UAV Center of Gravity Placement for Extended Flight Duration

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Solution Overview

Problem

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) face limitations in achieving longer duration flights due to constraints on carrying high-capacity batteries, necessitating alternative methods to optimize flight performance.

Innovation Solution

The UAV design incorporates a flight control system communicatively connected to a motor and propeller, with a center of gravity (CG) positioned between 21% and 25% of the mean aerodynamic chord (MAC), and includes an adjustment assembly to adjust the CG, a pitot tube integrated with a hook to reduce wind resistance, and an embedded antenna to minimize signal interference.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Duration of action of moving object

If a higher capacity battery is used to extend flight duration, then the flight duration is improved, but the UAV cannot carry the battery due to weight and capacity constraints

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveflight durationVSAvoidbattery weight

Core Design Contradiction:

Duration of action of moving objectVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the center of gravity position parameter to between 21%-25% of MAC and optimizes the battery configuration, transforming the weight distribution parameters to achieve extended flight duration without increasing overall battery capacity or weight

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Adaptability or versatility

If multiple components (antenna, pitot tube, hook) are added to the UAV, then the functionality is improved, but the wind resistance increases

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovefunctionalityVSAvoidwind resistance

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the antenna, pitot tube, and hook into an integrated assembly that shares a common support structure and is positioned together on the UAV, reducing the total number of separate mounting points and minimizing overall wind resistance while maintaining all required functionalities

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The integrated components are arranged along the longitudinal axis of the UAV, utilizing the length dimension efficiently to minimize cross-sectional area exposed to wind, thereby reducing wind resistance while accommodating all necessary components

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Data Source

PatentUS12097949B2Methods and unmanned aerial vehicles for longer duration flights

Publication Date: 2024.09.24 GEOSAT AEROSPACE & TECH

AI summary

The present application provides an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) for a long duration flight. An exemplary UAV may include a UAV body assembly. The UAV may also include a flight control system (FCS) coupled to the UAV body assembly. The UAV may further include a motor coupled to the UAV body assembly at one end and coupled to a propeller at the other end. The FCS is communicatively connected to the motor. A center of gravity (CG) of the UAV is at a point between 21% and 25% of a mean aerodynamic chord (MAC) of the UAV.