An unmanned aerial vehicle searchlight angle adjusting device

Abstract

The utility model relates to a kind of unmanned aerial vehicle searchlight angle adjusting device, belong to unmanned aerial vehicle accessory technical field.The device includes the installation base fixed to the unmanned aerial vehicle fuselage and detachably installed searchlight component, both are realized quick dismounting by T type sliding slot and T type sliding block.Searchlight component is a double-shaft structure, its inside main control board can receive control signal from unmanned aerial vehicle flight control or holder, to keep consistent with the flight orientation of unmanned aerial vehicle, provide stable front illumination or three-dimensional space within the shooting direction synchronous change following main holder camera.The unmanned aerial vehicle searchlight angle adjusting device overcomes the defects of existing unmanned aerial vehicle searchlight dismounting inconvenience, control is complicated, cannot be automatically linked with holder camera, it is not only installed conveniently, but also realized searchlight angle intelligent, automation follow-up control, to reduce the difficulty of operation of pilot, improve night work efficiency.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) technology, and in particular to an angle adjustment device for UAV searchlights used for auxiliary operations at night or in low light environments. Background Technology

[0002] When performing tasks such as power line inspection, public safety monitoring, and emergency search and rescue at night or in low-light environments, drones typically need to be equipped with high-powered searchlights for supplemental lighting. Existing drone searchlights are mostly standalone mount devices, which have the following two shortcomings in their application:

[0003] (1) Cumbersome installation method: Most searchlights need to be fixed to the drone body by screws, clips, etc. The installation and disassembly process is time-consuming and labor-intensive, especially in scenarios where the mission requires frequent replacement of the mounted equipment, which greatly reduces the efficiency of field work.

[0004] (2) Inconvenient operation: The angle adjustment of existing searchlights mostly requires the pilot to manually control them through an independent physical channel (such as a knob or lever) on the remote control. This will significantly increase the pilot's workload and easily distract them when the pilot needs to control the drone's flight attitude and gimbal camera at the same time. More importantly, manual adjustment makes it difficult to achieve fast and accurate tracking of the searchlight beam to the camera's field of view. Often, the light shines on one place while the camera captures another, which seriously affects the efficiency of operation and the ability to capture targets. Utility Model Content

[0005] The technical problem to be solved by this utility model is to overcome the shortcomings of existing drone searchlights, such as inconvenient disassembly and assembly, cumbersome control, and inability to automatically link with the gimbal camera. It provides a drone searchlight angle adjustment device that is not only easy to install, but also realizes intelligent and automated follow-up control of the searchlight angle, thereby reducing the difficulty of operation for drone pilots and improving the efficiency of nighttime operations.

[0006] To solve the aforementioned technical problems and achieve the aforementioned technical effects, this UAV searchlight angle adjustment device includes a mounting base fixed to the UAV fuselage and a searchlight assembly detachably mounted on the mounting base. The mounting base has a T-shaped groove along a preset direction, and the top of the searchlight assembly has a corresponding T-shaped slider. The T-shaped slider slides in conjunction with the T-shaped groove to achieve quick installation and removal of the searchlight assembly. The searchlight assembly also includes a U-shaped frame connected below the T-shaped slider, a housing connected within the U-shaped frame, and a searchlight body mounted at the front end of the housing. A horizontal motor for driving its horizontal rotation around a vertical axis is fixed on the U-shaped frame, and the output shaft of the horizontal motor is connected to the bottom of the T-shaped slider. A pitch servo for driving the housing to pitch is fixed on the side of the U-shaped frame, and the output shaft of the pitch servo is connected to the side of the housing. A main control board for controlling the horizontal motor and the pitch servo is located inside the housing.

[0007] Furthermore, the main control board integrates a microprocessor, a signal receiving module, and a motor drive module. The signal input terminal of the signal receiving module is connected to the UAV's flight control or gimbal main control board to receive angle control signals. The input and output terminals of the microprocessor are electrically connected to the signal receiving module and the motor drive module, respectively, to analyze the gimbal's horizontal and pitch angle signals in real time and generate corresponding horizontal and pitch control commands. The two output terminals of the motor drive module are electrically connected to the horizontal motor and pitch servo, respectively, to drive the horizontal motor and pitch servo to rotate according to the control commands from the microprocessor, so that the illumination direction of the searchlight body is synchronized with the UAV's flight direction or the gimbal's shooting direction.

[0008] Furthermore, the main control board also integrates a power module, which receives DC power from the UAV and converts it into at least two different voltage levels: a low-voltage operating voltage for the microprocessor and signal receiving module, and a higher driving voltage for the motor drive module, horizontal motor, and pitch servo.

