Foldable landing gear and inspection unmanned aerial vehicle

Abstract

This invention relates to the field of inspection drone technology, providing a foldable landing gear and an inspection drone, including a support assembly, a drive mechanism, and a transmission mechanism. The support assembly has an unfolded state and a folded state. The transmission mechanism connects the drive mechanism and the support assembly, and includes a camshaft and a drive linkage. The camshaft rotates in conjunction with the drive mechanism. One end of the drive linkage is eccentrically pivotally connected to the camshaft, and the other end is connected to the support assembly. The drive mechanism drives the camshaft to rotate between a first extreme position corresponding to the unfolded state and a second extreme position corresponding to the folded state, thereby actuating the support assembly through the drive linkage. At both extreme positions, the instantaneous velocity direction of the connection point between the drive linkage and the camshaft is perpendicular to the direction of the drive linkage itself, forming a mechanical self-locking state. This invention enables the landing gear to operate without continuous power supply from the servo motor in both takeoff and landing and aerial photography modes, significantly saving energy and improving the drone's flight endurance and system reliability.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of inspection drone technology, and more particularly to a foldable landing gear and an inspection drone. Background Technology

[0002] Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are playing an increasingly important role in modern industry, agriculture, and security, especially in inspection tasks such as power line inspection, bridge inspection, and security monitoring, where their high efficiency and flexibility have led to their widespread application. To achieve a 360-degree unobstructed field of view for the mission payload, foldable or retractable landing gear has become a key component of high-performance inspection UAVs. This allows the landing gear to be retracted during flight, providing a clean and unobstructed operating environment for the imaging equipment.

[0003] Most existing electric folding landing gear solutions generally rely on drive components (such as servos or motors) to provide and maintain the landing gear position. Specifically, whether in the unfolded take-off and landing mode or the retracted aerial photography mode, in order to resist the drone's own gravity, vibrations during flight, and aerodynamic loads, the drive components need to continuously output torque to prevent the landing gear from moving unexpectedly.

[0004] However, relying on drive components (such as servos or motors) to provide and maintain the landing gear position continuously consumes the drone's precious electrical energy. For drones that primarily rely on batteries, this directly leads to a decrease in flight endurance and a shortened effective time for a single mission. Secondly, the drive components are constantly under load and powered, which easily generates heat accumulation, accelerating the aging and wear of components. This reduces the long-term reliability and stability of the entire landing gear system, increasing the potential risk of failure. If a failure occurs during flight, the landing gear may be unable to retract or extend properly, affecting mission execution and even flight safety. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This invention provides a foldable landing gear and an inspection drone to solve the defects of existing drones where the foldable landing gear requires the drive components to continuously output torque to maintain the state, resulting in high power consumption, short flight time, and low reliability. It realizes that the landing gear does not require continuous power supply from the servo motor in both take-off and landing modes and aerial photography modes, thereby significantly saving energy and improving flight endurance and system reliability.

[0006] This invention provides a foldable landing gear, comprising: Drive mechanism; The support component has a folded state and an unfolded state; A transmission mechanism is connected between the drive mechanism and the support assembly; The transmission mechanism includes a camshaft and a drive link. The camshaft is rotatably connected to the drive mechanism. One end of the drive link is eccentrically pivotally connected to the camshaft, and the other end is connected to the support assembly. The drive mechanism drives the camshaft to rotate between a first extreme position, which is the unfolded state, and a second extreme position, which is the folded state, so as to drive the support assembly to unfold or fold through the drive link. In both the first and second extreme positions, the instantaneous velocity direction of the connection point between the drive link and the camshaft on the rotation path of the camshaft is perpendicular to the direction of the drive link body, thereby forming a mechanical self-locking state.

[0007] According to the present invention, a foldable landing gear is provided, wherein the support assembly includes a support arm; the transmission mechanism further includes a rotating link, one end of which is pivotally connected to the end of the drive link away from the camshaft, and the other end of which is pivotally connected to the support arm.

[0008] According to the present invention, a foldable landing gear is provided, wherein the support assembly further includes a support foot, and the support foot is provided with a slide rail extending along its own length direction; a pulley is provided at the end of the support arm, and the pulley can slide within the slide rail to switch the support assembly between an unfolded state and a folded state.

