An aerial unmanned charging and battery swapping helium balloon base station

Abstract

The utility model discloses an unmanned aerial charging and battery replacing helium balloon base station, including pesticide unmanned plane, helium balloon, the operation and maintenance platform that suspends in helium balloon below and ground equipment, be provided with unmanned aerial vehicle battery storage machine cabinet, mechanical arm module, battery replacing platform and total power supply on the operation and maintenance platform, be provided with a plurality of slot for depositing unmanned aerial vehicle battery one and charging unmanned aerial vehicle battery one in unmanned aerial vehicle battery storage machine cabinet, pesticide unmanned plane lands on battery replacing platform, and mechanical arm module is used for replacing operation to unmanned aerial vehicle battery one in the battery groove of pesticide unmanned plane, ground equipment includes helium bottle and winding device, and helium bottle is connected through the air pipe with helium balloon, and the rope on winding device is connected with operation and maintenance platform, and operation and maintenance platform is connected with helium balloon, the utility model solves the present unmanned plane and needs frequent return to ground fixed type charging base station and charges or replaces battery, leads to the whole operation efficiency decline and the problem such as high construction cost of fixed type charging base station.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of intelligent forestry spraying drone equipment technology, specifically an aerial unmanned charging and battery swapping helium balloon base station. Background Technology

[0002] While drone-based pesticide application technology, as an important tool in modern forestry plant protection, demonstrates significant advantages over manual application in terms of operational efficiency and adaptability to diverse terrains, it still suffers from several drawbacks. Typically, a drone application cycle is one week. Due to the complex and varied terrain of forests, access is difficult. Furthermore, when facing large-scale forest environments, drone battery life is limited, resulting in short single-operation times and frequent returns to fixed ground charging stations for charging or battery replacement. This leads to decreased overall operational efficiency, and the multiple returns increase operational complexity and time costs. Moreover, the construction of fixed charging station towers involves civil engineering, resulting in high infrastructure investment costs. Secondly, fixed charging stations are immobile; to expand coverage or meet different needs, multiple stations must be built, increasing overall costs and reducing equipment utilization. Finally, once built, fixed charging stations cannot be moved; if pest and disease control needs decrease or forest terrain changes, the fixed charging stations will become unusable.

[0003] Therefore, this paper proposes an unmanned aerial charging and battery swapping helium balloon base station to address the problems mentioned above. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this utility model is to provide an aerial unmanned charging and battery swapping helium balloon base station to solve the problems mentioned in the background art, such as the short flight time and short operation time of drones, which require frequent return to the ground fixed charging base station for charging or battery replacement, resulting in a decrease in overall operation efficiency and high construction cost of fixed charging base stations.

[0005] To achieve the above-mentioned technical objectives, the technical solution adopted by this utility model is as follows: An aerial unmanned charging and battery swapping helium balloon base station includes a pesticide application drone, a helium balloon, an operation and maintenance platform suspended under the helium balloon, and ground equipment; The operation and maintenance platform is equipped with a drone battery storage cabinet, a robotic arm module, a battery swapping platform, and a main power supply; the main power supply is connected to the robotic arm module and the drone battery storage cabinet. The drone battery storage cabinet is equipped with multiple slots for storing drone batteries and charging drone batteries. Each slot is equipped with an automatic ejection mechanism for pushing drone batteries outward. The drug delivery drone is used to land on the battery swapping platform. The robotic arm module is used to remove drone batteries from the battery slot of the drug delivery drone and place them in an empty slot of the drone battery storage cabinet. The robotic arm module is also used to remove drone batteries pushed out of a slot of the drone battery storage cabinet by the automatic ejection mechanism and place them into the battery slot of the drug delivery drone. The ground equipment includes a helium cylinder and a winding device. The helium cylinder is connected to the inflation port on the helium balloon via a gas pipe. The rope on the winding device is connected to the operation and maintenance platform, and the operation and maintenance platform is connected to the helium balloon via a rope.

[0006] As a further improvement of this utility model, the technical solution also includes a charging drone. The operation and maintenance platform is also equipped with a charging platform. The charging platform is equipped with a charging connector 1. The main power supply is connected to the charging contact 1 on the charging connector 1 in the charging platform. The bottom of the charging drone is equipped with a charging connector 2, and the charging contact 2 on the charging connector 2 is connected to the drone battery 2 on the charging drone. The charging connector 1 is equipped with a charging contact 1. The charging contact 1 on the charging connector 1 and the charging contact 2 on the charging connector 2 are connected by magnetic attraction, so that the main power supply can charge the drone battery 2 on the charging drone through the charging contact 1 on the charging platform and the charging contact 2 on the bottom of the charging drone.

[0007] As a further improvement of the present invention, the operation and maintenance platform is also equipped with a control system, which is connected to the drone battery storage cabinet and the robotic arm module. The spraying drone is a six-winged spraying drone, and the charging drone is a four-winged charging drone.

[0008] As a further improvement of this utility model, the winding device has multiple winding devices, which are used to automatically tighten or release the rope. The winding device is wirelessly connected to the control system. Each winding device is also equipped with a tension sensor for detecting the rope tension, and the tension sensor is wirelessly connected to the control system.

