Paper drone with waterproof coating applied thereto

Abstract

The present invention relates to a paper drone with a waterproof coating applied thereto, wherein the drone is manufactured by covering a frame made of a lightweight material with thin paper to reduce manufacturing and operation costs and radar detection rates, the surface and inner structure of the paper are parylene-coated to prevent damage due to moisture and enable operation in rainy weather, and the drone is easy to be disassembled and stored and assembled on site.

Description

Paper drone with waterproof coating

[0001] The present invention relates to a drone, which is an unmanned aerial vehicle, and more specifically, to a paper drone manufactured by covering a frame made of a lightweight material with a thin paper material, thereby reducing manufacturing and operating costs and radar detection rates, and applying a waterproof coating to the surface and internal structure of the paper to prevent damage due to moisture and enable operation in rainy weather, and to facilitate separate storage and assembly on site.

[0002] Drones, which are unmanned aerial vehicles that fly under the control of radio signals, initially began as target aircraft for military training, but have recently become widely used commercially, and the development of products with various characteristics suited to their intended use is actively underway.

[0003] In particular, as cameras and various sensors are attached to drones, their detection capabilities and unique mobility are expanding their use in various fields such as transportation, security, surveillance, and observation. Their effectiveness is also being proven in modern warfare due to their low cost, excellent mobility, and convenient usability.

[0004] The so-called suicide drone, for example, is one of the latest technologies used for military purposes. It can be useful for reconnaissance and strike operations in dangerous areas, and various examples have proven that it can cause enormous damage at a significantly lower cost than existing weapon systems.

[0005] Current attack drones used for military purposes target long-range targets, are relatively heavy and bulky, and are controlled by expensive control systems. While this makes them cheaper to operate than conventional weapon systems, their utility could be significantly enhanced by manufacturing them using cheaper, lighter materials, given their one-time use. Furthermore, compared to metal aircraft, their detection rate by radar and other surveillance networks could be significantly reduced, further enhancing the success rate of operations.

[0006] Paper is a prime candidate for this purpose, but its strength is significantly reduced when exposed to moisture. Therefore, paper is known to be impractical for practical use in environments where moisture exposure is unavoidable, such as during rain or when passing through clouds or fog. Due to these limitations, paper-based drones are currently being considered and applied only to simple educational and hobby drones.

[0007]

[0008] The present invention was created to solve the above problems, and the purpose of the present invention is to provide a paper drone manufactured by covering a frame made of a lightweight material with a thin paper material, and applying a paraffin coating to the surface and internal structure of the paper to prevent damage caused by moisture, and to provide a paper drone with a waterproof coating that is easy to store separately and assemble on site.

[0009] For the above purpose, the present invention relates to a drone having a fuselage formed long in the front-rear direction, main wings coupled to both sides of the fuselage to generate lift, a propulsion propeller for generating propulsion force in the fuselage, and a propulsion motor for rotating the propulsion propeller, wherein the fuselage is formed of a fuselage frame forming inner and outer frames and an outer skin made of paper that wraps the fuselage frame to form an internal space, and the main wings are formed of a main wing frame forming a wing shape and an outer skin made of paper that wraps the main wing frame, and a battery, a drive module for controlling the flight attitude of the fuselage, a communication module for receiving a control signal, and a control module for controlling the drive module and the propulsion motor according to a control signal received through the power of the battery are built into the internal space, and the outer skin, the propulsion motor, the battery, the drive module, the communication module, and the control module are characterized in that they are treated with a paralyzed waterproof coating. At this time, the fuselage frame and main wing frame may be composed of a radio wave absorbing material, and the outer skin may be composed of Korean paper.

[0010] Additionally, the fuselage may have a drain formed on the rear side.

[0011] In addition, a joining groove into which a part of the main wing frame is inserted and joined may be formed in the fuselage frame, and a joining portion that is inserted and joined into the joining groove may be formed in the main wing frame.

[0012] In addition, the fuselage frame may be configured to have a mounting portion formed for installing and fixing the propulsion motor, battery, drive module, communication module, and control module, so that separate storage and on-site assembly are possible.

[0013]

[0014] The present invention enables the production and operation of drones using materials such as paper and wood at a very low cost, and significantly increases operational efficiency, especially when used for one-time missions. Furthermore, the drone's exterior and internal electrical components are both treated with a paralyzed coating to prevent damage due to moisture, enabling unrestricted operation in various external environments without the need for a separate waterproof structure. Furthermore, the drone can be operated without issue even when passing through clouds at high altitudes or in rainy weather.

