Drone Sensor Magazine with Carriage System for Ground Deployment
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing drone-based deployment systems are unsuitable for transporting and deploying a plurality of sensors, such as geophones, to a ground surface, as they primarily facilitate aerial ejection rather than terrestrial deployment and lack the capability for subsequent sensor installation and retrieval.
Innovation Solution
A sensor magazine arrangement for a drone comprising a chassis, an array of sensor receptacles, a carriage system, and a controller, which allows for the transport, deployment, and retrieval of sensors via a drone, enabling autonomous and balanced transport, and facilitating the installation and retrieval of sensors on a ground surface.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If aerial ejection deployment is used, then deployment speed is improved, but adaptability to ground surface deployment is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms the static aerial ejection mechanism into a dynamic ground-based deployment system. The magazine arrangement includes a carriage system with manipulators that can dynamically position sensors on the ground surface, allowing the same system to adapt between rapid aerial deployment and precise ground installation based on mission requirements
Solution Approach 2:
The drone system is designed with multi-functionality, capable of both aerial ejection deployment and ground surface deployment through the magazine arrangement. The magazine can receive sensors from the drone and deploy them to ground receivers, making the system universal for multiple deployment scenarios
2Productivity
If a single drone transports multiple sensors, then productivity is improved, but device complexity is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The magazine arrangement is segmented into modular components: a chassis, an array of sensor receptacles, a carriage system with manipulators, and a controller. This segmentation allows the complex function of multi-sensor deployment to be divided into manageable subsystems, each performing a specific function while working together to achieve high productivity
Solution Approach 2:
The magazine arrangement acts as an intermediary between the drone and the ground receivers. It receives multiple sensors from the drone, manages their storage and retrieval, and facilitates their deployment to multiple receivers, thereby enabling a single drone to efficiently transport and deploy multiple sensors without direct complex interactions between the drone and each receiver
3Ease of operation
If autonomous deployment is implemented, then ease of operation is improved, but device complexity is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The magazine arrangement is equipped with autonomous capabilities through an integrated controller that can independently manage the carriage system, manipulators, and sensor receptacles. The system can autonomously retrieve sensors from the drone, position them on the ground, and deploy them to receivers without continuous human intervention, making operation easier while the complexity is encapsulated within the autonomous control system
Data Source
AI summary
A sensor magazine arrangement for a drone, the arrangement comprising a chassis configured to receive at least a portion of a drone to position a load point of such drone relative to the chassis. Also included is an array of sensor receptacles supported by the chassis, each receptacle configured to receive a sensor, and a carriage system fast with the chassis and having a manipulator configured to transfer a sensor between the array and a transfer point proximate the load point. Further included is a controller configured to control the carriage system to allow transfer of a sensor between the array and transfer point. The magazine arrangement broadly facilitates autonomous deployment and/or retrieval of a plurality of sensors via drone. An associated method is also described.