[0009] According to the present invention, a foldable landing gear is provided on the support arm, wherein a limiting block is provided. When the landing gear is in the unfolded state, the limiting block abuts against the slide rail to transfer the ground support force when the UAV lands to the support foot.

[0010] According to the present invention, a foldable landing gear is provided, wherein the support assembly includes two support legs and two support arms. The two support legs are arranged side by side and spaced apart from each other, and the two support arms are arranged between the two support legs. The support arms are arc-shaped, and the opposite ends of the support arms are respectively rotatably connected to the pulleys.

[0011] According to the present invention, a foldable landing gear is provided, wherein the first extreme position is the take-off and landing mode, and the support assembly unfolds towards each other under the drive mechanism and the transmission mechanism to form a support structure; The second extreme position is the aerial photography mode, in which the support component is folded in the opposite direction under the drive mechanism and the transmission mechanism and stored under the drone rotor.

[0012] According to the present invention, a foldable landing gear is provided, wherein the first extreme position is the 0° rotation position of the camshaft, and the second extreme position is the 180° rotation position of the camshaft.

[0013] The present invention also provides an inspection drone, comprising: The drone itself, and Foldable landing gear as described in any of the above.

[0014] An inspection drone provided by the present invention further includes: An optoelectronic pod is attached to the underside of the UAV body via a quick-release connector. An airborne computing unit is electrically connected to the flight controller of the UAV body, the optoelectronic pod, the RTK positioning module of the UAV body, and the UAV data link via a communication interface, and is used to realize local edge computing of inspection data.

[0015] According to the present invention, an inspection drone is provided, wherein the optoelectronic pod includes a gimbal, the gimbal having a built-in servo motor and an acceleration sensor, which can achieve three-axis self-stabilization, anti-shake, and 360° horizontal rotation; When the foldable landing gear is in the folded state, the support assembly is stored under the rotor of the UAV body so that the observation line of the gimbal is not obstructed when it rotates horizontally 360°.

[0016] This invention provides a foldable landing gear and inspection drone. By employing a transmission mechanism that combines a camshaft and a drive linkage, and by ensuring that the instantaneous velocity direction of the connection point between the drive linkage and the camshaft is perpendicular to the direction of the drive linkage body at two extreme positions in takeoff and landing mode and aerial photography mode, a mechanical self-locking state is formed. This allows the landing gear to maintain its attitude without continuous power supply from the servo motor in both operating modes, thereby significantly saving drone power, improving flight endurance, reducing wear on drive components, and improving the reliability and stability of the landing gear mechanism and the entire system. Attached Figure Description

[0017] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in this invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of this invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained from these drawings without creative effort.

[0018] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the inspection drone provided by the present invention in take-off and landing mode.

[0019] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the inspection drone provided by the present invention in aerial photography mode.

[0020] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the foldable landing gear provided by the present invention in aerial photography mode.

[0021] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the foldable landing gear provided by the present invention in the take-off and landing mode.

[0022] Figure label: 10. Inspecting drones; 100. Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) body; 110. Rotor; 120. Positioning module; 200. Foldable landing gear; 210. Drive mechanism; 220. Support assembly; 221. Outrigger; 2211. Rotary shaft section; 2212. Connecting section; 222. Support foot; 2221. Slide rail; 2222. Limiting structure; 223. Limiting block; 224. Pulley; 230. Transmission mechanism; 231. Camshaft; 232. Drive linkage; 233. Rotary linkage; 234. Mounting base; 300. Optical pod; 310. Lens assembly; 320. Gimbal; 330. Pod quick-release connector; 400. Airborne computing unit; 410. Airborne computing unit body; 420. Communication interface; 430. Computing unit quick-release connector. Detailed Implementation

[0023] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this invention clearer, the technical solutions of this invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some, not all, of the embodiments of this invention. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of this invention without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this invention.

[0024] The following is combined with Figures 1 to 4 This invention describes a foldable landing gear and an inspection drone.