[0009] As a further improvement of this utility model, the outlet of the helium cylinder is equipped with a solenoid valve, the outlet of the helium cylinder is connected to the gas pipe through the solenoid valve, the solenoid valve is wirelessly connected to the control system, and a pressure sensor is installed inside the helium balloon, the pressure sensor is wirelessly connected to the control system.

[0010] As a further improvement of this utility model, the upper end of the spraying drone is connected to a docking power supply platform. The docking power supply platform is provided with a funnel-shaped guide groove around its periphery. A power supply connector is provided on the docking power supply platform, and a power supply contact is provided on the power supply connector. The power supply contact is connected to the electrical equipment on the spraying drone. The power supply contact is connected to the charging contact two on the charging connector two at the bottom of the charging drone by magnetic attraction. Thus, the drone battery two on the charging drone supplies power to the electrical equipment on the spraying drone in sequence through the charging contact two and the power supply contact on the docking power supply platform.

[0011] As a further improvement of this utility model, the control system is wirelessly connected to the charging drone and the spraying drone via a wireless communication module. Both the charging drone and the spraying drone are equipped with a positioning module, which is used to detect its own position and send the position information to the control system. The charging drone and the spraying drone are wirelessly connected via the wireless communication module.

[0012] As a further improvement of this utility model, each slot of the UAV battery storage cabinet is equipped with a slot status sensor for detecting whether the slot is empty.

[0013] As a further improvement of the present invention, the robotic arm module adopts a robotic arm with visual recognition and automatic grasping functions. An electric push rod is connected to the base of the gripping head at the front end of the robotic arm module. The electric push rod is located between multiple grippers of the gripping head. The electric push rod is used to push the drone battery, which has been initially placed into the battery slot of the spraying drone, into the battery slot. The electric push rod is connected to the control system.

[0014] The beneficial effects of this utility model are as follows: This invention fills a helium balloon with helium through a trachet and a helium cylinder on the ground. Simultaneously, a rope winding device is activated, initially releasing the rope to raise the helium balloon, carrying the maintenance platform, to the predetermined operating altitude. Once the application area is within the basic application range of the application drone, after completing its application, the drone can fly to the battery swapping platform on the maintenance platform. The robotic arm module and the drone's battery storage cabinet then perform battery replacement operations. Because the maintenance platform is located at high altitude, the application drone does not need to return to a fixed ground charging station for charging or battery replacement, reducing the drone's flight distance and time, and improving operational efficiency.

[0015] This utility model's aerial unmanned charging and swapping helium balloon base station can be installed in a suitable location according to the application area. After determining the work area, the operation platform, helium balloon, and winding device of the aerial unmanned charging and swapping helium balloon base station are transported to the forest operation site by vehicle. The winding device is fixed to the ground using ground support devices, and the outer wall of the helium balloon is connected to the operation platform. The operation platform and the winding device are connected by ropes. Helium is filled into the helium balloon through a gas pipe and a helium cylinder on the ground. Simultaneously, the winding device is activated and the rope is initially released, raising the operation platform to the predetermined working height. Compared with immovable fixed charging base stations, this system can be moved as needed, offering greater flexibility, versatility, and utilization, and its overall structural cost is lower than that of fixed charging base stations.

[0016] The control system of this invention can control the winding device to adjust the rope tension based on the rope tension detected by the tension sensor, so as to stabilize the operation and maintenance platform and the attitude of the helium balloon.

[0017] In summary, this utility model effectively improves the efficiency of forest spraying operations, reduces the cost of building drone base stations on the ground, indirectly increases the spraying range of drones, avoids the problem of short battery life in drone control of forest pests and diseases, and provides technical support for the optimal allocation of smart forestry resources. Attached Figure Description

[0018] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the overall design of a helium balloon base station for unmanned aerial charging and battery swapping.

[0019] Figure 2 for Figure 1 A magnified view of part A in the image.

[0020] Figure 3 for Figure 2 A magnified view of part B in the image.

[0021] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a drone battery storage cabinet.

[0022] Figure 5 A diagram illustrating the docking of a charging drone and a pesticide application drone.

[0023] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a pesticide application drone.

[0024] Figure 7 A schematic diagram of the structure of a charging drone.

[0025] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the gripper head of the robotic arm module.

[0026] Figure 9A schematic diagram of the power switching circuit after the charging drone and the spraying drone are docked.

[0027] Reference numerals: 1. Spraying drone; 101. Battery slot; 1010. Notch; 2. Charging drone; 201. Charging connector two; 202. Charging contact two; 3. Helium balloon; 301. Inflation port; 302. Helium cylinder; 4. Maintenance platform; 5. Drone battery storage cabinet; 501. Slot; 6. Robotic arm module; 601. Electric push rod; 602. Gripping head; 7. Battery swapping platform; 8. Wind wheel; 9. Winding device; 10. Power supply docking platform; 1001. Power supply connector; 1002. Funnel-shaped guide slot; 11. Charging platform; 1101. Charging connector one. Detailed Implementation

[0028] The specific embodiments of this utility model will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings: An aerial unmanned charging and battery swapping helium balloon base station includes, for example: Figure 1-2 The diagram shows a charging drone 2, a pesticide application drone 1, a helium balloon 3, a maintenance platform 4 suspended below the helium balloon 3, and ground equipment. Specifically, the charging drone 2 is a quadcopter charging drone, and the pesticide application drone 1 is a hexagonal pesticide application drone. The charging drone 2 is equipped with a second drone battery for powering the various electrical devices on it. The pesticide application drone 1 is equipped with a first drone battery for powering the various electrical devices on it.

