Unmanned aerial vehicle empennage loading, unloading, storing and transporting device

Abstract

The invention discloses an unmanned aerial vehicle empennage loading, unloading, storing and transporting device, and relates to the technical field of unmanned aerial vehicle transportation. The folding mechanism is connected to the lifting mechanism and used for adjusting the transverse angle between the empennage and the fuselage; the slewing mechanism is connected to the folding mechanism and used for adjusting the longitudinal angle between the empennage and the fuselage; the plugging mechanism is arranged on the slewing mechanism and is used for applying mounting force or dismounting force towards the fuselage to the empennage; the floating mechanism is connected to the plugging mechanism and is used for providing a flexible floating function when the empennage is mounted; the clamping mechanism is connected to the floating mechanism and used for clamping and fixing the empennage of the unmanned aerial vehicle; the problems that traditional loading and unloading efficiency is low, and labor cost is high are solved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of drone transportation technology, and specifically to a drone tail fin loading, unloading, storage and transportation device. Background Technology

[0002] With the rapid development of drone technology, it has been widely used in various fields such as military reconnaissance, logistics transportation, environmental monitoring, disaster prevention and relief, and scientific research. In particular, large drones, due to their long endurance, strong payload capacity, and wide operating range, have gradually become an important platform for performing long-range and complex tasks. However, large drones often face practical challenges in disassembly, transportation, and reassembly during deployment and transfer. Large components such as the fuselage, wings, and tail are bulky, heavy, and structurally precise. Their loading, unloading, and storage not only affect operational efficiency but also directly relate to equipment and personnel safety.

[0003] Currently, the industry generally adopts a combination of manual labor and general lifting and transportation equipment for the disassembly, storage, transportation and installation of tail fins for large drones. The specific operation usually relies on auxiliary tools such as cranes, forklifts, and mobile supports, and is completed by multiple operators (usually 4 to 10 people). During the operation, the drone must first be positioned in a specific area, the tail fin is lifted by a crane, and the attitude is roughly adjusted with the help of ladders or temporary supports. Then, the fine alignment and connection are performed manually. The disassembled tail fin must be carefully placed on a special storage and transportation cart or support and fixed. Then, the cart carrying the tail fin is pushed into the transport container or designated storage and transportation area by manual labor.

[0004] This traditional operating mode has several significant drawbacks: First, it is highly dependent on manpower, requiring close cooperation among multiple people, resulting in high personnel training costs and high labor intensity, making it prone to operational errors due to fatigue. Second, it is inefficient, with a cumbersome and time-consuming process from tool preparation, hoisting, adjustment to final fixing, making it difficult to meet the needs of high-frequency relocation or rapid emergency deployment. This contradiction is particularly prominent in scenarios such as flight tests where frequent site changes are required. Third, it lacks safety, as manual operation of heavy components carries the risk of slippage and collision. The high precision required when docking the tail fin with the fuselage makes manual attitude adjustment difficult, easily causing component damage or loose connections, leaving safety hazards. In addition, the equipment has poor versatility; existing hoisting equipment is not specifically designed for UAV tail fins and lacks targeted clamping, attitude adjustment, and buffering functions, further increasing the complexity and risk of the operation.

[0005] Therefore, we propose a specialized device that enables rapid, precise, and safe loading, unloading, storage, and transportation of tail fins, thereby reducing reliance on manpower and improving the standardization and reliability of the operational process. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The purpose of this invention is to provide a drone tail fin loading, unloading, storage and transportation device, which solves the problems of low loading and unloading efficiency and high labor costs in traditional methods.

[0007] This invention is achieved through the following technical solution: A tail fin loading, unloading, storage and transportation device for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), characterized in that it comprises: The lifting mechanism is used to adjust the vertical position of the tail fin. A folding mechanism, connected to the lifting mechanism, is used to achieve lateral angle adjustment between the tail fin and the fuselage; A slewing mechanism, connected to the folding mechanism, is used to adjust the longitudinal angle between the tail fin and the fuselage; A plug-in mechanism, disposed on the rotary mechanism, is used to apply an installation force or a disassembly force toward the fuselage to the tail fin; A floating mechanism, connected to the plug-in mechanism, is used to provide flexible floating functionality during tail fin installation; A clamping mechanism, connected to the floating mechanism, is used to clamp and fix the tail fin of the drone.

