An unmanned aerial vehicle non-contact recovery system and method

Abstract

This invention discloses a non-contact drone recovery system and method, relating to the field of drone material recovery technology. The non-contact drone recovery system includes an intelligent lifting terminal and a recovery pod. The intelligent lifting terminal, deployed at the recovery point, includes an airship module, a tethering rope, and a first docking module. The first docking module can rise from the recovery point to a preset height under the buoyancy of the airship module. The recovery pod, mounted on the drone, includes a second docking module and a locking mechanism. The second docking module has a capture chamber. This invention achieves high-tolerance aerial capture by having the drone identify the first docking module and adjust its position, allowing the tethering rope to pass through the side opening of the second docking module into the capture chamber, and guiding the first docking module to fall into the capture chamber under gravity. This significantly reduces the requirements for drone hovering accuracy and improves the safety and reliability of the recovery operation.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of drone material recovery technology, and in particular to a drone non-contact recovery system and method. Background Technology

[0002] Using drones for field material recovery has become an important research direction. Existing technical solutions are mainly divided into two categories: The first category requires the drone to land precisely at the target point or hover at low altitude, and then use a robotic arm to grab the material. This places extremely high demands on the take-off and landing site and flight control precision, and is risky and has a low success rate in complex terrain environments such as mountains and hills. The second category uses aerial docking methods, such as net interception or visual guidance for precision docking, but these generally have stringent requirements for drone hovering stability and are prone to failure when the target is swaying or in poor lighting conditions.

[0003] The aforementioned existing technologies have failed to effectively solve the technical challenge of reducing the stringent requirements for drone hovering accuracy in complex environments while simultaneously achieving high tolerance and high reliability in-flight recovery. This invention is proposed precisely to address this technical challenge.

[0004] The above background information is provided only to aid in understanding the concept and technical solution of this invention. It does not necessarily belong to the prior art of this patent application. In the absence of clear evidence that the above information was disclosed on the filing date of this patent application, the above background information should not be used to evaluate the novelty and inventiveness of this application. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to provide a non-contact recovery system and method for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to solve the problems existing in the prior art. It can significantly reduce the requirements for hovering accuracy during the recovery process of UAVs in complex terrain environments, while having high tolerance and reliability, and realizing safe and efficient non-contact aerial recovery.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following solution: A contactless drone recovery system includes: The intelligent lifting terminal, deployed at the recovery point, includes an airship module, a tether rope, and a first docking module; The first docking module is configured to rise from the recovery point to a preset height under the buoyancy of the airship module; The recovery pod, mounted on the drone, includes a second docking module; The second docking module has a capture cavity; The drone is configured to adjust its position after recognizing the first docking module, so that the tethering rope passes through the side opening of the second docking module and enters the capture chamber, and guides the first docking module to fall into the capture chamber under the action of gravity.

[0007] In an exemplary embodiment, the intelligent lifting terminal further includes a sample locking mechanism. The levitation module, the first docking module, and the sample locking mechanism are connected in sequence via the tethering rope, and the sample locking mechanism is located at the bottom for fixing the sample to be recovered.

[0008] In one exemplary embodiment, the intelligent lifting terminal further includes a control and communication module for receiving instructions from the UAV and controlling the activation of the airship module; The airship module includes a gas cylinder and a balloon. In response to the received command, the control and communication module controls the gas cylinder to inflate the balloon, so as to lift the first docking module by the lift generated by the balloon.

[0009] In one exemplary embodiment, the second docking module is an inverted conical shell that is larger at the top and smaller at the bottom, with openings at both the top and bottom, and a narrow opening along the axis on the side for the tethering rope to pass through; the internal space of the second docking module constitutes the capture cavity; the maximum cross-sectional dimension of the first docking module is smaller than the top opening dimension of the inverted conical shell and larger than the bottom opening dimension of the inverted conical shell, so that it can be constrained inside the inverted conical shell and not fall off after falling into the capture cavity.

[0010] In one exemplary embodiment, a locking mechanism is provided inside the capture cavity for locking the first docking module after it falls in.

[0011] In an exemplary embodiment, the locking mechanism is a mechanical locking mechanism, including at least one claw; the middle part of the claw is rotatably disposed on the housing of the second docking module, the lower end of the claw extends into the inside of the capture cavity, and the upper end is provided with a claw head facing the inside of the capture cavity; the claw is configured such that when the first docking module falls, its lower end is pushed outward and its upper end rotates inward, so that the claw head engages with the upper end of the first docking module.