[0015] Additionally, it adopts materials that allow radar penetration, thereby reducing the radar detection rate and enabling smooth use for military purposes. It is also designed to be lightweight and can be disassembled and assembled, making it easy to store and transport.

[0016]

[0017] Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the exterior of a drone according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0018] Figure 2 is a perspective view showing the inside of a drone according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0019] Figure 3 is a perspective view showing a body structure according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0020] Figure 4 is a perspective view showing a main wing structure according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0021] Figure 5 is a first exploded perspective view showing the assembly structure of a drone according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0022] Figure 6 is a first exploded perspective view showing the assembly structure of a drone according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0023] Figure 7 is a cross-sectional side view showing the drainage structure of a drone according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0024] Figure 8 is a block diagram showing a control structure and connection relationship according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0025]

[0026] The configuration of a paper drone with a waterproof coating of the present invention is specifically described with reference to the attached drawings below.

[0027] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the exterior of a drone according to an embodiment of the present invention, and the drone according to the present invention is a fixed-wing drone having a fuselage (110) that is formed long in the front-back direction, main wings (120) that are coupled to both sides of the fuselage (110) to generate lift, a propulsion propeller (130) that generates propulsion force for the fuselage (110), and a propulsion motor (151) that rotates the propulsion propeller (130), as an example.

[0028] Of course, for unmanned flight, it is manufactured using paper as the main material while having practically the same configuration as a conventional drone, and as described later, it is possible to manufacture it as a rotary wing drone or tilt rotor drone while maintaining the characteristic of being protected from moisture through a paraffin coating.

[0029] Using paper as the primary material significantly reduces production costs and increases operational efficiency. These characteristics are ideal for attack military drones, typically intended for one-time use. Therefore, fixed-wing drones, which are capable of long-term flight, high altitudes, and high speeds compared to rotary-wing or tilt-rotor drones, are presented as examples.

[0030] In the embodiments of the present invention, drawings that are easy to explain the purpose of the invention are presented. However, since there are many different forms of fixed-wing drones, as mentioned above, it is obvious that the present invention can be implemented as a drone of various forms, which is equipped with a fuselage (110) that is formed long in the front-back direction, main wings (120) that are coupled to both sides of the fuselage (110) to generate lift, a propulsion propeller (130) that generates propulsion force for the fuselage (110), and a propulsion motor (151) that rotates the propulsion propeller (130).

[0031] It is obvious to those skilled in the art that the fuselage (110) mentioned here may be equipped with not only the main wing (120) but also a horizontal stabilizer and a vertical stabilizer, also called a tail wing, depending on the type of drone to be applied, and that the position of the propulsion propeller (130) may also be installed at the rear of the fuselage or configured in the form of a twin propeller, unlike the attached drawing.

[0032] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the inside of a drone according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a fuselage structure according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a main wing structure according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0033] In the present invention, the fuselage (110) is composed of a fuselage frame (101) forming an inner and outer frame and an outer skin (P) made of paper material that wraps the fuselage frame (101) to form an inner space, and the main wing (120) is composed of a main wing frame (121) forming a wing shape and an outer skin (P) made of paper material that wraps the main wing frame (121).

[0034] The above fuselage frame (101) and main wing frame (121) constitute the skeleton of the fuselage (110) and main wing (120), respectively, and may be composed of various known materials. In the present invention, the fuselage frame (101) and main wing frame (121) may be composed of wood, particularly bamboo, which is easy to heat process and has elasticity, in order to achieve a lightweight characteristic due to the outer skin (P) being composed of paper, as well as reasonable price and convenience of manufacturing.

[0035] In addition, when the present invention is applied to a drone for military purposes, the fuselage frame (101) and main wing frame (121) may be composed of a radio wave absorbing material or a radar-penetrating material.

[0036] The above-mentioned radio-absorbent material is also known as a radiation-absorbent material (RAM). It blocks the reflection of radio waves, reducing the radar reflection area by hundreds of times, making radar detection difficult. This allows for flight while avoiding radar detection. Furthermore, by using a radar-penetrating material that allows radio waves to pass through, flight while avoiding radar detection is possible.

[0037] As mentioned above, if there is an external structure added to the fuselage (110) other than the main wing (120), it is natural that the frame for the corresponding additional structure can also be made of the same material and covered with a paper material outer skin.