[0029] like Figure 2-3 As shown, the operation and maintenance platform 4 is equipped with a drone battery storage cabinet 5, a robotic arm module 6, multiple charging platforms 11, multiple battery swapping platforms 7, and a main power supply. The main power supply is connected to the charging contacts of the charging platform 11, the robotic arm module 6, and the drone battery storage cabinet 5, providing power to these components.

[0030] The structure of the charging drone 2 is as follows Figure 7 As shown, the bottom of the charging drone 2 is equipped with a second charging connector 201. The second charging contact 202 on the second charging connector 201 is connected to the second drone battery on the charging drone 2 through internal wiring. Figure 2 The charging platform 11 is equipped with a charging connector 1101, which has a charging contact 1. The charging contact 1 on the charging connector 1101 and the charging contact 202 on the charging connector 201 of the charging drone 2 are connected by magnetic attraction. After connection, the main power supply can charge the drone battery 2 on the charging drone 2 through the charging contact 1 on the charging platform 11 and the charging contact 202 on the bottom of the charging drone 2.

[0031] The charging platform 11 has the same number of charging connectors 1101 and charging connectors 201 on the bottom of the charging drone 2, both having multiple connectors. These connectors are connected magnetically (magnets are installed on both connectors). When the quadcopter lands on the charging platform 11, the connectors connect magnetically. Connectors 1101 and 201 can be configured as male and female connectors, respectively. After magnetic connection, the charging contact 1 on connector 1101 and the charging contact 202 on connector 201 are connected. At this time, the main power supply can charge the drone battery 2 on the charging drone 2 sequentially through the charging contact 1 on connector 1101 and the charging contact 202 on the bottom of the charging drone 2.

[0032] The main power supply is directly connected to the charging management circuit of the drone battery storage cabinet 5 via an internal power distribution line. The charging management circuit of the drone battery storage cabinet 5 is responsible for charging the N drone batteries in slot 501. The main power supply is also connected to the charging contact 1 of the charging platform 11 via another internal power distribution line. The charging contact 1 of the charging platform 11 is responsible for magnetic charging of the drones 2 that land on it.

[0033] The maintenance platform 4 is also equipped with a control system, which is connected to the drone battery storage cabinet 5 and the robotic arm module 6. The robotic arm module 6 adopts an existing intelligent gripping robotic arm with vision recognition and automatic grasping functions. The camera recognition function on the robotic arm module 6 mainly relies on the machine vision system and servo control. A camera is installed near the gripper head 602 of the robotic arm module 6. The camera can identify the precise position and attitude of the spraying drone 1 on the battery swapping platform 7. Then, based on the target position provided by the vision system, the control system accurately calculates the angles that each joint of the robotic arm module 6 needs to rotate, ultimately completing the rapid replacement and retrieval of the drone battery 1, improving overall operational efficiency.

[0034] The specific structure of the drone battery storage cabinet 5 can refer to the commonly used shared power bank cabinets, such as... Figure 4As shown, the drone battery storage cabinet 5 is equipped with multiple slots 501 for storing drone batteries and charging them. Each slot 501 is equipped with a slot status sensor to detect whether it is empty. An empty slot 501 indicates that there is no drone battery in that slot; a non-empty slot indicates that there is a drone battery in that slot. Each slot 501 is equipped with an automatic ejection mechanism to push the drone battery outwards. This mechanism can be an electric push rod or other ejection drive mechanism that allows the drone battery to pop out of the slot (the specific structure can also be referenced from the shared charging station cabinet). The structure of the power bank popping out is coordinated by a slot status sensor and a control system. The slot status sensor monitors the status of slot 501 in real time and sends the status of slot 501 to the control system. The control system sends the position information of slot 501 (which is empty) to the robotic arm module 6. The robotic arm module 6 removes the first drone battery from the battery slot 101 of the spraying drone 1 that has landed on the battery swapping platform 7 and places it into the empty slot 501 of the drone battery storage cabinet 5. Once the first drone battery is in the slot 501 of the drone battery storage cabinet 5, the slot 501 of the drone battery storage cabinet 5 automatically charges the first drone battery. Figure 3 As shown, the battery slot 101 of the spraying drone 1 has notches 1010 on both sides, which expose the drone battery 1, making it easy for the gripping head 602 of the robotic arm module 6 to grip the exposed drone battery 1. When the control system receives information from the status sensor of a slot 501 on the drone battery storage cabinet 5 that the status of slot 501 has changed from empty to full, the control system controls the automatic ejection mechanism of the other slots 501 on the drone battery storage cabinet 5 that contain drone batteries 1 to work. The automatic ejection mechanism pushes the drone battery 1 in the corresponding slot 501 outward a certain distance, making it easy for the robotic arm module 6 to grasp it. The control system sends the position of the ejected (popped) drone battery 1 to the robotic arm module 6 for action. The robotic arm module 6 controls the movement of its various joints according to the positional deviation between the position of the ejected (popped) drone battery 1 and its own gripping head 602, so that the gripping head 602 can grasp the ejected drone battery 1. The robotic arm module 6 then puts the grasped drone battery 1 back into the battery slot 101 on the spraying drone 1. The slot 501 on the drone battery storage cabinet 5 is equipped with a power acquisition module for collecting the power of the drone battery. The power acquisition module sends the collected power to the control system, and the control system controls the fully charged drone battery to be automatically ejected by the ejection mechanism.

