Mission equipment mounting device for improving control performance

Abstract

The present invention relates to a mission equipment mounting device for improving control performance. The mission equipment mounting device comprises: a damping part comprising a first damping part connected to a first surface of a drone main body, a second damping part connected to a second surface of the drone main body, connected to the first surface, and a third damping part connected to a third surface of the drone main body, connected to the second surface; a mounting part connected to the second damping part and having mission equipment seated therein; and a connection part for connecting the second damping part and the mounting part, wherein the damping part may be formed into a square U-shaped frame through an arrangement of the first damping part, the second damping part, and the third damping part.

Description

Mission equipment mount device to improve control performance

[0001] The present invention relates to a mission equipment mounting device that enables installation of mission equipment on a commercial drone.

[0002] Specifically, the present invention relates to a mission equipment mounting device capable of improving the control performance and maintainability of a flight device.

[0003] Large structures, such as buildings and wind turbines, typically experience cracks and other damage over their lifetime, either naturally or through human intervention. If damage to large structures is not promptly maintained and managed, the damage can worsen, potentially leading to deformation or collapse of the entire structure. Therefore, periodic structural safety assessments and maintenance are crucial for structural maintenance, prior to structural deformation or collapse.

[0004] However, for large structures, safety assessments are extremely difficult to perform manually due to accessibility limitations and time and financial constraints. Therefore, drone-based vision recognition systems are actively being developed to perform safety assessments of large structures.

[0005] However, drones equipped with vision recognition systems for structural damage detection are very expensive, and mission equipment (e.g., imaging devices or lidar sensors) are not standardized, so each manufacturer uses mission equipment with different standards and specifications. In addition, because the drone and mission equipment are manufactured as an integrated unit, it is very difficult to use different mission equipment depending on the situation.

[0006] Furthermore, conventional drones typically have their mission equipment mounted on the lower central portion of the drone to prevent the center of gravity from shifting. While this configuration facilitates capturing images of areas below the drone's flight altitude, it hinders capturing images above the drone's flight altitude due to interference with the drone's main body.

[0007] In addition, conventional drones have many problems, such as fluctuations caused by external forces, which cause variables during missions, the drones have somewhat poor maintainability, the damping force is somewhat low, which makes them vulnerable to vibrations of mission equipment, or the removal and installation of parts of the airframe modules is inconvenient.

[0008] The problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a mission equipment mounting device for mounting desired mission equipment on a commercial drone.

[0009] In addition, another problem that the present invention seeks to solve is to provide a mission equipment mounting device for mounting mission equipment on the front of a drone so as to freely capture parts higher and lower than the flight altitude of the drone.

[0010] In addition, another problem that the present invention seeks to solve is to provide a mission equipment mounting device that can relatively well maintain the center of gravity of a drone while mounting mission equipment on the front of the drone.

[0011] In addition, another problem that the present invention seeks to solve is to provide a mission equipment mounting device that minimizes the transmission of vibration from the drone body to the mission equipment.

[0012] In addition, the problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a mission equipment mounting device that can improve the control performance and maintainability of a flight device through the frame shape of a damping part, a mount part, a connecting part, etc.

[0013] The objectives of the present invention are not limited to those mentioned above. Other objectives and advantages of the present invention not mentioned above can be understood through the following description and will be more clearly understood through the embodiments of the present invention. Furthermore, it will be readily apparent that the objectives and advantages of the present invention can be realized by the means and combinations thereof set forth in the claims.

[0014] According to some embodiments of the present invention, a mission equipment mounting device includes a damping unit including a first damping unit connected to a first surface of a drone body, a second damping unit connected to a second surface of the drone body connected to the first surface, and a third damping unit connected to a third surface of the drone body connected to the second surface, a mount unit connected to the second damping unit and on which mission equipment is mounted, and a connection unit connecting the second damping unit and the mount unit, wherein the damping unit may have a shape of a U-shaped frame through the arrangement of the first damping unit, the second damping unit, and the third damping unit.

[0015] In addition, the first surface may be the upper surface of the drone, the second surface may be the front surface of the drone that is closest to the mount among the plurality of surfaces of the drone, and the third surface may be the lower surface of the drone.

[0016] Additionally, the connecting portion can connect between one side of the mount portion and the second damping portion.

[0017] Additionally, the connecting portion may be an outer arm-shaped frame formed between the connecting frame included in the mount portion and the second damping portion.

[0018] In addition, the mission equipment includes at least one of an imaging device and a sensing device, and the mount unit includes a mount frame on which the imaging device and the sensing device are mounted, wherein the imaging device is mounted inside the mount frame, and the sensing device can be mounted on an upper surface of the mount frame.

