Rotating UAV Camera Mount for Precise Landing and Payload Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge of landing an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) at a specific location is hindered by turbulence and obstruction from objects carried by the UAV, as well as interference with loading and unloading, due to the camera's placement on the bottom of the UAV, which blocks the view and interferes with payload operations.
Innovation Solution
A moveable mounting structure that can rotate between a deployed position for capturing images during landing and a stowed position for accessing the bottom of the UAV, allowing the camera to change its field of view without obstructing payload operations, enabling precise landing and easy loading/unloading.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the camera is mounted on the bottom of the UAV to capture images of the landing location, then the field of view is directly below the UAV for precise landing, but objects carried by the UAV block the camera and the mounting structure interferes with loading and unloading operations
Solution Approach 1:
The camera mounting structure is made movable rather than fixed, allowing it to rotate between a deployed position for capturing landing images and a stowed position that clears the payload area. This dynamic adjustment resolves the contradiction by enabling the same structure to serve both precise landing measurement and easy payload operations at different times
Solution Approach 2:
The mounting structure utilizes rotational movement to change the camera's spatial orientation, moving from a bottom-mounted position that obstructs payload operations to a retracted position that clears the area. This dimensional change allows the system to achieve both precise landing capture and unobstructed payload access
2Loss of information
If the camera is mounted on the bottom of the UAV, then the field of view is directly below the UAV for capturing landing images, but the mounting structure blocks the view and interferes with loading and unloading
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting structure incorporates rotational capability with controlled movement between deployed and stowed positions. This dynamic design maintains clear camera views during landing operations while reducing structural complexity during payload operations, resolving the contradiction between view clarity and structural simplicity
3Adaptability or versatility
If a fixed bottom-mounted camera structure is used, then the camera consistently captures images below the UAV, but it cannot adapt to different operational phases (landing vs. payload operations)
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting structure is designed to dynamically adjust its position based on operational phase, rotating to a deployed position for landing operations and a stowed position for payload operations. This adaptability resolves the contradiction by enabling the system to optimize for different operational requirements
Solution Approach 2:
The movable mounting structure serves multiple functions: it provides stable bottom-mounted camera support for precise landing capture and simultaneously clears the payload area during loading and unloading operations. This multi-functionality resolves the contradiction between operational adaptability and payload access
Data Source
AI summary
Example moveable mounting structures and methods are described. In one implementation, an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) includes a body and a moveable mounting structure coupled to the body. The moveable mounting structure can move between a stowed position and a deployed position without interfering with a payload carried by the UAV. A camera is mounted to the moveable mounting structure.