[0008] Furthermore, the lifting mechanism includes an outer frame, an inner frame, and a lifting cylinder, wherein the inner side of the outer frame is slidably connected to the inner frame, the lifting cylinder is mounted on the outer frame, and the telescopic end of the lifting cylinder passes through the bottom of the inner frame and is fixedly connected to the inner side of the inner frame.

[0009] Furthermore, the folding mechanism includes at least one folding arm and a first driving component for driving the folding arm to unfold or retract, for driving the tail wing to move between a retracted position parallel to the fuselage and a laterally unfolded working position, wherein the head end of the folding arm is hinged to the top of the lifting mechanism, the first driving component is hinged to the inner frame of the lifting mechanism, and the driving end of the first driving component is hinged to the bottom surface of the folding arm.

[0010] Furthermore, the slewing mechanism includes a slewing platform and a second drive component that drives the slewing platform to rotate, for adjusting the pitch or yaw angle of the tail fin relative to the fuselage, wherein the second drive component is mounted at the tail end of the folding arm.

[0011] Furthermore, the insertion and removal mechanism includes a base and at least one linearly telescopic third drive component for providing precise thrust or pull along the docking direction when the tail fin docks with the fuselage. The head end of the base is fixedly connected to the rotating platform, the third drive component is installed inside the base, and the drive end of the third drive component is fixedly connected to the floating mechanism.

[0012] Furthermore, the floating mechanism includes a support, a transverse guide rail, a vertical guide rail, a first enclosure, a second enclosure, a vertical spring, and a transverse spring; The support bottom is fixedly connected to the rotary mechanism, and the support is provided with a vertical guide rail and a horizontal guide rail. The bottom of the first enclosure is slidably connected to the vertical guide rail, the top of the first enclosure is fixedly connected to the third drive component, and the second enclosure is arranged around the outer perimeter of the first enclosure. The second frame is equipped with a vertical spring that abuts against the inner bottom surface of the support. The two sides of the second frame are slidably connected to the horizontal guide rail. The two ends of the second frame are respectively connected to the corresponding inner surfaces of the support through a horizontal spring.

[0013] Furthermore, the clamping mechanism includes an upper clamping frame, a lower clamping frame, and a hydraulic cylinder, wherein the tail ends of the upper clamping frame and the lower clamping frame are hinged together, the hydraulic cylinder is installed at the bottom of the lower clamping frame, the telescopic end of the hydraulic cylinder is hinged to the top of the tail end of the upper clamping frame, and the hydraulic cylinder is used to drive the upper clamping frame and the lower clamping frame to move relative to or away from each other.

[0014] Furthermore, the clamping surfaces of both the upper and lower clamping frames are provided with multiple suction cups.

[0015] A method for loading, unloading, storing, and transporting the tail fin of a drone includes the following steps: The tail fin, which is in a storage and transport state, is secured by the clamping mechanism. Control the lifting mechanism to adjust the tail fin height; Control the folding mechanism to unfold to the working angle; Control the rotary mechanism to rotate to the required angle for docking with the machine body; Control the action of the tail fin insertion and removal mechanism, and in conjunction with the flexible buffer of the floating mechanism, insert the tail fin into the fuselage mounting part; The clamping mechanism releases the tail fin; All facilities have been reset to storage and transportation status; The removal of the tail fin is the reverse process of the installation steps described above.

[0016] The technical solution of the present invention has at least the following advantages and beneficial effects: This invention discloses a tail fin loading, unloading, storage and transportation device for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Through the sequential coordinated action of various mechanisms, the tail fin can be automatically transported from the storage and transportation state to the installation position and accurately docked, or the installed tail fin can be safely removed and recycled back to the storage and transportation state. This continuous and automated process significantly shortens the tail fin assembly and disassembly time, and is especially suitable for occasions that require frequent relocation and rapid deployment. It realizes a high degree of automation and process-orientation of tail fin loading and unloading operations, and greatly improves operational efficiency.

[0017] In addition, operators mainly take on the roles of monitoring and issuing instructions, while physical labor and complex manual attitude adjustment work are completed by machines. This not only reduces the special requirements for the number and skills of personnel and reduces labor costs, but also makes tail fin loading and unloading operations repeatable and predictable, improves the stability and standardization of operation quality, significantly reduces reliance on manpower and labor intensity, and improves the level of operation standardization.

