Deformable UAV Support Structures for Collision Safety
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Solution Overview
Problem
Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) face safety challenges due to unexpected descents and collisions, with existing safety systems like parachutes and geofencing being inadequate to prevent injuries and damages, and current protective measures like blade guards failing to protect against the UAV's chassis and rotor support structures.
Innovation Solution
The integration of deformable support structures with rotor blade assemblies, featuring deformable padding, crumple zones, and deployable airbags that absorb impact energy, providing protection during collisions and unexpected descents by slowing down deceleration and distributing force, thereby reducing injury and damage likelihood.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If rigid support structures are used to maintain structural integrity and support rotor blades, then structural strength is improved, but collision damage and injury risk increase
Solution Approach 1:
The support structures incorporate deformable portions that change their mechanical properties during impact. These portions remain rigid during normal operation but deform during collision to absorb energy, reducing the harmful effects while maintaining structural integrity during flight
Solution Approach 2:
The support structures use composite construction combining rigid materials for structural support with deformable materials for energy absorption. This allows the same structure to provide both strength during operation and protection during collision
2Reliability
If deformable portions are added to support structures to reduce collision impact, then safety is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The deformable portions are integrated directly into the support structures themselves, combining the structural support function and the energy absorption function into a single unified component rather than adding separate protective systems
Solution Approach 2:
The deformable portions automatically activate during collision through passive mechanical deformation without requiring sensors, control systems, or external activation mechanisms, thus improving safety without adding complex control systems
3Reliability
If parachutes are used to reduce descent velocity during unexpected descent, then safety is improved, but reliability decreases because the same fault may hinder parachute deployment
Solution Approach 1:
The deformable portions provide passive, automatic protection during unexpected descent through their energy-absorbing deformation characteristics, eliminating the need for active deployment systems that could fail due to the same faults causing the descent
Solution Approach 2:
The system accepts that unexpected descent may occur and converts the harmful impact into a beneficial energy absorption process through controlled deformation of the support structures, turning a potentially dangerous situation into a safe outcome
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
The deformable support structures effectively reduce the force of impact during collisions and descents, minimizing injuries and damages to humans and other aerial vehicles by absorbing energy and distributing the force over a longer period, enhancing safety and reducing the risk of damage from UAV malfunctions or collisions.
Implementation Method 1
the one or more deformable portions are configured to deform when sustaining an impact, and thereby absorb energy during a collision
Implementation Method 2
The deformation of the portions slows down the deceleration of the UAV (by increasing the deceleration time) which reduces the force experienced by the entity which collides with the support structure of the UAV
Data Source
AI summary
In an embodiment an unmanned aerial vehicle comprises a central body and a plurality of support structures extending outwards from the central body. Each support structure supports a rotor blade assembly and is provided with one or more deformable portions. The rotor blade assembly defines a rotational axis of one or more rotor blades associated with the rotor blade assembly.