Unmanned aerial vehicle suspension type double-layer hollow columnar rescue airbag system and rescue method thereof

Abstract

The application discloses an unmanned aerial vehicle suspension type double-layer hollow columnar rescue air bag system and a rescue method thereof and belongs to the technical field of unmanned aerial vehicle rescue equipment. The system comprises an unmanned aerial vehicle platform, a double-layer hollow columnar air bag and a four-point hanging device. The double-layer hollow columnar air bag is composed of an outer air bag and an inner air bag which are concentrically nested, an annular air chamber is formed between the outer air bag and the inner air bag, the inner air bag surrounds a through inner cavity, and a personnel entrance is arranged on the side face. The inflation pressure of the outer air bag is lower than that of the inner air bag, thereby forming a positive pressure difference. The four-point hanging device comprises four lifting ropes, and four symmetrical hanging points are connected between the bottom horizontal rod frame of the unmanned aerial vehicle and the end faces of the air bag. The rescue method comprises the steps of ground inflation, loading flight, hovering and boarding and manned return. The application provides air-tight redundancy and anti-puncture double protection through the double-layer air bag, guarantees flight stability through the four-point hanging, and reduces the boarding difficulty through the low-position entrance design.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of drone rescue equipment technology, specifically to a drone-mounted double-layered hollow columnar rescue airbag system and its rescue method, mainly used for aerial rescue and safe transfer of people in water areas. Background Technology

[0002] Water-related disasters (including floods, waterlogging, people falling into the water, and being trapped) are common public safety emergencies. In recent years, the rapid development of drone technology has provided a new technological approach for water rescue, offering advantages such as fast response time, high mobility, and the ability to eliminate the need for rescue personnel to enter the water directly.

[0003] However, existing drone-based water rescue equipment still faces several technical shortcomings: First, there is insufficient protection against secondary injuries to personnel. Most solutions use drones to carry lifebuoys or inflatable floats, leaving trapped personnel outside the airbags and exposed to the water and wind. During hoisting and landing, there is a lack of effective physical isolation and cushioning protection.

[0004] Second, the structure lacks redundancy. The airbag structure is mostly a single-layer design, which will completely fail once punctured by a sharp object in the water (broken glass, metal fragments, etc.), resulting in low system reliability.

[0005] Third, flight stability is difficult to guarantee. The large volume of the inflated airbag is significantly affected by wind, and single or double-point suspension can easily cause load swaying or even lead to loss of control of the drone.

[0006] Fourth, boarding the airbag is difficult for trapped personnel. Existing plans often require trapped personnel to climb from the water to the outside or top of the airbag, which is extremely physically demanding and difficult to complete in a hypothermic state. Summary of the Invention

[0007] (a) Purpose of the invention This invention addresses the shortcomings of existing technologies by providing a UAV-suspended double-layered hollow columnar rescue airbag system and its rescue method, aiming to solve problems related to personnel protection, structural redundancy, flight stability, and ease of boarding in existing UAV rescue equipment.

[0008] (II) Technical Solution To achieve the above objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution: A drone-mounted double-layered hollow columnar rescue airbag system includes a drone platform, a double-layered hollow columnar airbag, and a four-point suspension device.

[0009] The unmanned aerial vehicle platform is equipped with a rigid cross-shaped crossbar frame at its bottom.

[0010] The double-layered hollow cylindrical airbag consists of an outer airbag and an inner airbag concentrically stacked, forming a closed annular air chamber between them. The inner airbag encloses a through-cavity that allows personnel to enter, with a personnel entrance located on the side of the through-cavity. The outer airbag is made of a puncture-resistant transparent composite material, including a wear-resistant outer layer, a Kevlar fiber puncture-resistant intermediate layer, and a TPU airtight inner layer. The inflation pressure of the outer airbag is lower than that of the inner airbag, creating a positive pressure differential.

[0011] The four-point suspension device includes four suspension cables. One end of each cable is connected to one of the four ends of a rigid cross-shaped crossbar frame, and the other end is connected to one of the four hanging points on the end faces of the double-layer hollow columnar airbag. The four hanging points are symmetrically distributed about the long axis of the double-layer hollow columnar airbag.

[0012] Furthermore, the outer airbag has an inflation pressure of 18 kPa (gauge pressure), the inner airbag has an inflation pressure of 25 kPa (gauge pressure), and the pressure difference between the inner and outer layers is 7 kPa.