[0025] In embodiments of the present invention, such as Figure 1 and Figure 3As shown, a foldable landing gear 200 and an inspection drone 10 include a support assembly 220, a drive mechanism 210, and a transmission mechanism 230. The support assembly 220 has a folded state and an unfolded state. The transmission mechanism 230 is connected between the drive mechanism 210 and the support assembly 220. The transmission mechanism 230 includes a camshaft 231 and a drive link 232. The camshaft 231 is rotatably connected to the drive mechanism 210. One end of the drive link 232 is eccentrically pivotally connected to the camshaft 231, and the other end is pivotally connected to the camshaft 231. The support assembly 220 is connected; the drive mechanism 210 drives the camshaft 231 to rotate between a first extreme position, which is the unfolded state, and a second extreme position, which is the folded state, so as to drive the support assembly 220 to unfold or fold through the drive link 232; wherein, in the first extreme position and the second extreme position, the instantaneous velocity direction of the connection point between the drive link 232 and the camshaft 231 on the rotation path of the camshaft 231 is perpendicular to the rod direction of the drive link 232, so as to form a mechanical self-locking state.

[0026] The support component 220 is used to provide support during drone take-off and landing as well as folding and storage during aerial photography, giving it two working modes: folded and unfolded, to adapt to aerial photography operations and take-off and landing requirements respectively.

[0027] The drive mechanism 210 provides power for switching the landing gear's states. Optionally, the drive mechanism 210 can be a servo motor or other drive component, which is not specifically limited here.

[0028] The transmission mechanism 230 is connected between the drive mechanism 210 and the support component 220, and is used to transmit the power of the drive mechanism 210 to the support component 220 so as to drive the support component 220 to switch between the unfolded state and the folded state.

[0029] The transmission mechanism 230 includes a camshaft 231 and a drive link 232. The camshaft 231 rotates in conjunction with the drive mechanism 210, converting the rotational motion of the drive mechanism 210 into the reciprocating motion of the drive link 232. One end of the drive link 232 is eccentrically pivotally connected to the camshaft 231, and the other end is connected to the support assembly 220, converting the rotational motion of the camshaft 231 into linear push-pull motion, thereby driving the support assembly 220 to complete the unfolding or folding action. The drive mechanism 210 drives the camshaft 231 to rotate between a first extreme position (the unfolded state) and a second extreme position (the folded state), thereby limiting the working position of the support assembly 220 and ensuring that the landing gear only stably switches between takeoff and landing mode and aerial photography mode.

[0030] At the first and second extreme positions, by ensuring that the instantaneous velocity direction of the connection point between the drive link 232 and the camshaft 231 on the rotation path of the camshaft 231 is perpendicular to the direction of the drive link 232, the external force acting on the support assembly 220 cannot generate a rotational torque on the camshaft 231. This allows the landing gear to enter a mechanical self-locking state at both extreme positions, maintaining the current state stably without the drive mechanism 210 continuously outputting torque. This achieves the purpose of saving energy, improving the drone's endurance and system reliability.

[0031] This application employs a transmission mechanism 230 that engages with a camshaft 231 and a drive link 232. In the take-off and landing mode and the aerial photography mode, the instantaneous velocity direction of the connection point between the drive link 232 and the camshaft 231 is perpendicular to the direction of the drive link 232, forming a mechanical self-locking state. This enables the landing gear to maintain its attitude without the need for continuous power supply from the servo motor in both working modes, thereby significantly saving the UAV's power, improving its flight endurance, reducing wear on drive components, and improving the reliability and stability of the landing gear mechanism and the entire system.

[0032] Reference Figure 3 and Figure 4 According to the present invention, a foldable landing gear 200 is provided, wherein the support assembly 220 includes a support arm 221; the transmission mechanism 230 further includes a rotating link 233, one end of the rotating link 233 being pivotally connected to the end of the drive link 232 away from the camshaft 231, and the other end of the rotating link 233 being pivotally connected to the support arm 221.

[0033] Understandably, the support arm 221 is used to form the main support structure of the landing gear, so as to achieve stable support for the UAV during take-off and landing, and to fold and store it during aerial photography, so as to avoid obstructing the electro-optical pod 300.

