Drone Airbag Dynamics for Crash Safety
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional drones with airbags face challenges in preventing injuries when they become uncontrollable during takeoff, flight, or landing due to airframe issues, abnormal weather, or radio disturbances, as the airbag may not inflate sufficiently in time or may remain inflated, affecting flight performance and safety.
Innovation Solution
The method involves pre-inflating the airbag before takeoff and deflating it after reaching a predetermined altitude, and instantaneously inflating it during flight or landing using a dual control system to ensure effective shock absorption without compromising flight performance, with a pressure regulation mechanism to prevent over-inflation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the airbag is kept inflated during flight, then the drone is protected from injury upon crash, but the air resistance increases and flight performance is lowered
Solution Approach 1:
The airbag's inflation state is dynamically adjusted based on flight phase. The control unit inflates the airbag before takeoff and during landing/crash events, but deflates it during normal flight to minimize air resistance. This dynamic state change resolves the contradiction by having the airbag protective function active only when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The airbag undergoes periodic inflation and deflation cycles corresponding to different flight phases. It is inflated during takeoff preparation, deflated during cruise flight, and re-inflated during landing or crash detection. This periodic action pattern allows the system to alternate between protection mode and performance mode.
2Reliability
If the airbag is inflated before takeoff, then the drone is protected during takeoff and landing, but the inflator is consumed and must be replaced frequently
Solution Approach 1:
The inflator operates periodically rather than continuously. The control unit activates the inflator only during specific phases (before takeoff, during landing, or upon crash detection) rather than keeping it continuously engaged. This periodic operation extends the inflator's operational lifespan while maintaining safety protection when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The system recovers the inflator's utility by reusing it across multiple flight cycles. Instead of single-use disposal, the inflator is reset and reactivated for subsequent flights, extending its service life through multiple takeoff-landing cycles while maintaining protective capability.
3Reliability
If the airbag inflates quickly during flight, then the drone is protected from crash injury, but the gas supply system must be complex and fast-responding
Solution Approach 1:
The airbag is pre-inflated during ground preparation and takeoff phase, before flight begins. This preliminary inflation ensures the airbag is already in protective state for takeoff and initial flight phases, eliminating the need for complex rapid-inflation mechanisms during critical crash-prone moments.
Solution Approach 2:
The system skips the inflation process during normal flight by maintaining pre-inflated state or using stored pressure. When crash is detected, the system rushes through the final inflation phase quickly using stored energy in the gas supply system, rather than building pressure from scratch, thus achieving fast response without excessive complexity.
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
This approach effectively prevents drone collisions with people or structures by ensuring the airbag is inflated when needed, while maintaining flight efficiency by avoiding constant airbag inflation, which reduces drag and prolongs inflator lifespan.
Implementation Method 1
the drone is provided with the airbag which absorbs a shock generated when the drone is crashed and collides with the other things
Implementation Method 2
the gas is supplied to the airbag and the airbag can be inflated on the basis of a control of the first inflation control portion
Implementation Method 3
the gas in the airbag is discharged on the basis of the control of the first inflation control portion after the drone reaches the predetermined altitude, whereby the airbag is in the deflated state
Data Source
AI summary
To provide a drone with an airbag that can eliminate the danger of the drone injuring a person in the event of the drone crashing mid-flight including during takeoff and landing. The present invention is equipped with an airbag 3 for reducing the impact of a crashed drone 2 colliding with a person. Prior to the drone 2 taking off, the airbag 3 can be inflated by being supplied with gas. Once the drone 2 has taken off and reached a required altitude, the airbag 3 deflates due to the gas being exhausted. When the drone 2 is mid-flight and in danger of crashing, the airbag 2 can be inflated instantly by being supplied with gas. Prior to the drone 2 landing, the airbag 3 can be inflated by being supplied with gas.