Unmanned aerial vehicle high-altitude rescue pod

Abstract

The invention discloses an unmanned aerial vehicle high-altitude rescue pod, and belongs to the technical field of unmanned aerial vehicle pods. The aerial operation assembly comprises a pod main body with an unmanned aerial vehicle adaptive connecting structure, and a cableway building mechanism, a safety belt retracting and releasing mechanism, a safety belt releasing mechanism and a clamping releasing mechanism which are integrated on the pod main body; the ground fixing assembly comprises a ground fixing frame, a double-fixing winding and unwinding device, a rescue rope and a safety hook and is physically separated from the aerial operation assembly in the whole process, and a load transmission link is formed only through the rescue rope. According to the invention, through an air-ground distributed architecture, the unmanned aerial vehicle only bears equipment transportation and precise launching functions, all dynamic and static loads of trapped people are borne by a building structure and a ground fixing assembly, and the air crash risk caused by overload and pendulum effect of the unmanned aerial vehicle is eliminated; through the stepless adjustment design of the screw nut pair, the ejection thrust is precise and controllable, and the full-scene requirements of downward air-drop, short-distance ejection and long-distance ejection can be met.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) pod technology, and in particular to a UAV high-altitude rescue pod. Background Technology

[0002] Fires in super high-rise buildings are characterized by rapid spread, significant chimney effect, and the ease with which internal staircases and elevators can be blocked by high-temperature toxic fumes. When a fire develops to the flashover stage and trapped people cannot escape through the building's internal passages, establishing a life-saving passage from the outside of the building becomes the only feasible rescue solution.

[0003] In recent years, industrial-grade heavy-duty drones have been gradually introduced into the field of firefighting and high-altitude rescue due to their advantages of high maneuverability, lack of restriction by ground transportation and terrain, and ability to quickly reach altitudes of up to 100 meters. However, existing technical solutions all have insurmountable technical defects and safety hazards, which can be divided into two categories: The first category is airdrop-type rescue drones, such as the Chinese patent with publication number CN114379781B, which uses drones to airdrop rescue packages and other rescue supplies to the trapped location. However, in real fire scenes, trapped people are often in a state of extreme panic, exhaustion, or injury. Simply obtaining supplies cannot help them escape from the high-temperature burning area, nor can it achieve spatial transfer of personnel. It can only provide temporary protection and cannot complete a substantial rescue.

[0004] The second type is the direct-lift rescue drone, such as the Chinese patent with publication number CN114228999B, which attempts to use the drone's internal motor to drive a rope-reeling mechanism to directly rappel the drone to a person. This method applies a huge dynamic load directly to the drone's fragile frame and micro-gearbox, resulting in an extremely high risk of mechanical fatigue and breakage. At the same time, high-altitude gusts, wind shear, and the pendulum effect generated by the person being suspended can easily cause the drone to lose attitude control and its mechanical structure to fatigue and break, ultimately leading to a catastrophic accident in which the drone and the trapped person crash together, which does not meet the safety redundancy standards for high-altitude rescue. Summary of the Invention

[0005] Therefore, it is necessary to provide a drone-based high-altitude rescue pod to address the aforementioned technical issues.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides a drone high-altitude rescue pod, comprising an independent aerial operation component and a ground-fixed component, which are connected only by a rescue cable to form a load transfer link, with no physical connection throughout the process, thus achieving complete decoupling of the drone and personnel load from the source.

[0007] The aerial operation component includes a pod body, and a cableway erection mechanism, a safety belt retraction mechanism, a safety belt deployment mechanism, and a locking and releasing mechanism installed on the pod body; the upper end of the pod body is provided with a connection structure that is compatible with the external drone fuselage, which can be adapted to mainstream industrial-grade heavy-duty drones with a payload of more than 20kg on the market, enabling quick assembly and disassembly and rigid fixation.

[0008] The ground fixing component includes a ground fixing frame, two fixed winding and unwinding devices, a rescue rope, and a safety hook; the ground fixing component remains physically separated from the aerial operation component during UAV takeoff, aerial transport, and the entire rescue process; the ground fixing frame is used to rigidly fix the rescue end on the ground, providing stable ground support and power input for the rescue ropeway.

[0009] The cableway erection mechanism includes a locking mechanism and a guide wheel; the cableway erection mechanism is detachably connected to the main body of the gondola via the snap-locking release mechanism; the locking mechanism is used to lock and anchor the cableway to a high-altitude anchor to form a high-altitude support point for the rescue cableway; both ends of the rescue cable are connected to two fixed winding and unwinding devices respectively; the rescue cable winds around the guide wheel to form the rescue cableway; and the safety hook is fixed to the rescue cable.

[0010] The safety belt retraction mechanism includes a movable retraction device and a high-altitude safety belt; the movable retraction device is detachably mounted on the safety hook and is initially carried by the aerial work assembly; the rope of the movable retraction device is connected to the connecting rope of the high-altitude safety belt under tension, which is used to achieve the smooth pull-out of the trapped personnel and control the rope tension.

[0011] The safety belt deployment mechanism is fixed to the main body of the pod and is used to accommodate and directionally launch the high-altitude safety belt, ensuring that trapped personnel can safely obtain rescue equipment indoors.

[0012] Furthermore, the cableway erection mechanism also includes a connecting frame, the two ends of which are respectively connected to the circumferential locking mechanism and the guide wheel, and the guide wheel is rotatably connected to the connecting frame; a limit bolt assembly is installed on the connecting frame, the limit bolt assembly spans the outside of the guide wheel groove, and is used to prevent the rescue cable from detaching from the guide wheel when under stress.

[0013] Furthermore, the cableway erection mechanism further includes a first control element and a first battery; the safety belt retraction mechanism further includes a second control element and a second battery; the first control element and the first battery are both fixed on the connecting frame, the first control element integrates a wireless transceiver module and is electrically connected to the first battery and the encircling locking mechanism respectively; the second control element and the second battery are both fixed on the movable retraction device, the second control element integrates a wireless transceiver module and is electrically connected to the second battery and the movable retraction device respectively.