[0034] One end of the rotating link 233 is pivotally connected to the end of the drive link 232 away from the camshaft 231, and the other end is pivotally connected to the support arm 221. This is used to convert the linear reciprocating motion of the drive link 232 into the rotational swing of the support arm 221, so that the power of the drive mechanism 210 and the camshaft 231 can be smoothly and efficiently transmitted to the support arm 221, realizing reliable switching of the support arm 221 between the deployed state and the folded state. At the same time, through the pivotal cooperation between the rotating link 233, the drive link 232, and the support arm 221, the transmission process is ensured to be flexible and smooth, reducing the risk of motion interference and improving the stability and reliability of the landing gear deployment and folding actions.

[0035] Reference Figure 3 and Figure 4According to the present invention, a foldable landing gear 200 is provided, wherein the support assembly 220 further includes a support foot 222, and the support foot 222 is provided with a slide rail 2221 extending along its own length direction; the end of the support arm 221 is provided with a pulley 224, and the pulley 224 can slide within the slide rail 2221 so that the support assembly 220 can switch between an unfolded state and a folded state.

[0036] It is understood that the support component 220 also includes support feet 222 for contacting the ground to support the weight of the drone and provide a stable support base for the drone's take-off and landing.

[0037] The support foot 222 has a slide rail 2221 extending along its own length direction, which is used to provide sliding guidance and limit the pulley 224, limit the movement trajectory of the pulley 224, and ensure that the movement path of the support arm 221 is stable and reliable.

[0038] The pulley 224 at the end of the support arm 221 cooperates with the slide rail 2221 and can slide within the slide rail 2221. This converts the swing of the support arm 221 into smooth sliding along the direction of the slide rail 2221, reducing the frictional resistance and jamming risk during the movement of the support arm 221. This makes the switching between the unfolded and folded states of the support assembly 220 more flexible and stable. At the same time, the cooperation between the pulley 224 and the slide rail 2221 provides support and guidance for the support arm 221, improving the structural stability and motion consistency of the support assembly 220 during unfolding and folding.

[0039] Reference Figure 3 and Figure 4 According to the present invention, a foldable landing gear 200 is provided, wherein the support arm 221 is further provided with a limiting block 223. When the landing gear is in the unfolded state, the limiting block 223 abuts against the slide rail 2221 to transmit the ground support force when the UAV lands to the support foot 222.

[0040] It is understood that the support arm 221 is also provided with a limiting block 223. When the landing gear is in the deployed state, the limiting block 223 can form an abutting cooperation with the slide rail 2221. On the one hand, it mechanically limits the deployment stroke of the support arm 221 to prevent the support arm 221 from rotating excessively and to ensure that the support assembly 220 is always stable in the set deployment position. On the other hand, during the landing of the UAV, the supporting force and impact force of the ground acting on the support foot 222 can be directly transmitted to the support arm 221 through the abutting structure of the limiting block 223 and the slide rail 2221, and then transmitted upward from the support arm 221 to the UAV body 100. This avoids the load being concentrated on the pulley 224, the slide rail 2221 or the transmission mechanism 230, thereby improving the support stiffness, load-bearing capacity and structural stability of the landing gear in the deployed state and ensuring the safety of UAV take-off and landing.

[0041] Reference Figure 3 and Figure 4 According to the present invention, a foldable landing gear 200 is provided, wherein the support assembly 220 includes two support legs 222 and two support arms 221. The two support legs 222 are arranged side by side and spaced apart from each other, and the two support arms 221 are arranged between the two support legs 222. The support arms 221 are arc-shaped, and the opposite ends of the support arms 221 are respectively rotatably connected to the pulleys 224.

[0042] It is understood that the support assembly 220 includes two support legs 222 and two support arms 221. The symmetrical structure of the double support legs 222 and double support arms 221 can evenly distribute the weight of the UAV, improve the overall support stability and force balance of the landing gear, and ensure that the UAV take-off and landing process is more stable and reliable.

[0043] The two support feet 222 are arranged side by side and spaced apart from each other, which ensures the support area while providing installation space and movement avoidance space for the folding and unfolding of the support arm 221, thus avoiding movement interference between the structures.

