Water quality detection device of unmanned aerial vehicle

By integrating multi-parameter water quality sensors and 4G/5G real-time transmission technology, the drone water quality detection device solves the problems of low efficiency and small coverage of traditional water quality detection, and achieves efficient and accurate water quality detection and water sample collection, adapting to complex aquatic environments.

CN224317610UActive Publication Date: 2026-06-02CHINA JILIANG UNIV

Patent Information

Authority / Receiving Office
CN · China
Patent Type
Utility models(China)
Current Assignee / Owner
CHINA JILIANG UNIV
Filing Date
2025-04-28
Publication Date
2026-06-02

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

Traditional water quality testing methods are inefficient, have limited coverage, poor real-time performance, and high costs, making it difficult to achieve comprehensive monitoring.

Method used

Integrating multi-parameter water quality sensors, intelligent water sampling modules, and 4G/5G real-time transmission technology, it achieves efficient and accurate water quality detection and water sample collection via drones. Combined with a retractable conduit, counterweight mechanism, and multi-stage filter design, it ensures the representativeness of water samples and the stability of the device.

Benefits of technology

It enables efficient, accurate, and real-time data transmission for UAV water quality monitoring, reducing monitoring costs, expanding coverage, adapting to complex aquatic environments, and improving the representativeness of water samples.

✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.

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Abstract

This utility model discloses a water quality testing device for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), including a UAV body, a storage module, a sensor module, a data acquisition module, a wireless transmission module, a waterproof box, a ground receiving station, and a water sampling module. The bottom of the UAV body is equipped with a water sampling module mounting bracket, and the top is equipped with a GPS positioning module and a 4G / 5G communication antenna. In this utility model, multiple high-precision water quality sensors mounted on the UAV are used to detect water quality parameters in real time, achieving real-time acquisition and synchronous analysis of water quality parameters. A retractable conduit combined with pressure sensor feedback is used, and a servo motor dynamically adjusts the water sampling depth. A counterweight mechanism and a two-stage filtration system are also included, significantly improving the sampling accuracy and impurity filtration efficiency in complex water areas. Simultaneously, a miniature DC water pump and a compartmentalized sealed storage container are mounted on the UAV platform, balancing functional integration with environmental protection and energy saving. This device significantly improves monitoring efficiency through integrated "water sampling-detection-transmission" technology.
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Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of water quality testing technology, specifically to a water quality testing device for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and particularly to a water quality testing device for UAVs that integrates real-time detection, water sample collection, and data transmission functions. Background Technology

[0002] Traditional water quality testing methods primarily rely on manual sampling and laboratory analysis. Water samples are collected using samplers and sent to a laboratory for analysis using specialized instruments to measure parameters such as pH, dissolved oxygen, conductivity, and temperature. This approach is inefficient, has limited coverage, poor real-time performance, and is costly, requiring significant manpower and equipment support, making comprehensive monitoring difficult.

[0003] Currently, with the rapid development of drone technology, its application in the field of water quality testing technology is gradually becoming more widespread. Drones can quickly reach the target area, adapt to complex terrain and water environment, and can patrol large areas of water to achieve multi-point monitoring. Through wireless communication technology, drones can transmit the detection data to the ground station in real time. Compared with traditional methods, drone monitoring can significantly reduce manpower and time costs. Utility Model Content

[0004] This utility model aims to provide a water quality testing device for drones. By integrating multi-parameter water quality sensors, intelligent water sampling modules, and 4G / 5G real-time transmission technology, it can achieve efficient and accurate water quality testing and water sample collection, while reducing monitoring costs and expanding coverage, thus solving the problems of low efficiency and small coverage of traditional water quality testing methods.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, this utility model provides the following technical solution: a water quality detection device for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), comprising a UAV body, a storage module, a sensor module, a data acquisition module, a wireless transmission module, a waterproof box, a ground receiving station, and a water sampling module; the UAV body is provided with a power module and a UAV fuselage, the bottom of the UAV fuselage is provided with a water sampling module mounting bracket, and the top of the UAV fuselage is provided with a GPS positioning module and a 4G / 5G communication antenna;

