A short-haul transport aircraft transport system

Abstract

The application provides a short-distance transport aircraft transport system, relates to the technical field of short-distance transport, and comprises a ground end and an aircraft end, the ground end and the aircraft end are electrically connected through a cable, the ground end comprises a power supply module, a cable winding and unwinding mechanism and a control module, and the aircraft end comprises a transformer, a power management unit, an emergency power supply, a lifting mechanism, a flight control unit, an obstacle avoidance unit and a positioning unit. The application adopts an aerial flight transport mode, is not limited by complex terrains such as mountains, steep slopes, terraces and gullies, can realize cross-terrain and high-fall short-distance material transport regardless of ground traffic conditions, and improves terrain adaptability and transport flexibility. The cable is used for simultaneously realizing power transmission and signal transmission, the aircraft is continuously powered by the ground end, the battery endurance limit is broken, the short-distance transport operation can be continuously and stably completed for a long time, and the problems of short endurance and inability to continuously transport heavy loads of traditional unmanned aerial vehicles are solved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of short-haul transportation technology, and in particular to a short-haul transportation aircraft system. Background Technology

[0002] my country has a vast area of ​​mountains and hills with complex and diverse terrain. Mountainous and hilly areas, represented by Chongqing, Guizhou, Yunnan and other mountainous provinces in the south, are generally characterized by large topographic relief, scattered plots, and significant elevation differences. Ground transportation channels are narrow, traffic conditions are poor, and transshipment efficiency is low. In particular, in economic crop production areas such as orchards, tea gardens, and medicinal herb planting bases, there are difficulties in the transportation of agricultural materials, fruit harvesting, and material transshipment.

[0003] Currently, short-distance transportation in mountainous orchards and similar settings still relies mainly on manual carrying, simple rail transport, and small agricultural vehicles. These methods have significant drawbacks in practical application: First, they have poor terrain adaptability. Complex terrains such as steep slopes, gullies, and terraced fields cannot accommodate tracks or vehicles, resulting in high labor intensity, high labor costs, and low transfer efficiency, making it difficult to meet the operational needs of large-scale planting. Second, traditional drones have limited endurance and payload capacity. Conventional battery-powered drones suffer from short flight times, limited payload capacity, and inability to operate continuously for extended periods, making it difficult to meet the continuous, heavy-load, and efficient material transfer needs of mountainous orchards.

[0004] The aforementioned problems severely restrict the efficient flow of materials in mountainous orchards and hilly planting areas. Existing transportation equipment is unable to simultaneously meet the comprehensive requirements of terrain adaptability, long-duration flight, heavy-load transportation, safety and stability, and precision operation. To address this, a short-range transport aircraft system is proposed to overcome the many shortcomings of existing technologies and adapt to the short-range transportation needs of complex mountainous and hilly areas. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In view of this, the present invention provides a short-range transport aircraft system to solve or alleviate one of the technical problems existing in the prior art, and at least provides a beneficial alternative.

[0006] The technical solution of this invention is implemented as follows: A short-range transport aircraft system includes a ground end and an aircraft end, which are electrically connected via cables. The ground end includes a power module, a cable retraction mechanism, and a control module. The power module is used to output power adapted to cable transmission and includes an external AC power interface or a generator. The cable retraction mechanism is used to automatically retract and extend the cable and maintain constant cable tension. The control module is used to send control commands to the aircraft end and receive operating status signals fed back from the aircraft end. The aircraft end includes a transformer, a power management unit, an emergency power supply, a hoisting mechanism, and a flight control unit. The system includes an obstacle avoidance unit, a positioning unit, a transformer for converting power transmitted via cable into voltages suitable for various electrical components on the aircraft, a power management unit for distributing the converted voltage to these components, an emergency power supply for providing emergency power to the aircraft in case of cable disconnection to ensure a safe forced landing, a hoisting mechanism for securing and dropping transported materials, a flight control unit for receiving control commands from the ground and controlling the aircraft's flight attitude and trajectory, an obstacle avoidance unit for detecting obstacles on the flight path and feeding them back to the flight control unit, and a positioning unit for acquiring the aircraft's real-time location information and feeding it back to the flight control unit and the ground control module.

[0007] A further preferred embodiment: the cable is an optoelectronic tethered cable, comprising a power conductor and an optical fiber, wherein the power conductor is used to transmit power, and the optical fiber is used to transmit control signals, status feedback signals, and positioning signals between the ground end and the aircraft end.

[0008] Further preferred: The power module at the ground end is a high-voltage DC power supply cabinet, used to convert 220V or 380V AC mains power into high-voltage DC power.