[0012] In an exemplary embodiment, the locking mechanism is a magnetic locking mechanism, including magnetic components respectively disposed at the contact portions of the first docking module and the second docking module.

[0013] In one exemplary embodiment, the surface of the first docking module is integrated with an active lighting unit, which is used to flash according to a predetermined code; the recovery pod also includes a multispectral visual recognition and supplementary lighting system for identifying and tracking the flashing signal of the active lighting unit at a distance and providing supplementary lighting for the docking process at close range.

[0014] This invention also provides a non-contact drone recovery method, applied to the aforementioned non-contact drone recovery system, comprising the following steps: Activation and Lifting: When the UAV arrives near the recovery point, it sends an activation command to the intelligent lifting terminal. The intelligent lifting terminal responds to the command and lifts the first docking module to a preset height via the airship module. Identification and Tracking: The UAV identifies and tracks the position of the first docking module through its onboard identification system; Capture: The UAV adjusts its position so that the side opening of the second docking module it carries is aligned with and put into the tethering rope connected to the first docking module, guiding the first docking module to fall into the capture chamber of the second docking module under the action of gravity; Recovery: Recovery is completed once the first docking module falls into the predetermined position.

[0015] In an exemplary embodiment, the retrieval point is a pre-set sampling point on the geological survey route; the method further includes a task scheduling step: after completing a predetermined proportion of the workload of the geological survey task, the retrieval work is started to retrieve the samples from each sampling point one by one.

[0016] The present invention achieves the following technical effects compared to the prior art: 1. Significantly reduces the requirements for drone hovering accuracy, achieving high-tolerance capture: By setting a second docking module with a side opening and a capture cavity, and combining it with an airship module to raise the first docking module to a preset height, this invention transforms the complex aerial dynamic capture process into a tolerance-guided process of "tethered rope guidance + gravity fall." The drone only needs to guide the tethered rope to the side opening, without needing precise alignment with the first docking module, which will automatically fall into the capture cavity under gravity. This greatly reduces the requirements for drone hovering accuracy, and can still achieve a high success rate capture even under gusts of wind or positioning errors.

[0017] 2. Enables safe operation of drones throughout the entire process and adapts to complex terrain: The first docking module is autonomously lifted from the recovery point to the preset height through the airship module. The drone does not need to land or hover dangerously at low altitude throughout the entire process. The operating height is safe and there are no special requirements for the ground environment of the sampling point. Only a very small space is needed to place the intelligent lifting terminal. It is particularly suitable for complex terrains such as mountains and hills.

[0018] 3. Construct a complete automated recycling closed loop: By coordinating the intelligent lifting terminal with the recycling pod, the drone automatically adjusts its position after recognizing the first docking module, guides the tether rope into the side opening, and completes gravity-feed capture, realizing full automation from recognition and guidance to capture without human intervention, thus improving operational efficiency and reliability. Attached Figure Description

[0019] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0020] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a drone-based non-contact recovery system disclosed in a specific embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 for Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the second docking module and mechanical locking mechanism of the recovery pod; Figure 3 for Figure 2 A schematic diagram showing the state in which the second docking module and the mechanical locking mechanism capture and lock the first docking module; Among them, 1. Intelligent lifting terminal; 101. Balloon; 102. Gas cylinder; 103. First docking module; 104. Tethering rope; 2. Recovery pod; 201. Second docking module; 202. Capture chamber; 203. Narrow opening; 204. Claw; 3. UAV; 4. Sample. Detailed Implementation

[0021] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Those skilled in the art can easily understand other advantages and effects of the present invention from the content disclosed in this specification. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0022] The purpose of this invention is to provide a non-contact recovery system for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to solve the problems existing in the prior art. It can significantly reduce the hovering accuracy requirements of UAVs during recovery in complex terrain environments, while having high tolerance and reliability, and achieving safe and efficient non-contact aerial recovery.

