Unmanned aerial vehicle mounting device

Abstract

The application discloses a UAV mounting device, which comprises a main body, a first supporting arm and a second supporting arm. The main body comprises a bearing part and a supporting leg. The bearing part is used for connecting with a target UAV. The supporting leg is arranged at the bottom of the bearing part and is used for supporting the landing of the target UAV. The first supporting arm and the second supporting arm are respectively connected to opposite sides of the bearing part and are used for carrying UAV accessories.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) technology, and in particular to a UAV mounting device. Background Technology

[0002] As a core category in the civilian sector, drones have experienced rapid development, with numerous manufacturers, brands, and models emerging in the market. Currently, high-resolution visible light main cameras, surround-view visible light cameras, distance sensors, and obstacle avoidance visual sensors have become standard features in mid-to-high-end drones, achieving new breakthroughs through the combination of drone flight control technology and sensor configuration. With the deepening application of drones in consumer and industrial fields, the demand for multi-scenario imaging, such as infrared night vision and low-light reconnaissance, is placing higher requirements on the functional design of drones.

[0003] How to expand the existing imaging module of a drone to include additional functions that can be adapted to different scenarios has become a pressing problem for the industry. Summary of the Invention

[0004] To address the existing technical problems, this application provides a drone mounting device that can conveniently integrate additional functions into drones to upgrade their functionality.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution of this application embodiment is implemented as follows:

[0006] A drone mounting device includes a main body, a first arm, and a second arm. The main body includes a support portion and legs. The support portion is used to connect with a target drone. The legs are located at the bottom of the support portion and are used to support the take-off and landing of the target drone. The first arm and the second arm are respectively connected to opposite sides of the support portion and are used to carry drone accessories.

[0007] Optionally, the first arm and the second arm are detachably connected to opposite sides of the support portion.

[0008] Optionally, the detachable structure includes at least one of threaded connection, snap-fit ​​connection, and pin connection.

[0009] Optionally, the support leg is detachably connected to the bottom of the support portion.

[0010] Optionally, the supporting part includes a bottom wall and side walls extending from opposite sides of the bottom wall in a direction away from the legs; a storage space adapted to the fuselage of the target UAV is formed between the bottom wall and the two side walls.

[0011] Optionally, the support legs include multiple legs, which are respectively located at different corners of the bottom wall, and a reinforcing rib connects adjacent support legs.

[0012] Optionally, the supporting part is provided with a connecting structure on one or both sides; the main body also includes a strap-type connector, which is used to wrap around the upper part of the target UAV and its end is connected to the connecting structure.

[0013] Optionally, the connecting structure is a buckle part, and the strap-type connector is a flexible strip structure with a buckle hole at the end. The strap-type connector achieves connection through the buckle hole and the buckle part.

[0014] Optionally, the main body further includes a thrower disposed on the support leg; the thrower includes a cylinder and a telescopic rod connected to the cylinder, the cylinder is fixed to one leg, and a locking part is provided on the other leg at a position corresponding to the cylinder, the telescopic rod includes a locked state extending out of the cylinder and inserted into the locking part, and an unlocked state retracting into the cylinder after exiting the locking part.

[0015] Optionally, the drone accessory includes an imaging module; the imaging module includes a gimbal mounted on the first arm and a camera module connected to the gimbal, and a main control module mounted on the second arm; the main control module and the camera module are communicatively connected; the camera module includes at least one of an infrared module, a visible light module, and a low-light module.

[0016] The UAV mounting device provided in the above embodiments adopts an integrated design. The UAV mounting device includes a main body, a first arm, and a second arm. The main body includes a support unit and legs. The support unit is used to connect to the target UAV and mount the target UAV fuselage. The legs are located at the bottom of the support unit and provide stable support during UAV takeoff and landing, providing landing gear functionality and preventing the fuselage from being impacted by the ground. Furthermore, the first and second arms are located on opposite sides of the support unit and can flexibly mount various UAV accessories to extend the UAV's functionality, such as infrared thermal imaging modules, laser designators, and main control modules to expand the UAV's infrared thermal imaging capabilities. Thus, the design of the UAV mounting device allows for the convenient integration of various UAV accessories onto the UAV fuselage. It has a simple structure, good versatility, and facilitates functional upgrades for the UAV. Since the various UAV accessories are suspended relative to the UAV fuselage, functional upgrades can be achieved without affecting the original flight performance of the UAV. Attached Figure Description

[0017] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a drone mounting device in one embodiment.