[0035] like Figure 8As shown, an electric push rod 601 is connected to the base 603 of the gripping head 602 at the front end of the robotic arm module 6. The gripping head 602 is rotatably connected to the base 603, and the base 603 is provided with a joint drive mechanism for driving the multiple grippers 604 in the gripping head 602 to open and close. The electric push rod 601 is located between the multiple grippers 604 of the gripping head 602. The electric push rod 601 is used to push the drone battery 1, which has been initially placed in the battery slot 101 of the drug delivery drone 1, into the battery slot 101. The electric push rod 601 is connected to the control system or to the controller in the robotic arm module 6, and the movement of the electric push rod 601 is controlled by the control system or the controller in the robotic arm module 6. When the gripper head 602 of the robotic arm module 6 initially places the drone battery into the battery slot 101 of the spraying drone 1, the drone battery may not be fully locked in place at this time. The control system issues a command, and the telescopic rod of the electric push rod 601 extends forward, pushing the drone battery firmly into the interior of the battery slot 101, thus locking it into the final position. After the drone battery reaches the interior of the battery slot 101, the drone battery is connected to the battery slot 101, and the battery slot 101 is connected to the various electrical devices on the spraying drone 1, thus enabling the drone battery to supply power to the various electrical devices on the spraying drone 1 through the battery slot 101.

[0036] like Figure 1As shown, the ground equipment includes a helium cylinder 302 and multiple winding devices 9. The helium cylinder 302 is connected to the inflation port 301 on the helium balloon 3 via a gas pipe. The ropes on the multiple winding devices 9 are connected to different positions on the maintenance platform 4. The maintenance platform 4 is connected to the outer wall of the helium balloon 3 via multiple ropes, so that the helium balloon 3 remains relatively stable in the air. The winding device 9 adopts an existing automatic winding machine, including a winding machine base and a winding motor. The winding motor is mounted on the winding machine base and is connected to a pulley at one end of the spool via a pulley and a belt, thereby driving the spool to rotate. The spool is rotatably connected to the machine base. A tension detection roller is also rotatably connected to the machine base via a bracket. A tension sensor for detecting rope tension is installed on the tension detection roller. The rope connected to the maintenance platform 4 is wound onto the spool after passing through the tension detection roller. The spool is used to realize the winding and unwinding of the rope under the drive of the winding motor. The outlet of the helium cylinder 302 is equipped with a solenoid valve, which connects to a gas pipe. The gas pipe is connected to the inflation port 301 on the helium balloon 3. The solenoid valve is wirelessly connected to the control system. A pressure sensor is installed inside the helium balloon 3, and the pressure sensor is also wirelessly connected to the control system. A ground power supply is also provided on the ground equipment to power the solenoid valve and the winding motor in the winding device 9. The pressure sensor monitors the gas pressure inside the helium balloon 3 in real time and sends it to the control system. When the control system detects that the internal pressure of the helium balloon 3 is lower than the preset minimum working pressure threshold, the control system issues a command to open the solenoid valve and begin inflating the helium balloon 3 through the inflation port 301. When the pressure sensor detects that the internal pressure of the helium balloon 3 reaches the preset target working pressure threshold (the preset pressure thresholds are determined based on factors such as the altitude of the application environment), the control system issues a command to close the solenoid valve and stop inflating. The preset target working pressure threshold is calculated and set based on the balloon volume, target suspension height, and ambient atmospheric pressure to ensure sufficient buoyancy. The solenoid valve itself has unidirectional power supply to prevent gas backflow and increase the suspension time of the helium balloon 3 in the air.

[0037] In this embodiment, as Figure 2 As shown, the operation and maintenance platform 4 has a square structure. Wind turbines 8 are connected to each of the four corners of the platform. Wind turbines 8 can be equipped with wind speed sensors to monitor the surrounding wind speed in real time and feed the data back to the control system. The wind speed sensors can be powered by the main power supply and are wirelessly connected to the control system. The blades of the wind turbine 8 are made of colored fluorescent material, emitting a flashing light when rotating in the wind to scare away birds. In this embodiment, other sensors for detecting the wind environment, such as wind direction sensors, can also be installed on the wind turbine 8 according to actual needs.

