Rail-Guided UAV Coupling Control for Crash Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) systems lack effective mechanisms for preventing crashes and ensuring safe operation, particularly when anomalies occur during flight, such as power failures or collisions with obstacles.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a UAV system comprising a parent drone and a child drone connected via a coupling line, where the parent drone can detect anomalies and control the child drone to stop moving forward or change its flight path to prevent crashes, using a control circuit to manage motor rotation rates and movable block angles for stable flight along rails.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If the UAV flies autonomously without rail guidance, then flight flexibility and speed are improved, but safety and crash prevention capabilities deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces rails as an intermediary guidance infrastructure between the UAV and its environment. The rails provide physical guidance and constraint for the UAV during flight, enabling safe operation without requiring complex autonomous navigation systems. The connector mechanism allows the UAV to engage with and be guided by the rails while maintaining the ability to operate autonomously when needed.
2Speed
If the UAV uses high motor rotation rates for rapid response, then responsiveness to anomalies is improved, but energy consumption and stability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic motor control where the rotation rates are adjusted based on operational conditions. During normal flight, motors operate at lower rates for energy efficiency and stability. When anomalies are detected or during critical maneuvers, the control circuit increases motor rates for rapid response. The movable block mechanism provides dynamic adjustment of UAV orientation to optimize motor efficiency during different flight phases.
3Use of energy by moving object
If the UAV maintains minimum rotation rate for floating, then energy efficiency is improved, but ability to propel along rail deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs preliminary action by having the movable block adjust the UAV's inclination angle before engagement with the rail. This pre-positioning optimizes the aerodynamic orientation for rail travel, allowing the UAV to achieve effective propulsion along the rail with reduced motor power requirements. The connector mechanism is pre-configured to engage with the rail at the optimal point, enabling efficient energy utilization during rail-guided flight.
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
This configuration enhances safety by allowing the UAV system to autonomously respond to anomalies, reducing the risk of crashes and ensuring stable operation, even when the child drone experiences issues, by adjusting flight paths and motor speeds.
Implementation Method 1
a plurality of rotary wings; a plurality of first motors that rotate the plurality of rotary wings, respectively
Data Source
AI summary
An unmanned aerial vehicle that delivers a package includes a plurality of rotary wings, a plurality of first motors, a main body, a connector, a movable block, and a processor. When the connector is connected to a rail, the processor sets a rotation rate of the plurality of first motors to a rotation rate that is lower than a minimum rotation rate necessary for floating and higher than a minimum rotation rate necessary for propulsion along the rail. Furthermore, the processor causes the movable block to increase the angle formed by the normal direction of an imaginary plane containing the plurality of rotary wings relative to a support direction of the connector.