[0014] Furthermore, the seat belt deployment mechanism includes a deployment cylinder, an elastic element, a push plate, a first linear element, a linear thrust mechanism, and a drive mechanism; the deployment cylinder is horizontally fixed to the pod body, with one end serving as a launch port; the elastic element is installed inside the deployment cylinder, and the push plate is fixed to the front end of the elastic element; side movable openings are provided on both sides of the deployment cylinder, and both ends of the push plate extend out of the side movable openings and are slidably connected to the deployment cylinder; the linear thrust mechanism is disposed on both sides of the deployment cylinder and is used to push the push plate to compress the elastic element to store energy and release it; the first linear element cooperates with the push plate to confine the high-altitude seat belt within the deployment cylinder.

[0015] The bottom of the delivery cylinder has a bottom movable opening that extends along the axial direction of the delivery cylinder for the movement of the connecting rope of the high-altitude safety belt. The connecting rope of the high-altitude safety belt extends out of the delivery cylinder from the bottom movable opening and is connected to the rope of the movable winding and unwinding device under force.

[0016] Further, the linear thrust mechanism includes a lead screw, a guide rod, a nut assembly, a movable release plate, and a second linear element; the axis of the lead screw is parallel to the axis of the delivery cylinder and rotatably connected to the delivery cylinder; the axis of the guide rod is parallel to the axis of the delivery cylinder and fixedly connected to the delivery cylinder; the nut assembly is threadedly connected to the lead screw and slidably connected to the guide rod; the movable release plate is slidably connected to the nut assembly and is used to push the push plate to compress the elastic element for storing energy; the second linear element is used to drive the movable release plate and the push plate physically... The release is triggered by disengagement; the drive mechanism includes a protective frame, a drive motor, a drive shaft, and a synchronous belt transmission assembly. The protective frame is fixed to one end of the delivery cylinder facing away from the launch port. The drive motor (5061) is fixed to the protective frame (510), and the drive shaft (5062) is rotatably connected to the protective frame. The output end of the drive motor is connected to the drive shaft through a coupling. The drive shaft is connected to two lead screws (5051) through two sets of synchronous belt transmission assemblies (5063) to ensure that the lead screws on both sides rotate synchronously. The drive motor can drive the lead screws to rotate forward and backward, adjust the axial position of the nut pair, and control the compression of the elastic element and the ejection thrust.

[0017] Furthermore, when the drive motor drives the lead screw to rotate to the position of minimum compression stroke of the nut pair, the elastic element stores the least energy. After triggering release, the push plate only pushes the high-altitude safety belt out of the delivery tube, realizing the downward airdrop mode. In this mode, the high-altitude safety belt has a small initial velocity and a small horizontal movement, which is especially suitable for rescue in open scenarios such as rooftops and platforms.

[0018] Furthermore, a fixing plate is fixed to the portion of the push plate that extends out of the side movable opening. The first linear element is mounted on the fixing plate, and the movable end of the first linear element extends into the inside of the delivery cylinder to block and limit the high-altitude safety belt. The width of the bottom movable opening is greater than the diameter of the high-altitude safety belt connecting rope and smaller than the outer diameter of the high-altitude safety belt receiving shell, which ensures smooth sliding of the connecting rope and prevents the receiving shell from accidentally falling off from the bottom movable opening.

[0019] Furthermore, the locking mechanism includes a self-locking motor, a gear, an arc-shaped rack, a locking shell, and an arc-shaped guide rail; the self-locking motor has a self-locking reducer and is fixed to the locking shell, and the gear is installed at its output end; sliders are fixed at both ends of the arc-shaped rack, the sliders are slidably connected to the arc-shaped guide rail, and the arc-shaped guide rail is fixed to the locking shell; the gear meshes with the arc-shaped rack and is used to drive the arc-shaped rack to extend or retract to lock the anchor.

[0020] Furthermore, the high-altitude safety belt is folded and housed within a housing shell, which is a hollow spherical structure composed of two hemispherical shells connected by a threaded connection. The outer surface of the housing shell is provided with a drag-reducing and smooth coating. The connecting rope of the high-altitude safety belt is led out from the tail of the housing shell, passes through the bottom movable opening and exits the delivery tube, and is fixed to the rope of the movable winding device by an anti-detachment connector.

[0021] Furthermore, the locking and releasing mechanism is configured in two sets and symmetrically distributed on both sides of the cableway erection mechanism; the locking and releasing mechanism includes a third linear element, a push plate, and locking blocks; the third linear element is fixed to the gondola body, and its output end is connected to the push plate, and at least two locking blocks are fixed on the push plate; the locking blocks are slidably connected to the gondola body, and the connecting frame has a slot that matches the shape of the locking blocks; when the locking blocks are inserted into the slots, the cableway erection mechanism is fixed to the gondola body, and when they are removed from the slots, the cableway erection mechanism is released.

[0022] Furthermore, a camera for providing a targeting field of view is fixed to the upper end of the launch port of the seat belt delivery mechanism.

[0023] Furthermore, the aforementioned locking mechanism, locking and releasing mechanism, movable winding and unwinding device, seat belt delivery mechanism, and supporting control and driving components are all configured to be controlled by wireless remote control commands from an external ground control station, and all actions are equipped with both manual and automatic control modes.