[0009] A further preferred embodiment: the cable winding and unwinding mechanism includes a servo winch and a conductive slip ring. The conductive slip ring is used to realize power transmission and signal transmission when the cable rotates 360° without winding. The servo winch is electrically connected to the control module and can automatically adjust the cable winding and unwinding speed according to the flight altitude and flight speed of the aircraft to ensure constant cable tension.

[0010] Further preferred: The transformer at the aircraft end is a step-down transformer, which can convert the high-voltage power transmitted by the cable into low-voltage DC power required by the various electrical components at the aircraft end. The power management unit is equipped with overcurrent, overload, and short-circuit protection circuits to protect the electrical components at the aircraft end.

[0011] Further preferred: The emergency power source is a lightweight lithium battery, the capacity of which meets the power requirements for the aircraft to safely make an emergency landing from its maximum operating altitude to the ground.

[0012] A further preferred embodiment: the hoisting mechanism includes a tension sensor and an electric release device. The tension sensor is used to detect the weight of the hoisted material in real time and feed it back to the flight control unit. The electric release device is electrically connected to the flight control unit and can automatically release the material to be transported according to ground control commands or preset programs.

[0013] Further preferred: the obstacle avoidance unit is a radar obstacle avoidance module or a visual obstacle avoidance module. The obstacle avoidance unit can realize omnidirectional obstacle detection and send a signal to the flight control unit when an obstacle is detected.

[0014] A further preferred embodiment: the positioning unit includes a GPS module for providing the aircraft's position positioning.

[0015] The embodiments of the present invention have the following advantages due to the adoption of the above technical solutions: I. This invention adopts an air transport method, which is not limited by complex terrain such as mountains, steep slopes, terraces, and ravines. It can realize cross-terrain and high-altitude short-distance material transport regardless of ground traffic conditions, thereby improving terrain adaptability and transport flexibility.

[0016] Second, this invention enables simultaneous power and signal transmission via cable, allowing the aircraft to be continuously powered from the ground, thus overcoming battery life limitations and enabling long-term, continuous, and stable short-distance transportation operations. This solves the problems of short flight time and inability to continuously transport heavy loads by traditional drones.

[0017] Third, this invention uses a ground-side continuous power supply via cable, eliminating the need for conventional power batteries on the aircraft side. Instead, it is equipped with a lightweight emergency power supply, reducing the aircraft's own weight and increasing its cargo carrying capacity. This makes it suitable for heavy-load short-distance transportation scenarios such as mountain orchards.

[0018] Fourth, the cable retraction mechanism of this invention, in conjunction with a servo winch and a conductive slip ring, can automatically retract and extend the cable according to the altitude and speed of the aircraft, maintaining constant tension and preventing the cable from becoming loose, tangled, or broken due to excessive tension. At the same time, it enables 360° unrestricted rotation operation, improving flight flexibility.

[0019] The above overview is for illustrative purposes only and is not intended to be limiting in any way. In addition to the illustrative aspects, embodiments, and features described above, further aspects, embodiments, and features of the invention will become readily apparent from the accompanying drawings and the following detailed description. Attached Figure Description

[0020] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application 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 only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0021] Figure 1 This is a system structure diagram of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the ground end and the aircraft end structure of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0022] In the following description, only certain exemplary embodiments are briefly described. As those skilled in the art will recognize, the described embodiments can be modified in various ways without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Therefore, the drawings and description are considered to be exemplary in nature and not restrictive.

[0023] The embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0024] like Figures 1-2As shown, this embodiment of the invention provides a short-range transport aircraft system, including a ground end and an aircraft end. The ground end and the aircraft end are electrically connected by a cable. The ground end includes a power module, a cable retraction mechanism, and a control module. The power module is used to output power adapted to cable transmission, that is, to convert mains power (if there is a power grid on site) or power generated by a generator into a form suitable for long-distance cable transmission. The generator can be flexibly configured according to the conditions of the work site. For example, a small gasoline or diesel generator set can be used to supply power to remote orchards or temporary work sites in mountainous areas without mains power, or a solar photovoltaic panel combined with an energy storage battery can be used to meet the requirements of silent operation, thereby eliminating dependence on a fixed power grid and expanding the applicable scenarios of the system. The cable retraction mechanism is used to realize the automatic retraction and extension of the cable and maintain constant cable tension, avoiding the cable from being too tight and pulling the aircraft or too loose and drooping. The control module is used to send control commands to the aircraft end and receive the operating status signals fed back by the aircraft end, which is equivalent to a ground command center. The aircraft end includes a transformer, a power management unit, an emergency power supply, a hoisting mechanism, a flight control unit, an obstacle avoidance unit, and a positioning unit. The transformer is used for... The power management unit converts the power transmitted via cable into voltages suitable for various electrical components on the aircraft. Since the high-voltage power transmitted via cable cannot be directly supplied to low-voltage equipment, the power management unit distributes the converted voltage to various electrical components on the aircraft. The emergency power supply provides emergency power to the aircraft in case of cable disconnection to ensure a safe forced landing and prevent the aircraft from crashing after the cable breaks. The hoisting mechanism is used to secure and drop the materials to be transported. The flight control unit receives control commands from the ground and controls the flight attitude and trajectory of the aircraft, serving as the autopilot brain of the aircraft. The obstacle avoidance unit detects obstacles on the flight path and feeds them back to the flight control unit. The positioning unit obtains the real-time position information of the aircraft and feeds it back to the flight control unit and the ground control module.

