Removable Tail Boom UAV Wing Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) face challenges in being easily transportable, quickly assembled and disassembled in remote locations, launched and recovered without a dedicated runway, and in operating independently of wind direction while maintaining efficient data transmission across various frequency bands.
Innovation Solution
The design includes a fuselage with a wing assembly and empennage featuring removably coupled tail booms, slotted flaps for enhanced lift, and a wideband omnidirectional antenna for efficient data transmission, allowing for field assembly, portable launch and recovery, and operation in diverse environments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the UAV is designed for quick field assembly and disassembly, then the ease of operation is improved, but the structural complexity increases due to removable components and fastening mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The UAV is divided into modular components including the fuselage, wing assembly, and empennage that can be independently assembled and disassembled. The wing assembly includes separate tail booms that attach to the fuselage via boom interfaces, enabling quick field assembly without requiring complete structural integration.
Solution Approach 2:
The empennage is designed with dynamic reconfigurability, allowing the tail booms to be removably coupled to the wing assembly through externally accessible mechanical fasteners. This enables the structure to transition between assembled and disassembled states for transport and deployment.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the UAV uses a portable catapult launch system, then the adaptability to different terrains is improved, but the device complexity increases due to launch and recovery mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The portable catapult launch system serves multiple functions: it launches the UAV from various terrains without requiring dedicated runways, and the same system is used for recovery operations. The wing assembly with removable empennage complements this by enabling transport to remote locations where the launch/recovery system can be deployed.
3Force
If the UAV employs slotted flaps for enhanced lift, then the lift capability is improved, but the device complexity increases due to flap mechanisms and slot configurations
Solution Approach 1:
Slotted flaps are implemented specifically on the wing assembly to enhance lift capability in critical flight phases. The slots are positioned at specific locations on the wing to control airflow patterns, creating localized aerodynamic improvements without requiring complex mechanisms throughout the entire UAV structure.
4Adaptability or versatility
If the UAV uses a wideband omnidirectional antenna for data transmission, then the communication versatility is improved, but the device complexity increases due to antenna design requirements
Solution Approach 1:
A wideband omnidirectional antenna is implemented to provide universal communication capability across multiple frequency bands and regardless of UAV orientation or attitude. This single antenna design replaces what would otherwise require multiple specialized antennas, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining 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
This configuration enables UAVs to be efficiently assembled and disassembled, launched, and recovered in various terrains, while providing improved lift and data transmission capabilities, enhancing their operational flexibility and performance.
Implementation Method 1
reducing flow separation over the flap as a result of the air flowing upwardly through the slot and aftwardly along the flap upper surface
Implementation Method 2
installing at least one externally-accessible mechanical fastener through the boom forward end and into a threaded hole in the boom interface
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
An aircraft has a fuselage, a wing assembly coupleable to the fuselage, and an empennage including a pair of tail booms configured to be removably coupled to the wing assembly. The wing assembly includes a pair of boom interfaces located on laterally opposite sides of the fuselage. Each tail boom has a boom forward end configured to be mechanically attached to one of the boom interfaces using an externally-accessible mechanical fastener.