A turbojet-powered logistics drone based on a fixed-wing structure

Abstract

A turbojet-powered logistics drone based on a fixed-wing structure includes a carbon fiber fuselage, balsa wood wings, an all-moving horizontal stabilizer, twin vertical stabilizers, a nose fairing, a storage compartment, a turbojet engine, landing gear, a flight control system, and an emergency parachute. This utility model of a turbojet-powered logistics drone based on a fixed-wing structure organically combines a fixed-wing structure with a turbojet engine, enabling short-distance takeoff within 50 meters. Compared to traditional propeller-driven fixed-wing drones, the takeoff distance is reduced by more than 40%. The cruising speed can reach 80km / h to 120km / h. It can accommodate standard 200mm×200mm×400mm supply boxes. The flight control system supports both manual and autopilot modes. Equipped with an emergency parachute, it enables safe parachute landing and recovery of the drone in emergency situations, effectively solving the significant limitations of traditional drones in meeting emergency supply delivery needs.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model belongs to the field of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) technology, and in particular relates to a turbojet-powered logistics UAV based on a fixed-wing structure. Background Technology

[0002] In remote mountainous and hilly areas with complex terrain, the cross-regional transfer of small batches of supplies can still rely on manual labor or ground vehicles. However, if ground transportation is interrupted due to natural disasters or other emergencies, the current material delivery method mainly relies on airdrop.

[0003] Currently, airdropping supplies mainly relies on multi-rotor drones. However, multi-rotor drones generally have the disadvantages of small payload and being greatly affected by wind. Traditional propeller-driven fixed-wing drones have the problem of poor short take-off and landing performance. As a result, existing drones have obvious limitations when facing the needs of emergency supply delivery. Utility Model Content

[0004] To address the problems existing in the prior art, this utility model provides a turbojet-powered logistics drone based on a fixed-wing structure. It organically combines the fixed-wing structure with a turbojet engine, enabling short-distance takeoff within 50 meters. Compared with traditional propeller-driven fixed-wing drones, the takeoff distance is shortened by more than 40%, and the cruising speed can reach 80km / h to 120km / h. It can be adapted to a standard 200mm×200mm×400mm cargo box. The flight control system supports both manual and autopilot modes. It is equipped with an emergency parachute to enable the drone to be safely parachuted and recovered in case of emergencies. This effectively solves the problem that traditional drones have obvious limitations when facing emergency material delivery needs.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, this utility model adopts the following technical solution: a turbojet-powered logistics drone based on a fixed-wing structure, comprising a carbon tube fuselage, balsa wood wings, a fully movable horizontal stabilizer, twin vertical stabilizers, a nose fairing, a storage compartment, a turbojet engine, landing gear, a flight control system, and an emergency parachute; the balsa wood wings are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the carbon tube fuselage; the fully movable horizontal stabilizer is arranged at the rear end of the carbon tube fuselage; the twin vertical stabilizers are arranged at the rear end of the carbon tube fuselage and located above the fully movable horizontal stabilizer; the nose fairing... The fairing is located at the front of the carbon fiber fuselage; the flight control system is located inside the nose fairing; the storage compartment is located below the carbon fiber fuselage and is used to carry supply boxes, with an airdrop parachute mechanism between the supply boxes and the storage compartment; the landing gear is located below the storage compartment; the turbojet engine is located on the central axis of the carbon fiber fuselage; the carbon fiber fuselage, balsa wood wings, all-moving horizontal stabilizer, twin vertical stabilizers, and storage compartment are all covered by skin; the emergency parachute is located on the outer skin above the carbon fiber fuselage.

[0006] The turbojet engine is rigidly fixed to the carbon tube fuselage via a titanium alloy bracket.

[0007] The balsa wood wings, all-moving horizontal stabilizer, twin vertical stabilizers, and landing gear are each equipped with servo motors for attitude adjustment.

[0008] The flight control system integrates a central processing unit, an inertial navigation system, a satellite positioning system, an airspeed meter, a lidar, and data transmission.

[0009] The data transmission is divided into air-to-air data transmission and ground-to-ground data transmission. The air-to-air data transmission is connected to the flight control system, while the ground-to-ground data transmission is directly connected to the computer ground station.