[0013] Furthermore, the outer air bladder has a column length of 2.6–3.0 m and an outer diameter of 1.2–1.4 m; the inner air bladder has a column length of 2.4–2.8 m and an outer diameter of 1.0–1.2 m; and the annular air chamber has a wall thickness of 80–120 mm.

[0014] Furthermore, the outer airbag skin has several longitudinally elongated ventilation slots with an opening ratio of 15% to 25%.

[0015] Furthermore, the personnel entrance is located at the lower center of the side of the double-layered hollow columnar airbag, with the lower edge of the entrance 0.2~0.4 m from the bottom of the airbag, so that the height of the personnel entrance from the water surface or the ground is 0.5~1.0 m.

[0016] Furthermore, a five-point safety harness is installed throughout the inner cavity, fixed to the central attachment point on the inner wall of the inner airbag, including shoulder straps and leg straps.

[0017] Furthermore, the inner wall of the inner airbag is equipped with an intelligent rescue terminal, including a wide-angle camera (1080P / infrared night vision), a two-way intercom system (≥2W), a wireless data transmission module (≥5 km), a Beidou / GPS dual-mode positioning module, an environmental sensor, and an independent power supply module (IP67 waterproof).

[0018] Furthermore, the outer and inner airbags are each equipped with independent pressure sensors.

[0019] Furthermore, the drone platform has a maximum payload of no less than 120 kg, a full-load flight time of no less than 20 minutes, and RTK high-precision positioning capabilities; it is equipped with an electric unhooking device at the bottom.

[0020] The present invention also provides a rescue method using the above system, comprising the following steps: Ground inflation steps: Deploy the double-layer hollow cylindrical airbag, first inflate the inner airbag to the first pressure, then inflate the outer airbag to the second pressure. The first pressure is higher than the second pressure. After the static pressure test is passed, activate the intelligent rescue terminal. Flight procedure: Connect the four slings of the four-point suspension device to the four ends of the rigid cross-shaped crossbar frame and the four attachment points on both ends of the double-layer hollow columnar airbag. The UAV platform will then lift the double-layer hollow columnar airbag to the airspace above the target water area. Hovering boarding procedure: Descend the double-layered hollow cylindrical airbag to a height of 0.5~1.0 m above the water or ground at the personnel entrance, and guide the trapped personnel to enter the through cavity through the personnel entrance and fasten the five-point safety belt through the intelligent rescue terminal; Manned return procedure: After confirming that the trapped personnel are securely in place, the drone platform will hoist the double-layered hollow cylindrical airbag carrying the trapped personnel to a safe area.

[0021] Furthermore, during the ground inflation step, the first pressure is 25 kPa (gauge pressure), the second pressure is 18 kPa (gauge pressure), and the difference is 7 kPa.

[0022] Furthermore, the pass standard for the pressure holding test is: after standing for 3 minutes, the pressure decay rate of both the inner and outer airbags does not exceed 3%.

[0023] Furthermore, during the hovering boarding procedure, the intelligent rescue terminal monitors the status of the trapped personnel through a wide-angle camera and broadcasts guidance instructions through a two-way intercom system.

[0024] Furthermore, the manned return process also includes a recovery and reorganization step: after reaching a safe area, assist the trapped personnel to leave the through cavity, first open the deflation valve of the outer airbag to release the air, and then open the deflation valve of the inner airbag to release the air.

[0025] (III) Beneficial Effects Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following advantages: 1. Dual-layer redundant protection. The outer and inner airbags each form an independent sealed air chamber. If either layer is punctured, the other layer can still maintain airtightness and buoyancy. The outer airbag uses a Kevlar puncture-resistant layer, which can effectively resist the penetration of sharp objects in water. The inner layer is designed with a positive pressure difference of 7 kPa higher than the outer layer, which makes the leakage direction controllable and forms a positive pressure airflow barrier at the rupture point to prevent water or sharp objects from entering.

[0026] 2. Excellent flight stability. The four-point suspension effectively suppresses load sway and torsion around the long axis at the physical level. The four slings distribute the total load evenly, and even if one sling breaks, the remaining three can still maintain the suspension for a short period. The ventilation slot design reduces crosswind load by approximately 70%.

