Deicing system and method for unmanned aerial vehicles
By integrating icing condition detection, heating anti-icing coating and temperature sensor into the drone, the problem of automated anti-icing and de-icing of drones under icing conditions has been solved, achieving low power consumption, low cost and high efficiency in anti-icing and de-icing.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- CETC WUHU GENERAL AVIATION INDUSTRY TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH INSTITUTE CO LTD
- Filing Date
- 2026-03-23
- Publication Date
- 2026-06-12
AI Technical Summary
When drones fly in icy conditions, existing anti-icing and de-icing systems struggle to ensure heat dissipation and electromagnetic compatibility in confined spaces, and suffer from problems such as short anti-icing and de-icing time, high power consumption, complex structure, high cost, and low automation.
A drone anti-icing and de-icing system was designed, including an icing condition detection subsystem, an anti-icing and de-icing control subsystem, and a task management module. The system utilizes a heated anti-icing and de-icing coating, a temperature sensor, and a control module to achieve automated control through a preset anti-icing and de-icing control strategy. The heated coating is applied to areas prone to icing, and a hydrophobic coating is used to reduce icing adhesion. A micro-nano thermal film coating is used to reduce power consumption.
It enables drones to autonomously prevent and de-ice under icing conditions, reducing power consumption, simplifying the structure, lowering costs, and improving the flexibility and reliability of anti-icing and de-icing.
Smart Images
Figure CN122186402A_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This application relates to the field of anti-icing technology, specifically to an anti-icing system and method for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Background Technology
[0002] Currently, drones often encounter weather conditions that can cause aircraft icing when performing flight missions. Icing can lead to a decrease in flight performance, and in severe cases, the aircraft may even crash.
[0003] To address this issue, the main anti-icing and de-icing solutions include "hot gas anti-icing", "electric heating anti-icing", "liquid anti-icing" and "mechanical de-icing".
[0004] Current de-icing solutions are primarily designed for large manned aircraft. However, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have extremely limited space, making it very difficult to integrate a de-icing system designed for large manned aircraft into the confined space of a UAV. This also makes it impossible to simultaneously guarantee heat dissipation and electromagnetic compatibility. Current UAV de-icing solutions suffer from problems such as short de-icing times, high power requirements, complex structures, high costs, and the inability to automatically activate or deactivate de-icing functions. Summary of the Invention
[0005] Based on this, this application provides an anti-icing system and method for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) that achieves automatic anti-icing with low power consumption, simple structure, and low cost.
[0006] According to one aspect of this application, an anti-icing and de-icing system for a drone is proposed for use on an airborne end, comprising: an icing condition detection subsystem for acquiring icing condition detection data; an anti-icing and de-icing control subsystem, comprising a heated anti-icing and de-icing coating, a temperature sensor, and a control module, wherein the heated anti-icing and de-icing coating is applied to a preset protected area of the drone to increase the surface temperature of the preset protected area, the temperature sensor is arranged at a preset position of the drone to acquire temperature data at the preset position, and the control module is used to control the heated anti-icing and de-icing coating to operate according to anti-icing and de-icing control commands; and a task management module for sending anti-icing and de-icing control commands to the control module and sending the icing condition detection data and temperature data to a ground control terminal, wherein the anti-icing and de-icing control commands include anti-icing and de-icing control commands generated based on a preset anti-icing and de-icing control strategy and based on the icing condition detection data and / or temperature data, and anti-icing and de-icing control commands transmitted from the ground control terminal.
[0007] According to some embodiments, the task management module is used to: obtain icing status information based on icing condition detection data and / or temperature data; generate a first anti-icing control command when the icing status information includes reaching icing conditions, wherein the first anti-icing control command is used to activate the heated anti-icing coating; generate a second anti-icing control command when the icing status information includes leaving the icing environment, wherein the second anti-icing control command is used to deactivate the heated anti-icing coating; send the first anti-icing control command and / or the second anti-icing control command to the control module, and send the icing condition detection data and temperature data to the ground control terminal.
[0008] According to some embodiments, the task management module is also used to: generate a first anti-icing control command based on the drone reaching a preset altitude when the current weather is prone to icing, wherein the first anti-icing control command is used to activate the heated anti-icing coating; send the first anti-icing control command to the control module, and send the icing condition detection data and temperature data to the ground control terminal.
[0009] According to some embodiments, the control module includes: a power distribution box for supplying power to the heating anti-icing coating; and an anti-icing controller for controlling the power distribution box to supply power to the heating anti-icing coating according to anti-icing control instructions.
[0010] According to some embodiments, the preset protection area includes a first protection area, a second protection area, and a third protection area, wherein the protection importance of the first protection area, the second protection area, and the third protection area decreases in that order.