[0024] Compared with existing technologies, this technical solution has at least one of the following beneficial effects: 1. This invention breaks with the traditional model of drone rescue by adopting an air-ground distributed architecture. The drone only undertakes the functions of equipment transportation and precise delivery. After anchoring, it is completely physically separated from the cableway through a snap-lock release mechanism. The entire dynamic and static load link of the trapped person is as follows: the trapped person, the high-altitude safety belt, the movable winding and unwinding device, the safety hook, and the rescue cable. One end of the rescue cable is transmitted to the building's load-bearing structure, and the other end is transmitted to the ground fixed frame. It does not pass through the drone itself at all, thus eliminating the risk of drone crashes caused by overload, pendulum effect, and wind shear from the physical source. It meets the safety redundancy standards for high-altitude rescue. 2. This invention, through a self-locking ring-locking mechanism, can automatically and rigidly anchor objects at a height of 100 meters, eliminating the need for manual intervention to set up anchor points in advance at the fire scene. Simultaneously, through a directional ejection mechanism, high-altitude safety belts can be accurately launched into the room, allowing trapped personnel to safely obtain and wear rescue equipment without leaving the enclosed room or entering the outdoor high altitude. This fully adapts to the real-life conditions of panic, injury, and exhaustion experienced by trapped personnel in a fire scene, demonstrating strong practicality. 3. This invention features a dedicated bottom movable opening extending axially at the bottom of the launch tube. The connecting rope of the high-altitude safety belt extends vertically downward from this opening and connects to the movable winding device below, solving the problem of the connecting rope getting stuck during launch. During launch, the housing flies forward, and the connecting rope slides smoothly along the bottom movable opening axially, without getting tangled or stuck with the inner wall of the launch tube, the elastic element, or the push plate. At the same time, it avoids the rope pulling the housing to a stop during launch, and the pre-released rope can be released unobstructed along the bottom movable opening, eliminating the problem of the rope stopping due to insufficient rope slack at the moment of launch. 4. This invention achieves stepless adjustment of the compression of the elastic element through precise position adjustment of the drive motor and the lead screw and nut pair, thereby accurately controlling the ejection thrust. It can flexibly switch modes according to the fire scene: for indoor rescue scenarios, the compression stroke is adjusted according to the distance between the pod and the indoor window to achieve precise ejection, while avoiding injury to people or damage to indoor items due to ejection impact; for rescue scenarios such as rooftops and open platforms, the minimum thrust airdrop mode is adopted, and the high-altitude safety belt is slowly pushed out with minimum initial velocity, resulting in small horizontal displacement, which can achieve low impact and high precision point delivery, improving the equipment's scene adaptability and safety of use. Attached Figure Description

[0025] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the UAV high-altitude rescue pod provided in the embodiments of this application; Figure 2 for Figure 1 A sectional view along line AA. Figure 3 for Figure 1 A magnified view of a section at point B in the middle; Figure 4 for Figure 1 A cross-sectional view along the CC line; Figure 5 for Figure 4 A sectional view along the DD line; Figure 6 The working state of the UAV high-altitude rescue pod provided in the embodiments of this application. Figure 1 (Precession ejection mode); Figure 7 The working state of the UAV high-altitude rescue pod provided in the embodiments of this application. Figure 2 (Precise targeting); In the diagram, 1-Gondola body; 2-Connecting structure; 3-Cableway erection mechanism; 301-Connecting frame; 302-Circumferential locking mechanism; 3021-Self-locking motor; 3022-Gear; 3023-Arc-shaped rack; 3024-Circumferential shell; 3025-Arc-shaped guide rail; 3026-Slider; 303-Guide wheel; 304-Snap-on release mechanism; 3041-Third linear element; 3042-Push plate; 3043-Card block; 3044-Card slot; 305-Limit bolt assembly; 306-First control element; 307-First battery; 4-Safety belt retraction mechanism; 401-Modible retraction device; 402-High-altitude safety belt; 403-Receiving shell; 404-Second control element; 405. Second battery; 5. Seatbelt delivery mechanism; 501. Delivery tube; 5011. Side opening; 5012. Bottom opening; 5013. Launch port; 502. Elastic element; 503. Push plate; 504. First linear element; 505. Linear thrust mechanism; 5051. Lead screw; 5052. Nut pair; 5053. Movable release plate; 5054. Second linear element; 506. Drive mechanism; 5061. Drive motor; 5062. Drive shaft; 5063. Synchronous belt drive assembly; 507. Fixing plate; 6. Ground fixing frame; 7. Fixed winding and unwinding device; 8. Rescue rope; 9. Safety hook; 10. Camera; 11. Third control element; 12. Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). Detailed Implementation

[0026] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this invention clearer, the invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative and not intended to limit the invention. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of this invention without inventive effort are within the scope of protection of this invention.

[0027] Please see Figures 1 to 7 This embodiment provides a drone high-altitude rescue pod. The drone high-altitude rescue pod of this embodiment is divided into two independent parts: an aerial operation component and a ground fixed component. The two are physically separated throughout the entire rescue process, and the load transfer link is formed only through the rescue cable 8, thereby achieving complete decoupling between the drone 12 and the personnel rescue load from the root.

[0028] The aerial operation component has a total weight of ≤8kg and is compatible with industrial-grade heavy-duty drones 12 with a payload of 20kg or more. It is rigidly fixed to the mounting point at the bottom of the drone 12 via the top connection structure 2. The ground fixing component is a vehicle-mounted design and is fixed to the chassis of a fire rescue vehicle, providing ground support and power input for the rescue cableway.

[0029] The aerial work component includes a gondola body, as well as a cableway erection mechanism, a safety belt retraction and deployment mechanism, a safety belt deployment mechanism, and a locking and releasing mechanism mounted on the gondola body.

[0030] The main body of the pod 1 is made of 7075 aerospace aluminum alloy and is a frame structure.

[0031] The upper end of the pod body 1 is provided with a rigid connection structure 2. In this embodiment, the connection structure 2 is a flange structure with 4 mounting holes with a diameter of 10mm, which can be adapted to the bottom mounting flange of drones such as DJI M300RTK. It can be quickly and rigidly fixed by M8 bolts; the connection structure can also be replaced according to the mounting interface of different drones.

[0032] The inner side of the gondola body 1 is provided with a third control element 11, a safety belt deployment mechanism 5 and a cableway construction mechanism 3 from top to bottom. The third control element 11 can be electrically connected to the flight control system of the UAV 12 via a flight cable to realize the interaction of status data and coordinated power supply between the gondola and the UAV.

