Detachable Projectile Module for Drone Capture
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Solution Overview
Problem
The increasing availability of consumer drones poses challenges in managing privacy, trespassing, and security issues due to their ability to fly at high altitudes and carry payloads, making it difficult to remove or immobilize unwanted drones effectively.
Innovation Solution
A targeting and projectile deployment system on a flying device that uses a projectile model to predict whether a projectile will hit a target drone, considering environmental conditions and wind patterns, and fires the projectile when the probability of hit meets a threshold, using a net or other projectiles with weights and a gas propulsion system.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a projectile module is added to a flying vehicle to capture target drones, then the capability to immobilize unwanted drones is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The projectile module is designed as a detachable component that can be separately attached to and removed from the flying vehicle. This segmentation allows the capture capability to be added only when needed, reducing the base complexity of the flying vehicle while maintaining the ability to immobilize target drones when required.
Solution Approach 2:
The flying vehicle is designed with a universal mounting interface that can accommodate different projectile modules for various capture scenarios. This multi-functionality allows a single flying vehicle platform to perform multiple roles including surveillance, pursuit, and capture operations by simply changing the attached projectile module.
2Ease of operation
If the projectile module is made detachable for easy replacement, then the ease of operation is improved, but the reliability of the connection may worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The connection between the projectile module and flying vehicle uses an electro-mechanical interface that combines electrical connectors with mechanical mounting features. This substitution of pure mechanical connections with integrated electro-mechanical systems provides both ease of attachment/detachment through standardized interfaces and reliable electrical connectivity for triggering and data transmission.
3Volume of moving object
If the net is tightly packed in the projectile module for compact storage, then the volume is reduced, but the manufacturing precision required for proper deployment increases
Solution Approach 1:
The net is pre-configured with attachment points and folding patterns that guide its deployment sequence. Weights are pre-attached to specific corners of the net, and the net is pre-folded into a compact configuration that automatically unfolds in the correct sequence during deployment, reducing the precision requirements for the deployment mechanism itself.
Solution Approach 2:
A deployment mechanism serves as an intermediary between the compactly stored net and its deployed state. This mechanism includes guide channels and release features that control the net's expansion sequence, ensuring proper orientation and weight distribution during deployment without requiring extreme manufacturing precision in the net packaging itself.
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 system reliably and repeatedly captures or immobilizes unwanted drones by optimizing net deployment and orientation, ensuring accurate and efficient removal of potential threats without causing harm to people or property.
Implementation Method 1
a gas propulsion system
Data Source
AI summary
A projectile module is attached to a gun component which operates as a system to launch a projectile at a flying device. The gun component is configured to be removably and electro-mechanically attached to a flying vehicle. A cylindrical gas valve is part of the gun component and has a safety component configured on an exterior surface of the cylindrical gas valve to enable the gun component only to attach to the flying vehicle when the projectile module is locked into position. A splitter component configured on the gun component adjacent to the cylindrical gas valve and has an output opening for gas flow. The projectile module is removable and includes weights attached to a projectile, wherein the weights are positioned in channels on the projectile module. The projectile is fired when gas flow is initiated from a reservoir the cylindrical gas valve and splitter component to the channels containing the weights.