[0038] In this embodiment, there are multiple winding devices 9. The winding devices 9 are used to automatically tighten or release the rope. The winding devices 9 are wirelessly connected to the control system. Each winding device 9 is equipped with a tension sensor for detecting the rope tension. The tension sensor is wirelessly connected to the control system.

[0039] The wind speed sensor can also be installed on a non-rotating structure in the middle of the wind turbine 8 to directly monitor the wind environment at the platform's altitude. The sensor signal is wirelessly fed back to the control system within the maintenance platform 4. Each winding device is also equipped with a tension sensor to detect rope tension. When the balloon experiences lateral tension due to increased wind speed or changes in wind direction, the tension of a certain rope will increase. In this embodiment, each tension sensor monitors the rope tension in real time and sends it to the control system. The controller analyzes and judges whether the tension T detected by a tension sensor exceeds a preset low tension threshold T. If so, the control system controls the winding motor on the corresponding winding device 9 to increase the force to tighten the rope, preventing the maintenance platform 4 from tilting due to large lateral tension caused by changes in wind speed and direction, and ultimately stabilizing the positions of the helium balloon 3 and the maintenance platform 4. When a decrease in wind speed or a return to a stable wind direction is detected, causing a decrease in the tension detected by the tension sensor, the control system controls the corresponding winding device 9 to reduce the force of tightening the rope based on the tension T detected by the tension sensor, thereby always maintaining the stable position of the maintenance platform 4.

[0040] In this embodiment, as Figure 5-7 As shown, the top of the spraying drone 1 is connected to a docking power supply platform 10. The docking power supply platform 10 has a funnel-shaped guide groove 1002 around its periphery. The funnel-shaped guide groove 1002 has an inclined inner wall. Even if the initial landing position of the charging drone 2 has a certain horizontal deviation, the outer shell of its bottom charging connector 201 will slide towards the center under gravity after contacting the inclined surface of the guide groove, automatically correcting the positional deviation. Furthermore, the charging connector 201 is magnetically connected to the power supply connector 1001 at the top of the spraying drone 1 (magnets are provided on both the charging connector 201 and the power supply connector 1001). The charging connector 201 actively attracts the power supply connector 1001, generating a pulling force perpendicular to the docking plane to cooperate with the docking guidance of the charging drone 2, improving the docking success rate, and enabling the power supply contacts on the power supply connector 1001 to dock with the charging contacts 202 on the charging connector 201.

[0041] The docking power supply platform 10 is equipped with a power supply connector 1001, which has power supply contacts. The power supply contacts are connected to various electrical devices on the spraying drone 1. When the power supply contacts are connected to the charging contacts 202 on the charging connector 201 at the bottom of the charging drone 2, the drone battery 2 on the charging drone 2 replaces the drone battery 1 on the spraying drone 1 and supplies power to various electrical devices on the spraying drone 1 through the charging contacts 202 and the power supply contacts on the docking power supply platform 10 in sequence.

[0042] In this embodiment, the control system is wirelessly connected to the charging drone 2 and the spraying drone 1 via a wireless communication module. The control system is used to interact with the spraying drone 1 and the charging drone 2, and to monitor the battery status and location information of the spraying drone 1 in real time. The charging drone 2 and the spraying drone 1 are also wirelessly connected to each other.

[0043] The operation and maintenance platform 4, the charging drone 2, and the pesticide application drone 1 are all equipped with positioning modules. The positioning modules on the charging drone 2 and the pesticide application drone 1 are used to detect their own positions and send the position information to the control system. The charging drone 2 and the pesticide application drone 1 also share their position information with each other through wireless communication modules.

[0044] The positioning module on the spraying drone 1 can accurately park the spraying drone 1 in the corresponding battery replacement area, i.e., the battery swapping platform 7. The positioning module in the operation and maintenance platform 4 can determine its own hovering position and transmit the hovering position to the spraying drone 1 and the charging drone 2 wirelessly. The spraying drone 1 and the charging drone 2 can accurately park in the corresponding battery replacement area (battery swapping platform 7) and the magnetic charging area (charging platform 11) through the positioning module.

[0045] like Figure 1 As shown, after determining the work area, the required equipment is transported to the forest work site by vehicle. The winding device 9 is fixed to the ground using a ground support device. The outer wall of the helium balloon 3 is connected to the maintenance platform 4, and the maintenance platform 4 is connected to the winding device 9 by a rope. Helium is filled into the helium balloon 3 through the air pipe and the helium cylinder 302 on the ground. At the same time, the winding device 9 is started and the rope is initially released to raise it to the predetermined working height. During the operation, the winding device 9 continuously adjusts the rope automatically to adapt to changes in wind force and maintain the hovering stability of the helium balloon 3 and the maintenance platform 4.