[0033] The cableway erection mechanism 3 includes a connecting frame 301, a locking mechanism 302, a guide wheel 303, a locking and releasing mechanism 304, and a limit bolt assembly 305, with the specific structure as follows: Connecting frame 301: Made of 7075 aviation aluminum alloy. The first end of the connecting frame 301 is welded and fixed to the circumferential housing 3024 of the circumferential locking mechanism 302, and the second end is rotatably connected to the guide wheel 303 through a bearing. The rotatable connection between the guide wheel 303 and the connecting frame 301 can significantly reduce the frictional resistance when the rescue rope 8 is in operation.

[0034] The encircling locking mechanism 302 includes a self-locking motor 3021, a gear 3022, an arc-shaped rack 3023, an encircling shell 3024, an arc-shaped guide rail 3025, and a slider 3026.

[0035] The enclosure 3024 has an approximate C-shaped structure with an opening width of 150mm, suitable for building balcony columns or other anchors with a diameter of 100-140mm. The self-locking motor 3021 is a worm gear self-locking stepper motor, fixed to the upper end of the enclosure 3024, with its output shaft extending into the enclosure 3024 and a gear 3022 fixed at its end.

[0036] Both ends of the arc-shaped rack 3023 are fixed with sliders 3026; the arc-shaped guide rail 3025 is a stainless steel guide rail with the same curvature as the arc-shaped rack 3023, and is fixed to the inner wall of the circumferential housing 3024 by bolts. The sliders 3026 and the arc-shaped guide rail 3025 are in sliding engagement. The gear 3022 meshes with the arc-shaped rack 3023.

[0037] Limiting bolt assembly 305: includes a bolt and a nut. One end of the bolt passes through the connecting frame 301 and is threadedly connected to the nut. The bolt is close to the edge of the guide wheel 303 and the distance between the bolt and the guide wheel 303 is less than the diameter of the rescue cable 8. This can limit the rescue cable 8 from disengaging from the groove of the guide wheel 303 when it jumps under force, thus ensuring the reliability of the cableway.

[0038] The latching and releasing mechanism 304 is configured in two sets, symmetrically distributed on the left and right sides of the connecting frame 301, to ensure the stability of connection and release. Each set of latching and releasing mechanism 304 includes a third linear element 3041, a push plate 3042, and two latching blocks 3043.

[0039] The third linear element 3041 is a push-pull electromagnet or electric actuator, rigidly fixed to the pod body 1, with its output end welded to the push plate 3042. Two locking blocks 3043 are welded to the front end of the push plate 3042. The third control element 11 is electrically connected to the third linear element 3041 to control the operation of the third linear element 3041.

[0040] The side wall of the pod body 1 is provided with a guide hole that matches the locking block 3043, and the locking block 3043 slides in the guide hole; the left and right side walls of the connecting frame 301 are provided with slots 3044 that perfectly match the shape of the locking block 3043. When the third linear element 3041 extends, it drives the locking block 3043 to insert into the slot 3044, thereby achieving rigid fixation between the connecting frame 301 and the pod body 1; when the third linear element 3041 retracts, it drives the locking block 3043 to exit the slot 3044, thereby achieving physical separation between the connecting frame 301 and the pod body 1.

[0041] The safety belt retraction mechanism 4 includes a movable retraction device 401, a high-altitude safety belt 402, and a receiving shell 403, with the following specific structure: The movable winding and unwinding device 401 uses a miniature electric winch or electric hoist, with a built-in planetary gear reducer and overload protection. A second control element 404 and a second battery 405 are installed on the housing of the movable winding and unwinding device 401.

[0042] The self-locking hook is fixed to the top of the movable winding and unwinding device 401 and can be quickly and detachably hung on the safety hook 9. After being hung, it automatically locks and will not accidentally come off the hook.

[0043] The 402 high-altitude safety belt is a fire-resistant full-body flame-retardant safety belt that conforms to the GB6095-2021 standard, with a main attachment point on the chest, leg straps, and a cushioning bag.

[0044] The housing 403 is a hollow spherical structure, consisting of two ABS engineering plastic hemispherical shells connected by internal and external threads, which is easy to assemble and disassemble and can be unscrewed by hand; the outer surface is coated with a Teflon drag-reducing and smooth coating; the high-altitude safety belt 402 is folded and stored inside to avoid damage during ejection.

[0045] The connecting rope of the high-altitude safety belt 402 is led out from the pre-drilled hole at the tail of the housing 403, passes through the bottom movable opening 5012 of the delivery cylinder 501, and is detachably connected to the O-hook at one end of the rope of the movable winding device 401.

[0046] The seat belt delivery mechanism 5 includes a delivery cylinder 501, an elastic element 502, a push plate 503, a first linear element 504, a linear thrust mechanism 505, and a drive mechanism 506, with the specific structure as follows: The launch tube 501 is horizontally fixed to the inside of the gondola body 1 via an aluminum alloy bracket and is located above the cableway erection mechanism 3, completely avoiding spatial interference with the cableway erection mechanism 3 and the rescue cable 8. The front end of the launch tube 501 is an open launch port 5013 that extends out of the gondola body 1, and the rear end is closed; the left and right side walls have long strip-shaped side movable openings 5011 along the axial direction; the bottom has a long strip-shaped bottom movable opening 5012 along the axial direction, the width of which is greater than the diameter of the connecting rope and smaller than the outer diameter of the receiving shell 403, which ensures smooth sliding of the connecting rope and prevents the receiving shell 403 from accidentally falling off from the bottom.

[0047] Elastic element 502: Employs a compression spring with a maximum energy storage of ≥80J, capable of launching a 1kg housing 403 to a distance of over 10m, fully meeting the requirement of launching from outside the window into the room. The rear end of the elastic element 502 is fixed to the rear end cover of the delivery tube 501, and the front end is fixed to the push plate 503.

