Wing folding type composite wing unmanned aerial vehicle

Abstract

The invention provides a wing folding type composite wing unmanned aerial vehicle, which comprises a vehicle body, a plurality of rotor wings and a pair of fixed wings, the plurality of rotor wings and the pair of fixed wings are connected to the vehicle body, the pair of fixed wings form a tandem wing structure, the vehicle body comprises a vehicle body, a vehicle arm and a vehicle arm folding assembly, the vehicle arm is connected to the vehicle body, and the vehicle arm folding assembly is connected to the vehicle body. The fixed wings are connected to the tail ends of the vehicle arms, and the vehicle arm folding assemblies are connected between the vehicle arms and the vehicle body, so that the fixed wings can be folded or unfolded relative to the vehicle body, the size of the composite wing unmanned aerial vehicle can be reduced as needed, and storage and transportation of the unmanned aerial vehicle are facilitated.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) technology, and more specifically, to a folding-wing compound-wing UAV. Background Technology

[0002] In recent years, multi-rotor drones have seen rapid growth in both models and numbers due to their advantages such as being unrestricted by location, hovering capability, and low cost. However, constrained by factors such as power and aerodynamic design, multi-rotor drones struggle to meet increasingly demanding user requirements in terms of range, speed, and flight time. Fixed-wing drones, on the other hand, offer long endurance and high speed, but require runways for takeoff, significantly limiting their usability.

[0003] Currently, some aircraft utilize a compound wing design, based on a conventional fixed-wing aircraft, by adding a multi-rotor power unit. During takeoff, landing, and low-speed maneuvers, it flies in multi-axis mode, using the thrust generated by multiple rotors to overcome gravity and aerodynamic drag. At high speeds, it flies in fixed-wing mode, using aerodynamic lift to overcome gravity and forward-pushing rotors to overcome aerodynamic drag. The compound wing design requires no additional mechanisms, resulting in a simple structure; it also avoids significant changes in flight attitude, making navigation calculations easier. Therefore, the compound wing vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) solution is currently the most reliable and lowest-risk long-endurance VTOL UAV solution.

[0004] However, in existing compound-wing drones, the fixed wings are fixed to the fuselage, resulting in a large drone size, which is not conducive to carrying and transporting, and occupies a large storage space. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to provide a folding-wing compound-wing drone that is easy to store and transport.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution: This invention provides a folding-wing compound wing unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), comprising a fuselage, multiple rotors, and a pair of fixed wings. The multiple rotors and the pair of fixed wings are all connected to the fuselage, and the pair of fixed wings constitutes a tandem wing structure. The fuselage includes a body, arms, and an arm folding assembly. The arms are connected to the body, and the fixed wings are connected to the ends of the arms. The arm folding assembly is connected between the arms and the body, enabling the fixed wings to be folded or unfolded relative to the body.

[0007] In one embodiment, the fuselage includes a rectangular frame; the arms include a first arm and a second arm, the first arm being directly connected to a pair of opposite sides of the rectangular frame, and the second arm being connected to another pair of opposite sides of the rectangular frame via the arm folding assembly; the fixed wing is connected to the end of the second arm away from the rectangular frame, wherein a portion of the rotor is mounted at the end of the first arm, and the remaining rotor is mounted on the second arm and located between the fixed wing and the rectangular frame.

[0008] In one embodiment, the arm folding assembly includes a hinge; the hinge includes a spindle, a hinge plate with a first bushing, and an arm mounting rod with a second bushing. The hinge plate and the arm mounting rod are rotatably connected to the spindle by means of bushing the spindle. The hinge plate is fixed to the rectangular frame, and the second arm is fixed to the arm mounting rod and can rotate relative to the spindle when the arm is folded.

[0009] In one embodiment, the hinge is fixed to one of the two end faces of the rectangular frame along the height direction, and the arm mounting rod is attached to the outer side of the rectangular frame when the wing is deployed.

[0010] In one embodiment, the arm folding assembly further includes an arm latch and a locking fastener. The arm latch is used to press the arm mounting rod against the side of the rectangular frame when the wing is deployed, and the locking fastener is used to fix the arm latch to the rectangular frame.