[0025] In this embodiment, specifically: the cable is an optoelectronic tethered cable, including a power conductor core and an optical fiber. The power conductor core is used to transmit power, and the optical fiber is used to transmit control signals, status feedback signals, and positioning signals between the ground end and the aircraft end. The optical fiber is resistant to electromagnetic interference, has high bandwidth, and is more reliable than pure copper cable communication.

[0026] In this embodiment, specifically: the power module at the ground end is a high-voltage DC power supply cabinet, which is used to convert the mains power of 220V or 380V into high-voltage DC power. Using high-voltage DC can reduce cable current, reduce heat generation and power loss.

[0027] In this embodiment, specifically: the cable winding and unwinding mechanism includes a servo winch and a conductive slip ring. The conductive slip ring is used to realize power transmission and signal transmission when the cable rotates 360° without winding, solving the problem of cable breakage when the aircraft rotates. The servo winch is electrically connected to the control module and can automatically adjust the cable winding and unwinding speed according to the flight altitude and flight speed of the aircraft to ensure constant cable tension, similar to an automatic fishing reel, keeping the cable at a moderate tension at all times.

[0028] In this embodiment, specifically: the transformer at the aircraft end is a step-down transformer, which can convert the high-voltage power transmitted by the cable into the low-voltage DC power required by the various electrical components at the aircraft end. The power management unit is equipped with overcurrent, overload, and short-circuit protection circuits to protect the electrical components at the aircraft end and prevent the entire aircraft from burning out when a component fails.

[0029] In this embodiment, specifically: the emergency power supply is a lightweight lithium battery, the capacity of which meets the power requirements of the aircraft for a safe forced landing from the maximum operating altitude to the ground, maintaining power supply only for flight control and key control surfaces, ensuring a smooth landing rather than continuing operations.

[0030] In this embodiment, specifically: the hoisting mechanism includes a tension sensor and an electric release device. The tension sensor is used to detect the weight of the hoisted materials in real time and feed it back to the flight control unit. It can monitor whether the goods are accidentally dropped or overloaded. The electric release device is electrically connected to the flight control unit and can automatically release the materials to be transported according to the control instructions from the ground or the preset program, realizing unmanned and precise cargo throwing, which is suitable for logistics or rescue scenarios.

[0031] In this embodiment, specifically: the obstacle avoidance unit is a radar obstacle avoidance module or a visual obstacle avoidance module. The obstacle avoidance unit can realize omnidirectional obstacle detection. When an obstacle is detected, it sends a signal to the flight control unit. The radar module has a long range and is not affected by light, while the visual module can identify the object category. Omnidirectional detection avoids side and rear collisions.

[0032] In this embodiment, specifically: the positioning unit includes a GPS module, which is used to provide the aircraft's position positioning, provide latitude, longitude and altitude information, and is used for route planning and automatic drop point triggering.

[0033] In operation, this invention works as follows: First, the ground unit is positioned at the take-off and landing point (such as an orchard or warehouse), connected to mains power. The power module converts 220V or 380V AC power into high-voltage DC power, which is then transmitted to the aircraft via cables. The control module powers on and performs a self-test, establishing communication with the flight control unit on the aircraft to confirm that all units are functioning normally and that the emergency power supply is fully charged and ready for use. The operator sets the transportation task (including flight path, drop point coordinates, cargo weight threshold, etc.) through the control module and secures the goods to be transported to the hoisting mechanism. The tension sensor reads the cargo weight in real time and sends feedback to the flight control unit. After confirming that there is no overload, the system enters standby mode.

[0034] After the takeoff command is issued, the flight control unit automatically controls the aircraft to take off vertically. At the same time, the cable reeling mechanism actively releases the cable by a servo winch according to the flight altitude and speed, and ensures that the cable can rotate with the aircraft at any angle without breaking through the conductive slip ring. During the flight, the control module continuously receives the position information returned by the positioning unit and the obstacle detection signal from the obstacle avoidance unit. If obstacles such as tree branches, power lines, or buildings appear ahead, the obstacle avoidance unit immediately sends an avoidance command to the flight control unit and automatically adjusts the flight path to detour or hover and wait.