[0023] To make the above-mentioned objects, features and advantages of the present invention more apparent and understandable, the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0024] Please refer to Figures 1 to 3 This embodiment provides a non-contact drone recovery system, mainly comprising two components: an intelligent lifting terminal 1 deployed at a recovery point and a recovery pod 2 mounted on a drone 3. The intelligent lifting terminal 1 and the recovery pod 2 dynamically coordinate via wireless signals and optical encoding to jointly complete the fully automated operation from long-range identification and mid-range tracking to short-range tolerance capture.

[0025] The intelligent lifting terminal 1 is installed at recovery points such as geological sampling sites. Its core function is to autonomously lift the sample 4 to be recovered to a preset height after receiving instructions from the UAV 3, and wait for the UAV 3 to approach in an easily identifiable and captureable posture. The recovery pod 2 is fixedly installed at the front of the UAV 3. Its core function is to guide and capture the docking point delivered by the intelligent lifting terminal 1 in a high-tolerance manner during the flight of the UAV 3. This architecture, which combines "active lifting and delivery" with "passive tolerance reception," allows the UAV 3 to complete the entire flight without landing or dangerous low-altitude hovering, fundamentally solving the technical problems of existing technologies that rely heavily on take-off and landing sites and require high flight control precision.

[0026] In one specific implementation of this embodiment, the intelligent lifting terminal 1 includes an airship module, a tether rope 104, a first docking module 103, a sample locking mechanism, and a control and communication module.

[0027] The airship module, the first docking module 103, and the sample locking mechanism are connected sequentially by a tethering rope 104. The sample locking mechanism is located at the bottom of the entire connecting chain and is used to secure the sample bag to be recovered. This connection sequence ensures that the lift generated by the airship module can act sequentially on the first docking module 103 and the sample locking mechanism, keeping the entire system stable during the lifting process. The sample locking mechanism can adopt a mature mechanical locking structure, the specific implementation of which is existing technology and will not be described in detail here.

[0028] In another embodiment of this example, the sample locking mechanism may be omitted, and the most primitive method may be used, where the sample bag is directly tied with the tether rope 104.

[0029] The levitation module includes a gas cylinder 102 and a balloon 101. The gas cylinder 102 is filled with a lightweight gas, preferably carbon dioxide or helium. The balloon 101 is made of a high-strength, lightweight thin-film material and can be retracted and stored in its uninflated state to reduce the terminal's volume. The control and communication module has a built-in wireless signal transceiver unit and a microcontroller, responsible for receiving activation commands from the UAV 3 and controlling the gas cylinder 102 to inflate the balloon 101 accordingly. Once the balloon 101 inflates and generates sufficient buoyancy, it can lift the tethering rope 104, the first docking module 103, and the sample 4 below, until the first docking module 103 is raised to a preset height, such as 20 meters above the ground. This autonomous lifting mechanism allows the UAV 3 to establish docking conditions with the intelligent lifting terminal 1 at a safe altitude without approaching the ground.

[0030] The recovery pod 2 includes a second docking module 201 and a locking mechanism. The second docking module 201 is one of the core components for achieving high-tolerance capture in this embodiment.

[0031] In a preferred embodiment, the second docking module 201 is constructed as an inverted conical shell, wider at the top and narrower at the bottom, with openings at both ends and a narrow opening 203 along its side axis. The internal space of this inverted conical shell forms a capture cavity 202. The second docking module 201 is mounted at the front of the UAV 3, and its entrance (i.e., the top opening) is significantly larger than the maximum cross-sectional size of the first docking module 103, thus forming a capture tolerance zone. This design simplifies the complex aerial dynamic grasping problem into a "funnel-in" problem.

[0032] Once the UAV 3 identifies and tracks the first docking module 103, it adjusts its position so that the tether 104 connecting the first docking module 103 passes through the narrow opening 203 on the side of the second docking module 201 and enters the capture chamber 202. Guided by the tether 104, the first docking module 103 is then brought into the area above the capture chamber 202 and automatically falls into the capture chamber 202 under its own weight and the combined weight of the sample bag below.

[0033] To achieve reliable constraint, the maximum cross-sectional size of the first docking module 103 is configured to be smaller than the top opening size of the inverted conical shell to ensure its smooth entry into the capture chamber 202; and larger than the bottom opening size of the inverted conical shell to prevent it from falling off. Thus, after falling into the capture chamber 202, the first docking module 103 is naturally constrained within the inverted conical shell, forming a preliminary mechanical lock. This combined mechanism of "lateral guidance of the tethering rope 104 + gravity fall + geometric constraint" significantly reduces the hovering accuracy requirements of the UAV 3 during the docking process, achieving an extremely high capture success rate even under conditions of gusts or positioning errors.