[0011] In one embodiment, the boom mounting rod extends along the side of the rectangular frame; the boom latch includes a fixed end and a clamping end vertically connected to one end of the fixed end, the clamping end being attached to the boom mounting rod from the side of the boom mounting rod facing away from the rectangular frame, and the fixed end being fixed to the rectangular frame by a locking fastener.

[0012] In one embodiment, the end of the arm mounting rod is provided with a first pressing slope, and the pressing end is provided with a second pressing slope, wherein the second pressing slope and the first pressing slope are connected by a cooperating slope.

[0013] In one embodiment, the locking fastener includes a screw and a hand-tightening nut fixed to the screw; the arm latch has a latch fixing hole for the screw to pass through; the rectangular frame has a latch mounting hole at a position corresponding to the latch fixing hole, and the latch mounting hole is a threaded hole that engages with the screw thread.

[0014] In one embodiment, a boom mounting block is provided near both ends of the boom mounting rod, and a boom fixing hole group is formed on the boom mounting block. The angle between the line connecting each boom fixing hole group and the side of the rectangular frame is 60°.

[0015] In one embodiment, a weight-reducing groove is provided in the middle of the arm mounting rod.

[0016] The beneficial effects of the technical solution provided by the present invention are as follows: In the folding wing compound wing UAV of the present invention, the arm connected to the fixed wing is connected to the fuselage through the arm folding component, so that the fixed wing can be folded relative to the fuselage, thereby reducing the size of the compound wing UAV when needed, which facilitates storage and transportation. Attached Figure Description

[0017] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments of the present invention will be briefly introduced below.

[0018] Figure 1 This is a partial structural schematic diagram of a folding-wing compound-wing UAV provided in one embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a folding arm assembly provided in one embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a boom lock provided in one embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a folding compound wing UAV provided in an embodiment of the present invention, with the wings in a folded state. Detailed Implementation

[0019] Embodiments of the present invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. While some embodiments of the invention are shown in the drawings, it should be understood that the invention can be implemented in various forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided to provide a more thorough and complete understanding of the invention. It should be understood that the accompanying drawings and embodiments are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the invention.

[0020] It should be understood that the various steps described in the method embodiments of the present invention may be performed in different orders and / or in parallel. Furthermore, the method embodiments may include additional steps and / or omit the steps shown. The scope of the present invention is not limited in this respect.

[0021] The term "comprising" and its variations as used herein are open-ended, meaning "including but not limited to". The term "connection" can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection via intermediate components (elements). The term "one embodiment" means "at least one embodiment"; the term "another embodiment" means "at least one additional embodiment"; the term "some embodiments" means "at least some embodiments". Definitions of other terms will be given in the following description.

[0022] It should be noted that the concepts of "first" and "second" mentioned in this invention are only used to distinguish between devices, modules or units, and are not intended to limit these devices, modules or units to necessarily be different devices, modules or units, nor are they intended to limit the order or interdependence of the functions performed by these devices, modules or units.

[0023] See Figures 1 to 4 This invention relates to a folding-wing compound wing unmanned aerial vehicle (hereinafter referred to as UAV), which combines the flexibility of a multi-rotor 30° vertical take-off and landing with the long endurance and high-efficiency cruise performance of a fixed wing. In addition, its fixed wing can be folded relative to the fuselage, thereby reducing the overall size of the aircraft during storage and transportation, making it convenient for storage and transportation.

[0024] The drone 100 includes a body, multiple rotors 30 and a pair of fixed wings 40, all of which are connected to the body and the pair of fixed wings form a tandem wing structure.

[0025] The aircraft body includes a fuselage 10, an arm and an arm folding assembly. The fixed wing is connected to the arm, and the arm folding assembly is connected between the arm and the fuselage 10, so that the fixed wing can be folded or unfolded relative to the fuselage 10, thereby reducing the size of the drone when needed, and facilitating the storage and transportation of the drone.