[0018] Figure 2 This is an exploded view of a drone mounting device in one embodiment.

[0019] Component Symbol Explanation

[0020] Main body 10, first support arm 11, second support arm 12, load-bearing part 20, bottom wall 21, side wall 22, storage space 23, support leg 30, clearance hole 41, clearance hole 42, connecting structure 50, strap-type connector 51, buckle part 52, buckle hole 53, reinforcing rib 60, thrower 70, cylinder 71, telescopic rod 72, locking part 73, pan-tilt unit 80, main control module 81, camera module 82, laser pointer mounting bracket 83 Detailed Implementation

[0021] The technical solution of the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0022] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains. The terminology used herein in the specification of this invention is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the ways in which the invention may be implemented. The term "and / or" as used herein includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0023] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms "center," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicating orientation or positional relationships, are based on the orientation or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings and are used only for the convenience of describing the invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of the invention. In the description of this invention, unless otherwise stated, "a plurality of" means two or more.

[0024] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "joining" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal communication between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0025] In the following description, the phrase "some embodiments" refers to a subset of all possible embodiments. It should be noted that "some embodiments" can be the same subset or different subsets of all possible embodiments, and can be combined with each other without conflict.

[0026] In the following description, the terms "first, second, and third" are used merely to distinguish similar objects and do not represent a specific ordering of objects. It is understood that "first, second, and third" may be interchanged in a specific order or sequence where permitted, so that the embodiments of this application described herein can be implemented in an order other than that illustrated or described herein.

[0027] Please refer to the following: Figure 1 and Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a drone mounting device provided in an embodiment of this application. The drone mounting device includes a main body 10, a first support arm 11, and a second support arm 12. The main body 10 includes a support portion 20 and legs 30. The support portion 20 is used to connect with the target drone. The legs 30 are located at the bottom of the support portion 20 and are used to support the take-off and landing of the target drone. The first support arm 11 and the second support arm 12 are respectively connected to opposite sides of the support portion 20 and are used to carry drone accessories.

[0028] The main body 10 refers to the main structural part of the UAV mounting device. The main body 10 includes a support part 20, which is used to connect with the target UAV. When the UAV mounting device integrates various UAV accessories onto the UAV, the UAV's fuselage can be fixedly connected to the support part 20 to enable the UAV mounting device to perform its mounting function. At the same time, it can achieve a more stable assembly state with the UAV.

[0029] The first arm 11 and the second arm 12 are respectively located on opposite sides of the support part 20. The design of the two arms can provide more drone accessories for mounting, and the design of the two arms being located on opposite sides of the support part 20 can better take into account the overall balance of the drone mounting device after the drone accessories are mounted.

[0030] The target drone can be any known model of drone. In this embodiment, the drone mounting device can be designed with a carrier part 20 for any known model of drone, so that the drone mounting device can be well adapted to any known model of drone product, and has strong practical applicability.

[0031] In the above embodiments, the UAV mounting device adopts a highly integrated design concept, comprising a main body 10, a first support arm 11, and a second support arm 12. The main body 10 includes a support portion 20 and support legs 30. The support portion 20 is used to connect to the target UAV and is mounted on the target UAV's fuselage. The support legs 30 are located at the bottom of the support portion 20, providing stable support during UAV takeoff and landing, functioning as landing gear to prevent the fuselage from impacting the ground, and ensuring the stability of the UAV during takeoff and landing under different ground conditions. Furthermore, the first support arm 11 and the second support arm 12 are respectively located on both sides of the main body 10, and can flexibly carry various UAV accessories to extend the UAV's functionality, such as infrared thermal imaging modules, laser designators, and main control modules to extend the UAV's infrared thermal imaging capabilities.