[0034] After the first docking module 103 falls into the capture chamber 202, it needs to be securely locked to resist vibration and inertial forces during flight and ensure the safe return of sample 4.

[0035] In one embodiment of this invention, the locking mechanism is a mechanical locking mechanism. Specifically, a strip-shaped cavity is formed on the housing of the second docking module 201, and the middle part of the claw 204 is rotatably disposed in the strip-shaped cavity. The lower end of the claw 204 extends into the capture cavity 202, and the upper end is provided with a claw head facing the inside of the capture cavity 202. In the initial state, the claw 204 remains stable under the action of the torsion spring, and its claw head is far away from the center of the capture cavity 202, so as not to hinder the falling of the first docking module 103. When the first docking module 103 falls, its bottom pushes the lower end of the claw 204 to rotate outward, and the upper end of the claw 204 rotates inward accordingly, so that the claw head engages with the upper end of the first docking module 103, forming a clamping lock. After the sensor detects the positioning signal, the locking state of the claw 204 can be maintained by means of mechanical stop or electromagnetic locking. This mechanical locking mechanism is suitable for docking joints of various materials and has the advantages of reliable structure and no need for external energy to maintain the locking.

[0036] In another embodiment of this invention, the locking mechanism employs a magnetic locking mechanism. Specifically, magnetic components, such as permanent magnets or electromagnets, are respectively provided at the contact points between the first docking module 103 and the second docking module 201. When the first docking module 103 falls into the predetermined position of the capturing cavity 202, the control circuit energizes the electromagnet, generating an attractive force that firmly attaches the first docking module 103 to the locking seat of the second docking module 201. This magnetic locking mechanism has the advantages of rapid action and no mechanical wear, making it particularly suitable for applications requiring quick locking and unlocking.

[0037] The two locking methods mentioned above can be selected or combined according to the actual application scenario. For example, mechanical locking should be given priority in environments with high vibration, while magnetic locking should be given priority in scenarios that require rapid release.

[0038] In order to enable the UAV 3 to autonomously identify and track the intelligent lifting terminal 1 at long distances and in all weather conditions, this embodiment integrates an active lighting unit on the surface of the first docking module 103 and configures a multispectral visual recognition and supplementary lighting system in the recovery pod 2.

[0039] The active lighting unit preferably consists of multiple high-brightness LEDs, arranged around the outer surface of the first docking module 103. The control and communication module controls the active lighting unit to flash according to a predetermined code, such as Morse code or a pulse sequence of a specific frequency, according to the instructions of the UAV 3 or a preset program. Each smart lifting terminal 1 can be assigned a unique code to distinguish different sampling points.

[0040] The recovery pod 2 is equipped with a multispectral visual recognition and supplemental lighting system, including a low-light camera, a visible light camera, a near-infrared camera, and an active supplemental light. When the drone 3 arrives at the target area, it first activates the low-light or near-infrared camera to scan and lock onto the unique flashing code signal emitted by the active lighting unit at a distance (e.g., 100 meters away), thus initially locating the position of the first docking module 103. This system enables stable identification of small targets at a distance even under adverse lighting conditions such as nighttime, fog, and backlighting, and allows for the elimination of interference from other light sources through a unique code, achieving all-weather operation capability.

[0041] When the UAV 3 descends to a medium distance (e.g., 40 meters), the visible light camera intervenes, fusing the coded light signal with the visible light image, and combining it with the 3D model of the first docking module 103 for continuous tracking and coarse alignment. At this time, the vision system can obtain richer target morphology information, further improving tracking stability.

[0042] When UAV 3 enters the close-range docking phase, the active illumination unit can be activated to eliminate shadows, ensuring that the vision system can perform a final high-precision verification before final locking. This phased multispectral fusion recognition strategy achieves seamless integration from long-range detection and mid-range tracking to close-range verification, providing precise pose guidance for the final tolerance-tolerant capture.