[0018] In addition, the rigid clamping mechanism, controllable movement path, and floating mechanism with buffering capacity provide the tail fin with a controlled and stable support and movement environment throughout the process. The plug-in mechanism provides controllable installation force to avoid overload impact. These designs greatly reduce the possibility of damage to the tail fin or the fuselage of the drone due to operational errors or accidents, ensuring the safety of personnel and equipment, and significantly improving the safety of the tail fin loading and unloading process, reducing the risk of equipment damage. Attached Figure Description

[0019] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a drone tail fin loading, unloading, storage and transportation device according to the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a floating mechanism according to the present invention; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a drone tail fin loading, unloading, storage and transportation system according to the present invention.

[0020] Reference numerals: 1. Lifting mechanism; 11. Outer frame; 12. Inner frame; 13. Lifting cylinder; 2. Folding mechanism; 21. Folding arm; 22. First drive component; 3. Rotation mechanism; 31. Rotation platform; 32. Second drive component; 4. Insertion and removal mechanism; 41. Base; 42. Third drive component; 5. Floating mechanism; 51. Support; 52. Transverse guide rail; 53. Vertical guide rail; 54. Enclosure frame one; 55. Enclosure frame two; 56. Vertical spring; 57. Transverse spring; 6. Clamping mechanism; 61. Upper clamping frame; 62. Lower clamping frame; 63. Hydraulic cylinder; 7. Tail fin; 8. Fuselage; 9. Storage and transport trolley. Detailed Implementation

[0021] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. The components of the embodiments of the present invention described and shown in the accompanying drawings can generally be arranged and designed in various different configurations.

[0022] Example 1 like Figures 1-3 The device shown is a UAV tail fin loading, unloading, storage and transportation device, comprising: Lifting mechanism 1 is used to adjust the vertical position of tail fin 7; In addition, the lifting mechanism 1 includes an outer frame 11, an inner frame 12 and a lifting cylinder 13, wherein the inner side of the outer frame 11 is slidably connected to the inner frame 12, the lifting cylinder 13 is mounted on the outer frame 11, and the telescopic end of the lifting cylinder 13 passes through the bottom of the inner frame 12 and is fixedly connected to the inner side of the inner frame 12. Its core lies in using the outer frame 11 as a fixed foundation and guide rail, and the inner frame 12 as a load-bearing platform and moving parts. Through a precise sliding pair, such as a linear guide or a slider-slide structure, low-friction, high-rigidity vertical relative movement between the two is achieved. The lifting cylinder 13 serves as the power source. Its cylinder body is fixed to the outer frame 11, and the piston rod passes through a pre-reserved channel at the bottom of the inner frame 12 and is directly anchored to the inner side of the inner frame 12. When the hydraulic system drives the piston rod of the cylinder to extend, the resulting thrust acts directly on the inner frame 12, pushing the inner frame 12 to slide smoothly upward along the guide surface of the outer frame 11, thus achieving lifting. When the piston rod retracts, it pulls the inner frame 12 downward, thus achieving descent. The large sliding mating surfaces of the inner and outer frames 11 form a stable full-circumferential guide mechanism. Compared with the common dual-cylinder or four-cylinder synchronous lifting scheme, this box-type nested structure can effectively resist the lateral force and torque generated by the weight offset or motion inertia of the tail fin 7, ensuring that the platform and the clamped tail fin 7 only undergo pure vertical movement during the entire lifting stroke, without swaying or tilting, providing a stable and accurate reference plane for subsequent fine posture adjustment operations such as folding and turning. Furthermore, the nested structure takes up almost no extra space when folded up, achieving a perfect combination of high stroke and low storage height, making it very suitable for use in space-constrained scenarios such as storage and transportation carts 9 or containers. At the same time, the closed box frame structure itself has high bending and torsional stiffness, which can withstand the load of heavy tail fin 7, ensuring a stable and reliable lifting process. In addition, the use of a single high-thrust lifting cylinder 13 for direct drive results in a short power transmission path and high efficiency. It avoids the complex hydraulic circuits or electronic control synchronization systems required for multi-cylinder synchronization, reducing system complexity, cost, and failure rate. The hydraulic drive itself has the characteristics of high output, smooth movement, and easy locking and holding, making it very suitable for heavy-duty lifting applications that require self-locking. Furthermore, the outer frame 11 is usually directly fixed to the mobile base such as the storage and transportation trolley 9. Its robust structure becomes the "spine" of the entire tail wing 7 loading and unloading storage and transportation device. All other mechanisms, such as folding and turning, are built and moved from the platform carried by the inner frame 12. The stable and precisely lifting foundation provided by the lifting mechanism 1 is a prerequisite for the accurate execution of a series of subsequent spatial attitude adjustment actions.