[0011] According to some embodiments, the power supply priority of the heating anti-icing coatings corresponding to the first protective area, the second protective area, and the third protective area decreases.
[0012] According to some embodiments, the anti-icing control subsystem also includes a hydrophobic coating or an anti-icing coating, which is applied to areas of the UAV’s anti-icing design area other than the preset protection area.
[0013] According to some embodiments, the icing condition detection subsystem includes an icing detector, an icing image acquisition device, and / or a cloud particle spectrometer.
[0014] According to some embodiments, the heating anti-icing coating is a micro / nano thermal film coating.
[0015] According to one aspect of this application, an anti-icing and de-icing system for a drone is provided for a ground control terminal, comprising: a mission integrated monitoring module for displaying icing condition detection data and temperature data transmitted from the airborne terminal, acquiring anti-icing and de-icing control commands input by the user, and sending the anti-icing and de-icing control commands to the airborne terminal.
[0016] According to one aspect of this application, an anti-icing method for a drone, used on an airborne end, includes: acquiring icing condition detection data and temperature data of a preset location of the drone; controlling a heated anti-icing coating to operate according to an anti-icing control command, wherein the heated anti-icing coating is applied to a preset protected area of the drone to increase the surface temperature of the preset protected area, the anti-icing control command includes an anti-icing control command generated based on a preset anti-icing control strategy and according to the icing condition detection data and / or temperature data, and an anti-icing control command transmitted from a ground control terminal; and sending the icing condition detection data and temperature data to the ground control terminal.
[0017] According to one aspect of this application, an anti-icing and de-icing method for a drone, used at a ground control terminal, includes: acquiring icing condition detection data and temperature data transmitted from an airborne terminal; displaying the icing condition detection data and temperature data; acquiring anti-icing and de-icing control commands input by a user, and sending the anti-icing and de-icing control commands to the airborne terminal.
[0018] According to one aspect of this application, an electronic device is provided, comprising: one or more processors; a storage device for storing one or more programs; and, when the one or more programs are executed by the one or more processors, causing the one or more processors to implement the method as described above.
[0019] According to one aspect of this application, a computer-readable medium is provided that stores a computer program or instructions thereon, which, when executed by a processor, implement the method as described above.
[0020] The embodiments provided in this application integrate a detector into the icing condition detection subsystem and a heated anti-icing coating, a temperature sensor, and a control module into the anti-icing control subsystem, resulting in high integration and a simple structure. The icing condition detection subsystem acquires icing condition detection data, and the temperature sensor acquires temperature data. The task management module generates anti-icing control commands based on a preset anti-icing control strategy, according to the icing condition detection data and / or temperature data, and sends them to the control module. The control module controls the heated anti-icing coating according to the anti-icing control commands, enabling the UAV to autonomously control anti-icing. The task management module can also receive anti-icing control commands transmitted from the ground control terminal and control the heated anti-icing coating accordingly, improving the flexibility of anti-icing and achieving low-cost, simple-structure, and low-power automatic anti-icing. Attached Figure Description
[0021] It should be understood that the above general description and the following detailed description are merely exemplary and do not limit this application.
[0022] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the accompanying drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings, without exceeding the scope of protection claimed by this application.
[0023] Figure 1 A block diagram of an anti-icing and de-icing system for an airborne drone provided in an embodiment of this application;
[0024] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the electrical interface of the anti-icing and de-icing control subsystem provided in an embodiment of this application; Figure 3 A schematic diagram showing the distribution of the first protective area, the second protective area, and the third protective area provided in an embodiment of this application; Figure 4 A block diagram of an anti-icing and de-icing system for a UAV used in a ground control terminal, provided in an embodiment of this application; Figure 5 A flowchart illustrating an anti-icing method for an airborne drone provided in an embodiment of this application; Figure 6 A flowchart illustrating an anti-icing and de-icing method for a UAV used in a ground control terminal, as provided in an embodiment of this application; Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an electronic device provided in an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation
[0025] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application 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 application. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.
[0026] Furthermore, the described features, structures, or characteristics can be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. Numerous specific details are provided in the following description to give a thorough understanding of embodiments of this application. However, those skilled in the art will recognize that the technical solutions of this application can be practiced without one or more of the specific details, or other methods, components, apparatuses, steps, etc., can be employed. In other instances, well-known methods, apparatuses, implementations, or operations are not shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring various aspects of this application.
[0027] The block diagrams shown in the accompanying drawings are merely functional entities and do not necessarily correspond to physically independent entities. That is, these functional entities can be implemented in software, in one or more hardware modules or integrated circuits, or in different network and / or processor devices and / or microcontroller devices.