[0038] The above fuselage frame (101) and main wing frame (121) are basically wrapped with a paper-based outer covering (P). Various types of paper can be used as the paper material for the outer covering, and it is particularly preferable to use Korean paper, which is relatively tough and used in the production of kites and the like that fly in the sky. However, as mentioned above, the outer covering made of paper, including Korean paper, is vulnerable to moisture, which limits its flight environment. Therefore, the outer covering is preliminarily surface-coated with parylene to provide waterproof properties. In this state, the outer covering is attached to the outside of the fuselage frame (101) and main wing frame (121) using double-sided tape or adhesive.

[0039] The internal space of the fuselage (110) includes the propulsion motor (151), a battery (152), a drive module (153) for controlling the flight attitude of the fuselage, a communication module (154) for receiving a control signal, and a control module (155) for controlling the drive module (153) and the propulsion motor (151) according to a control signal received through the power of the battery (152).

[0040] Figure 8 is a block diagram showing a control structure and connection relationship according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0041] The above propulsion motor (151) is basically a DC motor, and is configured so that the rotation speed and output can be adjusted through the supplied voltage, thereby controlling the overall flight speed of the drone. In addition, the battery (152) is configured as a rechargeable secondary battery, or in the case of a drone for a one-time mission, as a primary battery, to supply the power required for the overall drone flight.

[0042] The above communication module (154) is a commercial wireless communication module that receives control signals, generates position signals including a GPS module, and transmits position signals and required operation signals.

[0043] The above drive module (153) is for controlling the flight attitude of the fuselage, and can be basically configured as a motor that controls the angle of the flap (140) that is coupled to the rear end of the main wing (120) and controls the ascent and descent by adjusting the angle. In addition, the drive module (153) can be configured as a motor that can adjust the front-back angle of the entire main wing depending on the shape of the drone, and can be configured as a motor that is equipped in an existing fixed-wing drone and is applied to a method for controlling various flight attitudes for ascent and descent of the fuselage as well as left-right turns.

[0044] The above control module (155) is configured to control the communication module (154), the drive module (153), and the propulsion motor (151) through power supplied from the battery (152). The control module (155) controls the drive module (153) and the propulsion motor (151) according to a control signal received through the communication module (154), and can remotely control the drone, or, if necessary, control the drive module (153) and the propulsion motor (151) so that automatic flight is performed along a predetermined path by providing a memory.

[0045] In the present invention, the parts that must be prevented from contacting with moisture, including the outer shell (P) and the propulsion motor (151), battery (152), drive module (153), communication module (154), and control module (155), are basically characterized by being treated with a paralyzed waterproof coating. That is, the above components may cause problems if they get wet in situations such as when it rains or when passing through clouds with a lot of moisture, or as parts that handle electricity, they were previously coated with paraffin to protect paper from water, but in the present invention, a paralyzed thin film is coated on the above components to ensure sufficient waterproof performance even with a very thin film, thereby effectively preventing the paper from getting wet or an electrical short circuit from occurring.

[0046] Fig. 5 is a first exploded perspective view illustrating the assembly structure of a drone according to an embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. 6 is a first exploded perspective view illustrating the assembly structure of a drone according to an embodiment of the present invention. As illustrated, the present invention uses materials that are easy to process and manufacture, such as paper and wood frames, as its main materials, and thus allows individual parts to be stored and transported in a disassembled state and easily assembled on site.

[0047] Basically, it is configured in a way that the fuselage (110), the main wing (120), and the propulsion motor (151), battery (152), drive module (153), communication module (154), and control module (155) built into the fuselage (110) can be separated or assembled. In addition, as mentioned above, if auxiliary wings or additional propellers are provided in addition to the above components, these can also be configured to be separated or assembled, and if necessary, the frames, i.e., the fuselage frame (101) and the main wing frame (121), can be moved while being separated from the outer skin (P) and can be configured to be joined on site using adhesive or double-sided tape.