[0010] A control method for a turbojet-powered logistics drone based on a fixed-wing structure includes the following steps: Step 1: Generate a global map and establish connections A communication connection is established between the data transmission aerial terminal and the flight control system, and power is supplied. A communication connection is established between the data transmission ground terminal and the computer ground station, completing the wireless communication connection between the UAV's flight control system and the computer ground station, and realizing real-time data transmission. A global map is loaded into the satellite positioning system, and the global map is displayed by the computer ground station. Step Two: Determining the initial positioning of the drone, the airdrop location, and the take-off and landing runway. The initial position and nose direction of the drone are marked on the global map and synchronized to the satellite positioning system; the airdrop target point, airdrop core area, and airdrop buffer zone are marked on the global map, and the airdrop altitude is set; the range, centerline, and safety zone of the take-off and landing runway are marked on the global map. Step 3: Calibrate the accelerometer on the computer ground station. First, click the initial setup option, then click the necessary hardware option, then click the accelerometer calibration option, and then follow the prompts to calibrate in different directions: forward, backward, left, right, up, down, and horizontal. Step 4: Calibrate the remote control on the computer ground station. First, click the initial setup option, then click the necessary hardware option, then click remote control calibration. After that, pair the remote control with the receiver. After successful pairing, push the two joysticks of the remote control to their maximum values ​​in each direction and repeat this several times until the computer ground station has fully acquired the data. Finally, confirm the data. Step 5: Perform waypoint planning on the computer ground station First, click the Flight Plan module option, then click Waypoint Planning. Based on the determined initial drone positioning, drop location, and runway data, add waypoints to the global map. The waypoints are, in order: takeoff runway endpoint, cruise route point, transition point to drop altitude, drop point, and return landing point. Then set the altitude, speed, and maneuver commands for each waypoint until a continuous flight path is generated. Once waypoint planning is complete, write the waypoints into the satellite positioning system. Step Six: Security Check Conduct a safety inspection of the drone's hardware and software to ensure it meets takeoff requirements; conduct a safety inspection of the runway environment to ensure it is free of obstacles and personnel; conduct a safety inspection of the airspace environment to ensure it is clear. Step 7: Short takeoff Move the drone to the takeoff runway starting point, then start the turbojet engine and preheat it to operating temperature, while ensuring the drop-off door of the storage compartment is closed. In manual remote control mode, gradually increase the thrust of the turbojet engine by progressively pushing the throttle with the remote controller. In autopilot mode, the flight control system controls the turbojet engine to gradually increase its thrust. As the thrust of the turbojet engine increases, it will drive the drone to accelerate until it reaches the takeoff runway finish line, at which point the drone will take off. After the drone completes the takeoff phase, if the takeoff phase was in manual remote control mode, it will automatically switch to autopilot mode after takeoff; otherwise, it will continue to maintain autopilot mode. Step 8: Patrol and Airdrop of Supplies After completing the takeoff phase, the drone directly enters the cruise phase and flies autonomously along the planned flight path. During the cruise, the satellite positioning system and inertial navigation system make real-time corrections to the flight path to ensure that the drone accurately navigates to the airdrop point. When it arrives at the planned airdrop point, the drop door of the storage compartment opens, and then the actuator of the airdrop parachute mechanism pushes the supply box away from the storage compartment. Under the pull of the rope, the airdrop parachute automatically opens. Step Nine: Unpowered Return and Landing After airdropping the supply box, the drone immediately enters the return phase, which is a non-powered gliding mode. Once the drone enters the return phase, the turbojet engine automatically shuts down, and the flight control system automatically controls the drone's gliding attitude. At the same time, the satellite positioning system and inertial navigation system make real-time corrections to the return trajectory. During the gliding descent, the flight control system dynamically controls the drone's gliding descent angle, and uses lidar to monitor obstacles on the runway in real time for automatic obstacle avoidance. It also monitors the distance between the drone and the runway in real time until the drone accurately lands on the runway and uses natural drag to decelerate and glide until it comes to a complete stop.

[0011] When a drone is in the takeoff and climb phase, cruise phase, airdrop phase, or return phase, the emergency parachute is triggered under the following conditions: ① entering a no-fly zone; ② turbojet engine failure and loss of power; ③ signal interruption for more than 5 seconds; ④ abnormal flight attitude and loss of control; ⑤ manual triggering command.