[0048] Push plate 503: Made of 6061 aluminum alloy, it slides in fit with the inner wall of the dispensing cylinder 501; it has integrally formed extension arms on both sides, which extend through the side movable opening 5011 to the outside of the dispensing cylinder 501. The upper and lower surfaces of the extension arms slide in fit with the upper and lower edges of the side movable opening 5011, and can be translated axially along the side movable opening 5011. The front end face of push plate 503 is fitted with a 5mm thick rubber buffer pad to prevent damage to the receiving shell 403 during ejection.

[0049] The first linear element 504 is a push-pull electromagnet or a miniature electric push rod. A fixing plate 507 is welded to the extended arm of the push plate 503. The first linear element 504 is fixed to the fixing plate 507. Its movable end can extend into the interior of the delivery tube 501 through the side movable opening 5011. When extended, it can block the receiving shell 403 to achieve limiting and fixing, and prevent it from slipping during flight. When retracted, it releases the limiting and allows the receiving shell 403 to be ejected.

[0050] Linear thrust mechanism 505: It is configured as two symmetrical sets, respectively arranged on the left and right sides of the delivery cylinder 501. Each set of linear thrust mechanism 505 includes lead screw 5051, guide rod, nut pair 5052, movable release plate 5053 and second linear element 5054.

[0051] The outer walls of both ends of the dispensing cylinder 501 are fixed with horizontal plates. The axis of the lead screw 5051 is parallel to the axis of the dispensing cylinder 501, and both ends are rotatably connected to the horizontal plates on the outer walls of the dispensing cylinder 501 through bearings. The axis of the polished rod is parallel to the axis of the dispensing cylinder 501 and is fixedly connected to the dispensing cylinder 501. The nut pair 5052 is threadedly engaged with the lead screw 5051; the nut pair 5052 is slidably connected to the polished rod.

[0052] The movable release plate 5053 is L-shaped and slidably connected to the nut pair 5052 via a linear guide assembly. The second linear element 5054 is a push-pull electromagnet, or a miniature electric push rod, fixed to the nut pair 5052, with its output end fixedly connected to the movable release plate 5053. When the second linear element 5054 is de-energized, the movable release plate 5053 abuts against the extended arm of the push plate 503, pushing the push plate 503 to move away from the emission port 5013; when the second linear element 5054 is energized, it pulls the movable release plate 5053 away from the push plate 503 and completely disengages from the extended arm of the push plate 503, releasing the limit on the push plate 503 and triggering the release of the elastic element 502.

[0053] The drive mechanism 506 includes a protective frame, a drive motor 5061, a drive shaft 5062, and a synchronous belt drive assembly 5063. The protective frame is fixed to the end of the delivery cylinder 501 facing away from the launch port 5013. The drive motor 5061 is fixed to the protective frame 510. The third control element 11 is electrically connected to the drive motor 5061 to control its operation. The drive shaft 5062 is rotatably connected to the protective frame. The output end of the drive motor 5061 is connected to the drive shaft 5062 via a coupling. The drive shaft 5062 is connected to two lead screws 5051 respectively via two sets of synchronous belt drive assemblies 5063 to ensure synchronous rotation of the lead screws 5051 on both sides. The drive motor 5061 can drive the lead screws 5051 to rotate forward and backward, adjust the axial position of the nut pair 5052, and control the compression of the elastic element 502 and the ejection thrust. The drive motor 5061 is a stepper motor with a built-in linear encoder, which can accurately control the number of rotations.

[0054] The synchronous belt drive assembly 5063 includes a driving synchronous pulley, a driven synchronous pulley, and a synchronous belt. The drive shaft 5062 is rotatably connected to the protective frame via bearings, and two driving synchronous pulleys are fixed on the drive shaft 5062. Driven synchronous pulleys are fixed to the rear ends of the lead screws 5051 of both sets of linear thrust mechanisms 505. The driving and driven synchronous pulleys are connected by a synchronous belt drive, which drives the left and right sets of lead screws 5051 to rotate synchronously in the same direction, preventing the push plate 503 from becoming misaligned and jammed during compression.

[0055] The drive motor 5061 can drive the lead screw 5051 to rotate in both directions, causing the nut pair 5052 to move precisely along the axial direction to any position, thereby adjusting the compression of the elastic element 502 and realizing stepless adjustment of the energy storage and ejection thrust. When the drive motor 5061 drives the lead screw 5051 to rotate to the position where the nut pair 5052 is at its minimum compression stroke, the energy stored in the elastic element 502 is minimal. After triggering release, the push plate 503 can only smoothly push the receiving shell 403 out of the delivery tube 501, realizing the downward airdrop mode. In this mode, the initial velocity of the high-altitude safety belt 402 is small and the horizontal movement is small, making it especially suitable for rescue in scenarios such as rooftops and open platforms.

[0056] The first battery 307 provides independent power to the locking mechanism 302, the latching release mechanism 304, and the first control element 306, ensuring normal operation even after the connecting frame 301 is separated from the pod body 1. The first control element 306 uses an STM32F407 core board, integrating a LoRa wireless transceiver module with a communication distance of ≥5km, capable of penetrating buildings of 30 stories or more, and suitable for fire-prone environments. The first control element is electrically connected to the self-locking motor 3021 and the first battery 307, and can receive commands from the ground control station to complete the locking action.

[0057] The second control element 404 and the second battery 405 are fixed to the housing of the movable winding and unwinding device 401. The second battery 405 provides independent power to the movable winding and unwinding device 401 and the second control element 404. The second control element 404 uses an STM32F407 core board, integrates a LoRa wireless transceiver module, is electrically connected to the movable winding and unwinding device 401, can receive commands from the ground control station, complete the winding and unwinding actions of the load-bearing rope, and transmit data such as battery voltage and rope length back in real time.

[0058] The camera 10 is fixed to the upper end of the launch port 5013 of the delivery tube 501, with the lens facing the delivery direction. It can transmit high-definition images in real time, providing a field of view for delivery aiming and window pre-inspection. The camera is electrically connected to the third control element 11, and the images are transmitted back to the ground control station in real time through the image transmission system of the UAV.