[0023] Folding mechanism 2, connected to lifting mechanism 1, is used to realize the lateral angle adjustment between tail fin 7 and fuselage 8; In addition, the folding mechanism 2 includes at least one folding arm 21 and a first driving component 22 for driving the folding arm 21 to unfold or retract, for driving the tail fin 7 to move between a retracted position parallel to the fuselage 8 and a laterally unfolded working position, wherein the head end of the folding arm 21 is hinged to the top of the lifting mechanism 1, the first driving component 22 is hinged to the inner frame 12 of the lifting mechanism 1, and the driving end of the first driving component 22 is hinged to the bottom surface of the folding arm 21. Its core is a mechanism with a folding arm 21 as the main moving link. The "head end" of the folding arm 21 forms a fixed rotation fulcrum hinge point A with the top of the lifting mechanism 1 through a hinge shaft. The first driving component 22 is usually a hydraulic cylinder or electric push rod itself as a telescopic link. Its cylinder bottom is hinged to the inner frame 12 of the lifting mechanism 1 (hinge point B), and the piston rod end is hinged to the bottom surface hinge point C of the folding arm 21. Thus, points A, B, and C, together with the folding arm 21, the driving component, and the frame of the lifting mechanism 1, constitute a dynamic four-bar linkage. When the first driving component 22 extends or retracts, its length change will force the position of hinge point C to change, thereby driving the entire folding arm 21 to rotate around the fixed hinge point A, realizing the extension or retraction of the arm. In addition, the tail fin 7 usually needs to be close to the side wall of the fuselage 8 or the storage and transportation trolley 9 during storage and transportation to save space. The folding mechanism 2 can swing the tail fin 7 from this parallel "storage position" to a "working position" far away from the fuselage 8, clearing an unobstructed operating space for the docking of the tail fin 7 with the tail of the fuselage 8. This large-stroke fan-shaped swing is difficult to achieve in a compact space by a simple linear movement mechanism. Unlike hoisting using ropes or soft straps, the rigid folding arm 21, when unfolded, forms a robust cantilever beam support structure. It provides a stable and sway-free support platform for the subsequent slewing mechanism 3, clamping mechanism 6, and the heavy tail fin 7 itself. This rigidity ensures that the reference position of the tail fin 7 will not drift or shake during subsequent fine attitude adjustment and insertion / removal processes. The mechanism is connected to the top of the lifting mechanism 1, which means that the final spatial position of the tail fin 7 is determined by the combined motion of lifting and folding in two dimensions. This collaborative work can efficiently and quickly and roughly position the tail fin 7 from the initial storage and transportation coordinate point to a three-dimensional spatial position near the docking interface of the fuselage 8, completing the first crucial step in the automated installation process - coarse positioning.

[0024] The rotating mechanism 3, connected to the folding mechanism 2, is used to adjust the longitudinal angle between the tail fin 7 and the fuselage 8; As needed, the slewing mechanism 3 includes a slewing platform 31 and a second drive component 32 for driving the slewing platform 31 to rotate, for adjusting the pitch or yaw angle of the tail fin 7 relative to the fuselage 8, wherein the second drive component 32 is mounted at the tail end of the folding arm 21. Its core is a rotary platform 31 driven by a second drive component 32. The second drive component 32 is specifically a hydraulic rotary motor or a servo motor with a high-precision reducer. The rotary platform 31 is installed at the tail end of the folding arm 21 through a precision rotary support, such as a cross roller bearing, to achieve rotational freedom about a direction perpendicular to the axis of the folding arm 21, which is either vertical or horizontal. The second drive component 32 is directly or through a transmission mechanism such as a gear / worm gear to connect to the rotary platform 31 and output a controllable rotational torque to drive the platform and all subsequent mechanisms carried on it, namely the insertion and removal mechanism 4, the floating mechanism 5, the clamping mechanism 6, and the tail fin 7, to perform precise rotational motion around the axis. After the folding mechanism 2 completes the "coarse positioning" of the tail fin 7, there may still be slight pitch or yaw angle deviations between the axis of the tail fin 7 and the interface axis of the fuselage 8. The rotational degree of freedom provided by the rotation mechanism 3 can provide fine compensation for these angle deviations at the micron or minute level, so that the docking surface of the tail fin 7 and the interface surface of the fuselage 8 reach parallel or a preset precise angle. This is the decisive prerequisite for achieving smooth and interference-free insertion and removal. It solves the problem of precise control of the last two rotational degrees of freedom in the six degrees of freedom of a space object. In addition, the high-rigidity bearings and direct drive / precision transmission design adopted by the rotary platform 31 ensure that the rotation center is stable and the angle positioning is accurate when bearing the weight of the tail fin 7 and the insertion and extraction force, and there is no obvious backlash. This high-rigidity rotation support ensures that the adjusted angle will not easily change under the action of subsequent insertion and extraction forces, thus ensuring the accuracy of the entire docking process. It should be noted that the axial angle of the tail fin 7 mounting interface may be different for different models of UAVs. The rotary mechanism 3 also has a programmable rotation function, which allows the device to adapt to the tail fin 7 mounting angle requirements of various models through parameter settings, thereby improving the versatility and flexibility of the equipment. In the automated process, this angle can be used as one of the preset parameters to achieve one-click attitude adjustment. Furthermore, the rotary platform 31 is not only the component that performs the rotational motion, but also the installation foundation and load-bearing structure for all subsequent actuators. Its high rigidity and precision provide a precise force application axis for the insertion and extraction mechanism 4 and a reliable reference for the floating mechanism 5, ensuring that the accuracy of all end actions is based on a stable rotary platform.