[0012] The beneficial effects of this utility model are: This utility model discloses a turbojet-powered logistics drone based on a fixed-wing structure, which organically combines a fixed-wing structure with a turbojet engine. It can achieve short takeoff within 50 meters, reducing the takeoff distance by more than 40% compared with traditional propeller-driven fixed-wing drones. The cruising speed can reach 80km / h to 120km / h. It can be adapted to a standard 200mm×200mm×400mm material box. The flight control system supports both manual and autopilot modes. It is equipped with an emergency parachute to enable safe parachute landing and recovery of the drone in case of emergencies. It effectively solves the problem that traditional drones have obvious limitations when facing emergency material delivery needs. Attached Figure Description

[0013] Figure 1 This is a structural schematic diagram of a turbojet-powered logistics drone based on a fixed-wing structure (nose fairing, skin, etc. are not shown). In the diagram, 1—carbon tubular fuselage, 2—balsa wood wing, 3—all-moving horizontal stabilizer, 4—twin vertical stabilizers, 5—storage compartment, 6—turbojet engine, 7—landing gear, and 8—titanium alloy support. Detailed Implementation

[0014] The present invention will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0015] like Figure 1As shown, a turbojet-powered logistics drone based on a fixed-wing structure includes a carbon tube fuselage 1, balsa wood wings 2, an all-moving horizontal stabilizer 3, twin vertical stabilizers 4, a nose fairing, a storage compartment 5, a turbojet engine 6, landing gear 7, a flight control system, and an emergency parachute; the balsa wood wings 2 are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the carbon tube fuselage 1; the all-moving horizontal stabilizer 3 is arranged at the rear end of the carbon tube fuselage 1; the twin vertical stabilizers 4 are arranged at the rear end of the carbon tube fuselage 1 and above the all-moving horizontal stabilizer 3; the nose fairing is located at the front end of the carbon tube fuselage 1. The flight control system is located inside the nose fairing; the storage compartment 5 is located below the carbon fiber fuselage 1, and is used to carry supply boxes. An airdrop parachute mechanism is configured between the supply boxes and the storage compartment 5; the landing gear 7 is located below the storage compartment 5; the turbojet engine 6 is located at the central axis of the carbon fiber fuselage 1; the carbon fiber fuselage 1, balsa wood wings 2, all-moving horizontal stabilizer 3, twin vertical stabilizers 4, and storage compartment 5 are all covered by skin; the emergency parachute is located on the outer skin above the carbon fiber fuselage 1.

[0016] In this embodiment, the turbojet engine 6 is a SW608 turbojet engine, which can provide 80 kg of thrust and support a cruising speed of 80 km / h to 120 km / h. It is equipped with a 1L fuel tank and an electronic speed governor, and supports ground preheating for 3-5 minutes at idle. The start-up, shutdown, and speed adjustment of the turbojet engine 6 are all precisely controlled by the flight control system, which can fully meet the usage requirements of the UAV.

[0017] In this embodiment, the emergency parachute is a circular parachute, and its fully deployed area is 4m². 2 This can control the descent speed of the drone to ≤4m / s.

[0018] In this embodiment, the supply box is a standard supply box measuring 200mm × 200mm × 400mm, and the airdrop parachute in the airdrop mechanism is a circular parachute with a fully deployed area of ​​3m². 2 The falling speed of the supply box can be controlled to ≤3m / s; the airdrop parachute is placed in the cloth bag on top of the supply box and is linked to the delivery door of the storage compartment 5 by pulling the rope. When the actuator of the airdrop parachute mechanism pushes the supply box away from the storage compartment 5, the airdrop parachute can be automatically opened under the pull of the rope.

[0019] The turbojet engine 6 is rigidly fixed to the carbon tube fuselage 1 via a titanium alloy bracket 8.

[0020] The balsa wood wing 2, all-moving horizontal stabilizer 3, twin vertical stabilizers 4, and landing gear 7 are each equipped with servo motors for attitude adjustment.

[0021] The flight control system integrates a central processing unit, an inertial navigation system, a satellite positioning system, an airspeed meter, a lidar, and data transmission.

[0022] The data transmission is divided into air-to-air data transmission and ground-to-ground data transmission. The air-to-air data transmission is connected to the flight control system, while the ground-to-ground data transmission is directly connected to the computer ground station.

[0023] In this embodiment, the central processing unit (CPU) uses an STM32H757 Dual Core M7+M4 main processor to support both manual and autopilot modes. The response time for switching between the two modes is ≤1 second. In manual mode, a 2.4GHz remote controller is provided. The inertial navigation system consists of three groups, each including three accelerometers, three gyroscopes, one electronic compass, and two barometers. The airspeed indicator is used to acquire real-time airflow direction and speed information during the drone's flight. The lidar has a detection range of 50 meters, used for automatic obstacle avoidance during drone descent and for measuring the distance between the drone and the ground to ensure accurate landing. The airborne data transmission is directly connected to the flight control system, receiving information from the ground-based data transmission and transmitting data generated by the flight control system back to the ground-based data transmission. The ground-based data transmission is directly connected to a computer ground station, which uses Mission... The Planner computer ground station can be used for calibration, waypoint design, and drone flight status monitoring. Its display interface includes electronic maps, flight paths, material status, and system alarm information. Drop points, no-fly zones, etc. can be marked on the electronic map, and manual triggering of emergency parachute deployment is supported.