[0019] Additionally, the first damping unit may include an adapter frame attached to the first surface, and a bridge frame connected to the adapter frame and the second damping unit.

[0020] Additionally, the first damping unit may include at least one damper disposed between the adapter frame and the bridge frame.

[0021] Additionally, the damper may include a single damper composed of a wire damper and a composite damper in which a sponge damper is mounted inside the wire damper.

[0022] Additionally, the single damper and the composite damper may have different angles connecting the adapter frame and the bridge frame.

[0023] Additionally, the composite damper may be positioned further away from the mount portion than the single damper.

[0024] A mission equipment mounting device according to some embodiments of the present invention can mount desired mission equipment on a commercial drone, thereby expanding the range of choices for users regarding drones and mission equipment.

[0025] In addition, the mission equipment mounting device according to some embodiments of the present invention can freely capture parts higher and lower than the flight altitude of the drone, thereby simplifying the flight path of the drone and reducing time and economic costs.

[0026] In addition, the mission equipment mounting device according to some embodiments of the present invention has the advantage of maintaining the center of gravity of the drone relatively well, thereby enabling stable flight of the drone.

[0027] In addition, the mission equipment mounting device according to some embodiments of the present invention minimizes the transmission of vibration from the drone body to the mission equipment, thereby allowing the mission equipment to perform the mission more stably and effectively.

[0028]

[0029] *In addition, the mission equipment mounting device according to some embodiments of the present invention can improve the control performance and maintainability of the flight device through the frame shape of the damping portion, the mounting portion, the connecting portion, etc.

[0030] Furthermore, the mission equipment mounting device of the present invention allows for the diversification of dampers according to the purpose by using individual dampers. That is, unlike conventional methods in which multiple dampers are all arranged in a plate shape, the mission equipment mounting device of the present invention uses individual dampers, thereby allowing the angle, direction, etc. of each damper to be freely defined.

[0031] In addition, the mission equipment mounting device of the present invention can increase the convenience of modularization and assembly by utilizing an adapter frame between airframe modules. In other words, the mission equipment mounting device of the present invention can conveniently remove and mount portions of airframe modules by utilizing an adapter frame or the like.

[0032] Figure 1 is a drawing for explaining a drone that performs a safety diagnosis of a wind turbine structure and the mission equipment mounted thereon.

[0033] FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating a mission equipment mount device according to some embodiments of the present invention.

[0034] FIG. 3 is a side view illustrating a mission equipment mount device according to some embodiments of the present invention.

[0035] FIG. 4 is a plan view illustrating a mission equipment mount device according to some embodiments of the present invention.

[0036] FIGS. 5A to 5C are drawings for explaining a first damping part of a mission equipment mount device according to some embodiments of the present invention.

[0037] The terms and words used in this specification and claims should not be interpreted based on their general or dictionary meanings. In accordance with the principle that inventors can define the concepts of terms and words to best describe their inventions, they should be interpreted in a way that is consistent with the technical concept of the present invention. Furthermore, the embodiments described in this specification and the configurations depicted in the drawings are merely examples of how the present invention can be realized and do not fully represent the technical concept of the present invention. Therefore, it should be understood that various equivalents, modifications, and applicable examples may exist as of the time of filing.

[0038] The terms first, second, A, B, etc. used in this specification and claims may be used to describe various components, but the components should not be limited by these terms. These terms are used only for the purpose of distinguishing one component from another. For example, without departing from the scope of the present invention, the first component may be referred to as the second component, and similarly, the second component may also be referred to as the first component. The term "and / or" includes any combination of a plurality of related listed items or any item among a plurality of related listed items.

[0039] The terminology used in this specification and claims is for the purpose of describing specific embodiments only and is not intended to limit the present invention. Singular expressions include plural expressions unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. It should be understood that terms such as "comprise" or "have" in this application do not preclude the presence or addition of features, numbers, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof described in the specification.

[0040] Unless otherwise defined, all terms used herein, including technical or scientific terms, have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention belongs.

[0041] Terms defined in commonly used dictionaries should be interpreted to have a meaning consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant technology, and will not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly defined in this application.

[0042] Hereinafter, with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5c, a mission equipment mount device for improving control performance according to some embodiments of the present invention will be described.

[0043]

[0044] Figure 1 is a drawing for explaining a drone that performs a safety diagnosis of a wind turbine structure and the mission equipment mounted thereon.

[0045] Referring to Fig. 1, a wind turbine structure (WT) may include a tower (TW) and blades (BL). Drones (DR1, DR2) performing a safety diagnosis of the wind turbine structure (WT) can fly vertically upward based on the tower (TW), search for the blades (BL), and check for damage such as cracks on the blades (BL). The drones (DR1, DR2) can scan the front / rear / top / bottom surfaces of the blades (BL) to determine whether the blades (BL) are damaged.