[0025] The insertion and removal mechanism 4 is disposed on the rotary mechanism 3 and is used to apply an installation force or a disassembly force toward the fuselage 8 to the tail fin 7. In addition, the insertion and removal mechanism 4 includes a base 41 and at least one linearly telescopic third drive component 42, which provides a precise thrust or pull force along the docking direction when the tail fin 7 docks with the fuselage 8. The head end of the base 41 is fixedly connected to the rotating platform 31, the third drive component 42 is installed in the base 41, and the drive end of the third drive component 42 is fixedly connected to the floating mechanism 5. Its core function is to provide a precise and controllable linear force along the axis of docking between the tail fin 7 and the fuselage 8. The third drive component 42, as the core power source, is usually a hydraulic cylinder or an electric push rod. Its cylinder body is fixed inside the base 41, and the base 41 itself is rigidly connected to the rotating platform 31, thus inheriting the precise angle adjusted by the rotating mechanism 3. The drive end of the third drive component 42 is directly fixedly connected to the floating mechanism 5 of the subsequent stage. When the system issues a command, the third drive component 42 performs a linear motion of extending or retracting, and transmits the thrust or pull force directly to the floating mechanism 5 and the clamping mechanism 6 and tail fin 7 connected to it through the drive end, thereby completing the "insertion" or "extraction" action of the tail fin 7 along the predetermined axis. The entire process is precisely controlled by the control system to control the magnitude, speed and stroke of the applied force. This mechanism can provide stable and adjustable linear thrust along the calculated docking axis to ensure that the tail fin 7 is pushed smoothly and accurately into the fuselage 8 interface until the locking mechanism is in place. During disassembly, it provides controllable pulling force to smoothly detach the tail fin 7 from the fuselage 8. This completely changes the unreliable method of assembly that relies on manual sense or impact force. In addition, the lifting, folding and rotating mechanism 3 mainly solves the problems of "positioning" and "alignment", while the insertion and removal mechanism 4 is the key to the final physical assembly action. It makes the whole device not only a "transfer and positioning tool", but also a complete "automated assembly terminal". Through active force application, it completes the last step from "alignment" to "assembly", realizing the automated closed loop of the entire loading and unloading process. The rigid drive end of the insertion / removal mechanism 4 is directly connected to the floating mechanism 5, which has elastic buffering capabilities. When the insertion / removal mechanism 4 applies force, the floating mechanism 5 allows the clamping mechanism 6 and the tail fin 7 connected to it to float elastically in a small range in the lateral and vertical directions. This combination means that the main alignment is completed by the preceding mechanism, and the insertion / removal mechanism 4 provides the main axial driving force. At the moment of insertion / removal, any residual micrometer-level alignment deviation is absorbed by the floating mechanism 5 to avoid harmful lateral stress or jamming. This greatly improves the docking success rate and process safety, and protects the expensive tail fin 7 and fuselage 8 interface.