[0024] A control method for a turbojet-powered logistics drone based on a fixed-wing structure includes the following steps: Step 1: Generate a global map and establish connections A communication connection is established between the data transmission aerial terminal and the flight control system, and power is supplied. A communication connection is established between the data transmission ground terminal and the Mission Planner computer ground station. This completes the wireless communication connection between the UAV's flight control system and the Mission Planner computer ground station, enabling real-time data transmission. A global map is loaded into the satellite positioning system and displayed by the Mission Planner computer ground station. Step Two: Determining the initial positioning of the drone, the airdrop location, and the take-off and landing runway. The initial position and nose direction of the drone are marked on the global map and synchronized to the satellite positioning system; the airdrop target point, airdrop core area, and airdrop buffer zone are marked on the global map, and the airdrop altitude is set; the range, centerline, and safety zone of the take-off and landing runway are marked on the global map. In this embodiment, the airdrop core area is a circular area with a diameter of 4 meters, and the airdrop buffer zone is an annular area with a diameter of 4 to 10 meters; the selected take-off and landing runway has a length of ≥50 meters and a width of ≥20 meters; Step 3: Calibrate the accelerometers on the Mission Planner computer ground station. First, click the initial setup option, then click the necessary hardware option, then click the accelerometer calibration option, and then follow the prompts to calibrate in different directions: forward, backward, left, right, up, down, and horizontal. Step 4: Calibrate the remote control on the Mission Planner computer ground station. First, click the initial setup option, then click the necessary hardware option, then click remote control calibration. After that, pair the remote control with the receiver. After successful pairing, push the two joysticks of the remote control to their maximum values ​​in each direction and repeat this several times until the computer ground station has fully acquired the data. Finally, confirm the data. Step 5: Perform waypoint planning on the Mission Planner computer ground station. First, click the Flight Plan module option, then click Waypoint Planning. Based on the determined initial drone positioning, drop location, and runway data, add waypoints to the global map. The waypoints are, in order: takeoff runway endpoint, cruise route point, transition point to drop altitude, drop point, and return landing point. Then set the altitude, speed, and maneuver commands for each waypoint until a continuous flight path is generated. Once waypoint planning is complete, write the waypoints into the satellite positioning system. In this embodiment, the altitude of the cruise route points is 10 to 30 meters, the altitude of the airdrop points is ≥20 meters, the action commands include jumping and dropping, the drone can autonomously cruise according to the preset flight trajectory, and return autonomously after accurately airdropping supplies. Step Six: Security Check Conduct a safety inspection of the drone's hardware and software to ensure it meets takeoff requirements; conduct a safety inspection of the runway environment to ensure it is free of obstacles and personnel; conduct a safety inspection of the airspace environment to ensure it is clear. Step 7: Short takeoff Move the drone to the takeoff runway starting point, then start the turbojet engine 6 and preheat it to operating temperature, while ensuring the drop-off door of the storage compartment 5 is closed. In manual remote control mode, gradually increase the thrust of the turbojet engine 6 by progressively pushing the throttle via the remote controller. In autopilot mode, the flight control system controls the gradual increase of the thrust of the turbojet engine 6. As the thrust of the turbojet engine 6 increases, it will drive the drone to accelerate until it reaches the takeoff runway finish line, at which point the drone will take off. After the drone completes the takeoff phase transition, if the takeoff phase was in manual remote control mode, it will automatically switch to autopilot mode after takeoff; otherwise, it will continue to maintain autopilot mode. In this embodiment, if the UAV deviates from its trajectory during takeoff, in manual remote control mode, the UAV's twin vertical tail 4 control surfaces can be micro-controlled by the remote controller to correct the trajectory; in autopilot mode, the UAV's twin vertical tail 4 control surfaces can be micro-controlled by the flight control system to correct the trajectory. Step 8: Patrol and Airdrop of Supplies After completing the takeoff phase, the drone directly enters the cruise phase and flies autonomously along the planned flight path. During the cruise, the satellite positioning system and inertial navigation system make real-time corrections to the flight path to ensure that the drone accurately navigates to the airdrop point. When it reaches the planned airdrop point, the drop door of the storage compartment 5 opens, and then the actuator of the airdrop parachute mechanism pushes the supply box away from the storage compartment 5. Under the pull of the rope, the airdrop parachute automatically opens. In this embodiment, the drone's cruising speed is 80km / h to 120km / h, and its cruising altitude is 10 meters. After the cruising phase, it enters the climbing phase until it reaches an airdrop altitude of 25 meters, at which point it reaches the airdrop point. Under the deceleration effect of the airdrop parachute, the descent speed of the supply box can be controlled to ≤3m / s until the supply box accurately lands within the airdrop core area. At the same time, the Mission Planner computer ground station can synchronously record the coordinates and altitude of the supply box. Step Nine: Unpowered Return and Landing After airdropping the supply box, the drone immediately enters the return phase, which is a non-powered gliding mode. Once the drone enters the return phase, the turbojet engine 6 automatically shuts down, and the flight control system automatically controls the drone's gliding attitude. At the same time, the satellite positioning system and inertial navigation system make real-time corrections to the return trajectory. During the gliding descent, the flight control system dynamically controls the drone's gliding descent angle, and uses lidar to monitor obstacles on the runway in real time for automatic obstacle avoidance. It also monitors the distance between the drone and the runway in real time until the drone accurately lands on the runway and uses natural drag to decelerate and glide until it comes to a complete stop. In this embodiment, the drone glides down at a 30° pitch angle, and the distance of the deceleration run upon touchdown is ≤50 meters. After the drone comes to a complete stop on the runway, the unpowered drone is transferred to a designated parking area to avoid occupying the take-off and landing lane. Afterward, the drone is thoroughly inspected to prepare for the next airdrop mission.