[0044] The two support arms 221 are positioned between the two support feet 222, and the support arms 221 are arc-shaped, which allows the support arms 221 to fit better against the fuselage and be compactly stored in the folded state, reducing the space occupied. At the same time, it is easy to store them under the UAV rotor 110, so as not to obstruct the observation field of the optoelectronic pod 300.

[0045] The two ends of the support arm 221 are respectively rotatably connected to pulleys 224. Through the cooperation of the pulleys 224 at both ends of the support arm 221 with the corresponding slide rails 2221, the two ends of the support arm 221 are subjected to balanced force and move synchronously during the movement, which further improves the stability, smoothness and structural reliability of the support component 220 during the unfolding and folding process.

[0046] Specifically, the support arm 221 is arc-shaped and has a rotating shaft section 2211 and a connecting section 2212 connected to the two ends of the rotating shaft. The rotating shaft section 2211 is used to connect with the rotating connecting rod 233. The end of the connecting section 2212 away from the rotating shaft section 2211 is connected to a pulley 224, so as to slide and cooperate with the slide rail 2221 of the support foot 222.

[0047] In one embodiment, the transmission mechanism 230 further includes a mounting base 234, which can be mounted on the bottom of the robot body. The drive mechanism 210 is fixedly connected to the mounting base 234, and the support arm 221 is rotatably mounted on the mounting base 234.

[0048] Reference Figure 1 and Figure 2 According to the present invention, a foldable landing gear 200 is provided. In the first extreme position, which is the take-off and landing mode, the support component 220 unfolds towards each other under the drive mechanism 210 and the transmission mechanism 230 to form a support structure. In the second extreme position, which is the aerial photography mode, the support component 220 folds in the opposite direction under the drive mechanism 210 and the transmission mechanism 230 and is stored under the rotor 110 of the UAV.

[0049] It is understood that the first extreme position is the take-off and landing mode. The support component 220 is driven by the drive mechanism 210 and the transmission mechanism 230 to unfold towards each other, forming a stable support structure for contacting the ground and bearing the weight of the UAV, so as to ensure the support stability and safety of the UAV during take-off and landing.

[0050] The second extreme position is the aerial photography mode. The support component 220 is folded in the opposite direction under the drive mechanism 210 and the transmission mechanism 230 and stored under the drone rotor 110. This allows the support component 220 to avoid the shooting area of ​​the photoelectric pod 300, enabling the photoelectric pod 300 to observe horizontally 360° without obstruction. At the same time, it reduces the aerodynamic drag of the drone during flight and improves flight efficiency and aerial photography effect.

[0051] In some embodiments, according to the present invention, a foldable landing gear 200 has a first extreme position of 0° rotation of the camshaft 231 and a second extreme position of 180° rotation of the camshaft 231.

[0052] Understandably, limiting the first extreme position to the 0° rotation position of the camshaft 231 and the second extreme position to the 180° rotation position of the camshaft 231 serves two purposes. First, it establishes a clear and unique correspondence between the rotation angle of the camshaft 231 and the working mode of the support assembly 220, making the control of the landing gear deployment and folding states by the drive mechanism 210 more precise, stable, and quantifiable, avoiding misjudgments of the state or deviations in action due to ambiguity of angles. Second, 0° and 180° are two symmetrical extreme positions on the rotation path of the camshaft 231, spaced 180° apart, which allows the drive link 232 to be at its shortest and longest travel limits at these two positions, respectively. Combined with the self-locking condition between the camshaft 231 and the drive link 232, this further ensures that the landing gear can stably reach and maintain the extreme positions in both take-off and landing modes and aerial photography modes, improving the reliability of state switching and the self-locking effect.