[0046] In the case of the first drone (DR1), the mission equipment can be mounted on the lower central area of ​​the first drone (DR1). The first drone (DR1) can capture a desired area by appropriately changing the angle of the mission equipment. However, since the mission equipment of the first drone (DR1) is mounted on the lower central area of ​​the first drone (DR1), it can only capture an area corresponding to the first angle (θ1) due to interference with the drone body. In other words, the mission equipment of the first drone (DR1) can capture an area lower than the flight altitude of the first drone (DR1) relatively freely by adjusting the angle of the mission equipment. However, the mission equipment of the first drone (DR1) can capture an area higher than the flight altitude of the first drone (DR1) only within a limited range even if the angle of the mission equipment is adjusted.

[0047] In the case of the second drone (DR2), the mission equipment can be mounted on the front of the second drone (DR2). The second drone (DR2) can capture a desired area by appropriately changing the angle of the mission equipment. At this time, since the mission equipment of the second drone (DR2) minimizes interference with the drone body, the area can be captured as much as the second angle (θ2) that is larger than the first angle (θ1). In other words, the mission equipment of the second drone (DR2) can capture relatively freely an area that is higher or lower than the flight altitude of the second drone (DR2) by adjusting the angle of the mission equipment.

[0048] As mentioned above, the safety diagnosis of a wind turbine structure (WT) involves taking images of the front / rear / top / bottom surfaces of the blades (BL) to determine whether there is damage to the blades (BL).

[0049] This description assumes that a safety diagnosis of a wind turbine structure (WT) is performed using a first drone (DR1).

[0050] First, to diagnose the safety of the wind turbine structure (WT), the movement of the blade (BL) is stopped. Then, the first drone (DR1) can change the flight altitude and capture images of the front, back, and top of the blade (BL). However, it may be difficult for the first drone (DR1) to capture images of at least a portion of the lower surface of the blade (BL) due to the angle limitation of the mission equipment. Therefore, when using the first drone (DR1), the blade (BL) must be rotated partially so that the lower surface of the blade (BL) faces upward, and then the first drone (DR1) must be used to capture images of the lower surface again. Through the images of the front, back, top, and bottom of the blade (BL) captured by the first drone (DR1), it is inspected whether damage has occurred to the blade (BL).

[0051] Next, we explain assuming that a safety diagnosis of a wind turbine structure (WT) is performed using a second drone (DR2).

[0052] Likewise, to diagnose the safety of a wind turbine structure (WT), the movement of the blade (BL) is stopped. Then, using a second drone (DR2), the front, back, top, and bottom of the blade (BL) are captured. At this time, since the second drone (DR2) has a relatively free range of capture, it can capture images of the front, back, top, and bottom of the blade (BL) without rotating the blade (BL). Through the images of the front, back, top, and bottom of the blade (BL) captured by the second drone (DR2), it is inspected whether the blade (BL) is damaged.

[0053] As described above, when utilizing a first drone (DR1) equipped with mission equipment mounted on the lower central region of the drone, the wind turbine structure (WT) must be additionally operated, which may incur additional economic and time costs. Therefore, in cases requiring omnidirectional imaging of a structure, such as a wind turbine structure (WT), utilizing a drone equipped with mission equipment mounted on the front may be more economically and time-efficient.

[0054] Drones equipped with integrated mission equipment have the disadvantage of being relatively expensive. Furthermore, users need to use the appropriate mission equipment depending on the situation, and drones equipped with integrated mission equipment also have the disadvantage of difficulty in replacing the mission equipment. Mission equipment mounting devices according to some embodiments have the advantage of allowing users to mount desired mission equipment on a commercial drone of their choice. In other words, mission equipment mounting devices according to some embodiments of the present invention have the advantage of broadening the range of choices available to users regarding drones and mission equipment.

[0055] Below, a mission equipment mounting device capable of mounting mission equipment on the front of a drone is described. Using the mission equipment mounting device according to some embodiments, desired mission equipment can be selected and mounted on a commercial drone. That is, the mission equipment mounting device according to some embodiments can perform a function of connecting the mission equipment to the drone. This will be described in more detail below with reference to FIGS. 2 through 5c.

[0056]

[0057] FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating a mission equipment mounting device according to some embodiments of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a side view illustrating a mission equipment mounting device according to some embodiments of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a plan view illustrating a mission equipment mounting device according to some embodiments of the present invention.

[0058] Referring to FIGS. 2 to 4, FIGS. 2 to 4 illustrate a drone body (hereinafter referred to as “BD”) and mission equipment (e.g., a camera, a sensor, etc.) combined in a mission equipment mount device.