[0028] The flowcharts shown in the accompanying drawings are merely illustrative and do not necessarily include all content and operations / steps, nor do they necessarily have to be performed in the described order. For example, some operations / steps can be broken down, while others can be combined or partially combined; therefore, the actual execution order may change depending on the specific circumstances.
[0029] It should be understood that although the terms first, second, third, etc., may be used herein to describe various components, these components should not be limited by these terms. These terms are used to distinguish one component from another. Therefore, the first component discussed below may be referred to as the second component without departing from the teachings of this application. As used herein, the term "and / or" includes all combinations of any one and more of the associated listed items.
[0030] For specific implementation details, please refer to the following examples.
[0031] Figure 1 This is a block diagram of an anti-icing and de-icing system for an airborne drone provided in an embodiment of this application. Figure 1 As shown, the system includes an icing condition detection subsystem 110, an anti-icing and de-icing control subsystem 120, and a task management module 130.
[0032] The icing condition detection subsystem 110 is used to acquire icing condition detection data.
[0033] The icing condition detection subsystem 110 includes multiple detectors for detecting icing conditions. This application does not limit the specific type of detector; selection can be made according to actual needs.
[0034] The icing condition detection data includes data related to the icing situation monitored in real time by the icing condition detection subsystem 110, used to determine whether icing conditions have been met, thereby automatically / manually activating the anti-icing and de-icing function. Correspondingly, after leaving the icing environment, the anti-icing and de-icing function can be automatically / manually deactivated based on the acquired icing condition detection data.
[0035] According to the example embodiment, the icing condition detection data includes icing thickness, images of key parts of the UAV (such as wings, tail, etc.), atmospheric environmental parameters, etc.
[0036] The anti-icing control subsystem 120 includes a heated anti-icing coating, a temperature sensor, and a control module. The heated anti-icing coating is applied to a preset protected area of the UAV to increase the surface temperature of the preset protected area. The temperature sensor is arranged at a preset position on the UAV to acquire temperature data at the preset position. The control module is used to control the operation of the heated anti-icing coating according to the anti-icing control command.
[0037] The anti-icing control subsystem 120 includes two main functional modules: a heated anti-icing coating and a temperature sensor. These modules are positioned within a pre-defined protection area. The pre-defined protection area covers areas of the drone prone to icing and / or critical areas.
[0038] According to the example embodiment, the preset protection area includes the relevant anti-icing design areas of the wing and tail, such as the leading edge surface of the wing and the leading edge surface of the tail.
[0039] It needs to be explained that the heated anti-icing coating can achieve surface heating under the condition of applying a preset voltage (such as 28V DC voltage), ensuring that the surface temperature is stable at the set temperature or temperature range, ensuring that the surface does not freeze, and intermittent heating is performed with a specific control law to achieve intermittent surface de-icing.
[0040] The heating anti-icing coating referred to in this application adopts a novel biomimetic composite electric heating anti-icing coating, which combines surface heating and novel de-icing / hydrophobic materials to achieve low-heat, energy-saving, and efficient anti-icing for UAVs.
[0041] The heated anti-icing coating is applied to the pre-defined protected area of the drone. In actual application, a spraying process is used, which is convenient to install, easy to maintain, and minimal impact of localized damage on the overall anti-icing system; only recoating of the damaged area is required.
[0042] A temperature sensor is used to measure temperature data at a preset location, thereby helping to stabilize the surface temperature of the anti-icing coating at a set temperature or within a set temperature range. Based on this, the preset location is situated within a preset protection area.
[0043] According to the example embodiment, the heating anti-icing coating and temperature sensor are arranged in different areas on the leading edge of the tail wing. In this embodiment, the preset protection area includes three zones. Based on this, the arrangement of the heating anti-icing coating and temperature sensor specifically includes: 3 channels on the leading edge of the single wing, 2 channels on the tail wing, and 2 channels on the vertical tail.
[0044] Based on the above embodiments, Figure 2 The diagram shows the electrical interface of the anti-icing control subsystem 120. Each anti-icing zone of the wing is connected to the UAV via a signal line and a power line. The design principles of the horizontal and vertical stabilizers are consistent with those of the wing anti-icing system zones.
[0045] The anti-icing control subsystem 120 also includes a control module. The control module is used to receive anti-icing control commands and, according to the anti-icing control commands, control the heating of the anti-icing coating.
[0046] The task management module 130 is used to send anti-icing control commands to the control module and send icing condition detection data and temperature data to the ground control terminal. The anti-icing control commands include anti-icing control commands generated based on the preset anti-icing control strategy and the icing condition detection data and / or temperature data, as well as anti-icing control commands transmitted from the ground control terminal.
