Whole-Body Perching Drone Arms with Bistable Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing drone perching systems require additional grasping mechanisms that add weight, reduce battery life, and limit mission success to specific object sizes and shapes, while whole-body perching drones lack the capability for autonomous payload delivery without sacrificing controllability.
Innovation Solution
A multirotor drone with a whole-body perching mechanism that utilizes a bistable structure in its arms, combined with a unique actuation mechanism using servos and propeller thrust, allowing for autonomous whole-body perching and payload delivery while maintaining controllability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If additional grasping mechanisms are added to the drone, then grasping capability is improved, but weight increases and battery life decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The drone's arms are designed to serve dual functions: they act as structural support components during flight and as grasping mechanisms during perching operations. This eliminates the need for separate dedicated grasping mechanisms, thereby avoiding additional weight while maintaining versatile grasping capability across different object sizes and shapes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines the grasping function with the existing arm structure by integrating compliant elements and actuation mechanisms directly into the arms. This merging of functions allows the drone to grasp objects of varying sizes and shapes without adding separate grasping mechanisms, thus avoiding the weight penalty associated with redundant components.
2Adaptability or versatility
If additional grasping mechanisms are added to the drone, then grasping capability is improved, but battery life decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The arms perform multiple functions including structural support, propulsion assistance, and grasping operations. By eliminating dedicated grasping mechanisms, the overall system weight is reduced, which decreases power consumption and extends battery life while maintaining full grasping capability through the multi-functional arms.
Solution Approach 2:
The grasping actuation mechanism is integrated with the arm actuation system, allowing both flight control and grasping operations to share common actuators and power sources. This integration reduces the total number of components and power consumption requirements, thereby extending battery life while preserving grasping functionality.
3Adaptability or versatility
If impact-based passive perching is used, then perching capability is achieved, but disturbance rejection and controllability are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs active control of the arm actuation mechanisms during perching operations, allowing real-time adjustment of arm stiffness and position. This dynamic control enables the drone to actively reject disturbances and maintain stability during perching, unlike passive impact-based methods that lack adaptability. The compliant elements provide passive disturbance rejection while the active actuation maintains controllability.
Solution Approach 2:
The drone utilizes sensor feedback from its navigation and control systems to monitor arm position and external forces during perching. This feedback enables closed-loop control that actively adjusts arm actuation to reject disturbances and maintain stable perching, thereby preserving controllability while achieving robust perching capability on objects of various sizes and shapes.
4Area of stationary object
If whole-body perching is implemented, then grasping workspace is increased, but payload delivery capability is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The arm actuation mechanisms enable dynamic reconfiguration of the arms between whole-body perching configuration and payload holding configuration. During perching, the arms extend to maximize workspace and contact the target object. For payload delivery, the arms can be retracted or repositioned to securely hold payloads. This dynamic reconfigurability allows the system to maintain both whole-body perching capability and payload delivery functionality without compromise.
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
The drone achieves robust perching capabilities with a maximum grasping force of 40 N, enabling successful perching on various objects and payload delivery, while maintaining flight stability and extending mission duration.
Implementation Method 1
a bistable structure inside its arms
Implementation Method 2
propeller thrust to partially retract the arm for grasping while maintaining altitude stabilization
Implementation Method 3
a unique actuation mechanism using servos
Data Source
AI summary
An unmanned aerial vehicle includes a plurality of arms coupled along a body, each arm of the plurality of arms including: a linkage structure configurable in a first linkage state, a second linkage state, and a third linkage state. The vehicle can further include an actuation mechanism including: a ratchet gear having a contact surface that applies a lateral force against a leading link of the linkage structure to transition the linkage structure from the first linkage state to the second linkage state or the third linkage state; a bistable spring that transitions from a first spring state to a second spring state upon application of the lateral force against the leading link of the linkage structure; and a cable for straightening the linkage structure.