[0032] In addition, the design of the first arm 11 and the second arm 12 being located on both sides of the bearing part 20 in the drone mounting device allows the drone accessories to be integrated and mounted on the outside of the drone fuselage in a suspended manner. This not only achieves convenient upgrades of functions, but also does not affect the original flight performance of the drone due to the reasonable structural layout, demonstrating significant advantages of simple structure, strong versatility and easy functional expansion.

[0033] In some embodiments, the first arm 11 and the second arm 12 are detachably connected to opposite sides of the support portion 20. The detachable structure includes at least one of threaded connection, snap-fit ​​connection, and pin connection. Thus, the drone mounting device can be configured as a modular design with three combinable parts: the main body 10, the first arm 11, and the second arm 12. For example, the first arm 11 and the second arm 12 can be designed as standard parts, while different main bodies 10, primarily the support portion 20, can be designed to match the size and shape of different drone models. When the drone mounting device needs to be adapted to different drone models, the main body 10 can be replaced simply by using threaded connection, snap-fit ​​connection, pin connection, or other detachable structures. The first arm 11 and the second arm 12 are then assembled and connected to the main body 10 matching the current drone model to obtain a drone mounting device compatible with the corresponding drone model. This design allows the device to be compatible with different drone models simply by replacing the main body 10, balancing flexibility, functionality, and adaptability.

[0034] Furthermore, the outriggers 30 can be detachably connected to the bottom of the support unit 20. Thus, the drone mounting device can be a modular design with four combinable parts: the support unit 20, the outriggers 30, the first support arm 11, and the second support arm 12. For example, the outriggers 30, the first support arm 11, and the second support arm 12 can be designed as standard parts, while different support units 20 can be designed to match the size and shape of different drone models. When the drone mounting device needs to be adapted to different drone models, the support unit 20 can be replaced simply by threaded connection, snap-fit ​​connection, pin connection, or other detachable structures. The outriggers 30, the first support arm 11, and the second support arm 12 are then assembled and connected to the support unit 20 matching the current drone model to obtain a drone mounting device compatible with the corresponding drone model. This design only requires replacing the support unit 20 to make the device compatible with different drone models, balancing flexibility, functionality, and adaptability.

[0035] In some embodiments, the support portion 20 includes a bottom wall 21 and side walls 22 extending from opposite sides of the bottom wall 21 in a direction away from the support legs 30; a storage space 23 adapted to the fuselage of the target UAV is formed between the bottom wall 21 and the two side walls 22. As a key structure for fuselage mounting and load-bearing, the support portion 20 is mainly composed of the bottom wall 21 and the two side walls 22, wherein the two side walls 22 extend from opposite edges of the bottom wall 21 in a direction away from the support legs 30, thereby forming a space between the bottom wall 21 and the side walls 22 for storing the UAV fuselage. This design, through the combined construction of the bottom wall 21 and the side walls 22, provides a stable mounting and support foundation and storage area for the UAV fuselage, ensuring effective load-bearing during UAV operation, and providing some protection to the UAV fuselage when the UAV mounting device is used as landing gear. It should be noted that the bottom wall 21 and the side wall 22 refer to the structures that define the outline shape of the supporting part. They can be, but are not limited to, solid plates. For example, in some examples, the bottom wall 21 and the side wall 22 can be plates with one or more hollow areas. In other examples, the bottom wall 21 and the side wall 22 can even be frame structures with rectangular outer contours formed by bending rod-shaped objects.

[0036] Optionally, the bottom wall 21 is provided with a clearance hole 41. The clearance hole 41 can precisely avoid the installation position and detection area of ​​the UAV sensor. When the support part 20 is installed on the bottom of the target UAV, it avoids the bottom wall 21 from interfering with the detection function of the sensor, which is more conducive to ensuring the normal operation of the sensor during the operation of the UAV. Thus, it takes into account both the structural strength of the UAV mounting device and the functional requirements of adapting to different models of UAVs.