[0006] The sensor module includes a pH sensor, a dissolved oxygen sensor, a conductivity sensor, and a temperature sensor;

[0007] The water sampling module includes a telescopic conduit, a micro DC water pump, a compartmentalized sealed water sample storage container, a filter device, a servo motor, a reel, a corrugated metal hose, a support plate, and a counterweight mechanism. The telescopic conduit (4) is equipped with a primary stainless steel filter screen (30) at its end and is fixed to a first metal pipe (36) via a snap-fit ​​connection mechanism (32). The counterweight mechanism (33) is installed on the first metal pipe (36) and is used to adjust the vertical stability of the water sampling depth.

[0008] The main body of the drone is equipped with a water pump, a flight controller and a power module inside, and a rotor arm on the outside. The rotor arm is equipped with a brushless motor and a propeller.

[0009] Preferably, the filtration device includes a primary stainless steel filter screen and a secondary activated carbon filter element. The pore size of the primary stainless steel filter screen is ≤0.5mm, and the secondary activated carbon filter element is detachable and installable via a threaded interface.

[0010] Preferably, the primary stainless steel filter screen is made of nickel-plated stainless steel with an anti-corrosion coating on its surface. The primary stainless steel filter screen is connected to the conduit via a snap-fit ​​connection mechanism and is fixed to the end of the conduit via the snap-fit ​​connection mechanism.

[0011] Preferably, the water sample storage container is a compartmentalized sealed container made of food-grade polypropylene with a capacity of 500mL-1L and an automatic sealing cap on top.

[0012] Preferably, the retractable conduit has a first metal pipe fixedly sleeved on it, and a pressure sensor is installed on the first metal pipe to monitor the water sampling depth in real time. The snap-fit ​​connection mechanism includes a positioning sleeve, a locking block, and an L-shaped elastic locking plate to achieve rapid connection and sealing between the primary stainless steel filter screen and the conduit. Preferably, the counterweight mechanism includes semi-clamps symmetrically clamped onto the first metal pipe, and the semi-clamps are used to fix the counterweight blocks by miniature fixing screws and miniature screw sleeves.

[0013] Preferably, the metal corrugated hose includes a soft inner tube and an outer metal corrugated tube. One end of the soft inner tube is connected to a micro DC water pump through a pipe connection mechanism, and the other end is wound on an unwinding reel. The extension and retraction length is adjusted by a servo motor.

[0014] Preferably, the pipe connection mechanism includes a second metal pipe, a limiting ring, and a movable sleeve, which achieves a leak-proof connection with the water pump inlet pipe through threaded engagement and a sealing ring.

[0015] Preferably, the water quality testing device is characterized in that: water guide grooves are provided on both sides of the bottom of the UAV body to prevent water splashing during water collection; the waterproof box has a built-in data acquisition module and a wireless transmission module.

[0016] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of this utility model are:

[0017] 1. This device integrates pH, dissolved oxygen, conductivity and temperature sensors through the integrated technology of "water sampling-detection-transmission" to realize real-time detection of multi-parameter water quality data. Based on 4G / 5G communication technology, it transmits data back to the ground station in seconds without human intervention, which solves the high cost problem of traditional manual sampling and laboratory analysis. It has significant advantages in terms of energy saving, environmental protection and cost-effectiveness.

[0018] 2. The retractable conduit and counterweight mechanism, combined with pressure sensor feedback, precisely adjust the water sampling depth to achieve intelligent depth adaptive water sampling. Two-stage filtration (≤0.5mm stainless steel filter screen + activated carbon filter element) simultaneously removes impurities and organic matter, improving the representativeness of water samples. The waterproof tank, metal corrugated hose and corrosion-resistant filter screen design ensure stable operation of the device in deep water, turbulent water and polluted water areas. Attached Figure Description

[0019] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall modular composition of a water quality testing device for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).

[0020] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of a water quality testing device for an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV);

[0021] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a water quality testing device for a drone from another perspective.

