Streamlined Cradle Head Housing for UAV Camera Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Cradle heads and camera devices on unmanned aerial vehicles are vulnerable to erosion from external elements like rain, sand, and dust, leading to damage and reduced service life, and they also experience high air resistance during flight, affecting stability and aerial photography quality.
Innovation Solution
A cradle head with a protective housing comprising interconnected casings that form a curved, streamlined outer surface, providing a waterproof and protective enclosure for the camera device and support structures, reducing air resistance and enhancing stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the camera device and cradle head support are directly exposed to the external environment, then the structure remains simple and easy to manufacture, but the components are susceptible to erosion from rain, sand, and dust, leading to damage and reduced service life
Solution Approach 1:
The protective housing is divided into multiple casings (first casing, second casing, third casing) that can be independently manufactured and assembled. Each casing protects specific components, allowing for modular construction that reduces overall complexity while providing comprehensive protection against environmental erosion.
Solution Approach 2:
The casings are nested around the cradle head support structure, with each casing enclosing specific components. The first casing encloses the camera device mounting seat, the second casing encloses the roll support, and the third casing encloses the yaw support, creating a nested protective structure that protects internal components from external elements.
2Reliability
If a protective housing is added to protect the camera device and cradle head, then the components are protected from erosion, but the air resistance during flight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The outer surfaces of the casings are designed with curved shapes rather than flat surfaces. The first, second, and third casings all feature curved outer surfaces that streamline the protective housing, reducing air resistance and drag during flight while maintaining effective protection against environmental elements.
Solution Approach 2:
The first, second, and third casings are merged into a single integrated protective housing structure that works together to protect all components. The casings are positioned and oriented to create a streamlined overall shape that minimizes air resistance while providing comprehensive coverage of the cradle head support and camera device.
3Duration of action of stationary object
If the cradle head support and camera device are enclosed within the protective housing, then the service life is prolonged, but the manufacturing complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The protective housing is segmented into multiple casings that can be manufactured separately using standard manufacturing processes, then assembled together. This segmentation simplifies manufacturing by allowing each casing to be produced independently with optimized processes, reducing overall manufacturing complexity compared to a single monolithic housing.
Solution Approach 2:
Each casing is designed with specific local qualities tailored to protect particular components. The first casing has a camera hole for optical access, the second and third casings have curved surfaces for aerodynamic efficiency, and each casing is positioned to protect specific vulnerable areas. This localized approach optimizes protection where needed while minimizing unnecessary complexity elsewhere.
Data Source
AI summary
A cradle head includes: a yaw support, wherein one end of the yaw support is rotatable around a yaw axis; a pitching support, which is rotatably connected to the yaw support via a pitching axis, wherein a camera device mounting seat is provided on the pitching support; a first casing attached on the pitching support, wherein a first accommodating space is provided within the first casing, wherein the camera device mounting seat is disposed within the first accommodating space, and wherein a camera hole is provided in the first casing; and a third casing, provided on the yaw support, wherein a third accommodating space is provided within the third casing, the yaw support being disposed within the third accommodating space; wherein the third casing and the first casing form a part of a curved outer surface of the cradle head.