Toroidal UAV Flight Control With Retractable Airflow Surfaces
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are bulky and require components like fuel tanks or exposed deflection assemblies, contributing to their mass and size, which limits their portability and versatility.
Innovation Solution
A compact, lightweight UAV with a toroidal body and a duct system powered by electric motors and fans, featuring retractable flight control surfaces to control airflow for vertical take-off and landing, and equipped with a flight-control system that includes actuators and algorithms for user or AI control, allowing integration with user devices for image capture and security applications.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If traditional fuel tanks and exposed deflection assemblies are used, then flight control capability is achieved, but mass and size increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the fuel tank component entirely by replacing it with an electric motor and battery system. The exposed deflection assemblies are replaced with retractable flight control surfaces that can be stowed within the fuselage, removing unnecessary mass while maintaining flight control capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The flight control surfaces are designed to be retractable rather than fixed, allowing them to be extended only when needed for flight control and retracted during flight to reduce drag and when not in use to minimize size. This dynamic configuration enables the system to adapt its structure based on operational requirements.
2Adaptability or versatility
If traditional fuel tanks and exposed deflection assemblies are used, then flight control capability is achieved, but size increases
Solution Approach 1:
The flight control surfaces are nested within the fuselage when not in use, similar to a nested doll structure. This allows the control surfaces to be stored compactly inside the main body, significantly reducing the overall size of the UAV when flight control is not required, while still providing full control capability when deployed.
3Adaptability or versatility
If retractable flight control surfaces are used, then portability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The retractable mechanism for the flight control surfaces is integrated with the fuselage structure itself, merging the support and actuation functions into the existing body framework. This combination approach reduces the number of separate components and simplifies the overall mechanism while still achieving the retractable functionality needed for portability.
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
The UAV is pocket-sized, capable of autonomous flight and image capture, and can be used for security and surveillance tasks, providing real-time data transmission and analysis, with enhanced control and stability through retractable flaps that alter airflow dynamics.
Implementation Method 1
The directed air flow creates a reactionary thrust-force for substantially vertical take-off and landing of the UAV
Implementation Method 2
at least two flight control surfaces that can independently, or together, change the direction, pressure and rate of the directed air as it flows through the duct
Data Source
AI summary
A lightweight, pocket-sized unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that can be held in an outstretched hand by a user for take-off and landing of the UAV. The UAV comprises a semi-toroidal or a substantially toroidal hollow body that defines a duct. The UAV further comprises a motor for rotating a fan that directs air into and out of the duct enabling UAV to take flight. The UAV comprises a flight-control system that comprises at least two flight control surfaces that can alter the directed air as it flows through the duct for controlling the roll and pitch and optionally the yaw of the UAV during flight. The flight control system may be controlled by a microprocessor controller. The UAV further comprises a payload, with at least a wireless transmitter and receiver unit.