[0059] Referring to FIGS. 2 to 4, a mission equipment mounting device according to some embodiments of the present invention may include a damping part (hereinafter referred to as “DP”), a mount part (hereinafter referred to as “MP”), and a connecting part (hereinafter referred to as “CP”). The damping part (DP) may include a first damping part (DP1), a second damping part (DP2), and a third damping part (DP3), the mount part (MP) may include a connecting frame (hereinafter referred to as “CF”) and a mount frame (hereinafter referred to as “MF”), and the connecting part (CP) may include a gimbal motor (hereinafter referred to as “GM”) and a linking frame (LF). The gimbal motor (GM) may include a first gimbal motor (GM1) and a second gimbal motor (GM2).

[0060]

[0061]

[0062] *The damping part (DP) plays a role in reducing and absorbing vibration and shock transmitted to the drone and / or mission equipment during flight.

[0063] As some examples, the damping unit (DP) may include a first damping unit (DP1), a second damping unit (DP2), and a third damping unit (DP3). Each frame of the first to third damping units (DP1) to (DP3) may be formed of a material combining carbon fiber and composite plastic or a non-ferrous metal material, but embodiments of the present invention are not limited thereto.

[0064] The first damping portion (DP1) to the third damping portion (DP3) may be coupled to different surfaces of the drone body (BD). In other words, the first damping portion (DP1) to the third damping portion (DP3) may be positioned at different angles relative to the drone body (BD) when the mission equipment mount device and the drone are coupled.

[0065] For example, the first damping unit (DP1) may be connected to the first surface of the drone body (BD), the second damping unit (DP2) may be connected to the second surface of the drone body (BD), and the third damping unit (DP3) may be connected to the third surface of the drone body (BD).

[0066] At this time, the first surface of the drone body (BD) may be the upper surface of the drone body (BD), the second surface of the drone body (BD) may be the front surface of the drone body (BD), and the third surface of the drone body (BD) may be the lower surface of the drone body (BD). In other words, the first surface of the drone body (BD) may be the surface located at the top (the surface located further from the ground) among the surfaces perpendicular to the direction in which the drone flies, the second surface of the drone body (BD) may be the surface corresponding to the direction in which the drone flies, for example, the surface located closest (closest to) to the mount (MP) among the plurality of surfaces of the drone body (BD), and the third surface of the drone body (BD) may be the surface located at the bottom (the surface located closer to the ground) among the surfaces perpendicular to the direction in which the drone flies. However, the embodiments of the present invention are not limited thereto.

[0067] At this time, the damping part (DP) may have the shape of a T-shaped frame. For example, the damping part (DP) may have the shape of a T-shaped frame through the arrangement of the first damping part (DP1) to the third damping part (DP3).

[0068] Taking Fig. 3 as an example, with respect to the side view, the first damping portion (DP1) to the third damping portion (DP3) included in the damping portion (DP) form a T-shaped frame surrounding the front (side corresponding to the mount portion (MP)) of the drone body (BD). In other words, the first damping portion (DP1) to the third damping portion (DP3) included in the damping portion (DP) each form a part of the T-shaped frame surrounding the front of the drone body (BD).

[0069] Through the damping part (DP) of the D-shaped frame, the damping force of the mission equipment mount device of the present invention can be improved.

[0070] That is, since the damping section (DP) has a T-shaped frame, the distance between the first damping section (DP1) and the third damping section (DP3) constituting both sides of the damping section (DP) becomes somewhat greater. As the distance between individual damping sections becomes greater, the load applied to the damper included in the individual damping section decreases, and accordingly, the shape deformation of the damper included in the individual damping section decreases, and through this, the damping force of the damper is improved, so that vibration of the mission equipment can be absorbed more efficiently.

[0071] Meanwhile, the first damping unit (DP1) to the third damping unit (DP3) may include a frame and / or a damper for performing a damping operation.

[0072] For example, the first damping unit (DP1) may include an adapter frame, a bridge frame, and a damper. This will be described in detail later with reference to FIGS. 5A to 5C. In addition, the second damping unit (DP2) and the third damping unit (DP3) may each include individual dampers connected to the drone body (BD).

[0073] Meanwhile, the mission equipment mount device may include a lower mounting frame connected to the third damping unit (DP3), and a drone's PC module (hereinafter referred to as "PCM") may be mounted on the lower mounting frame. Fig. 2 illustrates a state in which a PC module (PCM) is mounted on the lower mounting frame.

[0074] In general, the PC module (PCM) of a drone is often mounted on the upper surface of the drone body (BD) (the surface corresponding to the first damping portion (DP1)). In contrast, in the case of the present invention, by applying a lower mounting frame, the PC module (PCM) of the drone is positioned on the lower surface of the drone body (BD) (the surface corresponding to the third damping portion (DP3)), thereby improving the control performance of the drone.