[0022] Figure 4 A partial structural diagram of a water quality testing device for an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV);

[0023] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the snap-fit ​​connection mechanism, counterweight mechanism, and other structures in this utility model;

[0024] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the pipe connection mechanism and other structures in this utility model;

[0025] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the metal corrugated hose structure in this utility model.

[0026] In the diagram: 1. UAV body; 2. Power module; 3. Water sampling module; 4. Conduit; 5. Servo motor; 6. Water sample storage container; 7. Water pump; 8. Filter device; 9. Reel; 10. Storage module; 11. Ground receiving station; 12. Display unit; 13. Data processing unit; 14. Waterproof box; 15. Wireless transmission module; 16. Data acquisition module; 17. Sensor module; 18. Conductivity sensor; 19. Dissolved oxygen sensor; 20. pH sensor; 21. Temperature sensor; 22. UAV fuselage; 23. Communication antenna; 24. Rotor arm; 25. Propeller; 26. Brushless motor; 27. Flight controller; 28. Water sampling module mounting bracket; 29. ​​Secondary activated carbon filter element; 30. Primary stainless steel filter screen; 31. Corrugated metal hose; 311. Soft inner tube; 312. Outer corrugated metal tube; 32. Snap-fit ​​connection mechanism; 321. Positioning sleeve; 322. Miniature positioning rod; 323. L-shaped elastic clamp; 324. Clamping block; 325. No. 1 sealing ring; 33. Counterweight mechanism; 331. Semi-clamp; 332. Counterweight block; 333. Miniature fixing screw; 334. Miniature threaded sleeve; 34. Pressure sensor; 35. Support plate; 36. No. 1 metal iron pipe; 37. Pipe connection mechanism; 371. No. 2 metal iron pipe; 372. External thread; 373. No. 2 sealing ring; 374. Movable sleeve; 375. Inner spiral groove; 376. Limiting ring; 377. Contact ring. Detailed Implementation

[0027] The technical solutions of the present utility model will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings of the embodiments. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present utility model, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present utility model, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the protection scope of the present utility model.

[0028] like Figure 1 , 2As shown in Figure 3, this utility model provides a water quality detection device for a drone, including a drone body 1, a sensor module 17, a waterproof housing 14, a ground receiving station 11, a water sampling module 3, a power supply module 2, and a storage module 10. The drone body 1 adopts a quadcopter structure. A water sampling module mounting bracket 28 is provided at the bottom of its main body 22 for fixing the water sampling module 3. A GPS positioning module and a 4G / 5G communication antenna are installed on the top of the drone for real-time navigation and data transmission. The rotor arms 24 are equipped with brushless motors 26 and propellers 25, powered by the power supply module 2, ensuring stable flight and load capacity. The drone has a built-in waterproof housing 14 to protect internal components and maintain drone balance. The waterproof housing adopts a sealed design to protect critical internal electronic components from moisture, dust, and vibration, ensuring stable operation of the drone in complex environments. The data acquisition module 16 receives water sample data collected by the sensor module and transmits the collected data to the data processing unit 13 of the ground receiving station via a wireless transmission module 15. After processing by the data processing unit 13, the actual data is finally displayed on the display unit 12.

[0029] Both the wireless transmission module 15 and the data acquisition module 16 are integrated into a built-in waterproof housing 14 in the middle of the UAV. The housing contains a microprocessor for real-time acquisition and preliminary processing of sensor data. The wireless transmission module 15 transmits the processed data to the ground receiving station 11 in real-time via a 4G / 5G communication antenna 23. The ground receiving station 11 includes a data processing unit 13 and a display unit 12. The data processing unit 13 receives water quality data (pH value, dissolved oxygen, conductivity, temperature) transmitted by the UAV and performs in-depth analysis; the display unit 12 displays the analysis results and water sampling status in real time. Users can remotely control the UAV's flight path, water sampling depth, and pump start / stop via the ground station.