[0046] The maintenance platform 4 is equipped with windmills 8 around its perimeter, made of colored fluorescent material. These windmills flash when rotating in the wind to scare away birds. It also features wind speed sensors to monitor the surrounding wind in real time and feed the data back to the control system. Simultaneously, the control system, based on the tension of each rope detected by multiple tension sensors, controls the corresponding winding device 9 to increase or decrease the winding and unwinding force, stabilizing the attitude of the maintenance platform 4 and thus the helium balloon. The takeoff and landing timing of the drones is based on real-time data from the wind speed sensors on the maintenance platform 4 (when the wind speed remains low for approximately ten seconds and is stable, ensuring safe equipment operation, the drones take off and land). The real-time data from the wind speed sensors is transmitted to each drone via the control system, and the drones determine whether takeoff and landing are permissible based on the wind speed. The operation and maintenance platform 4 is equipped with a drone battery storage cabinet 5, a robotic arm module 6, and a signal base station (i.e., a wireless communication module). The operation and maintenance platform 4 contains a battery with a large total power supply to power the drone battery storage cabinet 5, the charging drone 2, and other electronic devices. The signal base station is used to receive flight control and operation data from the spraying drone 1 and the charging drone 2, and to stably transmit the signal to the ground mobile terminal to realize remote real-time monitoring and scheduling.

[0047] Both the spraying drone 1 and the charging drone 2 in this embodiment adopt existing drone structures.

[0048] Based on the above-mentioned unmanned aerial charging and battery swapping helium balloon base station, this embodiment also provides an unmanned aerial charging and battery swapping method, including the following steps: Scenario 1: When the application area is within the basic application range of the application drone 1, after completing the application, the application drone 1 uses its positioning module to stop at the corresponding position on the maintenance platform 4 (battery swapping platform 7). The application drone 1 sends a stopping information to the control system, which in turn sends the stopping information to the robotic arm module 6 (specifically, to the controller of the robotic arm module 6, which contains a controller and a robotic arm body; the controller controls the movement of the robotic arm body, enabling it to complete the grasping task according to a preset trajectory). Simultaneously, since each slot 501 in the drone battery storage cabinet 5 has a slot status sensor, the control system selects an empty slot 501 based on the sensor data and sends the empty slot's location information to the robotic arm module 6. Simultaneously, the control system controls the ejection of a fully charged drone battery from a slot 501 in the drone battery storage cabinet 5 (expelled by an automatic ejection mechanism; at this point, approximately two-thirds of the drone battery is inside slot 501, with the remaining portion outside). The control system also sends the position information of the slot 501 containing the ejected battery to the robotic arm module 6. Based on its visual recognition and automatic grasping capabilities, the robotic arm module 6 identifies the location of the battery slot 101 of the spraying drone 1, then controls its front gripper head 602 to grip and remove the drone battery from the slot 101. According to the position information of the empty slot sent by the control system, the removed drone battery is inserted into the empty slot. Simultaneously, the gripper head 602 opens, and the telescopic rod inside the electric push rod 601 extends, pushing the drone battery into the empty slot. Afterward, the electric push rod 601 resets. Then, the robotic arm module 6 controls the gripping head 602 in front of it to grip and remove the drone battery 1 according to the position information of the slot 501 of the ejected battery, and install it into the battery slot 101 of the drug delivery drone 1. At the same time as the gripping head 602 opens, the telescopic rod inside the electric push rod 601 extends and pushes the drone battery 1 into the battery slot 101, completing the replacement of the drone battery 1.

[0049] During pesticide application, when the target application area is within the basic application coverage of the application drone 1, the application drone 1 automatically returns to the preset parking position (battery swapping platform 7) on the maintenance platform 4 and lands stably after completing the current application task. At this time, the application drone 1 can collect its own battery power information and send it to the control system. The control system confirms whether the application drone 1 needs a battery replacement. If it does, the gripper head 7 at the front end of the robotic arm module 6 automatically grips and removes the depleted drone battery 1 from under the application drone 1 and places it in an empty space in the drone battery storage cabinet 5 for charging. At the same time, the fully charged spare battery in the drone battery storage cabinet 5 is automatically pushed out. The robotic arm module 6 grips the fully charged battery and accurately installs it into the battery slot 101 of the application drone 1, docking with the battery interface of the battery slot 101 to achieve rapid automatic battery swapping, ensuring that the drone can be put back into operation in the shortest possible time. The entire battery swapping process combines the visual recognition function and position sensor on the robotic arm module 6. The front end of the visual recognition system has a camera, which is installed at the front end of the gripper head 602 of the robotic arm module 6. The camera image data is wirelessly transmitted to the controller in the robotic arm module 6 to ensure the positioning accuracy of the robotic arm.