[0026] Preferably, the fuselage 10 includes a rectangular frame, such as a square frame, which is formed by connecting a pair of first horizontal bars 11 extending longitudinally and a pair of second horizontal bars 12 end to end. The pair of first horizontal bars 11 form a pair of opposite sides of the rectangular frame, and the pair of second horizontal bars 12 form another pair of opposite sides of the rectangular frame, thereby hollowing out the middle of the fuselage 10, reducing the weight of the fuselage and ensuring the endurance.

[0027] The arm includes a pair of first arms 21 and two pairs of second arms 22. The second arms 22 are longer than the first arms 21. The pair of first arms 21 are distributed along the left-right direction of the fuselage 10, and the two pairs of second arms 22 are distributed along the front-back direction of the fuselage 10. The included angle between adjacent arms is 60°.

[0028] The first arm 21 is directly connected to the first crossbar 11 and perpendicular to the first crossbar 11, and the two first arms 21 are respectively disposed on a pair of first crossbars 11. The second arm 22 is obliquely connected to the second crossbar 12 through the arm folding assembly, and the two pairs of second arms 22 are respectively disposed on two second crossbars 12.

[0029] The fixed wing is connected to the end of the second arm 22 away from the rectangular frame. The two fixed wings 40 are distributed along the front and rear direction of the fuselage 10. The two fixed wings are connected to the two pairs of second arms 22 in a one-to-one correspondence and are distributed vertically.

[0030] The rotor 30 is provided in six parts, which are evenly distributed on the outer periphery of the square frame. Some of the rotors 30 are installed at the end of the first arm 21, and the remaining rotors 30 are installed on the second arm 22, located between the fixed wing and the rectangular frame. The distance from each rotor 30 to the center of the rectangular frame is the same.

[0031] The fixed wings 40 include a front wing 41 and a rear wing 42 distributed along the front-rear direction of the UAV. The front wing 41 and the rear wing 42 are arranged in series along the longitudinal direction of the fuselage 10 and are distributed vertically. Each rotor 30 is located within the space defined by the front wing 41 and the rear wing 42.

[0032] In this embodiment, the front wing 41 is located in the area below the rotor 30, in a relatively stable free airflow, resulting in stable and efficient lift output; the rear wing 42 is located in the area above the rotor 30, within the range of the accelerating wake, and can utilize the wake energy to enhance the synergistic effect of local lift and thrust, thereby significantly improving the overall aerodynamic efficiency and cruise performance.

[0033] In one embodiment, the rotor 30 includes a motor and blades mounted on the output shaft of the motor. In this embodiment, the pitch, roll and yaw attitudes of the UAV during flight are achieved through differential control between the motors of the six rotors, which significantly simplifies the flight control system, reduces the structural complexity of the UAV, and improves the system reliability.

[0034] In one embodiment, the motor output shaft of each rotor 30 is inclined relative to the vertical direction, and the angle between the motor output shaft and the vertical direction can be adjusted between 5° and 35° to adapt to different flight performance requirements.

[0035] Preferably, the angle between the output shaft of the motor and the vertical direction is 19.8°.

[0036] Furthermore, the tilt direction of the pair of rotors 30 on the first arm 21 is the same as the front-to-back direction of the drone, so that when the drone is cruising, the tilt angle of the fuselage 10 is 70.2°. At this time, the pull direction of the two motors on the pair of first arms 21 is horizontal and forward. The two rotors 30 of the pair of first arms 21, together with the fixed wing, can provide the power for the drone to fly, and the drone is most efficient.

[0037] The tilt design of the six 30-powered rotors, in conjunction with the aircraft's pitch angle during level flight, maximizes blade efficiency. Simultaneously, the tilt configuration provides additional stabilizing torque in crosswinds or gusts, improving wind resistance and flight attitude stability.

[0038] The tilt design of the six rotor motors (30 rotors) makes the thrust direction of the UAV closer to the horizontal in level flight, enabling a smooth transition between vertical take-off and landing and level flight modes. Attitude and heading control can be achieved by adjusting the thrust and speed difference of each rotor (30 rotors), which helps to improve cruise speed control and energy efficiency.

[0039] In level flight, the fixed wing located above the fuselage is positioned behind the rotor 30, forming a "front rotor 30" layout; while the fixed wing located below is positioned in front of the rotor 30, forming a "rear rotor 30" layout.