[0075] That is, by placing the drone's PC module (PCM) on the lower surface of the drone body (BD), the PC module (PCM) can be placed close to the drone's thrust face (TF in FIG. 3), and accordingly, the drone's flight control performance can be improved.

[0076]

[0077] The drone's mission equipment is installed on the mount (MP).

[0078] As some examples, the mount unit (MP) may include a connecting frame (CF) and a mount frame (MF). The connecting frame (CF) and the mount frame (MF) may be formed of a material combining carbon fiber and composite plastic or a non-ferrous metal material, but embodiments of the present invention are not limited thereto.

[0079] The connecting frame (CF) can play a role in connecting the mount part (MP) and the damping part (DP).

[0080] In some examples, the connecting frame (CF) can connect the mount portion (MP) to the second damping portion (DP2). For example, the connecting frame (CF) can be connected to the connecting portion (CP), through which the mount portion (MP) can be connected to the second damping portion (DP2).

[0081] As an example, referring to Fig. 4, the connecting frame (CF) included in the mount (MP) can be connected to the second gimbal motor (GM2) of the connecting portion (CP), the second gimbal motor (GM2) of the connecting portion (CP) can be connected to the first gimbal motor (GM1) via the linking frame (LF), and the first gimbal motor (GM1) can be connected to the second damping portion (DP2). Through this, the mount (MP) can be connected to the second damping portion (DP2).

[0082] A mount frame (MF) may be a frame on which mission equipment is mounted, either internally or on one side.

[0083] The mission equipment may include an imaging module (hereinafter referred to as “IM”) and a sensing system (hereinafter referred to as “SS”). The imaging module (IM) can detect damage such as cracks in a structure through vision recognition, etc. The imaging module (IM) may include a camera, an image sensor (e.g., a CMOS sensor), etc. The sensing device (SS) can detect the location of a structure and the distance from the structure so that the drone on which the mission equipment is mounted does not collide with the structure. The sensing device (SS) may include a lidar sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, etc. However, it should be understood that examples of the imaging module (IM) and the sensing device (SS) are not limited to the examples described above.

[0084] For example, the mount frame (MF) may have the shape of a square frame. Referring to Fig. 3, when viewed from a side view, the mount frame (MF) may have the shape of a square frame. When viewed from a perspective view, the mount frame (MF) may have the shape of a cube or rectangular parallelepiped.

[0085] At this time, the imaging device (IM) may be mounted inside the mount frame (MF), and the sensing device (SS) may be mounted on the upper surface of the mount frame (MF). In other words, the imaging device (IM) may be coupled inside the square-shaped frame, and the sensing device (SS) may be mounted on the upper surface of the square-shaped frame, i.e., the surface located at the highest altitude in the square-shaped frame with respect to the ground.

[0086] In this way, since the mount part (MP) of the present invention includes a mount frame (MF) of an U-shaped frame, the mission equipment mount device of the present invention can have reduced variability due to external force.

[0087] That is, when the frame to which the mission equipment is attached is of a plate shape, there is a possibility of variables occurring during mission execution, such as the position of the mission equipment changing or becoming unstable due to external forces (e.g., the drone's moving speed, moving angle, etc.). In contrast, the mission equipment mounting device of the present invention uses a mount frame (MF) of a square frame, thereby enabling the mission equipment to be firmly attached, and thus reducing the possibility of changes occurring during mission execution.

[0088]

[0089] The connecting part (CP) connects the damping part (DP) and the mount part (MP) connected to the drone body (BD).

[0090] As an example, the connecting portion (CP) may connect one side of the mount portion (MP) and the second damping portion (DP2). In other words, the connecting portion (CP) may connect any one of the multiple regions of the mount portion (MP) and the second damping portion (DP2).

[0091] For example, the connecting portion (CP) may have the shape of an arm-shaped frame connecting the connecting frame (CF) included in the mount portion (MP) and the second damping portion (DP2). In this case, the connecting frame (CF) may be formed only on one side of the mount portion (MP). In other words, the mount portion (MP) may include only one connecting frame (CF) rather than multiple ones.

[0092] As such, since the connecting portion (CP) of the present invention has the shape of an arm-shaped frame, the mission equipment mounting device of the present invention can improve maintainability. In other words, since the connecting portion (CP) of the present invention is formed in the shape of an arm-shaped frame rather than a double-arm-shaped frame, the assembly, maintenance convenience, and accessibility can be improved.

[0093] That is, when the connecting portion (CP) has a double-arm frame and is thus connected to two or more areas of the mounting portion (MP), there are many inconveniences, such as a lot of time required when assembling or maintaining the mission equipment mount device. Therefore, the mission equipment mount device of the present invention can improve assembly, maintenance convenience, and accessibility by configuring the connecting portion (CP) in an arm shape.