[0047] The task management module 130 is used to generate anti-icing and de-icing control commands or receive anti-icing and de-icing control commands transmitted from the ground control terminal. After receiving the anti-icing and de-icing control command, the task management module 130 sends the command to the control module and sends the icing condition detection data and temperature data to the ground control terminal for user viewing.
[0048] The ground control unit can monitor the temperature of each zone in real time and has data recording and playback functions. Based on the real-time monitoring data, the ground control unit can manually generate anti-icing control commands as needed to enable / disable the anti-icing function of the preset protected area. Without ground control intervention, the anti-icing function of the preset protected area remains in automatic control mode. This application integrates the anti-icing control system into the UAV mission system, enabling real-time monitoring and control of the UAV's anti-icing system from the ground control unit.
[0049] During the automatic generation of anti-icing control commands, based on the preset anti-icing control strategy, the task management module 130 generates anti-icing control commands according to icing condition detection data and / or temperature data. The preset anti-icing control strategy is a pre-set control strategy, including under what circumstances to generate anti-icing control commands to activate the heating anti-icing coating and under what circumstances to generate anti-icing control commands to deactivate the heating anti-icing coating.
[0050] The task management module 130 can be a task management computer installed inside the UAV, or other processing devices; this application does not limit this.
[0051] The anti-icing system for drones provided in this application is integrated with the drone mission system, allowing drone operators to conveniently monitor and operate the anti-icing system in real time, or to have the drone mission system automatically control the anti-icing system to perform operations according to the set anti-icing control strategy, making it easy to use.
[0052] This application integrates a detector into an icing condition detection subsystem and a heated anti-icing coating, temperature sensor, and control module into an anti-icing control subsystem, achieving high integration and a simple structure. The icing condition detection subsystem acquires icing condition detection data, and the temperature sensor acquires temperature data. The task management module, based on a preset anti-icing control strategy, generates anti-icing control commands according to the icing condition detection data and / or temperature data, and sends them to the control module. The control module controls the heated anti-icing coating according to the anti-icing control commands, enabling the UAV to autonomously control anti-icing. The task management module can also receive anti-icing control commands transmitted from the ground control terminal and control the heated anti-icing coating accordingly, improving the flexibility of anti-icing and achieving low-cost, simple-structure, and low-power automatic anti-icing.
[0053] According to some embodiments, the task management module 130 is used for: Icing status information is obtained based on icing condition detection data and / or temperature data.
[0054] Specifically, when the anti-icing and de-icing function is first activated, the icing status information is determined based on the icing condition detection data, i.e., whether the current state meets the icing conditions.
[0055] If the current state meets the freezing conditions, output "Ice-freezing conditions met" to form the freezing state information; if the current state does not meet the freezing conditions, i.e., it leaves the freezing environment, output "Leaves the freezing environment" to form the freezing state information.
[0056] When the anti-icing and de-icing function is not activated for the first time, it determines the icing status information based on the icing condition detection data and temperature data.
[0057] Specifically, after the anti-icing function is activated, the anti-icing coating is heated. At this time, it is necessary to combine the temperature data to determine the current anti-icing status of the heated anti-icing coating.
[0058] Based on the working condition of the heated anti-icing coating and the current environmental conditions, determine the icing status information, i.e., whether the current condition meets the icing conditions.
[0059] If the current state meets the freezing conditions, output "Ice-freezing conditions met" to form the freezing state information; if the current state does not meet the freezing conditions, i.e., it leaves the freezing environment, output "Leaves the freezing environment" to form the freezing state information.
[0060] When the icing status information includes the condition that icing has been reached, a first anti-icing control command is generated, wherein the first anti-icing control command is used to activate the heating anti-icing coating.
[0061] Specifically, the icing status information includes the condition that icing has been met, indicating that the anti-icing and de-icing function needs to be activated, thus generating a first anti-icing and de-icing control command. The first anti-icing and de-icing control command is transmitted to the control module, which then controls the activation of the heating of the anti-icing and de-icing coating.
[0062] Furthermore, when the preset protection area includes multiple zones, the first anti-icing control command includes independent control signals corresponding to each zone.
[0063] When the icing status information includes the condition of leaving the icing environment, a second anti-icing control command is generated, wherein the second anti-icing control command is used to shut down the heated anti-icing coating.
[0064] Specifically, the icing status information includes the condition of leaving the icing environment, indicating that the anti-icing function needs to be turned off, thus generating a second anti-icing control command. This second anti-icing control command is transmitted to the control module, which then controls the shutdown of the heating of the anti-icing coating.