[0030] like Figure 4 , Figure 6 , Figure 7As shown, the servo motor 5, the unwinding reel 9, and the water sample storage tank 6 are fixed to the bottom of the UAV. The servo motor 5 and the unwinding reel 9 are fixed by a plum blossom-shaped elastic coupling to compensate for the axial and radial deviations of the servo motor 5 and the unwinding reel 9 and reduce vibration transmission. The metal corrugated hose 32 is wound on the unwinding reel 9. The outer metal corrugated tube 312 on the outside of the metal corrugated hose 31 is made of metal, which can be wound and is extremely resistant to extrusion. Long-term winding and unwinding will not cause the metal corrugated hose 31 to flatten and deform. One end of the metal corrugated hose 31 is connected to the water collection pipe 4. A snap-fit ​​interface is designed at the connection end of the soft inner tube of the metal corrugated hose. Several evenly distributed elastic snaps are processed on the outer wall of the interface. A slot is processed at the end of the water collection pipe to match the snaps of the soft inner tube. The snap-fit ​​interface of the soft inner tube is inserted into the slot of the water collection pipe. The snap will deform slightly during the insertion process. When fully inserted, the snap returns to its original shape and is locked in the slot. The second metal pipe 371 on the other end is connected to the miniature DC water pump 7.

[0031] like Figure 6 As shown, when the corrugated metal hose 31 is connected to the water pump 7, the second metal pipe 371 is first inserted into the water inlet pipe of the water pump 7. The second sealing ring 373 can seal the joint between the water pump 7 water inlet pipe and the second metal pipe 371 to prevent leakage during water collection. Then, the movable sleeve 374 is turned towards the water pump 7. With the cooperation of the inner spiral groove 375 and the second sealing ring 373, the movable sleeve 374 will be screwed into the outside of the water pump 7 water inlet pipe. At this time, the contact ring 377 will also move towards the water pump 7 inside the second metal pipe 371 until the contact ring 377 is tightly pressed against the limit ring 376. Under the action of the movable sleeve 374, the second metal pipe 371 will be pulled tight on the water pump 7 water inlet pipe, thus completing the docking with the water pump 7.

[0032] The water collection conduit 4 extends downwards from the bottom of the drone. The water collection module mounting bracket 28 is bolted to the downward extension of the water collection conduit to fix the conduit, allowing it to collect water vertically downwards. The conduit 4 is made of silicone, and a primary stainless steel filter screen 30, hemispherical in shape, is installed at the end of the conduit to cover the conduit inlet. The miniature positioning rod 322 is pre-aligned with the positioning sleeve 321, and the interface tube on the primary stainless steel filter screen 30 is inserted into the first metal pipe 36. During the docking process, the L-shaped elastic clamping plate 323 will contact the clamping block 324. The L-shaped elastic clamping plate 323 will slightly warp outwards due to the pressure of the slope of the clamping block 324. When the clamping block 324 and the clamping slot on the L-shaped elastic clamping plate 323 coincide, the L-shaped elastic clamping plate 323 will be fully inserted. The elastic plate 323 recovers its deformation and locks onto the locking block 324, at which point the primary stainless steel filter screen 30 and the conduit 4 can be connected. The first sealing ring 325 can seal the connection between the interface pipe and the first metal pipe 36, preventing water leakage during water collection. Then, a set of counterweights 332 are symmetrically attached to the outer wall of the first metal pipe 36. The miniature fixing screw 333 is then passed through the pre-designed insertion hole on the semi-clamp 331 to accommodate the screw and fix the semi-clamp to the iron pipe. A set of miniature threaded sleeves 334 are then screwed into the tail end of the set of counterweights 332 and pressed against the semi-clamp 331, thus fixing the set of counterweights 332 to the first metal pipe 36. During water collection, the primary stainless steel filter screen 30 can be kept in a relatively vertical water-dropping state, which is beneficial for water collection.

