locking in the clamping state; at the same time, the downward pressing correction plate falls on the top of the cargo box to automatically correct the posture of the whole grabbing module, so that the two claw bodies are placed on both sides of the grabbing matching structure in a relatively correct posture; S5, the unmanned aerial vehicle takes off and performs hoisting; the three-axis acceleration data of the cargo box are collected in real time by the acceleration sensor and transmitted to the main control module; S6, the unmanned aerial vehicle flies to the target area and hovers, and is adjusted to the release height; when the first load sensor detects that the load weight decreases to the set value, and the ultrasonic sensor detects that the height of the cargo box from the ground is zero, the main control module controls the telescopic hydraulic cylinder to retract, drives the clamping self-locking mechanism to unlock, and the claw body stably opens under the action of the opening booster spring, and the safe release of the cargo box is completed; S7, after the cargo box is released, the winch retracts the rope, and the unmanned aerial vehicle flies back to the starting position according to the preset program; after self-checking, data transmission and state updating, the system enters the standby state.

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