[0035] When the aircraft reaches the designated drop point, the flight control unit triggers the electric release mechanism based on the positioning information, automatically releasing the supplies. The tension sensor detects that the weight has returned to zero, confirming a successful drop, and sends a completion signal back to the ground control module. After the mission is completed, the flight control unit controls the aircraft to return to base. The cable retraction mechanism simultaneously retrieves the cable and maintains constant tension to prevent the cable from dragging or tangling. If the cable breaks unexpectedly during the operation, the emergency power supply immediately takes over, ensuring the normal operation of the flight control unit and critical control surfaces. The aircraft automatically executes the emergency landing procedure, landing safely on the ground to avoid a crash.

[0036] Throughout the transportation process, the ground station continuously provides power and commands to the aircraft via cables. The aircraft does not need to carry a large-capacity power battery, but relies solely on a lightweight emergency power supply as a safety redundancy, thereby enabling long-duration, high-load, and highly flexible short-distance air transport.

[0037] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of the present invention, but the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited thereto. Any person skilled in the art can easily conceive of various variations or substitutions within the technical scope disclosed in the present invention, and these should all be included within the scope of protection of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A short-range transport aircraft system, comprising a ground end and an aircraft end, characterized in that: The ground end and the aircraft end are electrically connected via a cable. The ground end includes a power module, a cable retraction mechanism, and a control module. The power module outputs power adapted to the cable transmission and includes an external AC power interface or a generator. The cable retraction mechanism automatically retracts and extends the cable while maintaining constant cable tension. The control module sends control commands to the aircraft end and receives operational status signals from the aircraft end. The aircraft end includes a transformer, a power management unit, an emergency power supply, a hoisting mechanism, a flight control unit, an obstacle avoidance unit, and a positioning unit. The transformer is used to connect the cable... The transmitted power is converted into voltages suitable for the various electrical components on the aircraft. The power management unit is used to distribute the converted voltages to the various electrical components on the aircraft. The emergency power supply is used to provide emergency power to the aircraft in case of cable disconnection to ensure a safe forced landing. The hoisting mechanism is used to fix and drop the materials to be transported. The flight control unit is used to receive control commands from the ground and control the flight attitude and flight trajectory of the aircraft. The obstacle avoidance unit is used to detect obstacles on the flight path and feed them back to the flight control unit. The positioning unit is used to obtain the real-time position information of the aircraft and feed it back to the flight control unit and the ground control module.

2. The short-range transport aircraft system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The cable is an optoelectronic tethered cable, comprising a power conductor and an optical fiber. The power conductor is used to transmit power, and the optical fiber is used to transmit control signals, status feedback signals, and positioning signals between the ground end and the aircraft end.

3. The short-range transport aircraft system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The power module at the ground end is a high-voltage DC power supply cabinet, used to convert 220V or 380V AC mains power into high-voltage DC power.

4. The short-range transport aircraft system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The cable winding and unwinding mechanism includes a servo winch and a conductive slip ring. The conductive slip ring is used to enable power and signal transmission when the cable rotates 360° without winding. The servo winch is electrically connected to the control module and can automatically adjust the cable winding and unwinding speed according to the flight altitude and flight speed of the aircraft to ensure constant cable tension.

5. A short-range transport aircraft system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The transformer at the aircraft end is a step-down transformer, which can convert the high-voltage power transmitted by the cable into low-voltage DC power required by the various electrical components at the aircraft end. The power management unit is equipped with overcurrent, overload, and short-circuit protection circuits to protect the electrical components at the aircraft end.

6. A short-range transport aircraft system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The emergency power source is a lightweight lithium battery, whose capacity meets the power requirements for the aircraft to safely make an emergency landing from its maximum operating altitude to the ground.

7. A short-range transport aircraft system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The hoisting mechanism includes a tension sensor and an electric release device. The tension sensor is used to detect the weight of the hoisted material in real time and feed it back to the flight control unit. The electric release device is electrically connected to the flight control unit and can automatically release the material to be transported according to ground control commands or preset programs.

8. A short-range transport aircraft system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The obstacle avoidance unit is a radar obstacle avoidance module or a visual obstacle avoidance module. The obstacle avoidance unit can realize omnidirectional obstacle detection and send a signal to the flight control unit when an obstacle is detected.

9. A short-range transport aircraft system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The positioning unit includes a GPS module for providing the aircraft's location.

10. A short-range transport aircraft system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The power generation device is one or more combinations of an internal combustion engine generator set, a gas turbine generator set, a solar photovoltaic power generation module, a wind turbine generator set, or a fuel cell power generation module.

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