Caged UAV With Flexible NDT Arm for Stable Surface Contact
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing UAVs for non-destructive testing face challenges such as instability in contact with structures, difficulty in precise positioning, vulnerability to impacts, and inefficiency in handling diverse spatial orientations and surface conditions, leading to inaccurate and time-consuming inspections.
Innovation Solution
A UAV design featuring an outer protective cage, a flexible arm with an NDT sensor, and a tool-change mechanism, allowing stable contact, precise positioning, and versatile operation on various structures, while withstanding impacts and maintaining sensor accuracy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If a rigid connection means is used to position the measurement probe, then the probe can be temporarily immobilized, but contact stability between the drone and structure surface deteriorates during hovering
Solution Approach 1:
The connection means is designed with flexible elements that allow dynamic adjustment of the measurement probe's position and orientation. This flexibility enables the probe to maintain stable contact with the structure surface while accommodating the drone's hovering movements, thereby resolving the contradiction between contact stability and measurement precision.
2Strength
If an outer frame with rotational coupling and actuation systems is added to protect components, then impact resistance improves, but device complexity and size increase
Solution Approach 1:
The protective structure is divided into modular segments that can be independently positioned and oriented. This segmentation allows the protective elements to be strategically placed only where needed, reducing overall structural complexity while maintaining impact resistance. The modular design enables selective protection without requiring a complete outer frame with complex rotational couplings.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a fixed arm structure is used to mount the NDT sensor, then the sensor positioning is simplified, but adaptability to different spatial orientations and surface conditions deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The arm structure incorporates flexible joints and adjustable mounting mechanisms that enable dynamic reconfiguration. This allows the NDT sensor to be adaptively positioned on various spatial orientations and surface conditions without requiring a completely fixed and complex positioning system. The dynamic arm can adjust its configuration based on the specific inspection requirements.
4Measurement precision
If the UAV hovers close to the structure surface for detailed inspection, then measurement precision improves, but vulnerability to impacts from external objects increases
Solution Approach 1:
Protective elements are positioned in advance around the UAV's critical components and the NDT sensor. These protective measures are built into the UAV structure before inspection operations, providing cushioning against potential impacts from external objects. This allows the UAV to hover close to the structure surface for detailed inspection while being protected from harmful impacts.
Data Source
AI summary
An unmanned aerial vehicle for non-destructive testing includes: an outer protective cage, a propulsion system mounted inside the outer protective cage and fixed thereto, an arm having a first end attached to the outer protective cage, and a non-destructive testing sensor mounted at a second end of the arm. The arm extends outward from the outer protective cage, the arm having a length between 1 and 50 percent of an overall linear dimension of the outer protective cage.