Adjustable Rotor Arm UAV for Compact Storage and Stable Flight
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing multi-rotor unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) face challenges in compact storage and efficient deployment, particularly in small volumes like the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) dropsonde, and maintaining orientation during transition from closed to open configurations for flight.
Innovation Solution
The UAV design incorporates adjustable rotor arms with actuator mechanisms, such as sliding bars and pivot points, allowing for a closed configuration that fits within a small volume and an open configuration for flight, along with a tilt mechanism to control angular and translational velocity, enabling compact storage and stable flight deployment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the UAV is designed with fixed rotor arms in an open configuration, then flight stability and maneuverability are improved, but storage volume increases and cannot fit into small containers like NCAR dropsonde
Solution Approach 1:
The rotor arms are designed to be dynamically reconfigurable, transitioning from an open configuration during flight to a closed configuration during storage. The adjustment component allows the rotor arms to move between positions, enabling the UAV to adapt its structure based on operational requirements. This dynamic reconfiguration resolves the contradiction by allowing the UAV to maintain stable flight geometry when needed while minimizing storage volume when not in use.
2Volume of moving object
If the rotor arms are made adjustable with actuator mechanisms, then compact storage and deployment are enabled, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The UAV structure is segmented into modular components: rotor arms, adjustment components, and actuator mechanisms. Each segment can independently move or adjust, allowing the system to achieve compact configuration through coordinated movement of discrete parts rather than requiring a completely redesigned monolithic structure. This segmentation enables compact storage while keeping individual component complexity manageable.
Solution Approach 2:
The rotor arms are designed to nest or fold together in a compact arrangement when not in use, similar to a nested doll structure. The adjustment component enables the rotor arms to be positioned within a minimal volume, with each arm potentially containing or being contained by other structural elements. This nesting approach achieves compact storage without requiring excessively complex external mechanisms.
3Volume of moving object
If the rotor arms are positioned close together in closed configuration, then storage volume is minimized, but propeller rotation space is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The rotor arm positioning is dynamically controlled based on operational state. During storage, the adjustment component positions the rotor arms close together to minimize volume. During flight operations, the actuator mechanism moves the rotor arms to an open configuration that provides adequate clearance for propeller rotation. This dynamic positioning resolves the contradiction by allowing the same structure to satisfy both compact storage and adequate propeller clearance requirements at different times.
Data Source
AI summary
An unmanned aerial vehicle includes multiple rotor arms; a rotor disposed at an end of each of the multiple rotor arms; and an adjustment component configured to enable a first rotor arm to move relative to a second rotor arm.