[0027] 3. Comprehensive personnel protection. Once trapped inside the cavity, personnel are encased in airbags, receiving physical isolation and cushioning protection throughout the hoisting, fall, and water entry processes.

[0028] 4. High ease of boarding. The ultra-low entrance design of 0.5~1.0 m allows trapped personnel to simply lift their legs and climb in, greatly reducing physical requirements.

[0029] 5. Intelligent monitoring and communication. Integrates cameras, intercoms, positioning devices, sensors, and other equipment to achieve remote real-time monitoring and two-way voice guidance.

[0030] 6. Complete Method. This invention also protects the complete rescue method process from ground inflation to manned return, forming a dual protection of "device + method". Attached Figure Description

[0031] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the system of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the axial cross-sectional structure of the double-layer hollow columnar airbag of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the radial cross-sectional structure of the double-layer hollow columnar airbag of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the four-point suspension system of the present invention; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the ventilation slot of the present invention; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the personnel entrance of the present invention; Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram showing the installation location of the intelligent rescue terminal of the present invention; Figure 8 This is a flowchart of the rescue method of the present invention.

[0032] In the diagram: 1. Unmanned aerial vehicle platform; 2. Rigid cross-shaped crossbar frame; 3. High-strength sling; 4. Outer airbag; 5. Inner airbag; 6. Annular air chamber; 7. Through-cavity cavity; 8. Hook point; 9. Personnel entrance; 10. Long longitudinal ventilation slot; 11. Five-point safety harness; 12. Intelligent rescue terminal. Detailed Implementation

[0033] The specific embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0034] Example 1 like Figure 1 As shown, the present invention provides a drone-mounted double-layered hollow columnar rescue airbag system, including a drone platform 1, a double-layered hollow columnar airbag, and a four-point suspension device.

[0035] The drone platform 1 uses a professional-grade high-payload drone with a maximum effective payload of no less than 120 kg and a full-load flight time of no less than 20 minutes. It features RTK high-precision positioning and wind resistance up to level 5. A rigid cross-shaped crossbar frame 2 is installed at the bottom of the drone platform 1. An electric release device 13 is also installed at the bottom of the drone platform 1.

[0036] like Figures 1 to 3 As shown, the double-layered hollow cylindrical airbag consists of an outer airbag 4 and an inner airbag 5 concentrically stacked. The outer airbag 4 has a cylindrical length of 2.8 m and an outer diameter of 1.3 m, and is made of a puncture-resistant transparent composite material (PU abrasion-resistant layer + Kevlar puncture-resistant layer + TPU airtight layer). The inner airbag 5 has a cylindrical length of 2.6 m and an outer diameter of 1.1 m, and is made of a highly airtight TPU composite fabric. A closed annular air chamber 6 is formed between the outer airbag 4 and the inner airbag 5, with a wall thickness of approximately 100 mm. The inner airbag 5 encloses a through-cavity 7 with a diameter of approximately 0.9 m.

[0037] The outer airbag 4 is inflated to 18 kPa (gauge pressure), and the inner airbag 5 is inflated to 25 kPa (gauge pressure), creating a positive pressure difference of 7 kPa between the inner and outer layers. The outer airbag 4 and the inner airbag 5 are each equipped with an independent pressure sensor.

[0038] like Figure 4 As shown, the four-point suspension device includes four high-strength slings 3 of equal length, which connect the four ends of the rigid cross-shaped crossbar frame 2 to the four hanging points 8 on the two end faces of the airbag (one on the front face and one on the bottom, and one on the rear face and one on the bottom).

[0039] like Figure 5 As shown, the outer airbag 4 has a longitudinally elongated ventilation slot 10 with an opening ratio of 20%.

[0040] like Figure 6 As shown, personnel entrance 9 is located in the lower center of the side of the airbag, with its lower edge 0.3 m from the bottom of the airbag, and adopts a double-layer sealed zipper design.

[0041] A five-point safety harness 11, including shoulder straps and leg straps, is installed in the through-cavity 7.

[0042] like Figure 7As shown, the inner wall of the inner airbag 5 is equipped with an intelligent rescue terminal 12, which includes a 1080P wide-angle camera (infrared night vision), a 2W two-way intercom system, a 5 km wireless data transmission module, a Beidou / GPS dual-mode positioning module, an environmental sensor, and a 5000 mAh independent power supply (IP67 waterproof).