[0094] Meanwhile, the connecting portion (CP) may include a gimbal motor (GM) and a linking frame (LF). The gimbal motor (GM) may include a first gimbal motor (GM1) and a second gimbal motor (GM2). In this case, the linking frame (LF) may refer to a frame formed between the first gimbal motor (GM1) and the second gimbal motor (GM2).

[0095] The first gimbal motor (GM1) can be connected to the second damping unit (DP2) and the linking frame (LF).

[0096] As an example, the first gimbal motor (GM1) may perform the function of maintaining the horizontal in the first rotation direction (R1) about the second direction (X).

[0097] For example, when acceleration occurs in the first rotation direction (R1) of the first gimbal motor (GM1), the first gimbal motor (GM1) can detect this and operate the motor in a direction opposite to the first rotation direction (R1). Similarly, when acceleration occurs in the first gimbal motor (GM1) in a direction opposite to the first rotation direction (R1), the first gimbal motor (GM1) can detect this and operate the motor in the first rotation direction (R1). As a result, the first gimbal motor (GM1) can maintain a horizontal position in the first rotation direction (R1).

[0098] For example, when the drone body (BD) tilts to the right from the direction facing the ground due to internal factors or external environmental factors, the first gimbal motor (GM1) detects acceleration in the right direction. At this time, the first gimbal motor (GM1) operates the motor in the left direction opposite to the direction in which the acceleration is detected, so that the mission equipment (imaging device (IM) and sensing device (SS)) can maintain the horizontal. Therefore, even if the drone body shakes greatly in the left and right direction (e.g., the first rotation direction (R1)) due to internal factors or external environmental factors, the mission equipment can stably perform the mission.

[0099] The linking frame (LF) may serve to connect the first gimbal motor (GM1) and the second gimbal motor (GM2). In other words, the first gimbal motor (GM1) may be connected to one side of the linking frame (LF), and the second gimbal motor (GM2) may be connected to the other side. The linking frame (LF) may be formed as an integral part, or may be formed by assembling a plurality of parts. The linking frame (LF) may be formed of a material combining carbon fiber and composite plastic, or a non-ferrous metal material, but embodiments of the present invention are not limited thereto.

[0100] The second gimbal motor (GM2) can be connected to the linking frame (LF) and the connecting frame (CF) of the mount (MP).

[0101] The second gimbal motor (GM2) can perform a function of maintaining the horizontal in the second rotation direction (R2). For example, when acceleration in the second rotation direction (R2) occurs in the second gimbal motor (GM2), the second gimbal motor (GM2) can detect this and operate the motor in the direction opposite to the second rotation direction (R2).

[0102] For example, when the drone body (BD) tilts downward from the direction facing the ground due to internal factors or external environmental factors, the second gimbal motor (GM2) detects downward acceleration. At this time, the second gimbal motor (GM2) operates the motor upward in the opposite direction to the direction in which the acceleration is detected, so that the mission equipment (imaging device (IM) and sensing device (SS)) can maintain the horizontal. Therefore, even if the drone body shakes greatly in the up-and-down direction (e.g., the second rotation direction (R2)) due to internal factors or external environmental factors, the mission equipment can stably perform the mission.

[0103] Hereinafter, a first damping unit (DP1) according to some embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 5a to 5c.

[0104]

[0105] FIGS. 5A to 5C are drawings illustrating a first damping unit of a mission equipment mounting device according to some embodiments of the present invention. Specifically, FIG. 5A is a perspective view illustrating the first damping unit, FIG. 5B is a side view illustrating the first damping unit, and FIG. 5C is a drawing illustrating a composite damper.

[0106] Referring to FIGS. 5A to 5C, a first damping unit according to some embodiments of the present invention may include an adapter frame (hereinafter referred to as “AF”), a bridge frame (hereinafter referred to as “BF”), and a damper (hereinafter referred to as “DA”).

[0107] The adapter frame (AF) may be attached to one surface of the drone body (BD). In some examples, the adapter frame (AF) may be attached to the upper surface of the drone body (BD), i.e., the surface located above the surface perpendicular to the direction in which the drone is flying (the surface located farther from the ground). The adapter frame (AF) may be attached to one surface of the drone body (BD) using structures such as bolts, nuts, and washers.

[0108] In some examples, the adapter frame (AF) may include a plurality of areas that can be coupled with the dampers (DA1 to DA4). For example, the adapter frame (AF) may include through holes through which bolts for fixing to the dampers (DA1 to DA4) can pass, but embodiments of the present invention are not limited thereto.

