Heave-Synchronized Landing Platform Assembly for Moving Sites

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Solution Overview

Problem

Landing an aerial vehicle, especially at a moving site, poses risks due to environmental conditions and vertical motion (heave) that can cause damage or loss, as existing platforms often maintain a horizontal orientation regardless of the vehicle's orientation or the heave phase of the landing site.

Innovation Solution

A landing platform assembly with an actuator arrangement and processor that adjusts its orientation based on received orientation information from the aerial vehicle, allowing it to match the vehicle's angle and land during the downward heave phase, reducing the risk of damage and improving safety.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If the landing platform maintains a horizontal orientation regardless of the aerial vehicle's orientation, then the platform structure is simplified and easier to control, but the landing safety deteriorates when the aerial vehicle cannot maintain horizontal orientation due to environmental conditions

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveplatform control systemVSAvoidlanding safety
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The landing platform transitions from a static horizontal orientation to a dynamic orientation that adapts to the aerial vehicle's attitude. The platform's orientation is continuously adjusted based on real-time data from the aerial vehicle's orientation sensors, allowing it to match the vehicle's roll, pitch, and yaw angles during the landing approach.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements a feedback mechanism where the processor receives orientation information from the aerial vehicle and uses this data to control the actuator arrangement. This closed-loop control ensures the platform orientation continuously corresponds to the aerial vehicle's orientation, improving landing safety while maintaining manageable system complexity through automated control.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Adaptability or versatility

If the landing platform is provided on a moving object such as a watercraft, then the landing site flexibility is improved, but the landing safety deteriorates due to heave motion causing vertical displacement during the landing procedure

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelanding site flexibilityVSAvoidlanding safety
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The platform orientation and positioning are dynamically adjusted in response to heave motion. The actuator arrangement modifies the platform's orientation in real-time to compensate for vertical displacement, ensuring the platform remains appropriately positioned relative to the approaching aerial vehicle despite the moving base.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system receives and processes orientation information from the aerial vehicle in advance of the actual landing contact. This allows the actuator arrangement to pre-adjust the platform orientation to correspond with the aerial vehicle's angle before landing occurs, ensuring safety despite platform motion.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Reliability

If the platform adjusts its orientation to match the aerial vehicle's orientation during landing, then the landing safety is improved by accommodating environmental conditions, but the device complexity increases due to additional actuators and control systems

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelanding safetyVSAvoidactuator arrangement
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The actuator arrangement is designed to perform multiple functions: adjusting platform orientation in multiple degrees of freedom, compensating for heave motion, and aligning the platform with the aerial vehicle's orientation. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate systems for each function, managing overall complexity while achieving comprehensive safety improvements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP4478146A1Landing platform assembly, landing system, vehicle, float arrangement, aerial vehicle and associated systems and methods
Publication Date: 2024.12.18 BAE SYSTEMS PLC
  • EP4478146A1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4478146A1 patent drawingFigure 3~6
  • EP4478146A1 patent drawingFigure 7~8

AI summary

According to the present disclosure, there is provided a landing system for landing an aerial vehicle at a target location, the landing system comprising: a processor assembly configured to: receive information related to variation in vertical displacement of the target location over time; determine a downward heave phase of the target location based on the received information; control the aerial vehicle to land at the target location during the downward heave phase.