Waterproof Rotorcraft Buoyancy Control for Submersion and Resurfacing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current submersible aerial drone systems lack efficient methods for controlled submersion and retrieval in water bodies, limiting their operational depth and versatility in underwater exploration and delivery tasks.
Innovation Solution
A submersion system for rotorcraft and tail sitter aircraft incorporating a control module, compressed air chamber, and flotation pods with sealable openings, allowing for selective submersion and resurfacing, enabling controlled depth operations and efficient delivery and recovery of unmanned submersible exploration devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the aerial drone is designed to be waterproof for submersion, then the operational versatility and survivability are improved, but the device complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The drone system is divided into separate functional modules: an aerial drone component for flight operations and a submersible drone component for underwater operations. The aerial drone includes a delivery pod that can transport the submersible drone, while the submersible drone has its own sealed housing with independent propulsion and sensing systems. This segmentation allows each module to be optimized for its specific environment without requiring the entire system to be fully waterproof, thus reducing overall complexity while maintaining versatility.
Solution Approach 2:
A delivery pod serves as an intermediary component between the aerial drone and the submersible drone. The pod is designed to be transported by the aerial drone through air, then deployed into water where it releases the submersible drone. This intermediary structure allows the system to transition between aerial and aquatic environments without requiring the main aerial drone to be fully submersible, thereby maintaining operational versatility while controlling device complexity.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the drone system includes controlled submersion capabilities with flotation pods, then the operational depth and mission flexibility are improved, but the device complexity and weight increase
Solution Approach 1:
The submersible drone incorporates dynamically adjustable flotation pods that can change their buoyancy characteristics during operation. The pods are equipped with adjustable ballast systems that allow the drone to modify its overall buoyancy and achieve neutral buoyancy at different depths. This dynamic adjustment capability enables the drone to perform various missions including surface operations, mid-water hovering, and deep submersion without requiring excessive structural weight, thus improving mission flexibility while controlling weight increase.
3Measurement precision
If the system uses compressed air chambers for buoyancy control, then the submersion control precision is improved, but the device complexity and energy consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The compressed air buoyancy control system operates using periodic, pulsed air injections rather than continuous compression. The system uses a timer-controlled pump that delivers short, periodic bursts of air to the flotation pods at strategically determined intervals based on depth sensors and mission parameters. This periodic operation maintains precise submersion control while dramatically reducing energy consumption compared to continuous air compression, as the pump only activates briefly at scheduled moments rather than running continuously.
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
Enables extended operational range and versatility in underwater exploration, reduces potential impact damage during deployment, and allows for covert and weather-resistant operations with enhanced vehicle specialization.
Implementation Method 1
The control module may selectively cause water to be taken into the at least one flotation pod to cause the submersion system to submerge in the body of water and selectively cause water to be evacuated from the at least one flotation pod to cause the submersion system to float in the body of water
Implementation Method 2
The control module may further selectively cause pressurized air from the compressed air chamber to be injected into the at least one flotation pod
Data Source
AI summary
A submersion system for a rotorcraft is described and includes a control module for controlling a depth to which the rotorcraft is submerged in a body of water; a compressed air chamber associated with the control module; and at least one flotation pod including a sealable opening on a top surface thereof and an opening on a bottom surface thereof. The control module selectively causes water to be taken into the at least one flotation pod to cause the submersion system to submerge in the body of water and selectively causes water to be evacuated from the at least one flotation pod to cause the submersion system to float in the body of water.