[0059] The ground control station uses a 7-inch industrial-grade rugged touchscreen with dual joysticks. It integrates a LoRa wireless transceiver module and a drone image transmission and receiving module, which can display the status data of all mechanisms and camera images in real time. All actions are set with both manual and automatic control modes. Rescue personnel can complete the entire rescue operation through joysticks and buttons. At the same time, multiple ejection intensity modes can be preset, and airdrop, close-range ejection, and long-range ejection modes can be switched with one click.

[0060] The ground-mounted components include a ground-mounted frame 6, two fixed winding and unwinding devices 7, a rescue rope 8, and a safety hook 9, as detailed below: Ground fixing frame 6: It is rigidly fixed to the chassis beam of the fire and rescue vehicle by multiple high-strength bolts and can withstand tensile forces of more than 20kN without displacement.

[0061] Fixed winding and unwinding device 7: It adopts a fire-fighting electric winch with an encoder and brake, which can accurately control the length and speed of rope unwinding. Two winches are fixed on the ground fixed frame 6, one above the other, and both are wirelessly connected to the ground control station to achieve coordinated winding and unwinding control.

[0062] Rescue Rope 8: Made of Dyneema rope, with a breaking tensile strength ≥200kN, wear-resistant, UV-resistant, and flame-retardant, fully suitable for high-altitude fire rescue scenarios. The two ends of Rescue Rope 8 are respectively wound and fixed to the drums of two fixed winding and unwinding devices 7, and the middle section extends upward and wraps around the guide wheel 303 to form an inverted V-shaped rescue cableway.

[0063] Safety hook 9: A self-locking safety hook is used, which is fixed to the middle section of rescue cable 8 by cold pressing with an aluminum sleeve.

[0064] The drone high-altitude rescue pod in this embodiment has a complete rescue process consisting of 11 standardized steps, as follows: Step 1: Rescue Preparation The ground fixing frame 6 is rigidly fixed to the chassis beam of the fire and rescue vehicle with high-strength bolts. The vehicle position is adjusted to ensure that the inclination angle of the rescue cableway is within a suitable range to accommodate personnel rappelling.

[0065] The middle section of the rescue rope 8 is wound around the guide wheel 303 of the cableway construction mechanism 3, and both ends are passed through the guide wheel 303 respectively. Then, it is wound and fixed on the drums of the two fixed winding and unwinding devices 7. The rope tension is adjusted to avoid knotting and tangling.

[0066] The movable winding and unwinding device 401 is attached to the safety hook 9 via the self-locking ring at the top, and then locked.

[0067] After folding the high-altitude safety belt 402 according to specifications, insert it into the receiving shell 403, screw the two hemispherical shells together, lead the connecting rope out from the tail of the receiving shell 403, pass through the bottom movable opening 5012 at the bottom of the delivery cylinder 501, and connect it to the rope of the movable winding device 401, ensuring that the connecting rope can slide smoothly along the bottom movable opening 5012; put the receiving shell 403 into the launch port 5013 of the delivery cylinder 501, control the first linear element 504 to extend, block the receiving shell 403, and complete the limit.

[0068] Start all equipment, complete self-test, and confirm that all mechanisms are in normal condition, communication is normal, battery power is sufficient, and connecting ropes are not stuck.

[0069] Step 2: Takeoff with cable and high-altitude entry The ground control station issues a takeoff command, and the UAV 12, carrying the aerial work components, takes off vertically. Simultaneously, the ground control station controls two fixed unwinding and rewinding devices 7 to unwind at a rate perfectly matched to the UAV's climb speed, ensuring that the rescue cable 8 maintains appropriate tension at all times, preventing it from slackening and tangling around the UAV rotor, or from becoming too tense and affecting the UAV's flight. Following a preset flight path, the UAV, carrying the aerial work components, quickly flies to the designated rescue position on the burning floor and hovers 1 meter in front of the target anchor, such as a balcony pillar.

[0070] Step 3: Establish building anchor points The flight controller fine-tunes the drone's attitude using the image from camera 10, aligning the clasp shell 3024 of the locking mechanism 302 with the load-bearing column of the target balcony, ensuring the column is fully inside the opening of the clasp shell 3024. The ground control station sends a locking command, and the first control element 306 activates the self-locking motor 3021. The self-locking motor 3021 drives the gear 3022 to rotate at a preset angle, which in turn drives the arc-shaped rack 3023 to extend along the arc-shaped guide rail 3025, forming a closed clasp structure with the clasp shell 3024, tightly gripping the load-bearing column. The first control element 306 then stops the self-locking motor 3021, de-energizing it and locking itself, completing the establishment of the high-altitude anchor point. The ground control station receives a feedback signal indicating successful anchoring.

[0071] Step 4: Pod Separation and Drone Orbit Change The ground control station sends a release command, and the third control element 11 controls the retraction of the third linear element 3041 of the release mechanism 304, which drives the locking block 3043 to exit the slot 3044 on the connecting frame 301, and the gondola body 1 is completely physically separated from the connecting frame 301. At this time, the cableway high-altitude pulley block composed of guide wheels 303 is firmly anchored to the anchor.

[0072] The flight controller operates the drone 12 to fly vertically upwards to a certain height, creating a safe distance from the rescue cable 8. Then, the drone is controlled to circle in the air to the front of the window of the room where the trapped person is located, hovering at the preset delivery position, completely avoiding the interference of the rescue cable 8 on the drone's rotor, while providing an unobstructed direct delivery view for the seat belt delivery mechanism 5.

[0073] Step 5: Passage pre-inspection and obstacle clearing The ground command center obtains real-time high-definition images of the target window through camera 10 and checks the window status: if the window is fully open and unobstructed, proceed directly to the next step; if the window is closed, the glass is broken or incomplete, or there are security bars installed, immediately dispatch another drone equipped with window-breaking bombs or hydraulic demolition tools to fly to the target location, complete the window breaking and obstacle clearing, and after confirming that the physical passage is completely unobstructed, the window-breaking drone withdraws and proceeds to the next step.