[0026] Furthermore, the insertion and removal mechanism 4 is integrated into the base 41 and rigidly connected to the rotary platform 31, so that the axis of the applied force is aligned with the final docking axis determined by the rotary platform 31. After the force is generated from the drive component, it is transmitted to the ground through the base 41, rotary platform 31, folding arm 21, etc. The force flow path is short and clear, and the structure has good rigidity, ensuring that the applied force is used efficiently and reducing energy loss and positioning deviation caused by structural deformation.

[0027] The floating mechanism 5, connected to the plug-in mechanism 4, is used to provide a flexible floating function when the tail fin 7 is installed; In addition, the floating mechanism 5 includes a support 51, a transverse guide rail 52, a vertical guide rail 53, a first enclosure 54, a second enclosure 55, a vertical spring 56, and a transverse spring 57. Among them, the bottom of the support 51 is fixedly connected to the rotary mechanism 3, the support 51 is provided with a vertical guide rail and a horizontal guide rail 52, the bottom of the first frame 54 is slidably connected to the vertical guide rail, the top of the first frame 54 is fixedly connected to the third drive component 42, and the second frame 55 is arranged around the first frame 54. The second frame 55 is provided with a vertical spring 56 that abuts against the inner bottom surface of the support 51. The two sides of the second frame 55 are slidably connected to the horizontal guide rail 52. The head and tail ends of the second frame 55 are respectively connected to the corresponding inner side of the support 51 through a horizontal spring 57. The floating mechanism 5, through the combination of pre-tightened elastic elements and high-precision sliding guides, achieves controllable elastic displacement of the bearing platform in multiple directions within a strictly limited micro-stroke. Specifically, the first frame 54 is connected to the support 51 via vertical guides and can slide up and down. The vertical spring 56 is placed inside the second frame 55, with its upper end pressing against the second frame 55 and its lower end abutting against the inner bottom surface of the support 51, effectively providing vertical elastic support and buffer for the entire floating assembly. The second frame 55 is connected to the support 51 via transverse guides 52 on both sides and can slide laterally. Its head and tail ends are connected to the inner side of the support 51 via transverse springs 57, so that the second frame 55 is in an elastically centered position in the lateral direction. When there is a slight deviation between the tail fin 7 and the fuselage 8 during the docking process, the lateral force acting on the clamping mechanism 6 and the tail fin 7 will overcome the preload of the spring in the corresponding direction, and push the first frame 54 or the second frame 55 to produce a slight elastic displacement along the guide rail, thereby "giving way" to absorb the deviation, while the axial insertion and extraction force continues to be transmitted with basically no impact.

[0028] In addition, the insertion and removal mechanism 4 is responsible for providing precise and controllable axial active thrust, while the floating mechanism 5 is specifically responsible for mitigating the unavoidable minor radial alignment residual errors in this process. It cleverly separates the two contradictory requirements of "precise driving" and "tolerance absorption" through the mechanism design and assigns them to different components, thereby greatly improving the adaptability to harsh working conditions, such as uneven ground, manufacturing tolerances, and minor errors of vision / sensors, while ensuring assembly force. Although radial floating is allowed, the floating mechanism 5 ensures that the axial thrust of the insertion / removal mechanism 4 is always transmitted along the predetermined docking axis direction through the constraints of the vertical and horizontal guide rails 52. It will not "lose force" or change direction due to floating. The guide rails guarantee that the floating is a linear motion along a specific degree of freedom, rather than uncontrollable oscillation, making the axial assembly process stable and reliable. Furthermore, unlike the use of nonlinear and easily aging damping materials such as rubber pads, the use of precision springs as buffer elements ensures that their stiffness (elastic coefficient) is constant and can be accurately calculated. This means that the system's "flexibility" is known, controllable, and repeatable, which is beneficial for accurate dynamic simulation, control parameter tuning, and process standardization, improving the reliability and predictability of the entire automated process. It is important to note that the minute displacement generated by the floating mechanism 5 can itself serve as a sensor signal for real-time judgment of the docking status, such as whether it is stuck or whether it has been successfully integrated, providing a physical basis for achieving more intelligent force-position hybrid control. Furthermore, it is a meticulously designed, multi-degree-of-freedom, controllable elastic precision mechanical coupler that successfully introduces a controlled and intelligent "flexibility" into a high-rigidity, high-precision automated assembly system. This resolves the contradiction between "the difficulty in achieving absolute precision" and "the necessity of successful assembly" in the automated assembly of heavy precision components, and is a key intelligent buffer link to ensure the high reliability and high success rate of the entire system in actual engineering environments.