[0025] When a drone is in the takeoff and climb phase, cruise phase, airdrop supply phase, or return phase, the emergency parachute is triggered under the following conditions: ① entering a no-fly zone; ② turbojet engine 6 malfunction and loss of power; ③ signal interruption for more than 5 seconds; ④ abnormal flight attitude and loss of control; ⑤ manual triggering command.

[0026] In this embodiment, when triggering conditions ①, ③, ④, and ⑤ occur, in order to avoid uncontrolled power output of the turbojet engine 6, the emergency parachute disconnects the power of the turbojet engine 6 while completing emergency parachute deployment, ensuring that the UAV completes the parachute descent in a powerless state. The triggering response time of the emergency parachute is required to be ≤2 seconds, and the triggering of the emergency parachute is directly executed by the flight control system through hard-wired linkage, unaffected by software delays. After the UAV completes the emergency parachute descent and lands, the flight control system automatically records the triggering cause and abnormal flight data for subsequent accident analysis.

[0027] The solutions in the embodiments are not intended to limit the scope of protection of this utility model. All equivalent implementations or modifications that do not depart from the scope of protection of this utility model are included in the scope of protection of this utility model.

Claims

1. A turbojet-powered logistics drone based on a fixed-wing structure, characterized in that: The fuselage includes a carbon fiber fuselage, balsa wood wings, all-moving horizontal stabilizer, twin vertical stabilizers, a nose fairing, a storage compartment, a turbojet engine, landing gear, a flight control system, and an emergency parachute. The balsa wood wings are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the carbon fiber fuselage. The all-moving horizontal stabilizer is located at the rear of the carbon fiber fuselage. The twin vertical stabilizers are located at the rear of the carbon fiber fuselage and above the all-moving horizontal stabilizer. The nose fairing is located at the front of the carbon fiber fuselage. The flight control system is located inside the nose fairing. The storage compartment is located below the carbon fiber fuselage and is used to carry supply boxes. An airdrop parachute mechanism is configured between the supply boxes and the storage compartment. The landing gear is located below the storage compartment. The turbojet engine is located on the central axis of the carbon fiber fuselage. The carbon fiber fuselage, balsa wood wings, all-moving horizontal stabilizer, twin vertical stabilizers, and storage compartment are all covered by a skin. The emergency parachute is located on the outer skin above the carbon fiber fuselage.

2. The turbojet-powered logistics drone based on a fixed-wing structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The turbojet engine is rigidly fixed to the carbon tube fuselage via a titanium alloy bracket.

3. The turbojet-powered logistics drone based on a fixed-wing structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The balsa wood wings, all-moving horizontal stabilizer, twin vertical stabilizers, and landing gear are each equipped with servo motors for attitude adjustment.

4. The turbojet-powered logistics drone based on a fixed-wing structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The flight control system integrates a central processing unit, an inertial navigation system, a satellite positioning system, an airspeed meter, a lidar, and data transmission.

5. The turbojet-powered logistics drone based on a fixed-wing structure according to claim 4, characterized in that: The data transmission is divided into air-to-air data transmission and ground-to-ground data transmission. The air-to-air data transmission is connected to the flight control system, while the ground-to-ground data transmission is directly connected to the computer ground station.

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