Modular Drone Backpack for Versatile Task Execution
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Solution Overview
Problem
Generic drones have limited functionality, requiring expensive custom configurations for specialized tasks, and lack versatility in use.
Innovation Solution
A drone backpack system that attaches to standard drones, incorporating a housing, harness, display module, compute component, and sensors to enhance functionality and usability, allowing the same drone to perform various tasks by switching between different backpacks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If specialized drones are used to perform specific tasks, then functionality and task performance are improved, but cost increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the drone functionality into two segments: a standard base drone and a modular backpack accessory. The backpack contains task-specific components (sensors, compute unit, display) that can be attached to or removed from the drone, allowing the drone itself to remain a simple, inexpensive platform while gaining specialized capabilities through the attachable module.
Solution Approach 2:
The backpack is designed as a universal platform that can be attached to multiple drone models (e.g., DJI Mavic Pro, Spark, Air) through a standardized harness system. The same backpack housing can accommodate different sensor modules and compute units, enabling a single backpack to provide multiple specialized functions across different drone platforms.
2Adaptability or versatility
If custom configuration drones are purchased for each task, then task-specific performance is improved, but device complexity and variety increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system transforms the static configuration of custom drones into a dynamic, reconfigurable system. Users can physically attach and detach different backpack modules to the same drone base, allowing the system configuration to change dynamically based on task requirements without requiring multiple permanently configured drones.
Solution Approach 2:
The backpack serves as an intermediary layer between the standard drone and task-specific requirements. Rather than modifying the drone itself for each task, the backpack acts as a mediator that interfaces with the drone's existing components (camera, flight controller) and adds specialized functionality through its own sensors, compute unit, and display.
3Ease of manufacture
If standard drones are used without modification, then cost and simplicity are maintained, but functionality remains limited
Solution Approach 1:
The backpack is pre-configured with task-specific sensors, compute units, and display modules before being attached to the drone. This preliminary preparation allows the standard drone to immediately gain enhanced functionality without requiring any modification or complex setup, as the backpack arrives ready-to-use and simply needs to be attached to the drone.
Data Source
AI summary
A drone backpack includes a housing with a harness that attaches to a main body of a drone without modification of the drone. A boom couples with the harness to position a display module in a field of view of a forward-facing camera of the drone. A compute component is located within the housing and includes at least one processor and memory storing machine-readable instructions that are executable by the processor to output information on a screen of the display module. The information is captured by the forward-facing camera of the drone and included in a live video feed transmitted from the drone. The backpack may also include an effector, controllable via the compute component sensing a light status of the drone, and one or more sensors. The backpack augments the drone to enable one or more of a combat game, aerial labelling, low-cost one-time use, and STE(A)M.