[0048] To this end, a joining groove (102) into which a part of the main wing frame (121) is inserted and joined may be formed in the fuselage frame (101), and a joining portion (122) that is inserted and joined to the joining groove (102) may be formed in the main wing frame (121). That is, as shown in the attached drawing, the joining portion (122) is configured so that a pair of ends of the main wing frame (121) protrude in the shape of a rod toward the fuselage side, and a joining groove (102) that enables insertion and joining corresponding to the shape of the joining portion (122) is configured in the fuselage frame (101), so that the main wing frame (121) and the fuselage frame (101) may be joined. At this time, these may be fixed on site using a known joining means that can be joined by screwing or tying, including an adhesive. In the case where auxiliary wings, etc. are added in addition to the main wing (120), they can be configured to be separated or assembled in the same form, and in the case where a configuration for flight attitude control, such as a flap (140), is provided on the main wing (120), a structure is also provided that allows it to be separated or combined with the drive module (153).

[0049] In addition, a mounting portion (103) for installing and fixing the propulsion motor (151), battery (152), drive module (153), communication module (154), and control module (155) is formed on the fuselage frame (101), so that the propulsion motor (151), battery (152), drive module (153), communication module (154), and control module (155) can be configured to be separated from the fuselage (110) and assembled on site.

[0050] To this end, each mounting portion (103) may be manufactured to correspond to the size of the propulsion motor (151), battery (152), drive module (153), communication module (154), and control module (155) and assembled in a fitting manner, or these may be firmly fixed in a state where they are each mounted on the mounting portion (103) using a known connecting means that can be connected by screwing or tying, including an adhesive. In addition, the battery (152), drive module (153), communication module (154), and control module (155) may be modularized as an integral unit and coupled to the mounting portion (103) in the form of such a single module.

[0051] Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional side view showing a drainage structure of a drone according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0052] As mentioned above, the outer shell (P) and the propulsion motor (151), battery (152), drive module (153), communication module (154), and control module (155) are protected from moisture by being treated with a paralyzed waterproof coating. Therefore, in the present invention, there is no need to configure the fuselage (110) as a completely waterproof structure like in existing drones. In other words, if moisture can be smoothly discharged even if it enters the fuselage (110) through a smooth drainage structure, there is no problem with flight at all, and therefore a waterproof rating such as IPX is not necessary in the present invention.

[0053] To this end, as shown in the attached drawing, an intake port (104) for air intake may be formed on the front side of the fuselage (110), a drain port (106) may be formed on the rear side of the fuselage (110), and a flow path (105) may be configured between them. Accordingly, moisture introduced during flight can easily escape out of the fuselage through the flow path (105) and the drain port (106). At this time, the intake port (104) is formed smaller than the drain port (106), and is formed behind the propulsion propeller (130). This is to minimize the inflow of water into the intake port (104) through the rotation of the propulsion propeller (130), and to ensure that water that has unintentionally introduced through the intake port (104) or other parts does not remain inside the fuselage (110) but is easily discharged through the drain port (106) during flight. As mentioned above, practically all structures inside the fuselage (110) are waterproofed through a paraffin coating to promote this drainage action.

[0054] The rights of the present invention are not limited to the embodiments described above, but are defined by the claims, and it is obvious that a person skilled in the art can make various modifications and adaptations within the scope of the rights described in the claims.

Claims

1. A drone having a fuselage that is formed long in the forward and backward directions, main wings that are connected to both sides of the fuselage to form lift, a propulsion propeller that generates propulsion force for the fuselage, and a propulsion motor that rotates the propulsion propeller. The above fuselage is composed of a fuselage frame made of wood that forms the inner and outer frames, and an outer skin made of paper that wraps the fuselage frame to form an internal space and is attached using double-sided tape or adhesive. The above main wing is composed of a main wing frame that forms a wing shape and paper that wraps the main wing frame, and is made of an outer skin that is attached using double-sided tape or adhesive. The internal space above includes a battery, a drive module for controlling the flight attitude of the fuselage, a communication module for receiving a control signal, and a control module for controlling the drive module and propulsion motor according to a control signal received through the power of the battery. The above outer shell, propulsion motor, battery, drive module, communication module and control module are treated with a paraffin waterproof coating. An intake port for air intake to the rear of the front side propeller of the fuselage and a drain port are formed on the rear side of the fuselage, and a path is formed between the intake port and the drain port so that moisture introduced during flight can escape out of the fuselage through the path and drain port. A joining groove is formed in the fuselage frame into which a part of the main wing frame is inserted and joined, and a joining portion is formed in the main wing frame such that a pair of ends protrude in the shape of a bar toward the fuselage and are inserted and joined into the joining groove. A paper drone with a waterproof coating, characterized in that the above body frame is configured such that a mounting part for installing and fixing the above propulsion motor, battery, drive module, communication module, and control module can be separated and stored and assembled on site.

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