Aerodynamic Tote Package for UAV External Payloads
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) face challenges in efficiently transporting external payloads due to aerodynamic drag, environmental protection, and shifting contents during flight, which increase fuel costs and reduce delivery efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A foldable tote package made from a single sheet of material that attaches externally to the UAV, featuring tapered sides to reduce drag and interference with the wing, a handle for secure attachment, and a stabilizer to minimize package movement, allowing for efficient delivery and easy handling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-generated harmful factors
If a traditional box-shaped package is attached externally to the UAV, then the package can carry the payload, but the aerodynamic drag increases and interference effects on the wing worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The package employs tapered sides that curve inward from the base toward the top, creating a streamlined, aerodynamic shape. This curvature reduces air resistance and minimizes interference with the UAV's wing airflow, directly addressing the aerodynamic drag problem while maintaining payload carrying capability
Solution Approach 2:
The package design extends the tapered sides vertically from the base, creating a three-dimensional aerodynamic form that moves the majority of the package volume and frontal area away from the wing. This dimensional arrangement reduces the package's interference with the wing's airflow pattern
2Productivity
If the package is attached externally to the UAV, then the payload can be transported, but the package may shift during flight reducing stability
Solution Approach 1:
The package includes an integrated handle structure that serves dual purposes: it allows for easy ground handling and loading by users, and simultaneously provides attachment points for securing the package to the UAV. This self-service feature enables the package to be both easily operable and stable during flight without requiring separate mechanisms
3Ease of manufacture
If a single sheet of material is folded into the package, then manufacturing is simplified and cost is reduced, but the package may lack structural strength
Solution Approach 1:
The single sheet of material is divided into distinct sections including a base section, side sections, and a top section, with predetermined fold lines separating them. This segmentation allows the flat sheet to be transformed into a three-dimensional structured package with inherent structural integrity while maintaining the manufacturing simplicity of using a single material piece
Solution Approach 2:
The folding process transforms the two-dimensional sheet material into a three-dimensional structure with varying wall heights and angles. The tapered sides create structural rigidity through geometric configuration, while the intersecting folds at the top portion provide additional structural reinforcement without requiring additional materials
Data Source
Figure 1A
Figure 1B~1C
Figure 1D
AI summary
A tote package (600) is disclosed for carrying a load external to a UAV. The tote package is generated by folding a sheet of material. The sheet includes a middle section (730), a first side section (750), and a second side section (770). When the sheet is folded, the middle section creates a bottom portion (702) of the tote package. Additionally, the first side section creates a first side portion (710) tapering up from the edge of the bottom portion to the middle of the top portion of the tote package. Furthermore, the second side section creates a second side portion (712) tapering up from the opposite edge to the middle of the top portion. At the top portion, the first and second sections connect to create a handle (602).