[0043] Example 2 This embodiment provides a non-contact recovery method for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). This method is based on the non-contact UAV recovery system described in Embodiment 1 and mainly includes the following steps: During the geological survey, after collecting sample 4 at the sampling point, the personnel lock the sample bag into the sample locking mechanism of the intelligent lifting terminal 1. The terminal reports its location to the ground dispatch center through its built-in positioning module (such as an RTK module, Real Time Kinematic, real-time dynamic measurement technology). The ground dispatch center is responsible for task planning and status monitoring, and dispatches UAV 3 to the target sampling point according to the preset task logic (e.g., after completing 50% of the task workload on the geological survey route).

[0044] After the UAV 3 reaches a safe altitude (e.g., 60 meters) near the target sampling point, it sends an activation command to the intelligent lifting terminal 1 via its onboard communication module. Upon receiving the command, the control and communication module of the intelligent lifting terminal 1 immediately activates the levitation module: the control cylinder 102 inflates the balloon 101, and the balloon 101 expands to generate buoyancy, lifting the first docking module 103 and the sample bag below it to a preset height (e.g., 20 meters). At the same time, the control and communication module switches the active illumination unit on the first docking module 103 to a high-intensity identification coding mode, flashing according to the code representing the unique ID of the sampling point.

[0045] After capturing the coded signal at a distance, the multispectral visual recognition system of the UAV 3 pod locks onto the position of the first docking module 103 and begins its descent. At mid-range, the visual system fuses the coded light signal with a visible light image, continuously tracking the first docking module 103 and guiding the UAV 3 to gradually approach.

[0046] When the drone 3 approaches to a height of approximately 20 centimeters below the first docking module 103, the drone 3 adjusts its position so that the narrow opening 203 on the side of its second docking module 201 aligns with and is fitted with the tethering rope 104 connecting to the first docking module 103. At this time, the tethering rope 104 slides along the narrow opening 203 into the capture chamber 202, guiding the first docking module 103 to move directly above the capture chamber 202. Subsequently, the intelligent lifting terminal 1 performs a balloon bursting operation—the balloon 101 can burst on its own through over-inflation, or it can be actively burst by a small puncture mechanism—after the balloon 101 bursts, the first docking module 103 loses buoyancy and, under the combined action of its own weight and the weight of the sample bag below, quickly falls into the inverted conical capture chamber 202 of the second docking module 201.

[0047] During the descent of the first docking module 103, its bottom pushes the lower end of the claw 204 to rotate outward, while the upper end of the claw 204 rotates inward, causing the claw head to automatically engage with the upper end of the first docking module 103, forming a mechanical lock. After the positioning sensor located at the bottom of the capture chamber 202 detects that the first docking module 103 has landed, it sends a capture success signal to the control system of the UAV 3. The weight sensor of the recovery pod 2 can also serve as an auxiliary confirmation method, confirming successful capture upon sensing an increase in weight.

[0048] Upon successful capture, UAV 3 sends a success signal to intelligent lifting terminal 1. The terminal then unlocks the sample locking mechanism, separating the sample bag from the terminal. UAV 3 carries the sample bag back to base, where it unloads the bag by cutting the tether rope 104 or using other methods. The main body of intelligent lifting terminal 1 is then left for subsequent recovery.

[0049] In a specific application scenario, this method is particularly suitable for the recovery of sample 4 along a geological survey route.

[0050] Geological survey routes typically employ a U-shaped (or serpentine) design. Workers hike from one end of the U-shaped route to the other, collecting samples 4 at each sampling point along the way. These samples 4 are then fixed to the intelligent lifting terminal 1 and left at the corresponding sampling point. To improve efficiency, this method is defaulted to initiating retrieval after a predetermined percentage (e.g., 50%) of the U-shaped survey task has been completed, retrieving samples 4 from each sampling point one by one. The ground control center, based on the reported location and task progress of each sampling point, sequentially dispatches drones 3 to each sampling point to perform the retrieval operation. This task scheduling logic eliminates the need for workers to carry samples 4 throughout the entire process, significantly reducing their workload in the field.

[0051] During the recovery process, the UAV 3 maintains a flight altitude lower than the height of the first docking module 103 after it has been raised, and the height difference between the two is precisely configured to ensure that the tether rope 104 accurately enters the narrow side opening 203 of the second docking module 201. For example, when the first docking module 103 is raised to a height of 20 meters, the UAV 3 can control its own flight altitude to 19.8 meters, so that the tether rope 104 is in a suitable tension and guiding state.