[0050] Scenario 2: When the application range exceeds the basic application range of the application drone 1, the charging drone 2 can fly directly above the location of the application drone 1 based on the position information fed back by the application drone 1. The charging connector 201 on the bottom of the charging drone 2 can connect with the power connector 1001 of the docking power supply platform 10 on the application drone 1, so that the electrical equipment in the application drone 1 can be powered by the drone battery 2 on the charging drone 2. The schematic diagram of the power switching circuit after docking is shown below. Figure 9As shown, the power switching circuit (except for the drone battery 2 in the circuit) is installed inside the spraying drone 1. The positive terminal of the drone battery 1 in the spraying drone 1 is connected to each electrical device in the spraying drone 1 through diode D1 and the normally closed contact of the normally closed electromagnetic relay to supply power to the electrical devices in the spraying drone 1. When the charging drone 2 flies to the docking power supply platform 10, the charging connector 201 at the bottom of the charging drone 2 can magnetically dock with the power supply connector 1001 of the docking power supply platform 10 on the spraying drone 1. This allows the charging contact 202 at the bottom of the charging drone 2 to dock with the power supply contact on the power supply connector 1001. The drone battery 2 on the charging drone 2 is connected to the ground wire GND and the positive terminal of diode D2 in the circuit through the charging contact 202 and the power supply contact. At the same time, the coil of the normally closed electromagnetic relay is connected in parallel across the two ends of the drone battery 2. Specifically, the negative terminal of the drone battery 2 is connected to the ground wire GND in the circuit, and the positive terminal of the drone battery 2 is connected to the positive terminal of diode D2 in the circuit and the coil of the normally closed electromagnetic relay. When the coil of the normally closed electromagnetic relay is energized, it generates a magnetic field that attracts the iron core, causing the normally closed contact to open and the drone battery 1 to stop supplying power. The positive terminal of the drone battery 2 is then connected to the various electrical devices in the spraying drone 1 through diode D2 and interface A to achieve power supply. If the required voltages of the various electrical devices in the spraying drone 1 are different, corresponding voltage conversion circuits can be set between the connection of contact A and contact B and the connection of each electrical device to achieve voltage matching. The specific circuit structure adopts existing technology, and the appropriate circuit is selected according to the actual situation.

[0051] When the spraying drone switches power in mid-air, the power supply seamlessly switches from its own drone battery 1 to the backup battery on the charging drone 2 (i.e., drone battery 2; drone battery 1 and drone battery 2 have identical parameters and are interchangeable), ensuring continuous spraying operations. The spraying drone 1 is equipped with a power detection module that monitors the power level of its own drone battery 1 in real time. The spraying drone 1 then sends the power information detected by this module to the charging drone 2 in real time. The charging drone 2 determines whether the spraying drone 1 needs to switch power in mid-air based on the power level information from the spraying drone 1. If so, the charging drone 2 flies directly above the location of the spraying drone 1 based on the position information fed back by the spraying drone 1 and performs the mid-air power switching operation. The charging contact 202 on the bottom of the charging drone 2 is installed in the docking power platform 10 on the top of the spraying drone 1. After the charging drone 2 docks with the docking power platform 10, the spraying range of the spraying drone 1 is expanded. When the center of the charging drone 2 is 2.0 cm away from the center of the docking power supply platform 10 in the horizontal plane, and the bottom surface of its charging connector 201 is no more than 5.0 cm away from the surface of the docking power supply platform 10, the control system will trigger a free fall command to send a free fall command to the charging drone 2. The purpose of the command is to briefly shut down some of the rotor motors in the charging drone 2, causing it to sink slightly under the action of gravity, so that the charging drone 2 lands on the docking power supply platform 10 of the spraying drone 1, completing the docking. The docking power supply platform 10 is precisely designed to accurately achieve docking between the charging drone 2 and the docking power supply platform 10 when they are within a 2.0 cm horizontal radius.

[0052] like Figure 6 As shown, when the application range is within the basic application range of the application drone 1, the application operation is supported by the application drone 1's own battery. When the application range exceeds the basic application range, the charging drone 2 provides power to the application drone 1, such as... Figure 6As shown, when the charging contact 202 of the charging drone 2 is physically connected to the power supply contact of the docking power supply platform 10, the voltage of the drone battery 2 of the charging drone 2 is applied to both ends of the coil of the normally closed electromagnetic relay, forming a circuit. As long as there is a physical connection and the drone battery 2 of the charging drone 2 is powered, the coil will be energized, thereby opening the normally closed switch. The power supply contact is located on the docking power supply platform 10, and after physical connection, the power supply contact and the charging contact 202 are connected. The charging connector 201 is the physical connector under the wing of the charging drone 2, which integrates the charging contact 202 and the necessary wires. The normally closed electromagnetic relay is installed on the circuit board inside the drug delivery drone 1. Diodes D1 and D2 are connected in series in the circuit for isolation and reverse connection protection. The entire signal transmission process is as follows: physical connection is established, the voltage of the drone battery 2 of the charging drone 2 is applied to the coil of the normally closed electromagnetic relay, the coil is energized and attracted, the normally closed contact is opened, the power supply circuit of the drone battery 1 of the drug delivery drone 1 is cut off, and the power supply circuit of the drone battery 2 of the charging drone 2 is connected. When the first battery of the spraying drone 1 stops working, the second battery of the charging drone 2 starts working to support the spraying operation. Diodes D1 and D2 protect the circuit and prevent reverse current.

[0053] The scope of protection of this utility model includes, but is not limited to, the above embodiments. The scope of protection of this utility model is defined by the claims. Any substitutions, modifications, or improvements to this technology that are easily conceived by those skilled in the art shall fall within the scope of protection of this utility model.

