Tethered Drone System for Continuous Aerial Surveillance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Free-flight drones face challenges with signal loss, limited battery life, and interference, making them unreliable for missions requiring continuous aerial surveillance, especially in military and rescue operations, and they cannot remain airborne for extended periods due to fuel constraints. Additionally, conventional aerostats lack operator control and maneuverability for effective aerial photography and surveillance.
Innovation Solution
A portable tethered drone system with a propulsion system, flight stabilizer, camera system, and ground support system, utilizing a tether for power and communication, enabling continuous flight and secure data transmission, and featuring a novel tether tension control system to prevent entanglement and ensure reliable operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If free-flight drones are used for aerial surveillance, then mobility and coverage area are improved, but reliability deteriorates due to signal loss, hacking, and battery limitations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a tether as an intermediary physical connection between the ground control station and the aerial platform. This tether serves as a reliable communication and power transmission medium that is immune to electromagnetic jamming and hacking, directly resolving the reliability issues of wireless free-flight drones while maintaining aerial surveillance capabilities
2Reliability
If free-flight drones are equipped with more powerful transceivers to overcome signal loss, then communication reliability is improved, but energy consumption increases and battery life decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The tether acts as a physical intermediary for power and data transmission, eliminating the need for powerful wireless transceivers. Power and communication signals are transmitted through the tether conductors, providing reliable communication without the energy penalties of high-power radio transmitters
Solution Approach 2:
The tether serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides mechanical support, transmits electrical power, and carries communication data. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate power packs and wireless communication systems, reducing overall energy consumption and complexity
3Duration of action of moving object
If conventional aerostats are used for aerial photography, then endurance is improved, but operator control and maneuverability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the advantages of aerostats (endurance, stability) with the advantages of drones (propulsion, maneuverability, camera stabilization). The resulting hybrid platform combines the aerostat's long-duration airborne capability with drone-like active control systems, achieving both extended endurance and full operator control
4Reliability
If tethered aerostats are used to eliminate signal loss, then communication security is improved, but device complexity increases due to tether management requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates automatic tether tension control and navigation systems that self-regulate the tether's state without requiring manual intervention. The aerial platform autonomously manages tether payout and retraction, and the ground station automatically adjusts tether tension, eliminating the need for complex manual tether management procedures
Data Source
AI summary
A drone system includes a drone that includes a propulsion system, a flight stabilizer system, and an air payload interface unit, and a camera system, wherein the camera system includes a camera stabilizing unit, and a ground support system to which the drone is detachably coupled through a tether unit, and for providing electrical power to the propulsion system. The drone system further includes a ground payload interface unit for receiving and transmitting command and telemetry information to the air payload interface unit through the tether unit, and a controlling device for controlling the propulsion system and the camera system through the tether unit.