[0065] Furthermore, when the preset protection area includes multiple zones, the second anti-icing control command includes independent control signals corresponding to each zone.
[0066] It is understandable that, when the preset protection area includes multiple zones, temperature sensors are installed in each zone. That is, if the icing status information of zone 1 includes the condition of being free from the icing environment, and the icing status information of zone 2 includes the condition of reaching the icing conditions, then a second anti-icing control command is generated to close the heating anti-icing coating of zone 1 and a first anti-icing control command is generated to open the heating anti-icing coating of zone 2.
[0067] Send the first anti-icing and / or the second anti-icing control command to the control module, and send the icing condition detection data and temperature data to the ground control terminal.
[0068] Furthermore, if the temperature data exceeds the preset temperature range of the protected area, a second anti-icing control command is generated to shut down the heating anti-icing coating in the corresponding area and stop its operation.
[0069] According to some embodiments, the task management module 130 is also used for: Given the current weather conditions that are prone to icing, the drone generates a first anti-icing control command based on its altitude. This command is used to activate the heated anti-icing coating.
[0070] Specifically, the preset anti-icing control strategy also includes a simplified control strategy, which generates the first anti-icing control command upon reaching a preset altitude in icy weather to activate the anti-icing function.
[0071] The preset height can be set as needed, and this application does not impose any restrictions on it.
[0072] The first anti-icing and de-icing control command is sent to the control module, and the icing condition detection data and temperature data are sent to the ground control terminal.
[0073] Furthermore, the preset anti-icing control strategy also includes: In cases of significant aircraft icing, abnormal detection equipment, and / or abnormal data (including icing condition detection data and temperature data), change the drone's flight path (e.g., return to base).
[0074] If the mission is successful, the aircraft will return to base provided that there is no icing on the aircraft, the detection equipment is functioning properly, and the data (including icing condition detection data and temperature data) is normal.
[0075] If the mission is not completed, provided that the aircraft is free of ice, the detection equipment is functioning normally, and the data (including icing condition detection data and temperature data) is normal, the above control procedure will be repeated, and the ground control will continue to monitor the situation.
[0076] According to some embodiments, the control module includes: a power distribution box for supplying power to the heating anti-icing coating; and an anti-icing controller for controlling the power distribution box to supply power to the heating anti-icing coating according to anti-icing control instructions.
[0077] Specifically, an anti-icing controller and a power distribution box are set up as control modules. The power distribution box is used to supply power to the heating anti-icing coating, and the anti-icing controller is used to execute anti-icing control commands, controlling the power distribution box to supply power to the heating anti-icing coating according to the commands.
[0078] Furthermore, the control module also includes a generator.
[0079] According to some embodiments, the preset protection area includes a first protection area, a second protection area, and a third protection area, wherein the protection importance of the first protection area, the second protection area, and the third protection area decreases in that order.
[0080] In this embodiment, considering the flight characteristics of the UAV, three different levels of anti-icing protection zones are set for the preset protection area: Zone 1 "Key Protection Zone" (denoted as the first protection zone), Zone 2 "Medium Protection Zone" (denoted as the second protection zone), and Zone 3 "General Protection Zone" (denoted as the third protection zone). A schematic diagram of the three zones is shown below. Figure 3 .
[0081] Furthermore, according to the example embodiment, by performing icing simulation on the overall shape of the UAV, the areas prone to icing and the areas where icing has a serious impact on the aerodynamics of the entire aircraft were identified. Under the condition of safe flight, the heating area required by the anti-icing system was minimized. Table 1 shows the heating area information of a certain UAV anti-icing system.
[0082] Table 1. Heating Zone Information of a Certain Unmanned Aerial Vehicle's Anti-icing and De-icing System
[0083] This application embodiment sets different temperature ranges and control rates for different zones to perform intermittent heating, and optimizes the heating area required by the anti-icing system, thereby maximizing the anti-icing capability of the UAV under a certain power.
[0084] According to some embodiments, the power supply priority of the heating anti-icing coatings corresponding to the first protective area, the second protective area, and the third protective area decreases.
[0085] Based on the degree of impact on flight safety, a precise control strategy is implemented for three different levels of anti-icing protection zones.
[0086] Specifically, the heating power of the first protection zone should be prioritized and should not be shut down unless absolutely necessary. If opening the third protection zone is insufficient to support the operation of critical airborne equipment, the heating of the third protection zone can be shut down to provide the necessary power for the critical equipment. If shutting down the third protection zone is still insufficient and icing there does not affect normal flight, the third and second protection zones can be shut down simultaneously as appropriate.