[0043] Example 2 The difference between this embodiment and Embodiment 1 is that the outer airbag 4 has an inflation pressure of 20 kPa, the inner airbag 5 has an inflation pressure of 28 kPa, and the pressure difference is 8 kPa. The outer airbag 4 has a column length of 3.0 m and an outer diameter of 1.4 m; the inner airbag 5 has a column length of 2.8 m and an outer diameter of 1.2 m; and the annular air chamber 6 has a wall thickness of 120 mm.

[0044] Example 3 The difference between this embodiment and Embodiment 1 is that the outer airbag 4 has an inflation pressure of 15 kPa, the inner airbag 5 has an inflation pressure of 22 kPa, and the pressure difference is 7 kPa. The outer airbag 4 has a column length of 2.6 m and an outer diameter of 1.2 m; the inner airbag 5 has a column length of 2.4 m and an outer diameter of 1.0 m; and the annular air chamber 6 has a wall thickness of 80 mm.

[0045] Rescue Method Examples like Figure 8 As shown, the present invention also provides a rescue method using the above system, comprising the following steps: S1 Ground Inflation Procedure: Remove the folded double-layered hollow cylindrical airbag and fully unfold it on the dedicated deployment frame. First, inflate the inner airbag 5 to 25 kPa, then inflate the outer airbag 4 to 18 kPa. Let it stand for 3 minutes to confirm that the pressure decay rate of both the inner and outer layers is ≤3% / 3min. Activate the intelligent rescue terminal 12 to establish a communication link with the ground control station.

[0046] S2 mounting flight procedure: Connect one end of the four slings 3 to the four ends of the rigid cross-shaped crossbar frame 2, and the other end to the four attachment points 8 on both ends of the airbag. After the UAV platform 1 climbs vertically to a height of 10 m, it enters horizontal flight and flies to the target water area at a height of 15~20 m and a speed of ≤10 m / s.

[0047] S3 Hovering and Boarding Procedure: After reaching the target water area, the UAV platform 1 slowly descends to a height of 0.5~1.0 m above the water / ground surface at the bottom of the airbag. The location of the trapped personnel is confirmed through a wide-angle camera, and the trapped personnel are guided to enter the through-cavity 7 through the personnel entrance 9 via a two-way intercom system. They are then fastened with five-point safety harnesses 11 and confirmed to the ground "ready" via the two-way intercom system.

[0048] S4 Manned Return Procedure: After confirming safety, the drone platform 1 vertically ascends to a height of 5-10 meters at a speed of ≤2 m / s and flies to the safe area. During the flight, the status of the personnel in the through-cavity 7 is monitored in real time via a wide-angle camera.

[0049] S5 Recovery and Organization Procedure: After reaching the safe area, descend slowly and assist the trapped personnel in unfastening the five-point harness 11 and exiting the airbag. First, open the outer airbag 4 deflate, then open the inner airbag 5 deflate. Inspect the airbags for damage, clean them, and then fold and store them properly.

Claims

1. A UAV-mounted suspended double-layered hollow columnar rescue airbag system and its rescue method, characterized in that, include: The drone platform has a rigid cross-shaped crossbar frame installed at its bottom; The double-layered hollow cylindrical airbag is composed of an outer airbag and an inner airbag concentrically stacked. The outer airbag and the inner airbag form a closed annular air chamber. The inner airbag encloses a through-cavity that allows personnel to enter. The side of the through-cavity is provided with a personnel entrance. The four-point suspension device includes four suspension cables. One end of each cable is connected to one of the four ends of the rigid cross-shaped crossbar frame, and the other end is connected to one of the four hanging points on the end faces of the double-layer hollow columnar airbag. The four hanging points are symmetrically distributed about the long axis of the double-layer hollow columnar airbag. The inflation pressure of the outer airbag is lower than that of the inner airbag, creating a positive pressure difference.

2. The UAV-suspended double-layer hollow columnar rescue airbag system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The outer airbag is made of a puncture-resistant transparent composite material, which includes a wear-resistant outer layer, a Kevlar fiber puncture-resistant middle layer, and a TPU airtight inner layer.

3. The UAV-suspended double-layer hollow columnar rescue airbag system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The outer airbag has an inflation pressure of 18 kPa (gauge pressure), the inner airbag has an inflation pressure of 25 kPa (gauge pressure), and the pressure difference between the inner and outer layers is 7 kPa.