[0033] like Figure 3 , Figure 4 , Figure 5 As shown, the water sampling module 3 includes a retractable conduit 4, a water pump 7, a water sample storage container 6, a filter device 8, a pressure sensor 34, a reel 9, a servo motor 5, a corrugated metal hose 31, and a primary stainless steel filter screen 30. When the drone is in water sampling mode, the pressure sensor 34 at the end of the conduit 4 measures the water pressure in real time, and the pressure is calculated using the formula... ,in Because of the water depth, For water pressure, For the density of water, The water depth is calculated using gravitational acceleration. The water depth data is transmitted to the flight controller 27 via the CAN bus. The user inputs or the mission planning system sets the target sampling depth, for example, 4.5m. The flight controller 27 compares this depth with the current water depth. ) and target water depth ( ), calculation error According to the error Based on the lead of the unwinding reel 9, calculate the number of revolutions required for the servo motor 5 to rotate. The flight controller 27 sends a pulse signal (PWM) to the servo motor 5 driver, specifying the speed and direction. The servo motor 5 drives the unwinding reel 9 to rotate, which in turn unwinds the corrugated metal hose 31. The built-in encoder monitors the motor rotation angle in real time to ensure that the actual extension length matches the calculated value. The pressure sensor 33 updates the water depth data every 100ms. The flight controller 27 corrects the guide tube length in real time. Because the inner diameter of the unwinding reel is large, it only takes 2 to 3 rotations to release the primary stainless steel filter screen 30 to the corresponding position. On the unwinding reel, the corrugated metal hose and the silicone tube are wound together. The corrugated metal hose is wound on the outside of the unwinding reel, while the silicone tube is wound on the inside of the corrugated metal hose. When the conduit reaches the designated depth to begin water sampling, a high-density stainless steel counterweight mechanism 33 at the end of the conduit fixes the primary stainless steel filter screen and causes the conduit to sink into the water. During the water sampling process, the primary stainless steel filter screen 30 isolates aquatic plants, floating objects and other debris, and then the secondary activated carbon filter 29 adsorbs even smaller organic matter. The water then flows through the conduit 4 to the metal corrugated hose 31, and then the water sample is pumped into the compartmentalized sealed water sample storage container 6 by a micro DC water pump.

[0034] The water sample storage container 6 is made of food-grade polypropylene with a capacity of 500mL-1L. It has an automatic sealing cap on top to prevent leakage. The sensor module 17 is fixed inside the water sample storage container 6, using a multi-layer stacked installation. It consists of two layers: the upper layer houses the pH sensor 16 and dissolved oxygen sensor 15, which are symmetrically distributed; the probe extends vertically upwards to the water sample. The lower layer houses the conductivity sensor 17, and the temperature sensor 18 is embedded inside the conductivity sensor housing, sharing a contact surface to monitor water temperature in real time and compensate for conductivity measurements. When the water sample flows into the storage container, the sensor module 19 transmits the collected data to the data acquisition module 14. The wireless transmission module 13 performs digital signal processing on the raw data (pH, dissolved oxygen, temperature, and conductivity) collected by the sensors. The communication antenna 23 converts the radio frequency signal output from the wireless transmission module 13 into electromagnetic waves, which are then transmitted to the data processing unit 11 at the ground receiving station. Finally, the data is viewed on the display unit 10. After water collection is complete, the conduit is retracted.

[0035] In practical operation, the UAV is powered by power module 2 and executes a preset flight path via flight controller 27. The GPS module provides real-time positioning and adjusts the flight attitude. Sensor module 17 collects water quality parameters in real time. After data acquisition module 16 processes the data, it is transmitted to ground receiving station 11 via wireless transmission module 15. The UAV hovers over the target water area, and the guide tube 4 adjusts its length according to the water depth. After water pump 7 starts, the water sample is filtered through primary stainless steel filter screen 30 and activated carbon filter element 29 before being stored in storage container 6. Water quality data and water collection completion signals are transmitted to ground station 11 in real time. Display unit 12 provides a visual monitoring interface, supporting rapid response and decision-making. The internal components of the fuselage are designed with a reasonable layout and waterproof design to ensure stability in humid environments.

[0036] This device integrates detection and water sampling functions through a drone platform, combined with real-time data transmission, significantly improving water quality monitoring efficiency. The filtration device and counterweight mechanism of the water sampling module are designed to adapt to complex aquatic environments, ensuring the representativeness of water samples; the data processing and display unit of the ground station provides instant analysis to meet emergency monitoring needs. Furthermore, the device requires no external power source, relying solely on the drone's battery for power, making it energy-efficient and environmentally friendly, suitable for long-term monitoring tasks in large-scale water areas.