[0037] In other embodiments, the support portion 20 has a connecting structure 50 on one or both sides; the main body 10 also includes a strap-type connector 51, which is used to wrap around the upper part of the target UAV and has its end connected to the connecting structure 50. In this way, the design of the strap-type connector 51 achieves a more reliable and stable connection between the UAV mounting device and the UAV, further ensuring the stability of the UAV fuselage mounted on the support portion 20 during flight.

[0038] The connecting structure 50 can adopt a snap-fit ​​part 52 design, and the matching strap-type connector 51 is a flexible strip structure with buckle holes 53 at both ends. The strap-type connector 51 directly engages with the snap-fit ​​part 52 of the supporting part 20 through the buckle holes 53 at both ends, achieving a fixed connection with the connecting structure 50. In another embodiment, a snap-fit ​​part 52 can be provided on the strap-type connector 51, and correspondingly, buckle holes 53 can be provided at both ends of the supporting part 20 to achieve a mating connection. Alternatively, the supporting part 20 can have a quick-release connecting structure 50 at only one end, with one end of the strap-type connector 51 fixedly connected to the supporting part 20, and the other end of the strap-type connector 51 set as a movable end that can cooperate with the connecting structure 50, allowing it to bypass the tail of the target UAV and connect to the connecting structure 50 of the supporting part 20 for locking, thereby achieving a connection with the UAV. It should be noted that, in addition to the connection methods described above, other feasible connection methods can be used between the supporting part 20 and the strap-type connector 51.

[0039] The design of the buckle part 52 and the buckle hole 53 utilizes the flexible strap material properties of the strap-type connector 51 to adapt to different fuselage contours, and achieves convenient installation through the quick-locking of the buckle structure. While ensuring connection strength, it provides an efficient, flexible, and stable connection solution for drone mounting operations. The buckle holes 53 at both ends of the strap-type connector 51 can include multiple holes spaced apart. The tightness of the strap-type connector 51 when bound to the drone can be adjusted by adjusting the engagement of different buckle holes 53 with the buckle part 52. The material of the strap-type connector 51 can be a strip structure made of known flexible, easily deformable, and tough materials, such as rubber, silicone, latex, or soft leather. It should be noted that the length design of the strap connector 51 allows it to be more compatible with the size of different drone models. The strap connector 51 is wrapped around the top of the drone body, while the storage space 23 of the support part 20 can be equivalent to the part that wraps around the bottom of the drone. The strap connector 51 and the support part 20, through a combination of flexibility and rigidity, together form an assembly structure that wraps around the drone body, which can further improve the stability of the drone mounting device after it is installed on the drone. The flexible design of the strap connector 51 also helps the drone mounting device to adapt to drones of different models and sizes.

[0040] Furthermore, the number of strap-type connectors 51 can be one or more. In one optional specific example, there are two strap-type connectors 51, which are respectively wrapped around the middle section of the UAV fuselage, further improving the stability and balance of the UAV mounting device after it is installed on the UAV. In some embodiments, the outriggers 30 include multiple legs, which are respectively located at different corners of the bottom wall 21, and a reinforcing rib 60 connects adjacent legs 30. The multiple outriggers 30, installed at different corners of the bottom wall 21, provide multi-point support when the UAV mounting device functions as a landing gear, achieving a more stable landing support. By distributing the outriggers 30 at different corners of the bottom wall 21, forces from different directions can be evenly distributed, ensuring the stability of the support. The reinforcing rib 60 connecting adjacent legs 30 effectively enhances the structural strength between adjacent legs 30, improves the overall structural support, and further ensures the reliability of the structure and function of the UAV mounting device.