4. The UAV-suspended double-layer hollow columnar rescue airbag system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The outer airbag has a column length of 2.6~3.0 m and an outer diameter of 1.2~1.4 m; the inner airbag has a column length of 2.4~2.8 m and an outer diameter of 1.0~1.2 m; and the annular air chamber has a wall thickness of 80~120 mm.

5. The UAV-mounted double-layered hollow columnar rescue airbag system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The outer airbag has several longitudinally elongated ventilation slots on its skin, with an opening ratio of 15% to 25%.

6. The UAV-suspended double-layer hollow columnar rescue airbag system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The personnel entrance is located below the center of the side of the double-layered hollow columnar airbag, and the lower edge of the personnel entrance is 0.2~0.4 m from the bottom of the double-layered hollow columnar airbag.

7. The UAV-suspended double-layer hollow columnar rescue airbag system according to claim 1, characterized in that, A five-point safety harness is installed in the through-cavity, and the five-point safety harness is fixed to the center attachment point of the inner wall of the inner airbag, including shoulder straps and leg straps.

8. The UAV-suspended double-layer hollow columnar rescue airbag system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The inner wall of the inner airbag is equipped with an intelligent rescue terminal, which includes: a wide-angle camera with a resolution of not less than 1080P and infrared night vision function, a two-way intercom system with a power of not less than 2W, a wireless data transmission module with a transmission distance of not less than 5 km, a Beidou / GPS dual-mode positioning module, an environmental sensor, and an independent power supply module. The intelligent rescue terminal has a waterproof and dustproof rating of not less than IP67.

9. The UAV-suspended double-layer hollow columnar rescue airbag system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The outer and inner airbags are each equipped with independent pressure sensors to monitor the pressure difference between the inner and outer layers in real time.

10. The UAV-suspended double-layer hollow columnar rescue airbag system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The maximum effective payload of the drone platform is no less than 120 kg, the full-load flight time is no less than 20 minutes, and it has RTK high-precision positioning function; the bottom of the drone platform is equipped with an electric release device, which is connected to the rigid cross-shaped crossbar frame for emergency release of the double-layer hollow columnar airbag.

11. A rescue method employing the UAV-suspended double-layered hollow columnar rescue airbag system according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: Ground inflation steps: Deploy the double-layer hollow cylindrical airbag, first inflate the inner airbag to the first pressure, then inflate the outer airbag to the second pressure, where the first pressure is higher than the second pressure. After passing the static pressure holding test, activate the intelligent rescue terminal. Flight mounting procedure: Connect the four slings of the four-point suspension device to the four ends of the rigid cross-shaped crossbar frame and the four attachment points on both ends of the double-layer hollow columnar airbag respectively. The UAV platform will then lift the double-layer hollow columnar airbag to the airspace above the target water area. Hovering boarding procedure: Descend the double-layered hollow cylindrical airbag to a height of 0.5~1.0 m above the water surface or ground at the personnel entrance, and guide the trapped personnel to enter the through-cavity through the personnel entrance and fasten the five-point safety belt through the intelligent rescue terminal; Manned return procedure: After confirming that the trapped personnel are securely in place, the drone platform will hoist the double-layered hollow cylindrical airbag carrying the trapped personnel to a safe area.

12. The rescue method according to claim 11, characterized in that, In the ground inflation step, the first pressure is 25 kPa (gauge pressure), the second pressure is 18 kPa (gauge pressure), and the difference between the first pressure and the second pressure is 7 kPa.

13. The rescue method according to claim 11, characterized in that, In the ground inflation step, the pass standard for the pressure holding test is: after standing for 3 minutes, the pressure decay rate of both the inner airbag and the outer airbag does not exceed 3%.

14. The rescue method according to claim 11, characterized in that, During the hovering boarding procedure, the intelligent rescue terminal monitors the status of the trapped personnel through a wide-angle camera and broadcasts guidance instructions through a two-way intercom system.

15. The rescue method according to claim 11, characterized in that, The manned return process also includes a recovery and reorganization step: after reaching a safe area, assist the trapped personnel to leave the through cavity, first open the deflation valve of the outer airbag to release the air, and then open the deflation valve of the inner airbag to release the air.

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