[0109] At this time, the angles between the plurality of areas on the adapter frame (AF) coupled with the dampers (DA1 to DA4) and the drone body (BD) may be different from each other. In other words, assuming that the adapter frame (AF) is coupled with the dampers (DA1 to DA4) in, for example, the first to fourth areas, at least two areas among the first to fourth areas may have different angles with respect to the drone body (BD). Referring to FIG. 5b as an example, the angle between the area coupled with the damper (DA1) in the adapter frame (AF) and the drone body (BD) (the angle between D1 and BD) is shown to be smaller than the angle between the area coupled with the damper (DA2) in the adapter frame (AF) and the drone body (BD) (the angle between D1 and BD). However, the embodiments of the present invention are not limited thereto.

[0110] The bridge frame (BF) can be connected to the adapter frame (AF) and the second damping unit (DP2). In other words, some areas of the bridge frame (BF) can be connected to the adapter frame (AF), and other areas of the bridge frame (BF) can be connected to the second damping unit (DP2). At this time, the bridge frame (BF) can be connected to the adapter frame (AF) through dampers (DA1 to DA4), and can be connected to the second damping unit (DP2) through structures such as bolts, nuts, and washers.

[0111] As some examples, the bridge frame (BF) may include a plurality of areas that can be coupled with dampers (DA1 to DA4). The bridge frame (BF) may include through holes, etc. through which bolts for fixing to the dampers (DA1 to DA4) can pass.

[0112] Meanwhile, the bridge frame (BF) may include at least one inflection point (hereinafter referred to as "IP"). The inflection point (IP) is a point where the angle of the bridge frame (BF) changes, and may also be referred to as a hinge or a joint. Taking Fig. 5b as an example, the bridge frame (BF) may include two inflection points (IP1, IP2). However, the embodiments of the present invention are not limited thereto, and the number of inflection points (IP) may be freely varied.

[0113] In this way, the mission equipment mount device of the present invention can facilitate the replacement process of the damping frame through modularization of the damping frame (adapter frame (AF), bridge frame (BF)).

[0114] That is, the mission equipment mounting device of the present invention can encompass damping frames of various shapes and forms (e.g., damper angles of adapter frames, etc.), and due to the modularization of such damping frames, an appropriate damping frame can be selected according to the characteristics, purpose, and load structure of the mission equipment and easily combined with the drone body (BD). Accordingly, it can be convenient to mount or detach the mission equipment mounting device on or from the drone body (BD).

[0115] Dampers (DA1 to DA4) may be arranged between the adapter frame (AF) and the bridge frame (BF). Although FIG. 5A illustrates that dampers (DA1 to DA4) are arranged in a total of four areas, the embodiment of the present invention is not limited thereto, and the number of areas in which dampers (DA1 to DA4) are arranged may be freely modified. It goes without saying that the first damping unit (DP1) may include structures such as bolts, nuts, and washers for fixing between the dampers (DA1 to DA4), the adapter frame (AF), and the bridge frame (BF).

[0116] The dampers (DA1 to DA4) may include composite dampers (DA1 and DA3) and single dampers (DA2 and DA4).

[0117] The single dampers (DA2 and DA4) may include wire dampers (hereinafter referred to as “WDs”). The wire dampers (WDs) function to damp vibrations using wires or springs. However, the embodiments of the present invention are not limited thereto, and the single dampers (DA2 and DA4) may include various types of dampers, such as sponge dampers (hereinafter referred to as “SDs”), urethane dampers, rubber dampers, liquid dampers, air dampers, and viscoelastic dampers.

[0118] Composite dampers (DA1 and DA3) may refer to dampers that combine different dampers utilizing different types of damping mechanisms. For example, the composite dampers (DA1 and DA3) may include dampers that combine a wire damper (WD) and a sponge damper (SD), but embodiments of the present invention are not limited thereto.

[0119] At this time, as shown in FIG. 5c, the composite damper (DA1) may be in the form of a sponge damper (SD) installed inside a wire damper (WD), but the embodiment of the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0120] In order to visually distinguish between composite dampers (DA1 and DA3) and single dampers (DA2 and DA4) in FIGS. 5a to 5c, composite dampers (DA1 and DA3) are illustrated in the form of a combination of a wire damper (WD) illustrated in white and a sponge damper (SD) illustrated in black, and single dampers (DA2 and DA4) are illustrated in the form of a wire damper (WD) illustrated in white.

[0121] As some examples, at least two of the multiple dampers (DA1 to DA4) may have different damping parameters.

[0122] For example, some of the multiple dampers (DA1 to DA4) may be composite dampers (DA1 and DA3), and others may be single dampers (DA2 and DA4).