[0087] The control strategy of this application embodiment enables the drone to have the ability to autonomously control anti-icing, and perfectly matches the characteristics of the drone platform with low available power and the need for long-term flight.
[0088] According to some embodiments, the anti-icing control subsystem also includes a hydrophobic coating or an anti-icing coating, which is applied to areas of the UAV’s anti-icing design area other than the preset protection area.
[0089] According to an example embodiment, a hydrophobic, heat-resistant de-icing coating is sprayed onto predetermined protected areas of the wings and tail (e.g., the leading edge surfaces of the wings and tail) to reduce the heat required for de-icing. A de-icing material is sprayed onto the mid-to-rear chordal section of the wings and tail to form a de-icing coating, reducing icing adhesion.
[0090] Compared with common anti-icing systems, the embodiments of this application require less power while ensuring flight safety.
[0091] According to some embodiments, the icing condition detection subsystem includes an icing detector, an icing image acquisition device, and / or a cloud particle spectrometer.
[0092] Icing detectors are used to collect icing parameters (such as icing thickness data). The location of the icing detector can be set according to the situation; according to the example embodiment, the icing detector is set at the leading edge of the wing, in front of the nose, or on the side, etc.
[0093] The icing image acquisition device is used to acquire images of key parts of a drone (such as wings, tail fins, etc.). The icing image acquisition device can be a camera or other image acquisition device; this application does not limit its use. The location of the icing image acquisition device can be set according to the situation. According to the example embodiment, the icing image acquisition device is set at a key part of the drone (such as wings, tail fins, etc.).
[0094] The cloud particle spectrometer is used to collect atmospheric environmental parameters that cause icing. The location of the cloud particle spectrometer can be set according to the situation; according to the example embodiment, the cloud particle spectrometer is set in an unobstructed position at the front of the fuselage.
[0095] According to some embodiments, the heating anti-icing coating is a micro / nano thermal film coating.
[0096] It should be noted that micro / nano thermal film coatings are thin film coatings with specific thermal functions (such as heating, temperature measurement, and thermal management) prepared at the micrometer or nanometer scale. They are achieved through advanced micro / nano fabrication technologies, which precisely control the generation, conduction, or dissipation of heat flow at extremely small scales.
[0097] The embodiments of this application utilize a novel biomimetic composite electrothermal anti-icing coating, which reduces the equipment cost, usage and maintenance cost of the drone anti-icing system.
[0098] The following describes an apparatus embodiment of this application, which can be used to perform the method embodiment of this application. For details not disclosed in the apparatus embodiment of this application, please refer to the method embodiment of this application.
[0099] Figure 4 A block diagram of an anti-icing and de-icing system for a drone for ground control is shown according to an exemplary embodiment.
[0100] like Figure 4 As shown, the anti-icing system of the UAV may include a mission integrated monitoring module 410.
[0101] The mission integrated monitoring module 410 is used to display the icing condition detection data and temperature data transmitted from the airborne terminal, obtain the anti-icing and de-icing control commands input by the user, and send the anti-icing and de-icing control commands to the airborne terminal.
[0102] Users at the UAV ground control terminal can view icing condition detection data and temperature data transmitted from the airborne terminal based on the mission integrated monitoring module 410, and thus actively input anti-icing and de-icing control commands according to the current weather conditions. The input anti-icing and de-icing control commands are sent to the airborne terminal for specific anti-icing and de-icing control. Details of the anti-icing and de-icing control commands can be found in the above description, and will not be repeated here.
[0103] According to the example embodiment, the task management module 130 is a task management computer installed inside the drone, and the task comprehensive supervision module 410 is task comprehensive supervision software.
[0104] The control module and the task management computer are connected using the RS422 protocol. The interface parameters for the connection between the control module and the task management computer are: RS422, COM9 port of IU2 board, baud rate 115200bps, 8 data bits, 1 start bit, 1 stop bit, no parity, and transmission frequency 5Hz.
[0105] Based on this, the data flow during task execution is described as follows: Downlink: Data from the anti-icing and de-icing controller is sent to COM9 port of IU2. The mission management computer parses and processes the data packets (including icing condition detection data and temperature data), integrates them into the mission telemetry protocol, and sends them to the payload remote control and telemetry interfaces of the L-link (Link Layer) and satellite communication link. The data is then sent to the ground multicast terminal at the ground control end via the airborne link. The mission background software listens to the payload telemetry data of the ground multicast terminal and processes and forwards the telemetry data to the mission integrated monitoring software. The mission integrated monitoring software interface displays the downlink data information.