[0037] The above description is only a specific embodiment of the present utility model, but the protection scope of the present utility model is not limited thereto. Those skilled in the art should understand that any changes or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed in the present utility model are within the protection and disclosure scope of the present utility model.

Claims

1. A water quality testing device for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), characterized in that, The system includes a drone body (1), a storage module (10), a sensor module (17), a data acquisition module (16), a wireless transmission module (15), a waterproof case (14), a ground receiving station (11), and a water sampling module (3). The drone body (1) is equipped with a drone fuselage (22), and the bottom of the drone fuselage (22) is equipped with a water sampling module mounting bracket (28), and the top is equipped with a GPS positioning module and a 4G / 5G communication antenna (23). The sensor module (17) includes a pH sensor (20), a dissolved oxygen sensor (19), a conductivity sensor (18), and a temperature sensor (21); the water sampling module (3) includes a telescopic conduit (4), a micro DC water pump (7), a compartmentalized sealed water sample storage container (6), a filter device (8), a servo motor (5), a reel (9), a metal corrugated hose (31), a support plate (35), and a counterweight mechanism (33); the telescopic conduit (4) is provided with a primary stainless steel filter screen (30) at its end, and is fixed to a first metal iron pipe (36) by a snap-fit ​​connection mechanism (32); the counterweight mechanism (33) is installed on the first metal iron pipe (36) to adjust the vertical stability of the water sampling depth; the UAV fuselage body (22) integrates a micro DC water pump (7), a flight controller (27), and a power module (2) inside, and is provided with a rotor arm (24) outside, with a brushless motor (26) and a propeller (25) installed at the end of the rotor arm (24).

2. The water quality testing device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The filtration device (8) includes a primary stainless steel filter screen (30) and a secondary activated carbon filter element (29). The pore size of the primary stainless steel filter screen (30) is ≤0.5mm, and the secondary activated carbon filter element (29) can be detached and installed via a threaded interface.

3. The water quality testing device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The primary stainless steel filter screen (30) is made of nickel-plated stainless steel and has an anti-corrosion coating on its surface. The primary stainless steel filter screen (30) is connected to the conduit (4) by a snap-fit ​​connection mechanism and is fixed to the end of the conduit by the snap-fit ​​connection mechanism.

4. The water quality testing device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The compartmentalized sealed water sample storage container (6) is made of food-grade polypropylene, has a capacity of 500mL-1L, and is equipped with an automatic sealing cap on top.

5. The water quality testing device according to claim 1, characterized in that: A first metal pipe (36) is fixedly sleeved on the retractable conduit (4). The first metal pipe (36) is equipped with a pressure sensor (34) for real-time monitoring of water sampling depth. The snap-fit ​​connection mechanism (32) includes a positioning sleeve (321), a locking block (324) and an L-shaped elastic locking plate (323) to realize the rapid connection and sealing of the primary stainless steel filter screen (30) and the conduit.

6. The water quality testing device according to claim 5, characterized in that: The counterweight mechanism (33) includes a semi-clamp (331) symmetrically attached to the first metal pipe (36), and the semi-clamp (331) fixes the counterweight block (332) by a micro-fixing screw (333) and a micro-screw sleeve (334).

7. The water quality testing device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The metal corrugated hose (31) includes an inner tube (311) and an outer metal corrugated tube (312). One end of the hose is connected to a micro DC water pump (7) through a pipe connection mechanism (37), and the other end is wound on a reel (9). The extension length is adjusted by a servo motor (5).

8. The water quality testing device according to claim 7, characterized in that: The pipe connection mechanism (37) includes a second metal iron pipe (371), a limiting ring (376) and a movable sleeve (374), which achieves a leak-proof connection with the water pump (7) inlet pipe through threaded engagement and sealing ring (373).

9. The water quality testing device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The drone fuselage (22) has water channels on both sides of its bottom to prevent water from splashing during water collection; the waterproof box (14) has a built-in data acquisition module (16) and a wireless transmission module (15).