[0041] In other embodiments, please refer to Figure 2 The first arm 11 and the second arm 12 are respectively provided with clearance holes 42. In this embodiment, the first arm 11 and the second arm 12 are respectively provided with clearance holes 42 for avoiding sensors at different positions on the UAV. The design of the clearance holes 42 can accurately avoid the installation position and detection area of ​​the sensors, prevent the first arm 11 and the second arm 12 from interfering with the signal acquisition or operating space of the original structure sensors of the UAV, and at the same time, it can also effectively reduce the weight of the mounting device.

[0042] In some embodiments, the main body 10 further includes a thrower 70 mounted on a support leg 30 for attaching objects. The thrower 70 includes a cylinder 71 and a telescopic rod 72 connected to the cylinder 71. The cylinder 71 is fixed to one support leg 30, and a locking part 73 is provided on the other support leg 30 at a position corresponding to the cylinder 71. The telescopic rod 72 has a locked state in which it extends out of the cylinder 71 and is inserted into the locking part 73, and an unlocked state in which it exits the locking part 73 and retracts into the cylinder 71. In this embodiment, the telescopic rod 72 has two working states: when it is locked, the telescopic rod 72 extends out of the cylinder 71 and inserts into the locking part 73; when it is unlocked, the telescopic rod 72 exits the locking part 73 and retracts back into the cylinder 71. For objects that need to be temporarily mounted on a drone and transported by the drone, they can be mounted on the telescopic boom 72. When the drone reaches the target location and the mounted object needs to be released, the telescopic boom 72 can be controlled to extend and retract inside and outside the cylinder 71. The telescopic boom 72 will then separate from the locking part 73, allowing the mounted object to be released. It should be noted that the design of the thrower 70 provides more support for the expansion of the drone's additional functions through the drone mounting device, further enhancing the practical value of the drone mounting device.

[0043] In other embodiments, the drone accessories include an imaging module; the imaging module includes a gimbal 80 mounted on the first arm 11 and a camera module 82 connected to the gimbal 80, and a main control module 81 mounted on the second arm 12; the main control module 81 and the camera module 82 are communicatively connected; the camera module 82 includes at least one of an infrared module, a visible light module, and a low-light module.

[0044] In this embodiment, the camera module 82 includes an infrared module, which is suspended from the first arm 11 via a gimbal. The main control module 81, which controls the infrared module, is suspended from the second arm 12. The main control module 81 and the infrared module establish a communication connection via a data cable or wirelessly, ensuring a stable signal transmission connection and maintaining stable imaging quality of the infrared thermal imaging function during UAV flight. By placing the infrared module and the main control module 81 on different arms, the gimbal 80 enables stable rotation and flexible angle adjustment of the infrared module, while the communication connection ensures real-time control and data interaction between the main control module 81 and the infrared module. This allows the UAV, equipped with the infrared module, to efficiently complete the acquisition and processing of thermal imaging data.

[0045] Optionally, the camera module 82 includes a visible light module. A gimbal 80 is fixed to the first arm 11, and the visible light module is suspended from the first arm 11 via the gimbal 80. A main control module 81, which controls the visible light module, is suspended from the second arm 12. The gimbal 80 can drive the visible light module to rotate at multiple angles, thus ensuring the flexibility and stability of image data acquisition. The main control module 81 integrates a signal processing and control unit, which communicates with the visible light module via a data cable or wirelessly. This allows the main control module 81 to more stably receive and process image data transmitted from the visible light module in real time, and to send necessary control commands to the visible light module, enabling real-time control of shooting parameters, angle adjustment, and other functions, ensuring efficient and coordinated operation of the imaging system during UAV operations.

[0046] Optionally, the camera module 82 includes a low-light module, which is suspended and connected to the first arm 11 via a gimbal 80. The main control module 81, which controls the low-light module, is suspended and connected to the second arm 12. The low-light module is fixed to the gimbal 80. Working in conjunction with the gimbal 80, the low-light module enables multi-angle low-light environment shooting. Furthermore, the low-light module communicates with the main control module 81 via a data cable or wirelessly, receiving control commands from the main control module 81, such as parameter adjustment, start / stop, etc. It processes image data in real time and adjusts shooting parameters, while simultaneously transmitting the acquired image data to the main control module 81 for processing, storage, or output. In this embodiment, the drone mounting device conveniently extends the low-light imaging function of the low-light module for the drone, providing the drone with crucial visual perception capabilities, particularly suitable for drone nighttime operation scenarios.