Claims

1. An aerial unmanned charging and battery swapping helium balloon base station, characterized in that: Includes a spraying drone (1), a helium balloon (3), an operation and maintenance platform (4) suspended under the helium balloon (3), and ground equipment; The operation and maintenance platform (4) is equipped with a drone battery storage cabinet (5), a robotic arm module (6), a battery swapping platform (7) and a main power supply; the main power supply is connected to the robotic arm module (6) and the drone battery storage cabinet (5); The drone battery storage cabinet (5) is provided with multiple slots (501) for storing drone batteries and charging drone batteries. Each slot (501) is provided with an automatic push-out mechanism for pushing drone batteries outward. The drug delivery drone (1) is used to land on the battery swapping platform (7). The robotic arm module (6) is used to take out the drone battery from the battery slot (101) of the drug delivery drone (1) and place it in an empty slot (501) of the drone battery storage cabinet (5). The robotic arm module (6) is also used to take out the drone battery pushed out by the automatic push-out mechanism from a slot (501) of the drone battery storage cabinet (5) and put it into the battery slot (101) of the drug delivery drone (1). The ground equipment includes a helium cylinder (302) and a winding device (9). The helium cylinder (302) is connected to the inflation port (301) on the helium balloon (3) through a gas pipe. The rope on the winding device (9) is connected to the operation and maintenance platform (4). The operation and maintenance platform (4) is connected to the helium balloon (3) through a rope.

2. The aerial unmanned charging and battery swapping helium balloon base station according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes a charging drone (2), and the operation and maintenance platform (4) is also equipped with a charging platform (11). The charging platform (11) is equipped with a charging connector (1101), and the total power supply is connected to the charging contact on the charging connector (1101) in the charging platform (11). The bottom of the charging drone (2) is equipped with a charging connector (201), and the charging contact (202) on the charging connector (201) is connected to the drone battery (2) on the charging drone (2). The charging connector (1101) is equipped with a charging contact, and the charging contact (1101) and the charging contact (202) on the charging connector (201) are connected by magnetic attraction, so that the total power supply can charge the drone battery (2) on the charging drone (2) through the charging contact (11) and the charging contact (202) at the bottom of the charging drone (2).

3. The aerial unmanned charging and battery swapping helium balloon base station according to claim 2, characterized in that: The operation and maintenance platform (4) is also equipped with a control system, which is connected to the UAV battery storage cabinet (5) and the robotic arm module (6). The spraying UAV (1) is a six-winged spraying UAV, and the charging UAV (2) is a four-winged charging UAV.

4. The aerial unmanned charging and battery swapping helium balloon base station according to claim 3, characterized in that: There are multiple winding devices (9). The winding devices (9) are used to automatically tighten or release the rope. The winding devices (9) are wirelessly connected to the control system. Each winding device (9) is also equipped with a tension sensor for detecting the rope tension. The tension sensor is wirelessly connected to the control system.

5. The aerial unmanned charging and battery swapping helium balloon base station according to claim 3, characterized in that: The outlet of the helium cylinder (302) is equipped with a solenoid valve, and the outlet of the helium cylinder (302) is connected to the gas pipe through the solenoid valve. The solenoid valve is wirelessly connected to the control system. A pressure sensor is installed inside the helium balloon (3), and the pressure sensor is wirelessly connected to the control system.

6. The aerial unmanned charging and battery swapping helium balloon base station according to claim 3, characterized in that: The upper end of the spraying drone (1) is connected to a docking power supply platform (10). The docking power supply platform (10) is provided with a funnel-shaped guide groove (1002) around its periphery. A power supply connector (1001) is provided on the docking power supply platform (10). A power supply contact is provided on the power supply connector (1001). The power supply contact is connected to the electrical equipment on the spraying drone (1). The power supply contact is connected to the charging contact (202) on the charging connector (201) at the bottom of the charging drone (2) by magnetic attraction. Thus, the drone battery (2) on the charging drone (2) supplies power to the electrical equipment on the spraying drone (1) through the charging contact (202) and the power supply contact on the docking power supply platform (10) in sequence.

7. The aerial unmanned charging and battery swapping helium balloon base station according to claim 3, characterized in that: The control system is wirelessly connected to the charging drone (2) and the spraying drone (1) via wireless communication modules. Both the charging drone (2) and the spraying drone (1) are equipped with positioning modules. The positioning modules are used to detect their own positions and send the position information to the control system. The charging drone (2) and the spraying drone (1) are wirelessly connected via wireless communication modules.

8. The aerial unmanned charging and battery swapping helium balloon base station according to claim 1, characterized in that: Each slot (501) of the UAV battery storage cabinet (5) is equipped with a slot status sensor for detecting whether the slot (501) is empty.

9. The aerial unmanned charging and battery swapping helium balloon base station according to claim 3, characterized in that: The robotic arm module (6) adopts a robotic arm with visual recognition and automatic grasping functions. An electric push rod (601) is connected to the base (603) of the gripping head (602) at the front end of the robotic arm module (6). The electric push rod (601) is located between multiple grippers (604) of the gripping head (602). The electric push rod (601) is used to push the drone battery after it has been initially placed in the battery slot (101) of the spraying drone (1) into the battery slot (101). The electric push rod (601) is connected to the control system.

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