[0029] The clamping mechanism 6 is connected to the floating mechanism 5 and is used to clamp and fix the tail wing 7 of the UAV. In addition, the clamping mechanism 6 includes an upper clamping frame 61, a lower clamping frame 62, and a hydraulic cylinder 63. The tail ends of the upper clamping frame 61 and the lower clamping frame 62 are hinged together by a hinge shaft, forming an opening and closing mechanism similar to "pliers" or "claws". The hydraulic cylinder 63 is installed at the bottom of the lower clamping frame 62. The telescopic end of the hydraulic cylinder 63 is hinged to the top of the tail end of the upper clamping frame 61, and the hydraulic cylinder 63 is used to drive the upper clamping frame 61 and the lower clamping frame 62 to move relative to each other or away from each other. When the hydraulic cylinder 63 retracts, the piston rod pulls the upper clamping frame 61 to rotate upward around the hinge axis, causing the heads of the upper and lower clamping frames 62 to open; when the hydraulic cylinder 63 extends, the piston rod pushes the upper clamping frame 61 to rotate downward around the hinge axis, causing the heads of the upper and lower clamping frames 62 to close, thereby generating a strong mechanical clamping force on the tail wing 7 structure placed therebetween, such as a wing spars or special lugs. Multiple suction cups are arranged on the clamping surfaces of the upper and lower clamping frames 62. When the clamping frames close and contact the surface of the tail fin 7, the suction cups are pressed and the internal air is discharged. The negative pressure is maintained by the external vacuum system, thereby generating a distributed adsorption force perpendicular to the surface of the tail fin 7. This adsorption force is orthogonal to the mechanical clamping force and together constitutes the fixation of the tail fin 7.

[0030] The clamping mechanism 6 combines rigid mechanical clamping with multiple vacuum suction cups to firmly "lock" the tail fin 7 onto the clamping mechanism 6, enabling it to resist the inertial force and centrifugal force generated by transportation bumps and mechanical movement, providing a stable and reliable load base for all subsequent high-precision attitude adjustment actions. Since the surface of the tail fin 7 of large UAVs is usually made of composite material skin and has a precision internal structure, it cannot withstand excessive local point pressure. Therefore, the suction cups provide the main normal contact force, which is a flexible contact method with a large area and low pressure, which can protect the surface of the tail fin 7 very well. The upper clamping frame 61 and the lower clamping frame 62 mainly provide constraints to resist lateral slippage, and their clamping surfaces can also be designed as flexible pads that match the shape of the tail fin 7. The combination of the two achieves the ideal effect of "firm clamping" and "no skin damage".

[0031] Example 2 A method for loading, unloading, storing, and transporting the tail fin of a drone includes the following steps: The tail wing 7, which is in the storage and transport state, is fixed by the clamping mechanism 6; The lifting mechanism 1 is controlled to adjust the height of the tail fin 7; Control the folding mechanism 2 to unfold to the working angle; Control the rotation mechanism 3 to rotate to the required angle to align with the machine body 8; Control the action of the tail fin 7 insertion / removal mechanism 4, and with the flexible buffer of the floating mechanism 5, insert the tail fin 7 into the mounting part of the fuselage 8; The clamping mechanism 6 releases the tail fin 7; All facilities have been reset to storage and transportation status; The removal of tail fin 7 is the reverse process of the above installation steps.

[0032] The above are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention. Various modifications and variations can be made to the present invention by those skilled in the art. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A tail fin loading, unloading, storage and transportation device for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), characterized in that, include: The lifting mechanism (1) is used to adjust the vertical position of the tail fin (7); The folding mechanism (2) is connected to the lifting mechanism (1) and is used to realize the lateral angle adjustment between the tail fin (7) and the fuselage (8); The slewing mechanism (3), connected to the folding mechanism (2), is used to realize the longitudinal angle adjustment between the tail fin (7) and the fuselage (8); The insertion and removal mechanism (4) is provided on the rotary mechanism (3) and is used to apply an installation force or removal force toward the fuselage (8) to the tail fin (7); A floating mechanism (5), connected to the plug-in mechanism (4), is used to provide a flexible floating function when the tail fin (7) is installed; The clamping mechanism (6) is connected to the floating mechanism (5) and is used to clamp and fix the tail wing (7) of the UAV.