[0106] Uplink: The task integrated monitoring software sends anti-icing and de-icing control commands. The command data is transmitted to the task background software via UDP (User Datagram Protocol) on-demand communication. The task background software sends command data to the uplink port. The data is transmitted to the airborne terminal via L-link or satellite communication link. The airborne link remote control port is connected to the task management computer to receive the command data. After the task management computer processes the command data packet, the control command is sent to the control module, and the control module executes the corresponding command.
[0107] Figure 5 A flowchart illustrating an anti-icing method for an airborne drone according to an exemplary embodiment is shown.
[0108] Figure 5 The method shown can control the anti-icing system of the airborne drone according to the embodiments of this application.
[0109] like Figure 5 As shown, the anti-icing method for drones may include steps S510-S530.
[0110] In step S510, icing condition detection data and temperature data of the preset location of the UAV are acquired.
[0111] In step S520, the anti-icing coating is heated according to the anti-icing control command. The heated anti-icing coating is applied to the preset protection area of the UAV to increase the surface temperature of the preset protection area. The anti-icing control command includes anti-icing control commands generated based on the preset anti-icing control strategy and the icing condition detection data and / or temperature data, as well as anti-icing control commands transmitted from the ground control terminal.
[0112] In step S530, the icing condition detection data and temperature data are sent to the ground control terminal.
[0113] The method performs similar functions to the system provided above. Other functions can be found in the previous descriptions and will not be repeated here.
[0114] Figure 6 A flowchart illustrating an anti-icing and de-icing method for a drone for a ground control terminal according to an exemplary embodiment is shown.
[0115] Figure 6 The method shown can control the anti-icing system of the UAV for ground control terminal according to the embodiments of this application.
[0116] like Figure 6 As shown, the anti-icing method for drones may include steps S610-S630.
[0117] In step S610, icing condition detection data and temperature data transmitted from the airborne terminal are acquired.
[0118] In step S620, the icing condition detection data and temperature data are displayed.
[0119] In step S630, the anti-icing control command input by the user is obtained and sent to the airborne terminal.
[0120] The method performs similar functions to the system provided earlier. Other functions can be found in the previous descriptions and will not be repeated here.
[0121] This application discloses an electronic device, including: a processor; and a memory storing a computer program, which, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to execute the above-described instruction generation method.
[0122] For example, refer to Figure 7 , Figure 7 The illustrated electronic device 700 includes a processor 701 and a memory 703. The processor 701 and the memory 703 are connected, for example, via a bus 702. Optionally, the electronic device 700 may also include a transceiver 704. It should be noted that in practical applications, the transceiver 704 is not limited to one type, and the structure of this electronic device 700 does not constitute a limitation on the embodiments of this application.
[0123] Processor 701 may be a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a general-purpose processor, a DSP (Digital Signal Processor), an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array), or other programmable logic devices, transistor logic devices, hardware components, or any combination thereof. It can implement or execute the various exemplary logic blocks, modules, and circuits described in this application. Processor 701 may also be a combination that implements computational functions, such as including one or more microprocessor combinations, a combination of a DSP and a microprocessor, etc.
[0124] Bus 702 may include a pathway for transmitting information between the aforementioned components. Bus 702 may be a PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect) bus or an EISA (Extended Industry Standard Architecture) bus, etc. Bus 702 can be divided into address bus, data bus, control bus, etc. For ease of representation, Figure 7 The bus is represented by a single thick line, but this does not mean that there is only one bus or one type of bus.
[0125] The memory 703 may be a ROM (Read Only Memory) or other type of static storage device capable of storing static information and instructions, RAM (Random Access Memory) or other type of dynamic storage device capable of storing information and instructions, or an EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory), CD-ROM (Compact Disc Read Only Memory) or other optical disc storage, optical disc storage (including compressed optical discs, laser discs, optical discs, digital universal optical discs, Blu-ray discs, etc.), magnetic disk storage media or other magnetic storage devices, or any other storage medium capable of carrying or storing desired program code in the form of instructions or data structures and accessible by a computer, but not limited thereto.
[0126] The memory 703 is used to store application code that executes the solution of this application, and its execution is controlled by the processor 701. The processor 701 is used to execute the application code stored in the memory 703 to implement the content shown in the foregoing method embodiments.
[0127] Figure 7 The electronic device shown is merely an example and should not impose any limitation on the functionality and scope of use of the embodiments of this application.
[0128] This application discloses a computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program thereon, which, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to execute an instruction generation method.
