Distributed Drone-Payload Control for Heavy Force Tasks
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current drones lack modular capability to perform varying industrial tasks due to complex and expensive designs, and there is a challenge in controlling heavy payloads while hovering, leading to difficulties in integrating drone and payload systems without mutual expertise and testing.
Innovation Solution
A loosely coupled distributed control system where a drone controller and payload controller operate independently to allocate degrees of freedom, allowing the payload to exert forces beyond the drone's capabilities without compromising flight controllability, enabling easy switching between tasks and payloads.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If a drone is designed to carry heavy payloads with strong force capabilities, then the payload's force exertion capability is improved, but the drone's flight controllability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The control system is segmented into two independent controllers: a drone controller that manages flight stability and a payload controller that manages force exertion. This segmentation allows the heavy payload to exert strong forces without compromising the drone's flight controllability, as each controller operates independently within its designated domain.
Solution Approach 2:
The drone acts as an intermediary carrier that provides positional control and stability, while the payload controller acts as the mediator that exerts the required forces. The loose coupling between them allows the payload to function independently in terms of force application while the drone maintains flight control, resolving the contradiction between force capability and flight controllability.
2Reliability
If a drone is designed with specialized integration for specific payloads, then the control integration is improved, but the adaptability to different payload types deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The control system is designed with universal interfaces and standardized communication protocols that allow it to work with multiple types of payloads without specialized integration for each. The drone controller and payload controller can be paired with any payload that follows the standard interface, providing both reliable control integration and high adaptability to different payload types.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adapts to different payload types through automatic controller pairing and real-time parameter adjustment. When a payload is attached, the system dynamically configures the control parameters and communication interfaces based on the payload's characteristics, maintaining reliable integration while supporting diverse payload types without pre-specialization.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple controllers are used for drone and payload, then the control distribution is improved, but the system complexity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The payload control functionality is extracted from the central drone controller and placed into a separate payload controller. This extraction simplifies the overall system architecture by creating clear separation of concerns: the drone controller focuses on flight management while the payload controller handles payload-specific operations. The complexity is reduced through modular design with well-defined interfaces between the two controllers.
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 efficient performance of multiple tasks with a single drone and set of payloads, improves payload capabilities, and allows manufacturers to specialize in their domains, while ensuring safe and controlled operations.
Implementation Method 1
the payload controller controls maneuver instructions in the released DOFs by exerting controllable force or torque in the released DOFs by the at least one thrust source
Implementation Method 2
the active-payload comprises a self-embedded payload controller and at least one thrust source and/or moving weight
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method for distributing control over a drone and an active-payload carried by the drone to loosely coupled drone controller and payload controller, are disclosed. The active-payload includes a self-embedded payload controller and at least one controllable thrust source or moving weight. The drone controller identifies a current active-payload type that is coupled to the drone for performing one or more tasks and selects a control-type, which defines degrees of freedom (DOFs) to be controlled by the drone controller and released DOFs to be controlled by the payload controller, accordingly. The drone and active-payload perform the one or more task, wherein the drone controller controls maneuver instructions in drone controller controlled DOFs and simultaneously and asynchronously the payload controller controls maneuver instructions in the released DOFs by exerting controllable force or torque in the released DOFs by the at least one thrust source and/or moving weight.