[0009] Specifically, the microprocessor uses an STM32F103 series microcontroller.

[0010] Specifically, the motor drive module includes a control chip with at least two independent PWM output channels to achieve precise and independent control of the horizontal motor and the pitch servo.

[0011] In addition, the mounting base is provided with a locking mechanism for locking the searchlight assembly after it is installed in place; the mating surfaces of the mounting base and the searchlight assembly are respectively provided with pin-type electrical connectors and socket-type electrical connectors that automatically engage when the module is pushed into place, for transmitting power and signals.

[0012] This utility model discloses a drone searchlight angle adjustment device, which overcomes the shortcomings of existing drone searchlights, such as inconvenient installation and disassembly, cumbersome control, and inability to automatically link with the gimbal camera. It is not only easy to install but also achieves intelligent and automated follow-up control of the searchlight angle, thereby reducing the difficulty of operation for drone pilots and improving the efficiency of nighttime operations. Specifically,

[0013] (1) The quick-release structure of T-shaped slide and slider can be adopted to realize the quick installation of the searchlight module by pushing and locking, and the quick disassembly by releasing and pulling without any tools. This greatly facilitates users to flexibly configure the drone according to different task requirements and improves the efficiency of field deployment.

[0014] (2) The built-in main control board can realize the automatic following of the gimbal pitch angle by the searchlight, which frees up the pilot's operating load, ensures that the light always accurately covers the center area of ​​the camera's field of view, realizes the light following the shadow, and significantly improves the efficiency and quality of tasks such as night reconnaissance and search. Attached Figure Description

[0015] The following description, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, further illustrates the UAV searchlight angle adjustment device of this utility model:

[0016] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the searchlight angle adjustment device for this drone;

[0017] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 Rear view;

[0018] Figure 3 yes Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the decomposed structure;

[0019] Figure 4 This is a block diagram showing the functional module connection of the main control board of the drone searchlight angle adjustment device.

[0020] In the picture:

[0021] 1-Mounting base; 11-T-slot; 12-Locking mechanism; 13-Pin-type electrical connector;

[0022] 2-Searchlight assembly; 21-T-slider, 22-U-shaped bracket, 23-Housing, 24-Pull-in electrical connector;

[0023] 3-Searchlight body;

[0024] 41 - Horizontal motor; 42 - Pitch servo;

[0025] 5-Main control board; 51-Microprocessor; 52-Signal receiving module; 53-Motor drive module; 54-Power supply module. Detailed Implementation

[0026] In this utility model, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "joining," and "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components. For those skilled in the art, the specific meaning of the above terms in this utility model can be understood according to the specific circumstances.

[0027] In the description of this utility model, it should be understood that the terms "left", "right", "front", "rear", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this utility model 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. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this utility model.

[0028] The present invention will be further described below with specific embodiments, but the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited to the following embodiments.

[0029] Implementation method 1: such as Figures 1 to 3As shown, the device includes a mounting base 1 fixed to the fuselage of a drone, and a searchlight assembly 2 detachably mounted on the mounting base 1. The mounting base 1 is used to securely mount the device to the bottom of the drone fuselage using several screws (not shown). The mounting base 1 has a T-shaped groove 11 along a preset direction, and the top of the searchlight assembly 2 has a corresponding T-shaped slider 21. The T-shaped slider 21 slides in conjunction with the T-shaped groove 11 to achieve quick installation and removal of the searchlight assembly 2. The operator only needs to align the T-shaped slider 21 of the searchlight module 2 with the entrance of the T-shaped groove 11 of the mounting base 1 and push it smoothly in along the groove direction. The searchlight assembly 2 also includes a U-shaped frame 22 connected below the T-shaped slider 21, a housing 23 connected inside the U-shaped frame 22, and a searchlight body 3 installed at the front end of the housing 23; a horizontal motor 41 for driving it to rotate horizontally around a vertical axis is fixed on the U-shaped frame 22, and the output shaft of the horizontal motor 41 is connected to the bottom of the T-shaped slider 21; a pitch servo 42 for driving the housing 23 to pitch is fixed on the side of the U-shaped frame 22, and the output shaft of the pitch servo 42 is connected to the side of the housing 23; a main control board 5 for controlling the horizontal motor 41 and the pitch servo 42 is provided inside the housing 23.