[0040] This tandem twin-wing structure effectively utilizes the rotor wake during UAV level flight, improving aerodynamic efficiency and reducing induced drag, thereby significantly increasing flight time and payload capacity. Furthermore, distributing lift between the front and rear wing sets significantly reduces the lift load per wing, resulting in a more uniform airflow distribution. This allows for greater total lift with a relatively small wingspan, which is beneficial for improving wing structural strength and reducing induced drag.

[0041] In one embodiment, the arm folding assembly includes a hinge 15, an arm latch 16, and a locking fastener 14.

[0042] The hinge 15 includes a spindle 151, a hinge piece 152 with a first bushing, and a machine arm mounting rod 153 with a second bushing. The hinge piece 152 is provided with a first bushing 1521, and the machine arm mounting rod 153 is provided with a second bushing 1531. The hinge piece 152 and the machine arm mounting rod 153 are rotatably connected to the spindle 151 by means of bushings covering the spindle 151. The hinge piece 152 is fixed to the rectangular frame, and the second machine arm 22 is fixed to the machine arm mounting rod 153 and can rotate relative to the spindle 151 when the machine arm is folded.

[0043] The arm latch 16 is used to press the arm mounting rod 153 against the side of the rectangular frame when the wing is deployed, and the locking fastener 14 is used to fix the arm latch 16 to the rectangular frame.

[0044] In one embodiment, the hinge 152 is fixed to one of the two end faces of the rectangular frame along the height direction, and the arm mounting rod 153 is attached to the outer side of the rectangular frame when the wing is deployed.

[0045] In one embodiment, the arm mounting rod 153 extends along the side of the rectangular frame; the arm latch 16 includes a fixed end 161 and a pressing end 162 vertically connected to one end of the fixed end 161, the pressing end 162 is attached to the arm mounting rod 153 from the side of the arm mounting rod 153 facing away from the rectangular frame, and the fixed end 161 is fixed to the rectangular frame by a locking fastener 14.

[0046] In one embodiment, the end of the arm mounting rod 153 is provided with a first pressing slope 1533, and the pressing end 162 is provided with a second pressing slope 1621, wherein the second pressing slope 1621 and the first pressing slope 1533 are connected to each other by a slope.

[0047] In one embodiment, the locking fastener 14 includes a screw and a hand-tightening nut fixed to the screw. The arm latch 16 has a latch fixing hole 1611 through which the screw passes. The rectangular frame has a latch mounting hole at a position corresponding to the latch fixing hole 1611, and the latch mounting hole is a threaded hole that engages with the screw thread.

[0048] During assembly, the screw is passed through the locking hole 1611 into the locking mounting hole, and then the hand-tightening nut is tightened until it is secure. This completes the fixation of the arm locking 16 to the rectangular frame, and the arm mounting rod 153 is pressed against the side of the rectangular frame by the arm locking 16. In this embodiment, no other tools are required; the arm locking 16 can be installed or removed simply by tightening the hand-tightening nut, facilitating the unfolding and folding of the arm.

[0049] In one embodiment, an arm mounting block 1532 is provided near both ends of the arm mounting rod 153. The arm mounting block 1532 has an arm fixing hole group 15321. The line connecting each arm fixing hole group 15321 makes an angle of 60° with the side of the rectangular frame, so that the angle between the two second arms 22 on the arm mounting rod 153 is 60°.

[0050] In one embodiment, a weight-reducing groove 1534 is provided in the middle of the arm mounting rod 153. The weight-reducing groove 1534 extends along the length of the arm mounting rod 153 to reduce the weight of the arm mounting rod 153, avoid increasing the overall weight, and thus ensure the battery life.

[0051] In other embodiments, the arm mounting rod 153 can be fixed to the rectangular frame by means of bolt and nut assembly, quick lock, or binding, which can also keep the arm in the extended state to ensure flight safety. When the wing needs to be folded, the bolt and nut assembly, quick lock, etc. can be loosened to separate the arm mounting rod 153 from the rectangular frame, allowing the second arm 22 to rotate relative to the rectangular frame, thereby realizing the wing folding.