[0129] It should be understood that although the steps in the flowcharts of the accompanying figures are shown sequentially as indicated by the arrows, these steps are not necessarily executed in the order indicated by the arrows. Unless explicitly stated herein, there is no strict order restriction on the execution of these steps, and they can be executed in other orders. Moreover, at least some steps in the flowcharts of the accompanying figures may include multiple sub-steps or multiple stages. These sub-steps or stages are not necessarily completed at the same time, but can be executed at different times, and their execution order is not necessarily sequential, but can be performed alternately or in turn with other steps or at least some of the sub-steps or stages of other steps.
[0130] The above are only some embodiments of this application. It should be noted that for those skilled in the art, several improvements and modifications can be made without departing from the principle of this application, and these improvements and modifications should also be considered within the scope of protection of this application.
Claims
1. An anti-icing and de-icing system for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), used on an airborne end, characterized in that, include: Icing condition detection subsystem, used to acquire icing condition detection data; The anti-icing control subsystem includes a heated anti-icing coating, a temperature sensor, and a control module. The heated anti-icing coating is applied to a preset protected area of the UAV to increase the surface temperature of the preset protected area. The temperature sensor is arranged at a preset position on the UAV to acquire temperature data at the preset position. The control module controls the heated anti-icing coating to work according to the anti-icing control command. The task management module is used to send anti-icing control commands to the control module and send the icing condition detection data and the temperature data to the ground control terminal. The anti-icing control commands include anti-icing control commands generated based on the preset anti-icing control strategy and according to the icing condition detection data and / or the temperature data, and anti-icing control commands transmitted by the ground control terminal.
2. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The task management module is used for: Based on the icing condition detection data and / or the temperature data, icing state information is obtained; When the freezing state information includes the condition that freezing conditions have been met, a first anti-icing control command is generated, wherein the first anti-icing control command is used to activate the heated anti-icing coating. When the icing status information includes the condition of being removed from the icing environment, a second anti-icing control command is generated, wherein the second anti-icing control command is used to turn off the heated anti-icing coating; The first anti-icing control command and / or the second anti-icing control command are sent to the control module, and the icing condition detection data and the temperature data are sent to the ground control terminal.
3. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The task management module is also used for: When the current weather is prone to icing, based on the drone reaching a preset altitude, a first anti-icing control command is generated, wherein the first anti-icing control command is used to activate the heated anti-icing coating. The first anti-icing control command is sent to the control module, and the icing condition detection data and the temperature data are sent to the ground control terminal.
4. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The control module includes: The power distribution box is used to supply power to the heating and de-icing coating; An anti-icing controller is used to control the power distribution box to supply power to the heated anti-icing coating according to the anti-icing control command.
5. The system according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that, The preset protection area includes a first protection area, a second protection area, and a third protection area, wherein the protection importance of the first protection area, the second protection area, and the third protection area decreases in that order.
6. The system according to claim 5, characterized in that, The power supply priority of the heating and de-icing coatings corresponding to the first protection area, the second protection area, and the third protection area decreases.
7. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The anti-icing control subsystem also includes a hydrophobic coating or an anti-icing coating, which is applied to areas outside the preset protection area in the anti-icing design area of the UAV.
8. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The icing condition detection subsystem includes an icing detector, an icing image acquisition device, and / or a cloud particle spectrometer.
9. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The heating and de-icing coating is a micro-nano thermal film coating.
10. An anti-icing and de-icing system for a drone, used at a ground control terminal, characterized in that, include: The task integrated monitoring module is used to display icing condition detection data and temperature data transmitted from the airborne terminal, obtain anti-icing and de-icing control commands input by the user, and send the anti-icing and de-icing control commands to the airborne terminal.
11. A method for de-icing a drone, used on an airborne end, characterized in that, include: Acquire icing condition detection data and temperature data at the preset location of the UAV; According to the anti-icing control command, the heating anti-icing coating is controlled to work. The heating anti-icing coating is applied to the preset protection area of the UAV to increase the surface temperature of the preset protection area. The anti-icing control command includes anti-icing control commands generated based on the preset anti-icing control strategy, the icing condition detection data and / or the temperature data, and anti-icing control commands transmitted from the ground control terminal. The icing condition detection data and the temperature data are sent to the ground control terminal.
12. A method for de-icing a drone, used at a ground control terminal, characterized in that, include: Acquire icing condition detection data and temperature data transmitted from the airborne terminal; The icing condition detection data and the temperature data are displayed. The anti-icing control command input by the user is obtained and sent to the airborne terminal.
13. An electronic device, characterized in that, include: One or more processors; Memory, used to store one or more programs; When the one or more programs are executed by the one or more processors, the one or more processors cause the one or more processors to implement the method as described in claim 11 or 12.
14. A computer-readable storage medium having a computer program or instructions stored thereon, characterized in that, When the computer program or instructions are executed by a processor, they implement the method as described in claim 11 or 12.