[0052] It should be noted that some modules involved in this embodiment can be implemented using mature existing technologies in the field, and specific details will not be elaborated here. For example: the wireless communication between the UAV 3 and the intelligent lifting terminal 1 can use mature solutions such as Bluetooth, ZigBee, 4G / 5G, or dedicated data transmission radios; the relative positioning between the UAV 3 and the first docking module 103 can use RTK real-time dynamic differential positioning technology (accuracy up to millimeter level), laser positioning technology, or positioning technology based on the principle of radio proximity fuses (such as using the Doppler effect to measure relative speed and distance); the visual recognition and tracking algorithm can use target detection networks such as the YOLO series and Faster R-CNN based on deep learning, combined with Kalman filtering or correlation filtering algorithms to achieve continuous tracking; the control of the gas cylinder 102 and balloon 101 in the airship module can use a miniature solenoid valve in conjunction with a pressure sensor to achieve precise inflation; the positioning detection of the locking mechanism can use mature components such as photoelectric sensors, micro switches, or Hall sensors. The specific implementation methods of these existing technology modules are well known to those skilled in the art and can be selected and integrated according to actual application requirements.

[0053] In summary, this invention constructs a complete aerial non-contact retrieval system and method by combining "active coding lighting recognition" with "hook-type passive guided capture." Its core advantages are: First, by using the inverted cone-shaped capture cavity 202 and gravity-feed mechanism, the complex aerial dynamic grasping is simplified to a "funnel-like" problem, greatly reducing the requirements for the hovering accuracy of the UAV 3; Second, through multispectral visual recognition and active coding lighting, all-weather, highly interference-resistant long-distance target recognition and tracking are achieved; Third, the UAV 3 does not need to land throughout the entire process, ensuring high operational safety and requiring no special ground environment conditions; Fourth, through the coordinated control of wireless signals and optical coding, a fully automated intelligent closed loop is achieved from triggering, recognition, guidance to capture. This invention is particularly suitable for the automated retrieval of geological samples 4 in complex terrains such as mountains and hills, providing a practical and effective technical solution to address the pain points of existing technologies.

[0054] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms "longitudinal," "lateral," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicating orientations or positional relationships, are based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings and are used only for the convenience of describing the invention, and do not imply or require that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation or construction method, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of the invention. Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," and "third," etc., are only used to distinguish the objects of description and should not be construed as limiting importance or order, and the features defined by such terms may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of those features. Unless otherwise stated, "a plurality of" in the description of this invention refers to two or more.

[0055] The terms "installation," "connection," and "joining" should be interpreted broadly, unless otherwise explicitly defined, to include, but are not limited to, fixed connections, detachable connections, or integrally formed connections; mechanical or electrical connections; direct connections or indirect connections via an intermediate medium; and internal communication between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand their meaning based on the specific technical solution. The fixed connections involved in this invention, unless otherwise stated, include both detachable fixed connections (such as bolt and screw connections) and non-detachable fixed connections (such as riveting and welding), and may also include integral structures achieved through an integral forming process (such as casting) (except where integral forming is clearly not feasible).

[0056] Unless otherwise stated, the terms used in any of the technical solutions disclosed in this invention to indicate positional relationships or shapes cover states or shapes that are similar to, close to, or adjacent to them.

[0057] Any component provided by this invention can be assembled from multiple individual components or can be a single component manufactured using a one-piece molding process.

[0058] It should be noted that the structures, proportions, sizes, etc., depicted in the accompanying drawings of this specification are only used to complement the content disclosed in the specification, so as to enable those skilled in the art to understand and read them, and are not intended to limit the conditions under which the present invention can be implemented. Therefore, they have no substantial technical significance. Any modifications to the structure, changes in the proportions, or adjustments to the size, without affecting the effects and objectives that the present invention can produce, should still fall within the scope of the technical content disclosed in the present invention.

[0059] In the embodiments of this application, the same reference numerals are used to denote the same component or part.

[0060] Any adaptive changes made according to actual needs are within the scope of protection of this invention.

