Modular Water Drone with Interchangeable Mission Modules
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing water drones are designed for specific missions and require multiple units to perform multiple tasks efficiently, leading to high operational costs, storage needs, and inconsistencies in data collection due to changing environmental conditions.
Innovation Solution
A modular water drone system comprising a stern module, main module, bow module, and intermediate modules, each with specific operating units, allowing for flexible configuration and simultaneous performance of multiple missions, equipped with adjustable buoyancy and self-righting mechanisms, and compatible with various propulsion units.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If multiple water drones are used to perform multiple missions simultaneously, then mission execution capability is improved, but storage and parking requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The water drone is divided into modular components (hull module, mission module, propulsion module) that can be independently stored and assembled. The mission module can be detached and stored separately from the hull, reducing the storage footprint when not in use while maintaining full mission execution capability when assembled.
Solution Approach 2:
The mission module is designed to nest within or attach to the hull module in a compact configuration during storage. The modular design allows the propulsion module and mission module to be stored in a nested arrangement, significantly reducing the storage area required compared to storing complete separate drones.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple water drones are used to perform multiple missions, then mission diversity is improved, but management costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
A single water drone platform is designed with universal interfaces and standardized modules that can accommodate different mission modules (environmental monitoring, search and rescue, cleaning, etc.). This allows one drone to perform multiple missions by simply swapping mission modules, eliminating the need to manage multiple specialized drones and reducing overall management costs.
Solution Approach 2:
The drone configuration is made dynamic and reconfigurable based on mission requirements. The modular design allows the system to adapt its composition by attaching or detaching different mission modules, enabling a single drone to transition between different mission types without requiring multiple permanent configurations.
3Area of stationary object
If a single water drone performs multiple missions sequentially, then storage requirements are reduced, but time delay between missions increases
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the drone into modular components with standardized interfaces, the mission module can be quickly detached and replaced without disassembling the entire vehicle. This modular swap capability reduces transition time between missions while maintaining a single drone configuration, addressing both storage efficiency and time delay concerns.
4Reliability
If water drones are designed for specific missions, then mission performance is improved, but versatility decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The water drone employs a universal standardized interface system that allows different mission modules to be attached to the same hull platform. Each mission module is optimized for its specific function (maintaining high mission performance) while the standardized interface enables interchangeability between different mission types, achieving both specialization and versatility.
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, cost-effective, and uniform execution of multiple aquatic missions with improved data consistency and reduced storage requirements, while being easily transportable and simple to store.
Implementation Method 1
a buoyancy unit, which is configured to adjust the buoyancy of the water drone
Implementation Method 2
a propulsion unit, which is configured to generate a thrust force
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention concerns a modular water drone (10) able to perform a series of missions, even simultaneously, in any aquatic environment whatsoever, which comprises a stern module (11a), a main module (11), a bow module (12) and at least one intermediate module (13), which can be divided and connected to each other, wherein each intermediate module (13) comprises an intermediate operating unit (17) configured to perform the specific mission for which it was designed in the aquatic environment and/or in its neighboring zones.