[0074] Step 6: Selecting the launch mode and adjusting the launch force The ground control station selects the appropriate deployment mode based on the rescue scenario, the distance between the drone and the target location, and the obstruction conditions at the scene: Downward airdrop mode: If the rescue scenario is a rooftop or open platform, select the airdrop mode, control the drive motor 5061 to rotate in the opposite direction, drive the lead screw 5051 to rotate, so that the nut pair 5052 moves to the minimum compression stroke position, the elastic element 502 is only slightly compressed, and the energy storage is minimal; Close-range catapult mode: If the launch distance is 1-3m and there is no obvious obstruction, select the close-range catapult mode, control the drive motor 5061 to rotate in the forward direction, drive the nut pair 5052 to move to the 50mm compression stroke position, and compress the elastic element 502 to store energy to 25% of the rated value; Long-range catapult mode: If the launch distance is 3-10m and there is slight obstruction, select the long-range catapult mode, control the drive motor 5061 to rotate in the forward direction, drive the nut pair 5052 to move to the maximum compression stroke position of 200mm, and compress the elastic element 502 to store energy to the rated maximum value. After confirming that the compression stroke has reached the target position, drive motor 5061 locks up, completing the adjustment of the launch force.

[0075] Step 7: Anti-pull pre-release The ground control station sends a pre-release command to the second control element 404, which starts the motor of the movable take-up and unwind device 401 to pre-release the carrying rope. The release length is the straight-line distance from the drone's hovering position to the expected wearing position inside the room plus a 3m redundancy. During the release, the connecting rope slides smoothly along the bottom movable opening 5012 of the delivery tube 501 without jamming or tangling. After the release is completed, the motor of the movable take-up and unwind device 401 automatically locks. This step completely avoids the housing 403 being pulled to a stop due to insufficient tail rope slack during ejection, ensuring that the housing can be successfully delivered to the trapped personnel.

[0076] Step 8: Targeted Targeting The ground control station sends a deployment command, and the first linear element 504 retracts instantly, releasing the tail limit on the receiving shell 403; simultaneously, the second linear element 5054 is energized, pulling the movable release plate 5053 away from the extended arm of the push plate 503, completely disengaging it. The compressed and stored elastic element 502 instantly releases mechanical energy, pushing the push plate 503 to translate axially along the deployment cylinder 501, smoothly pushing out or high-speed ejecting the receiving shell 403 to the target position; during deployment, the connecting rope slides unobstructed along the bottom movable opening 5012 without jamming or trajectory deviation.

[0077] Step 9: Personnel donning and load transfer The trapped personnel inside the fire site manually unscrewed the two hemispherical shells of the containment shell 403, took out the high-altitude safety belt 402 inside, put it on their chest and legs according to the specifications, fastened all the buckles, and confirmed that the main attachment point and the connecting rope were securely connected.

[0078] At this point, the gravity load link of the trapped personnel has been completely transferred to: the trapped personnel, the high-altitude safety belt 402, the connecting rope, the movable winding and unwinding device 401, the safety hook 9, and the rescue rope 8. One end of the rescue rope 8 is transferred to the building's load-bearing structure through the circumferential locking mechanism 302, and the other end is transferred to the ground fixed frame 6 and the fire rescue vehicle through the fixed winding and unwinding device 7. The load does not pass through the drone itself at all. The drone only undertakes the auxiliary function of image transmission and has no load risk.

[0079] Step 10: Coordinated rappelling rescue The ground control station sends a rope-reeling command, and the second control element 404 controls the movable winding and unwinding device 401 to slowly wind up the carrying rope, smoothly pulling the trapped person out of the window and suspending them below the rescue cableway. After confirming that the person is in good condition and there are no obstacles interfering, the descent phase begins.

[0080] The ground control station controls two fixed winding and unwinding devices 7 to operate in coordination. The fixed winding and unwinding device 7 closer to the building slowly unwinds, while the fixed winding and unwinding device 7 farther from the building simultaneously winds up. Guided smoothly by the guide wheel 303, the trapped person is transferred to a safe area on the ground at a speed of 0.8-1m / s. Rescue personnel on the ground meet the trapped person, help them remove their safety belt, and complete the rescue.

[0081] Step 11: Equipment Recycling After the rescue is completed, another recovery drone flies up to the connecting frame 301, clamps or binds the connecting frame 301, and the ground control station sends an unlocking command to the first control element 306, which controls the self-locking motor 3021 to rotate in the opposite direction, driving the arc rack 3023 to retract and release the clamping lock. Then the recovery drone drives the cableway construction mechanism back to the ground, and at the same time controls two fixed winding and unwinding devices 7 to simultaneously wind up the rescue rope 8, bringing the connecting frame 301, clamping lock mechanism 302, guide wheel 303 and all ropes back to the ground, checking the equipment status, and completing the entire rescue process.

[0082] The above are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A drone high-altitude rescue pod, characterized in that, Includes aerial operation components and ground-based fixed components; The aerial work assembly includes a gondola body, and a cableway erection mechanism, a safety belt retraction mechanism, a safety belt deployment mechanism, and a locking and releasing mechanism, all mounted on the gondola body. The upper part of the pod body is provided with a connection structure adapted to the external UAV fuselage; the ground fixing component includes a ground fixing frame, two fixing and retracting devices, a rescue rope and a safety hook; the ground fixing component is physically separated from the aerial operation component during UAV take-off and aerial transport, and is used to fix it to the ground rescue end; The cableway construction mechanism includes a locking mechanism and a guide wheel; the cableway construction mechanism is detachably connected to the gondola body through the snap-locking release mechanism; the locking mechanism is used to lock and anchor the cableway to a high-altitude anchor; both ends of the rescue cable are connected to two fixed winding and unwinding devices; the rescue cable winds around the guide wheel to form a rescue cableway; and the safety hook is fixed to the rescue cable. The safety belt retraction mechanism includes a movable retraction device and a high-altitude safety belt; The movable winding and unwinding device is detachably mounted on the safety hook; The rope of the movable winding and unwinding device is connected to the connecting rope of the high-altitude safety belt; The safety belt deployment mechanism is fixed to the main body of the pod and is used to accommodate and launch the high-altitude safety belt in a directional manner.