[0061] It should be noted that, for those skilled in the art, it is obvious that the present invention is not limited to the details of the exemplary embodiments described above, and that the invention can be implemented in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics of the invention. Therefore, the embodiments should be considered illustrative and non-limiting in all respects, and the scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims rather than the foregoing description. Thus, all variations falling within the meaning and scope of equivalents of the claims are intended to be included within the present invention. No reference numerals in the claims should be construed as limiting the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A non-contact recovery system for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), characterized in that, include: The intelligent lifting terminal (1), deployed at the recovery point, includes an airship module, a tether rope (104), and a first docking module (103). The first docking module (103) is configured to rise from the recovery point to a preset height under the buoyancy of the airship module; The recovery pod (2) is mounted on the drone (3) and includes a second docking module (201). The second docking module (201) has a capture cavity (202); The drone (3) is configured to adjust its position after recognizing the first docking module (103), so that the tether (104) passes through the side opening of the second docking module (201) and enters the capture chamber (202), and guides the first docking module (103) to fall into the capture chamber (202) under the action of gravity.

2. The non-contact drone recovery system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The intelligent lifting terminal (1) also includes a sample locking mechanism. The airship module, the first docking module (103) and the sample locking mechanism are connected in sequence by the tethering rope (104), and the sample locking mechanism is located at the bottom to fix the sample (4) to be recovered.

3. The non-contact drone recovery system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The intelligent lifting terminal (1) also includes a control and communication module, which is used to receive instructions from the UAV (3) and control the start-up of the airship module; The airship module includes a gas cylinder and a balloon. In response to the received command, the control and communication module controls the gas cylinder to inflate the balloon so as to lift the first docking module (103) by the lift generated by the balloon.

4. The non-contact drone recovery system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The second docking module (201) is an inverted conical shell that is larger at the top and smaller at the bottom. It has openings at both the top and bottom, and a narrow opening (203) is provided on the side along the axis as the side opening. The narrow opening (203) is used for the tethering rope (104) to pass through. The internal space of the second docking module (201) constitutes the capture chamber (202). The maximum cross-sectional dimension of the first docking module (103) is smaller than the top opening dimension of the inverted conical shell and larger than the bottom opening dimension of the inverted conical shell, so that it can be constrained inside the inverted conical shell and not fall off after falling into the capture chamber (202).

5. The non-contact drone recovery system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The capture cavity (202) is provided with a locking mechanism for locking the first docking module (103) after it falls in.

6. The non-contact drone recovery system according to claim 5, characterized in that, The locking mechanism is a mechanical locking mechanism, including at least one claw (204); the middle part of the claw (204) is rotatably disposed on the housing of the second docking module (201), the lower end of which extends into the capture cavity (202), and the upper end is provided with a claw head facing the inside of the capture cavity (202); the claw (204) is configured such that when the first docking module (103) falls, its lower end is pushed outward and its upper end rotates inward, so that the claw head engages with the upper end of the first docking module (103).

7. The non-contact drone recovery system according to claim 5, characterized in that, The locking mechanism is a magnetic locking mechanism, including magnetic components respectively disposed at the contact points of the first docking module (103) and the second docking module (201).

8. The non-contact recovery system for unmanned aerial vehicles according to claim 1, characterized in that, The surface of the first docking module (103) is integrated with an active lighting unit, which is used to flash according to a predetermined code; the recovery pod (2) also includes a multispectral visual recognition and supplementary lighting system, which is used to identify and track the flashing signal of the active lighting unit at a distance and provide supplementary lighting for the docking process at close range.

9. A non-contact drone recovery method, applied to the non-contact drone recovery system as described in any one of claims 1-8, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: Activation and Lifting: When the UAV (3) arrives near the recovery point, it sends an activation command to the intelligent lifting terminal (1). The intelligent lifting terminal (1) responds to the command and lifts the first docking module (103) to a preset height through the airship module. Identification and Tracking: The UAV (3) identifies and tracks the position of the first docking module (103) through its onboard identification system; Capture: The UAV (3) adjusts its position so that the side opening of the second docking module (201) it carries is aligned with and put into the tether (104) connecting the first docking module (103), and guides the first docking module (103) to fall into the capture cavity (202) of the second docking module (201) under the action of gravity; Recovery: Recovery is completed when the first docking module (103) falls into the predetermined position.

10. The non-contact recovery method for unmanned aerial vehicles according to claim 9, characterized in that, The recovery point is a pre-set sampling point on the geological survey route; the method also includes a task scheduling step: after completing a predetermined proportion of the workload of the geological survey task, the recovery work is started, and the samples on each sampling point are recovered one by one (4).

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