Tethered Hook Position Control for Stable UAV Payload Coupling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) face challenges in accurately and efficiently coupling a tethered hook to payloads without inducing oscillations or movements during pickup and drop-off, especially when the UAV needs to control both horizontal and vertical positions of the hook autonomously.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a repositioning device, such as wheels, a robotic arm, or adjustable fins, that allows for direct control over the horizontal position of the payload coupling apparatus, combined with a winch system and sensor data for precise positioning and orientation, enables the UAV to hover stably above the payload and guide the hook onto the attachment point without relying solely on UAV motion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the UAV repositions itself to control the horizontal position of the payload coupling apparatus, then the payload can be brought within coupling distance, but this induces oscillations and movements in the payload coupling apparatus that reduce coupling accuracy
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the positioning function into two independent segments: the UAV handles vertical positioning through winch control, while a dedicated repositioning device (robotic arm or fins) handles horizontal positioning of the payload coupling apparatus. This segmentation allows each component to specialize in one dimension, eliminating the oscillation problem caused by UAV repositioning while maintaining full positioning capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary repositioning device (robotic arm or adjustable fins) between the UAV and the payload coupling apparatus. This intermediary component absorbs the horizontal positioning function, allowing the UAV to remain stationary and avoid inducing oscillations, while still enabling precise horizontal control of the coupling apparatus through the intermediary mechanism.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the UAV hovers stationary above the payload to avoid inducing oscillations, then coupling stability improves, but the horizontal positioning of the payload coupling apparatus becomes more difficult to control
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the positioning control into vertical and horizontal components. The UAV's propulsion system exclusively controls vertical position through hover and winch operation, while a dedicated repositioning device (robotic arm or fins) exclusively controls horizontal position. This functional segmentation enables the UAV to hover stably without compromising horizontal positioning capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The repositioning device serves as an intermediary that provides horizontal positioning capability without requiring the UAV to move. The robotic arm or adjustable fins act as a secondary positioning system that can adjust the payload coupling apparatus horizontally while the UAV remains stationary, thus maintaining both stability and operational capability.
3Manufacturing precision
If a repositioning device is added to control the payload coupling apparatus independently, then coupling accuracy and stability improve, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The repositioning device is designed with multi-functionality to reduce overall system complexity. The same mechanism (robotic arm or adjustable fins) serves both to position the payload coupling apparatus horizontally and to orient it correctly for coupling. This universal component performs multiple functions that would otherwise require separate systems, thereby limiting the increase in complexity while achieving improved coupling accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The repositioning device is controlled autonomously by the UAV's control system using sensor data, eliminating the need for manual intervention or additional complex control systems. The device serves itself by integrating into the existing UAV control architecture, where the control system processes sensor information and automatically actuates the repositioning mechanism, thus minimizing the increase in operational complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
An example system includes an aerial vehicle, a sensor, and a winch system. The winch system includes a tether disposed on a spool, a motor operable to apply a torque to the tether, and a payload coupling apparatus coupled to the tether and configured to mechanically couple to a payload. The system also includes a repositioning apparatus configured to reposition the payload coupling apparatus in at least a horizontal direction. A control system is configured to control the aerial vehicle to deploy the payload coupling apparatus by unwinding the tether from the spool; receive, while the aerial vehicle hovers above the payload and from the sensor, data indicative of a position of the payload coupling apparatus in relation to the payload; and reposition, using the repositioning apparatus and based on the data, the payload coupling apparatus in the horizontal direction to mechanically couple to the payload.