[0030] Implementation method 2: such as Figure 4As shown, the main control board 5 of this UAV searchlight angle adjustment device integrates a microprocessor 51, a signal receiving module 52, and a motor drive module 53. The signal input terminal of the signal receiving module 52 is connected to the UAV's flight control or gimbal main control board to receive angle control signals. The input and output terminals of the microprocessor 51 are electrically connected to the signal receiving module 52 and the motor drive module 53, respectively, to analyze the gimbal's horizontal and pitch angle signals in real time and generate corresponding horizontal and pitch control commands. The two output terminals of the motor drive module 53 are electrically connected to the horizontal motor 41 and the pitch servo 42, respectively, to drive the horizontal motor 41 and the pitch servo 42 to rotate according to the control commands sent by the microprocessor 51, so that the illumination direction of the searchlight body 3 is synchronized with the UAV's flight direction or the gimbal's shooting direction. The main control board 5 also integrates a power supply module 54. The power supply module 54 receives DC power from the UAV and converts it to at least two different voltage levels: a low-voltage operating voltage for the microprocessor 51 and signal receiving module 52, and a higher driving voltage for the motor drive module 53, horizontal motor 41, and pitch servo 42. The microprocessor 51 uses an STM32F103 series microcontroller. The motor drive module 53 includes a control chip with at least two independent PWM output channels to achieve precise and independent control of the horizontal motor 41 and pitch servo 42. Specifically, the microprocessor 51 uses the stable and interface-rich STM32F103 series microcontroller; the signal receiving module 52 uses a general-purpose receiving circuit capable of parsing PWM, SBUS, or CAN bus signals; and the motor drive module 53 uses a PCA9685 servo drive chip with at least two independent PWM output channels, which can provide high-precision multi-channel servo control signals, fully meeting the device's requirements for precise and independent drive of the dual-axis motors. This device has two preset operating modes, which can be selected through the internal program of the microprocessor 51 or automatically determined based on the signal source. Specifically, in gimbal servo mode, the signal receiving module 52 establishes communication with the UAV's gimbal main control board via an electrical connector, and receives signals representing the current horizontal and pitch angles of the gimbal camera in real time.After receiving and parsing the angle signals from the two channels, the microprocessor 51 immediately generates corresponding control commands. Through the motor drive module 53, it drives the horizontal motor 41 and the pitch servo 42 respectively, so that the illumination direction of the searchlight body 3 is always synchronized with the shooting direction of the gimbal camera. This mode is suitable for precision operation scenarios that require continuous tracking and illumination of specific targets. In the nose-pointing mode, the signal receiving module 52 establishes communication with the UAV's flight controller through an electrical connector. The signal receiving module 52 mainly receives two signals: one is the current heading angle (Yaw) signal of the UAV from the flight controller, and the other is the pitch angle (Pitch) signal from the gimbal main control board. After parsing the signals, the microprocessor 51 executes the following control logic: it drives the horizontal motor 41 to rotate so that it always keeps in line with the heading angle of the UAV, that is, the horizontal direction of the searchlight always points directly in front of the nose, and at the same time drives the pitch servo 42 to rotate so that it follows the pitch angle change of the gimbal. In this way, regardless of how the drone flies or how the gimbal lens tilts left and right, the searchlight can provide a stable, nose-front illumination that only changes with the pitch of the gimbal. This mode is suitable for scenarios requiring wide-area frontal illumination, such as large-scale flight path inspections and fixed-route nighttime flights. The remaining structures and components are as described in Embodiment 1 and will not be repeated.

[0031] Implementation method 3: such as Figures 1 to 3 As shown, the mounting base 1 of this UAV searchlight angle adjustment device is also equipped with a locking mechanism 12 for locking the searchlight assembly 2 after it is installed in place. The mating surfaces of the mounting base 1 and the searchlight assembly 2 are also respectively equipped with a pin-type electrical connector 13 and a socket-type electrical connector 24 that automatically engage when the module is pushed into place, for transmitting power and signals. In this embodiment, the locking mechanism 12 at the end of the slide is a hand-tightening bolt. When the module is pushed into place, tightening the bolt clockwise will cause its end to abut against the side or end face of the T-shaped slider 21, thus firmly positioning the module and preventing it from sliding out due to vibration during flight. Disassembly is performed in reverse, and the process is equally rapid. When the module is fully pushed in and locked, the pin-type electrical connector 13 at the bottom of the slide of the mounting base 1 and the corresponding socket-type electrical connector 23 at the bottom of the slider of the searchlight module 2 are perfectly aligned, automatically completing the connection of the power supply circuit and the signal circuit without the need for additional cable plugging or unplugging. The remaining structures and components are as described in Embodiment 1 and will not be described again.

