Aerial Vehicle Auto Power-Off Using Sensor-Based Landing Detection

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional aerial vehicles require complex and time-consuming operations to power off, which can lead to erroneous actions and inefficient energy usage, especially during landing.

Innovation Solution

A method and device for automatically detecting the landed state of an aerial vehicle using various sensors, such as altitude and distance measuring sensors, and inertial measurement units, to shut down the propulsion output, enabling intelligent and automatic power-off operations.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If complicated operations are specified to power off the aerial vehicle, then reliability is improved by preventing erroneous operations, but ease of operation deteriorates and time consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprevention of erroneous operationsVSAvoidoperation complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The aerial vehicle automatically detects its own landed state using sensors (altitude sensor, distance measuring sensor, inertial measurement unit) and autonomously shuts down the propulsion output without requiring manual intervention from the user. The system serves itself by monitoring its own state and executing the power-off sequence automatically.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system continuously monitors flight information including altitude, distance to landing plane, and movement data from sensors, compares this data against predetermined criteria, and uses this feedback to automatically determine when the landed state is achieved and initiate the power-off sequence accordingly.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Reliability

If complicated operations are specified to power off the aerial vehicle, then reliability is improved by preventing erroneous operations, but loss of time increases due to time-consuming procedures

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprevention of erroneous operationsVSAvoidpower-off time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The aerial vehicle automatically detects its own landed state using sensors (altitude sensor, distance measuring sensor, inertial measurement unit) and autonomously shuts down the propulsion output without requiring manual intervention from the user. The system serves itself by monitoring its own state and executing the power-off sequence automatically.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system establishes predetermined criteria for the landed state in advance (such as altitude thresholds, distance thresholds, and movement criteria) so that when the actual flight data meets these pre-set conditions, the power-off sequence can be immediately executed without requiring complex real-time decision-making or multiple manual verification steps.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Device complexity

If manual power-off operations are required, then device complexity is reduced, but productivity deteriorates due to inefficient energy usage and time consumption

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontrol system simplicityVSAvoidlanding operation efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The aerial vehicle automatically detects its own landed state using sensors (altitude sensor, distance measuring sensor, inertial measurement unit) and autonomously shuts down the propulsion output without requiring manual intervention from the user. The system serves itself by monitoring its own state and executing the power-off sequence automatically.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces manual mechanical operations (user pulling joysticks, manually operating switches) with an automated electronic control system that uses sensors and processors to detect the landed state and automatically control the propulsion output shutdown, thereby improving efficiency without significantly increasing overall system complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentUS11001387B2Aerial vehicle powering off method and device, and aerial vehicle

Publication Date: 2021.05.11 SZ DJI TECH CO LTD

AI summary

A method for automatically powering off an aerial vehicle includes detecting an operating state of the aerial vehicle based on altitude information of the aerial vehicle. The attitude information includes at least one of absolute altitude information or relative altitude information. The relative altitude information includes a landing distance to a landing plane. The method further includes determining whether the operating state of the aerial vehicle indicates that the aerial vehicle has landed and, in response to a determination result that the aerial vehicle has landed, shutting down a propulsion output of the aerial vehicle.