Coaxial Foldable-Rotor Drone for Low-Detectability Reconnaissance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing drones are limited by their size, visibility, and operational capabilities, making them easily detectable and vulnerable, which affects their use in covert reconnaissance and tactical environments, and they are unsuitable for direct ground contact measurements.
Innovation Solution
A compact, coaxial rotor design with foldable blades and a bullet-like shape, allowing rapid deployment and difficult detection, combined with ground penetration capabilities for direct contact measurements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If conventional quadcopter design with four rotors is used, then stable flight and positioning are achieved, but the drone has large spatial extent and is easily detectable
Solution Approach 1:
The drone divides the conventional four-rotor configuration into two coaxial rotors, each with two blades. This segmentation reduces the lateral spatial extent while maintaining the necessary lift and stability through coordinated rotation of the four blades, effectively reducing detectability without sacrificing flight stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The coaxial rotor configuration nests the second rotor within the cylindrical envelope of the first rotor, creating a compact structure with small lateral dimensions. This nested arrangement allows the drone to achieve stable flight with a profile that is difficult to detect in the sky.
2Productivity
If conventional drone design is used, then aerial reconnaissance is possible, but the time to reach target area is too long allowing target objects to change behavior
Solution Approach 1:
The drone is designed for rapid acceleration and deployment, enabling it to reach the target area quickly before target objects can change their behavior. The compact design and optimized rotor configuration allow for fast acceleration phases that reduce the time loss between launch and arrival at the observation point.
3Productivity
If conventional drone design is used, then aerial observation is achieved, but the drone is vulnerable to being shot down due to large lateral extension
Solution Approach 1:
The coaxial rotor configuration creates an asymmetric profile compared to conventional quadcopters, with a cylindrical envelope that presents a smaller lateral cross-section. This asymmetric design reduces the drone's vulnerability to projectile hits while maintaining the capability for aerial observation and reconnaissance.
4Difficulty of detecting and measuring
If compact coaxial rotor design is used, then detectability is reduced and compactness is achieved, but ground penetration capability for direct contact measurements is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The drone incorporates dynamic landing capabilities where the rotor blades can be controlled to penetrate the ground upon landing. The coaxial rotor configuration allows for controlled ground contact during landing phases, enabling direct contact measurements while maintaining compactness and low detectability during flight operations.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables rapid, covert reconnaissance and stable flight with reduced detectability, facilitating ground measurements and increased operational effectiveness in challenging environments.
Implementation Method 1
The rotors are coaxial and rotate about only one rotational axis
Implementation Method 2
The blades of the drone in a free, i.e. unpowered, state, are fastened in a foldable manner, which is why they rest against the body when not powered
Data Source
AI summary
A drone including a body and a rotor unit, the body has a substantially cylindrical outer lateral surface, and at least one energy storage element of the drone is arranged in the body. The rotor unit is connected to a head side of the body, and the rotor unit comprises a first rotor with first blades and a second rotor with second blades, wherein the first rotor and the second rotor are arranged coaxially to each other, the first rotor is designed to rotate clockwise about a rotational axis, and the second rotor is designed to rotate counterclockwise about the rotational axis. The first blades and the second blades are mounted such that they can be freely folded so that they rest against the body in a rotation-free state.