[0123] As another example, at least two of the plurality of dampers (DA1 to DA4) may have different angles connecting the adapter frame (AF) and the bridge frame (BF). In other words, the angle at which any one of the plurality of dampers (DA1 to DA4) connects the adapter frame (AF) and the bridge frame (BF) may be different from the angle at which any other of the plurality of dampers (DA1 to DA4) connects the adapter frame (AF) and the bridge frame (BF).

[0124] That is, as described above, the angles between the plurality of areas on the adapter frame (AF) coupled with the dampers (DA1 to DA4) and the drone body (BD) may be different from each other, and the bridge frame (BF) may include at least one bending point (IP1, IP2). Accordingly, the angles at which each damper (DA1 to DA4) connects the adapter frame (AF) and the bridge frame (BF) may be different from each other.

[0125] For example, composite dampers (DA1 and DA3) and single dampers (DA2 and DA4) may have different angles connecting the adapter frame (AF) and the bridge frame (BF).

[0126] Taking Fig. 5b as an example, in the case of a composite damper (DA1), the angle connecting the adapter frame (AF) and the bridge frame (BF) is shown as D1, and in the case of a single damper (DA2), the angle connecting the adapter frame (AF) and the bridge frame (BF) is shown as D2.

[0127] However, the embodiment of the present invention is not limited thereto, and the angles connecting the adapter frame (AF) and the bridge frame (BF) between the composite dampers (DA1 and DA3) may be different from each other. That is, the angle at which the composite damper (DA1) connects the adapter frame (AF) and the bridge frame (BF) may be different from the angle at which the composite damper (DA3) connects the adapter frame (AF) and the bridge frame (BF).

[0128] Meanwhile, the composite dampers (DA1 and DA3) may be positioned closer to the drone body (BD) than the single dampers (DA2 and DA4). In other words, the composite dampers (DA1 and DA3) may be positioned further away from the mount (MP) than the single dampers (DA2 and DA4).

[0129] In general, when the mission equipment is positioned further away from the mounting point (MP), a greater load is applied, which may result in a decrease in damping force as usage increases. In other words, as the load increases, the damper may deform in an unintended direction, resulting in a decrease in damping force.

[0130] Therefore, by placing the composite dampers (DA1 and DA3) at a location that is relatively far from the mount (MP) and receives a strong load, phase change of the dampers can be prevented.

[0131] The above description is merely an example of the technical idea of ​​the present embodiment, and those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications and variations can be made without departing from the essential characteristics of the present embodiment. Therefore, the present embodiments are not intended to limit the technical idea of ​​the present embodiment, but rather to explain it, and the scope of the technical idea of ​​the present embodiment is not limited by these embodiments. The scope of protection of the present embodiment should be interpreted by the claims below, and all technical ideas within a scope equivalent thereto should be interpreted as being included in the scope of rights of the present embodiment.

Claims

1. A damping unit including a first damping unit connected to a first surface of the drone body, a second damping unit connected to a second surface of the drone body connected to the first surface, and a third damping unit connected to a third surface of the drone body connected to the second surface; A mount portion connected to the second damping portion and on which the mission equipment is mounted; and Including a connecting part connecting the second damping part and the mount part, The above damping part has a shape of a T-shaped frame through the arrangement of the first damping part, the second damping part, and the third damping part. Mission equipment mount device.

2. In paragraph 1, The above first surface is the upper surface of the drone, The second surface is the front surface of the drone, which is the surface closest to the mount among the multiple surfaces of the drone. The third side above is the lower surface of the drone Mission equipment mount device.

3. In paragraph 1, The above connecting portion connects one side of the mount portion and the second damping portion. Mission equipment mount device.

4. In paragraph 3, The above connection part is, An outer arm-shaped frame formed between the connecting frame included in the above mount portion and the second damping portion. Mission equipment mount device.

5. In paragraph 1, The above mission equipment is, At least one of a capturing device and a sensing device is included, The above mount part, Including a mount frame on which the above-mentioned imaging device and the above-mentioned sensing device are mounted, The above imaging device is mounted inside the mount frame, and the above sensing device is mounted on the upper surface of the mount frame. Mission equipment mount device.

6. In paragraph 1, The above first damping part, An adapter frame attached to the first surface, Including a bridge frame connected to the above adapter frame and the second damping unit. Mission equipment mount device.

7. In paragraph 6, The above first damping part, At least one damper disposed between the adapter frame and the bridge frame. Mission equipment mount device.

8. In paragraph 7, The above damper includes a single damper composed of a wire damper and a composite damper in which a sponge damper is installed inside the wire damper. Mission equipment mount device.

9. In paragraph 8, The above single damper and the above composite damper, The angles connecting the above adapter frame and the above bridge frame are different from each other. Mission equipment mount device.

10. In paragraph 8, The above composite damper, It is positioned further away from the mount portion than the single damper above. Mission equipment mount device.

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