2. The UAV tail fin loading, unloading, storage and transportation device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The folding mechanism (2) includes at least one folding arm (21) and a first driving component (22) for driving the folding arm (21) to unfold or retract, for driving the tail wing (7) to move between a retracted position parallel to the fuselage (8) and a laterally unfolded working position, wherein the head end of the folding arm (21) is hinged to the top of the lifting mechanism (1), the first driving component (22) is hinged to the inner frame (12) of the lifting mechanism (1), and the driving end of the first driving component (22) is hinged to the bottom surface of the folding arm (21).

3. The UAV tail fin loading, unloading, storage and transportation device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The lifting mechanism (1) includes an outer frame (11), an inner frame (12) and a lifting cylinder (13), wherein the inner side of the outer frame (11) is slidably connected to the inner frame (12), the lifting cylinder (13) is installed on the outer frame (11), and the telescopic end of the lifting cylinder (13) passes through the bottom of the inner frame (12) and is fixedly connected to the inner side of the inner frame (12).

4. The UAV tail fin loading, unloading, storage and transportation device according to claim 3, characterized in that, The slewing mechanism (3) includes a slewing platform (31) and a second drive component (32) for driving the slewing platform (31) to rotate, for adjusting the pitch or yaw angle of the tail fin (7) relative to the fuselage (8), wherein the second drive component (32) is mounted at the tail end of the folding arm (21).

5. The UAV tail fin loading, unloading, storage and transportation device according to claim 4, characterized in that, The insertion and removal mechanism (4) includes a base (41) and at least one linearly telescopic third drive component (42) for providing precise thrust or pull in the docking direction when the tail fin (7) docks with the fuselage (8). The head end of the base (41) is fixedly connected to the rotating platform (31), the third drive component (42) is installed in the base (41), and the drive end of the third drive component (42) is fixedly connected to the floating mechanism (5).

6. The UAV tail fin loading, unloading, storage and transportation device according to claim 5, characterized in that, The floating mechanism (5) includes a support (51), a transverse guide rail (52), a vertical guide rail (53), a first enclosure (54), a second enclosure (55), a vertical spring (56), and a transverse spring (57). Among them, the bottom of the support (51) is fixedly connected to the rotary mechanism (3), the support (51) is provided with a vertical guide rail and a horizontal guide rail (52), the bottom of the first frame (54) is slidably connected to the vertical guide rail, the top of the first frame (54) is fixedly connected to the third drive component (42), and the second frame (55) is arranged around the first frame (54). The second frame (55) is provided with a vertical spring (56) that abuts against the bottom surface of the support (51). The two sides of the second frame (55) are slidably connected to the horizontal guide rail (52). The two ends of the second frame (55) are respectively connected to the corresponding inner side of the support (51) through a horizontal spring (57).

7. The UAV tail fin loading, unloading, storage and transportation device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The clamping mechanism (6) includes an upper clamping frame (61), a lower clamping frame (62), and a hydraulic cylinder (63). The tail ends of the upper clamping frame (61) and the lower clamping frame (62) are hinged together. The hydraulic cylinder (63) is installed at the bottom of the lower clamping frame (62). The telescopic end of the hydraulic cylinder (63) is hinged to the top of the tail end of the upper clamping frame (61). The hydraulic cylinder (63) is used to drive the upper clamping frame (61) and the lower clamping frame (62) to move relative to each other or away from each other.

8. The UAV tail fin loading, unloading, storage and transportation device according to claim 7, characterized in that, The clamping surfaces of the upper clamping frame (61) and the lower clamping frame (62) are each provided with multiple suction cups.

9. A method for loading, unloading, storing, and transporting the tail fin of a drone, characterized in that, The method using the UAV tail fin loading, unloading, storage and transportation device as described in any one of claims 1 to 8 includes the following steps: The tail fin (7) in the storage and transport state is fixed by the clamping mechanism (6); Control the lifting mechanism (1) to adjust the height of the tail fin (7); Control the folding mechanism (2) to unfold to the working angle; Control the rotation mechanism (3) to rotate to the required angle to align with the machine body (8); The insertion and removal mechanism (4) of the tail fin (7) is controlled to move, and in conjunction with the flexible buffer of the floating mechanism (5), the tail fin (7) is inserted into the mounting part of the fuselage (8); The clamping mechanism (6) releases the tail fin (7); All facilities have been reset to storage and transportation status; The removal of the tail fin (7) is the reverse of the above installation steps.

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