[0053] In one specific embodiment, the foldable landing gear 200 includes pulleys 224, a support arm 221, a support foot 222, a limiting block 223, a camshaft 231, a servo motor, a drive link 232, a rotating link 233, and a mounting base 234. The pulley 224 can roll within the groove of the slide rail 2221 of the support foot 222. Limiters are located in the middle and on both sides of the slide rail 2221 to prevent the pulley 224 from disengaging from the slide rail 2221. The support arm 221 can rotate around its own rotating axis 2211. In aerial photography mode, the servo motor drives the camshaft 231 to a 180° position, causing the drive link 232 to extend to its maximum length. The drive link 232 then pushes the rotating link 233 to its maximum angle, causing the support arm 221 to fold in the reverse direction along the UAV's front-to-back direction. The support arm 221 drives the pulley 224, which in turn drives the slide rail 2221, to fold the landing gear, allowing it to be folded and compressed under the rotor 110.

[0054] When the camshaft 231 rotates to the 180° position, the drive link 232 extends to its maximum length. At the same time, since the velocity direction at the end of the camshaft 231 is perpendicular to the direction of the drive link 232, the servo motor does not need to continuously generate torque to maintain the maximum angle of the arm 221 folding in the reverse direction of the drone in the aerial photography mode, thereby saving drone power, increasing endurance and improving reliability.

[0055] like Figure 3 As shown, the present invention provides a schematic diagram of the take-off and landing mode structure of the foldable landing gear 200 of an inspection drone 10 with foldable landing gear 200. In take-off and landing mode, the servo drives the camshaft 231 to the 0° position, causing the drive link 232 to shorten to its minimum length. The drive link 232 pulls the rotating link 233 to the maximum angle, causing the support arm 221 to extend towards each other in the front-rear direction of the drone.

[0056] As the camshaft 231 rotates to the 0° position, the limiting block 223 contacts the slide rail 2221, and the support arm 221 forms an inward angle with the slide rail 2221. The pulley 224 contacts the middle limiting position of the slide rail 2221, so that the upward supporting force of the slide rail 2221 is transmitted upward through the contact with the limiting block 223 and the pulley 224. This causes the support arm 221 to maintain an inward angle due to gravity after the drone lands on the ground. At the same time, the camshaft 231 rotates to the 0° position, driving the connecting rod 232 to shorten to its minimum length. At this time, since the velocity direction of the end of the camshaft 231 is perpendicular to the direction of the driving connecting rod 232, the servo does not need to continuously generate torque to maintain the inward angle between the support arm 221 and the slide rail 2221 in the take-off and landing mode, thereby saving drone power, increasing endurance, and improving reliability.

[0057] Reference Figure 1The present invention also provides an inspection drone 10, comprising a drone body 100, an onboard computing unit 400, an optoelectronic pod 300, and a foldable landing gear 200. The drone body 100 provides flight power through rotors 110, ensuring the stability of the drone's flight.

[0058] Preferably, the rotor 110 adopts a six-rotor layout, which can be replaced with a four-rotor 110, an eight-rotor 110, or other types with the payload capacity to meet the requirements of the operation task, depending on the business needs.

[0059] The UAV body 100 is equipped with an RTK positioning module 120, which can work with navigation satellites and ground base stations to achieve high-precision three-dimensional positioning. The UAV body 100 is equipped with an onboard computing unit 400 responsible for providing edge computing capabilities. It communicates with the flight controller, optoelectronic pod 300, RTK positioning module 120 and UAV data link of the UAV body 100 through a communication interface 420, and can simultaneously transmit video data, control data, positioning and navigation data and other content.

[0060] The onboard computing unit body 410 protects the internal components of the onboard computing unit 400 and can be used under conditions of high acceleration, wide temperature range, and harsh weather. The computing unit quick-release connector 430 allows for quick installation and removal between the UAV body 100 and the onboard computing unit 400. The electro-optical pod 300 can collect visible light, infrared, and laser ranging information during operation, providing data acquisition for the UAV's missions. The lens assembly 310 of the electro-optical pod 300 contains sensors for visible light, infrared, and laser ranging, enabling the acquisition of such information. The gimbal 320 of the electro-optical pod 300 contains a servo motor and, through an internal acceleration sensor, enables three-axis self-stabilization and image stabilization, allowing for 360° horizontal rotation to collect information over the widest possible area.