2. The UAV high-altitude rescue pod according to claim 1, characterized in that, The cableway erection mechanism also includes a connecting frame, the two ends of which are respectively connected to the circumferential locking mechanism and the guide wheel. The guide wheel is rotatably connected to the connecting frame. A limit bolt assembly is installed on the connecting frame. The limit bolt assembly spans the outside of the guide wheel groove to prevent the rescue cable from detaching from the guide wheel when under stress.

3. The UAV high-altitude rescue pod according to claim 2, characterized in that, The cableway erection mechanism further includes a first control element and a first battery; the safety belt retraction mechanism further includes a second control element and a second battery; the first control element and the first battery are both fixed on the connecting frame, the first control element integrates a wireless transceiver module and is electrically connected to the first battery and the encircling locking mechanism respectively; the second control element and the second battery are both fixed on the movable retraction device, the second control element integrates a wireless transceiver module and is electrically connected to the second battery and the movable retraction device respectively.

4. The UAV high-altitude rescue pod according to claim 1, characterized in that, The safety belt deployment mechanism includes a deployment cylinder, an elastic element, a push plate, a first linear element, a linear thrust mechanism, and a drive mechanism. The deployment cylinder is horizontally fixed to the pod body, with one end serving as a launch port. The elastic element is installed inside the deployment cylinder, and the push plate is fixed to the front end of the elastic element. Side movable openings are provided on both sides of the deployment cylinder, and both ends of the push plate extend out of the side movable openings and are slidably connected to the deployment cylinder. The linear thrust mechanism is located on both sides of the deployment cylinder and is used to push the push plate to compress the elastic element and release the stored energy. The first linear element cooperates with the push plate to confine the high-altitude safety belt within the deployment cylinder. A bottom movable opening is provided at the bottom of the deployment cylinder, extending axially along the deployment cylinder for the movement of the connecting rope of the high-altitude safety belt. The connecting rope of the high-altitude safety belt extends out of the deployment cylinder from the bottom movable opening and is connected to the rope of the movable winding device under force.

5. The UAV high-altitude rescue pod according to claim 4, characterized in that, The linear thrust mechanism includes a lead screw, a guide rod, a nut assembly, a movable release plate, and a second linear element. The axis of the lead screw is parallel to the axis of the delivery cylinder and is rotatably connected to the delivery cylinder. The axis of the guide rod is parallel to the axis of the delivery cylinder and is fixedly connected to the delivery cylinder. The nut assembly is threadedly connected to the lead screw and slidably connected to the guide rod. The movable release plate is slidably connected to the nut assembly and is used to push the push plate to compress the elastic element and store energy. The second linear element is used to drive the movable release plate to physically disengage from the push plate to trigger release. The drive mechanism includes a protective frame, a drive motor, a drive shaft, and a synchronous belt transmission assembly. The protective frame is fixed to the end of the delivery cylinder facing away from the launch port. The drive motor is fixed to the protective frame, and the drive shaft is rotatably connected to the protective frame. The output end of the drive motor is connected to the drive shaft through a coupling. The drive shaft is connected to the two lead screws through two sets of synchronous belt transmission assemblies to ensure synchronous rotation of the lead screws on both sides. The drive motor can drive the lead screws to rotate forward and backward, adjust the axial position of the nut assembly, and control the compression of the elastic element and the ejection thrust.

6. The UAV high-altitude rescue pod according to claim 4, characterized in that, The portion of the push plate extending out of the side movable opening is fixed with a fixing plate. The first linear element is mounted on the fixing plate, and the movable end of the first linear element extends into the inside of the delivery cylinder to block and limit the high-altitude safety belt. The width of the bottom movable opening is greater than the diameter of the high-altitude safety belt connecting rope.

7. The UAV high-altitude rescue pod according to claim 1, characterized in that, The locking mechanism includes a self-locking motor, a gear, an arc-shaped rack, a locking shell, and an arc-shaped guide rail. The self-locking motor has a self-locking reducer and is fixed to the locking shell, with the gear installed at its output end. Slider blocks are fixed at both ends of the arc-shaped rack, and the sliders are slidably connected to the arc-shaped guide rail, which is fixed to the locking shell. The gear meshes with the arc-shaped rack to drive it to extend or retract to lock the anchor.

8. The UAV high-altitude rescue pod according to claim 4, characterized in that, The high-altitude safety belt is folded and housed inside a housing shell, which is a hollow spherical structure composed of two hemispherical shells connected by a threaded connection. The connecting rope of the high-altitude safety belt is led out from the tail of the housing shell, passes through the bottom movable opening and exits the delivery tube, and is fixed to the rope of the movable winding device by an anti-detachment connector.

9. The UAV high-altitude rescue pod according to claim 2, characterized in that, The locking and releasing mechanism is configured in two sets and symmetrically distributed on both sides of the cableway erection mechanism; the locking and releasing mechanism includes a third linear element, a push plate, and locking blocks; the third linear element is fixed to the gondola body, and its output end is connected to the push plate, and at least two locking blocks are fixed on the push plate; the locking blocks are slidably connected to the gondola body, and the connecting frame has a slot that matches the shape of the locking blocks; when the locking blocks are inserted into the slots, the cableway erection mechanism is fixed to the gondola body, and when they are removed from the slots, the cableway erection mechanism is released.

10. The UAV high-altitude rescue pod according to claim 1, characterized in that, The upper end of the launch port of the seat belt delivery mechanism is fixed with a camera for providing a field of view for aiming.

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