[0047] Optionally, the camera module 82 integrates a laser designator; or, the drone mounting device further includes a laser designator mounting bracket 83 for mounting the laser designator, which is connected to the camera module via a snap-fit ​​mechanism. The camera module configuration can include two laser designator mounting methods: First, the laser designator is directly integrated into the camera module, integrating the laser designator function with the imaging system through modular design, reducing space occupation while achieving functional integration; Second, the drone mounting device is equipped with an independent laser designator mounting bracket 83, which is mounted on the first arm 11 together with the camera module via a snap-fit ​​structure. This independent mounting method allows for flexible addition of laser designators according to operational needs. The snap-fit ​​design of the laser designator mounting bracket 83 ensures a stable connection while facilitating quick disassembly and assembly to adapt to different accessory combinations and rapid assembly requirements.

[0048] The above are merely specific embodiments of this application, but the scope of protection of this application is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed in this application should be included within the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A drone mounting device, characterized in that, The device includes a main body (10), a first support arm (11), and a second support arm (12). The main body (10) includes a support portion (20) and a support leg (30). The support portion (20) is used to connect with the target drone. The support leg (30) is located at the bottom of the support portion (20) and is used to support the take-off and landing of the target drone. The first support arm (11) and the second support arm (12) are respectively connected to the opposite sides of the support portion (20) and are used to carry drone accessories.

2. The UAV mounting device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first arm (11) and the second arm (12) are detachably connected to opposite sides of the support portion (20).

3. The UAV mounting device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The detachable structure includes at least one of threaded connection, snap-fit ​​connection, and pin connection.

4. The UAV mounting device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The support leg (30) is detachably connected to the bottom of the support portion (20).

5. The UAV mounting device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The supporting part (20) includes a bottom wall (21) and side walls (22) extending from opposite sides of the bottom wall (21) in a direction away from the support leg (30); A storage space (23) adapted to the fuselage of the target UAV is formed between the bottom wall (21) and the two side walls (22).

6. The UAV mounting device according to claim 5, characterized in that, The support legs (30) include multiple ones, which are respectively located at different corners of the bottom wall (21), and a reinforcing rib (60) connects two adjacent support legs (30).

7. The UAV mounting device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The supporting part (20) is provided with a connecting structure (50) on one or both sides; The main body (10) also includes a strap-type connector (51), which is used to be wrapped around the upper part of the target UAV and its end is connected to the connection structure (50).

8. The UAV mounting device according to claim 7, characterized in that, The connecting structure (50) is a buckle part (52), and the strap-type connector (51) is a flexible strip structure with a buckle hole (53) at the end. The strap-type connector (51) is connected by the buckle hole (53) and the buckle part (52).

9. The UAV mounting device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The main body (10) also includes a thrower (70) disposed on the support leg (30); The thrower (70) includes a cylinder (71) and a telescopic rod (72) connected to the cylinder (71). The cylinder (71) is fixed to one leg (30), and a locking part (73) is provided on the other leg (30) at a position corresponding to the cylinder (71). The telescopic rod (72) includes a locked state in which it extends out of the cylinder (71) and is inserted into the locking part (73), and an unlocked state in which it exits the locking part (73) and retracts into the cylinder (71).

10. The UAV mounting device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The drone accessories include an imaging module; The imaging module includes a gimbal (80) mounted on the first arm (11), a camera module (82) connected to the gimbal (80), and a main control module (81) mounted on the second arm (12); the main control module (81) and the camera module (82) are communicatively connected. The camera module (82) includes at least one of an infrared module, a visible light module, and a low-light module.

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