[0061] In one embodiment, the pod quick-release connector 330 is used for quick installation and removal between the UAV body 100 and the electro-optical pod 300. Optionally, the electro-optical pod 300 can be replaced with other mission pods, such as ultraviolet pods, smoke grenade launchers, drop modules, mapping modules, and other modules, to meet the needs of different missions. The foldable landing gear 200 can be deployed into take-off and landing mode during UAV take-off and landing, and can bear the load force of UAV take-off and landing, providing reliable support for UAV.

[0062] like Figure 2As shown, the present invention provides a schematic diagram of the aerial photography mode of an inspection drone 10 with a foldable landing gear 200. The foldable landing gear 200 is folded into aerial photography mode when the drone is performing a mission. The landing gear can be folded and compressed under the rotor 110. At the same time, the folding process does not interfere with the load structure carried by the drone. It can realize 360° horizontal rotation of the optoelectronic pod 300 without obstruction, so as to collect unobstructed and cleaner video or image data, thereby improving the efficiency of mission execution and improving the quality of mission data.

[0063] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, and not to limit them; although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some of the technical features; and these modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention.

Claims

1. A foldable landing gear for use in unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), characterized in that, include: Drive mechanism; The support component has a folded state and an unfolded state; A transmission mechanism is connected between the drive mechanism and the support assembly; The transmission mechanism includes a camshaft and a drive link. The camshaft is rotatably connected to the drive mechanism. One end of the drive link is eccentrically pivotally connected to the camshaft, and the other end is connected to the support assembly. The drive mechanism drives the camshaft to rotate between a first extreme position, which is the unfolded state, and a second extreme position, which is the folded state, so as to drive the support assembly to unfold or fold through the drive linkage. In both the first and second extreme positions, the instantaneous velocity direction of the connection point between the drive link and the camshaft on the rotation path of the camshaft is perpendicular to the direction of the drive link body, thereby forming a mechanical self-locking state.

2. The foldable landing gear according to claim 1, characterized in that, The support assembly includes a support arm; the transmission mechanism further includes a rotating link, one end of which is pivotally connected to the end of the drive link away from the camshaft, and the other end of which is pivotally connected to the support arm.

3. The foldable landing gear according to claim 2, characterized in that, The support assembly also includes a support foot, on which a slide rail extends along its own length; a pulley is provided at the end of the support arm, and the pulley can slide within the slide rail to allow the support assembly to switch between an unfolded state and a folded state.

4. The foldable landing gear according to claim 3, characterized in that, The support arm is also equipped with a limiting block. When the landing gear is in the deployed state, the limiting block abuts against the slide rail to transfer the ground support force when the UAV lands to the support foot.

5. The foldable landing gear according to claim 3, characterized in that, The support assembly includes two support legs and two support arms. The two support legs are arranged side by side and spaced apart from each other. The two support arms are arranged between the two support legs and are arc-shaped. The opposite ends of the support arms are respectively rotatably connected to the pulleys.

6. The foldable landing gear according to claim 5, characterized in that, The first extreme position is the take-off and landing mode, where the support components unfold towards each other under the drive mechanism and the transmission mechanism to form a support structure; The second extreme position is the aerial photography mode, in which the support component is folded in the opposite direction under the drive mechanism and the transmission mechanism and stored under the drone rotor.

7. The foldable landing gear according to any one of claims 1-6, characterized in that, The first extreme position is the 0° rotation position of the camshaft, and the second extreme position is the 180° rotation position of the camshaft.

8. An inspection drone, characterized in that, include: The drone itself, and The foldable landing gear as described in any one of claims 1 to 7.

9. The inspection drone according to claim 8, characterized in that, Also includes: An optoelectronic pod is attached to the underside of the UAV body via a quick-release connector. An airborne computing unit is electrically connected to the flight controller of the UAV body, the optoelectronic pod, the RTK positioning module of the UAV body, and the UAV data link via a communication interface, and is used to realize local edge computing of inspection data.

10. The inspection drone according to claim 9, characterized in that, The optoelectronic pod includes a gimbal, which has a built-in servo motor and an acceleration sensor, enabling three-axis self-stabilization, anti-shake, and 360° horizontal rotation. When the foldable landing gear is in the folded state, the support assembly is stored under the rotor of the UAV body so that the observation line of the gimbal is not obstructed when it rotates horizontally 360°.

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