Mooring UAV Takeoff and Landing Pad With Wind-Aligned Rotation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing UAV takeoff and landing pads face challenges in stabilizing takeoff due to wind interference, particularly when protective walls can cause rotor blade contact and turbulence, limiting their effectiveness.
Innovation Solution
A takeoff and landing pad apparatus that includes a rotatable pad with a mooring mechanism, drive source, and controller to align the UAV's nose with the wind direction, using wind direction and speed sensors to stabilize takeoff by rotating the pad.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a protective wall is added to reduce crosswind influence, then landing accuracy and safety are improved, but rotor blade contact with the wall may occur causing damage
Solution Approach 1:
A soft wall made of flexible material is introduced as an intermediary between the protective wall and the rotor blade. This soft wall absorbs collision energy and prevents damage to the rotor blade while maintaining the protective function against crosswind during landing operations
2Stability of the object's composition
If a tall protective wall is used to shield from wind, then takeoff stability is improved, but turbulence generation increases and rotor blade contact risk rises
Solution Approach 1:
The protective wall is designed with dynamic characteristics including flexibility in the soft wall portion and adjustable height segments. This allows the wall to adapt to wind conditions and rotor position, reducing turbulence generation while maintaining takeoff stability and preventing rotor blade contact
3Stability of the object's composition
If the pad is made rotatable to align with wind direction, then takeoff stability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The pad incorporates a self-aligning rotation mechanism that automatically orients itself toward the wind direction using wind pressure on a vane or sensor feedback. This eliminates the need for complex external control systems while achieving stable takeoff alignment with the wind
Data Source
AI summary
A takeoff and landing pad apparatus for an unmanned aerial vehicle includes: a pad including a takeoff and landing surface; a mooring mechanism configured to moor the unmanned aerial vehicle on the pad; a drive source configured to rotate the pad together with the mooring mechanism; and a controller configured to control operation with the mooring mechanism and the drive source. The controller drives, based on information about a wind direction to be acquired, the drive source to rotate such that a nose of the unmanned aerial vehicle on the takeoff and landing surface faces the wind direction.