Rollable UAV Airframe With Cylindrical Guard for Surface Locomotion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) face challenges in thrust efficiency, weight reduction, payload protection, and energy efficiency due to added components and limited battery capacity, necessitating improved architectures for enhanced operation and navigation in various environments.
Innovation Solution
The UAV architecture incorporates a foam-polycarbonate composite airframe assembly with rotor ducts for thrust gain, airflow channels for cooling, and a skid assembly for surface navigation, allowing the UAV to fly, skid, or roll, thereby optimizing propulsion and energy use.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If rotor ducts are added to protect rotors and increase thrust efficiency, then propulsion efficiency is improved, but device weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The airframe uses a composite structure combining foam core material with polycarbonate shell. The foam provides lightweight thermal insulation while the polycarbonate shell provides structural strength and rotor protection, achieving both weight reduction and protective function simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The rotor ducts serve multiple functions: they protect rotors from environmental hazards, increase thrust efficiency through optimized airflow, and provide structural support for the airframe. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate components, offsetting the weight penalty.
2Use of energy by moving object
If foam core is used for thermal insulation and weight reduction, then energy efficiency is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The thermal insulation layer and structural core are merged into a single foam-filled airframe structure. The foam material simultaneously provides thermal insulation for battery and electronics cooling, structural support, and weight reduction, eliminating the need for separate insulation layers.
3Adaptability or versatility
If skid assembly is added for surface navigation, then adaptability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The skid assembly is designed to be deployable and retractable, allowing the UAV to dynamically adapt its configuration based on operational needs. The skids can be extended for ground-based skidding locomotion and retracted for aerial flight, providing multi-environment capability without permanent complexity.
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 solution enhances UAV propulsion efficiency, reduces weight, protects internal components, and extends operational flexibility by enabling efficient navigation in diverse environments, including water and constrained spaces, while preserving battery life.
Implementation Method 1
each may comprise an inlet and diffusor outlet shaped to increase thrust efficiency of a propulsion system for the UAV
Implementation Method 2
airflow channels defined by the top airframe core and the top airframe shell such that the airflow channel forms an air conduit between a plurality of cooling air inlet orifices and a negative pressure generated by a rotor
Data Source
AI summary
Provided herein are systems and methods for an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) to skid and roll along an environmental surface. A rollable UAV includes an airframe assembly, a propulsion system, and a logic device configured to communicate with the propulsion system. The airframe assembly includes a cylindrical rolling guard configured to allow the UAV to roll along an environmental surface in contact with the cylindrical rolling guard. The logic device is configured to determine a rolling orientation for the UAV corresponding to the environmental surface, maneuver the UAV to place the cylindrical rolling guard of the airframe assembly in contact with the environmental surface, and roll the airframe assembly of the UAV along the environmental surface at approximately the determined rolling orientation while the cylindrical rolling guard is in contact with the environmental surface.