[0032] This drone searchlight angle adjustment device overcomes the shortcomings of existing drone searchlights, such as inconvenient installation and removal, cumbersome control, and inability to automatically link with the gimbal camera. It is not only easy to install but also achieves intelligent and automated follow-up control of the searchlight angle, thereby reducing the difficulty of operation for pilots and improving the efficiency of nighttime operations. Specifically,

[0033] (1) The quick-release structure of T-shaped slide and slider can be adopted to realize the quick installation of the searchlight module by pushing and locking, and the quick disassembly by releasing and pulling without any tools. This greatly facilitates users to flexibly configure the drone according to different task requirements and improves the efficiency of field deployment.

[0034] (2) The built-in main control board can realize the automatic following of the gimbal pitch angle by the searchlight, which frees up the pilot's operating load, ensures that the light always accurately covers the center area of ​​the camera's field of view, realizes the light following the shadow, and significantly improves the efficiency and quality of tasks such as night reconnaissance and search.

[0035] The above description illustrates the main features, basic principles, and advantages of this utility model. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that this utility model is not limited to the details of the exemplary embodiments or examples described above, and that it can be implemented in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or basic characteristics of this utility model. Therefore, the above embodiments or examples should be considered exemplary and not restrictive. The scope of this utility model is defined by the appended claims rather than the foregoing description, and therefore all variations falling within the meaning and scope of equivalents of the claims are intended to be included within this utility model. No reference numerals in the claims should be construed as limiting the scope of the claims.

[0036] Furthermore, it should be understood that although this specification describes embodiments, not every embodiment contains only one independent technical solution. This narrative style is merely for clarity. Those skilled in the art should consider the specification as a whole, and the technical solutions in each embodiment can also be appropriately combined to form other embodiments that can be understood by those skilled in the art.

Claims

1. A drone searchlight angle adjustment device, characterized in that: It includes a mounting base (1) fixed to the fuselage of the UAV, and a searchlight assembly (2) detachably mounted on the mounting base (1); wherein, The mounting base (1) is provided with a T-shaped groove (11) along a preset direction, and the top of the searchlight assembly (2) is provided with a corresponding T-shaped slider (21). The T-shaped slider (21) slides in conjunction with the T-shaped groove (11) to realize the quick installation and disassembly of the searchlight assembly (2). The searchlight assembly (2) also includes a U-shaped frame (22) connected below the T-shaped slider (21), a housing (23) connected inside the U-shaped frame (22), and a searchlight body (3) installed at the front end of the housing (23); a horizontal motor (41) for driving it to rotate horizontally around the vertical axis is fixed on the U-shaped frame (22), and the output shaft of the horizontal motor (41) is connected to the bottom of the T-shaped slider (21); a pitch servo (42) for driving the housing (23) to pitch is fixed on the side of the U-shaped frame (22), and the output shaft of the pitch servo (42) is connected to the side of the housing (23); a main control board (5) for controlling the horizontal motor (41) and the pitch servo (42) is provided inside the housing (23).

2. The UAV searchlight angle adjustment device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The main control board (5) integrates a microprocessor (51), a signal receiving module (52), and a motor drive module (53); among which, The signal input terminal of the signal receiving module (52) is used to connect to the flight control or gimbal main control board of the UAV to receive angle control signals; The input and output terminals of the microprocessor (51) are electrically connected to the signal receiving module (52) and the motor drive module (53) respectively, and are used to analyze the horizontal and pitch angle signals of the gimbal in real time and generate corresponding horizontal and pitch control commands respectively. The two output terminals of the motor drive module (53) are electrically connected to the horizontal motor (41) and the pitch servo (42) respectively, and are used to drive the horizontal motor (41) and the pitch servo (42) to rotate according to the control instructions sent by the microprocessor (51), so that the illumination direction of the searchlight body (3) is synchronized with the flight direction of the UAV or the shooting direction of the gimbal.

3. The UAV searchlight angle adjustment device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The main control board (5) also integrates a power module (54), which receives DC power from the UAV and converts it into at least two different voltage levels, providing low operating voltage for the microprocessor (51) and signal receiving module (52), and higher driving voltage for the motor drive module (53), horizontal motor (41) and pitch servo (42).

4. The UAV searchlight angle adjustment device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The microprocessor (51) is an STM32F103 series microcontroller.

5. The UAV searchlight angle adjustment device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The motor drive module (53) includes a control chip with at least two independent PWM output channels to achieve precise and independent control of the horizontal motor (41) and the pitch servo (42).

6. The UAV searchlight angle adjustment device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that: The mounting base (1) is also provided with a locking mechanism (12) for locking the searchlight assembly (2) after it is installed in place; the mounting base (1) and the searchlight assembly (2) are also provided with a pin-type electrical connector (13) and a socket-type electrical connector (24) that automatically engage when the module is pushed into place, for transmitting power and signals.

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