[0052] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and an explanation of the technical principles employed. Those skilled in the art should understand that the scope of the invention is not limited to the specific combination of the above-described technical features, but also includes other technical solutions formed by arbitrary combinations of the above-described technical features or their equivalents without departing from the inventive concept. For example, technical solutions formed by substituting the above-described features with (but not limited to) technical features with similar functions as those in the present invention.

[0053] Although the subject matter has been described using language specific to structural features and / or methodological logic, it should be understood that the subject matter defined in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the specific features or actions described above. Rather, the specific features and actions described above are merely illustrative examples of implementing the claims.

Claims

1. A folding-wing compound-wing unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), comprising a fuselage, multiple rotors, and a pair of fixed wings, wherein the multiple rotors and the pair of fixed wings are all connected to the fuselage and the pair of fixed wings constitute a tandem wing structure, characterized in that: The aircraft body includes a fuselage, an arm, and an arm folding assembly. The arm is connected to the fuselage, the fixed wing is connected to the end of the arm, and the arm folding assembly is connected between the arm and the fuselage, so that the fixed wing can be folded or unfolded relative to the fuselage.

2. The folding-wing compound-wing UAV according to claim 1, characterized in that: The fuselage includes a rectangular frame; The robotic arm includes a first robotic arm and a second robotic arm. The first robotic arm is directly connected to a pair of opposite sides of the rectangular frame, and the second robotic arm is connected to another pair of opposite sides of the rectangular frame through the robotic arm folding assembly. The fixed wing is connected to the end of the second arm away from the rectangular frame, with part of the rotor installed at the end of the first arm and the remaining rotor installed on the second arm, located between the fixed wing and the rectangular frame.

3. The folding-wing compound-wing UAV according to claim 2, characterized in that: The arm folding assembly includes a hinge; The hinge includes a spindle, a hinge plate with a first bushing, and a machine arm mounting rod with a second bushing. The hinge plate and the machine arm mounting rod are rotatably connected to the spindle by means of bushing the spindle. The hinge plate is fixed to the rectangular frame, and the second machine arm is fixed to the machine arm mounting rod.

4. The folding-wing compound-wing UAV according to claim 3, characterized in that: The hinge is fixed to one of the two end faces of the rectangular frame along the height direction, and the arm mounting rod fits against the outer side of the rectangular frame when the wing is deployed.

5. The folding-wing compound-wing UAV according to claim 3, characterized in that: The arm folding assembly also includes an arm latch and a locking fastener. The arm latch is used to press the arm mounting rod against the side of the rectangular frame when the wing is deployed, and the locking fastener is used to fix the arm latch to the rectangular frame.

6. The folding-wing compound-wing UAV according to claim 5, characterized in that: The arm mounting rod extends along the side of the rectangular frame; The arm latch includes a fixed end and a clamping end vertically connected to one end of the fixed end. The clamping end is attached to the arm mounting rod from the side of the arm mounting rod facing away from the rectangular frame. The fixed end is fixed to the rectangular frame by a locking fastener.

7. The folding-wing compound-wing UAV according to claim 6, characterized in that: The end of the arm mounting rod is provided with a first pressing slope, and the pressing end is provided with a second pressing slope. The second pressing slope and the first pressing slope are connected by a cooperating slope.

8. The folding-wing compound-wing UAV according to claim 5, characterized in that: The locking and fixing component includes a screw and a hand-tightening nut fixed to the screw; The arm latch has a latch fixing hole for the screw to pass through; The rectangular frame has a locking mounting hole at the position corresponding to the locking fixing hole. The locking mounting hole is a threaded hole that mates with the screw thread.

9. The folding-wing compound-wing UAV according to claim 3, characterized in that: Near each end of the arm mounting rod, there is an arm mounting block. The arm mounting block has an arm fixing hole group. The angle between the line connecting each arm fixing hole group and the side of the rectangular frame is 60°.

10. The folding-wing compound-wing UAV according to claim 3, characterized in that: The arm mounting rod has a weight-reducing groove in the middle.

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