Retractable Guide Member for UAV Dock Positioning

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Solution Overview

Problem

Traditional UAV positioning mechanisms require a large number of actuators and occupy significant space, making them costly, complex, and difficult to miniaturize, while passive solutions like conical structures are bulky and hard to compact.

Innovation Solution

A positioning mechanism with a base and a movably arranged guide member that transitions between a non-operating and operating state, reducing the number of actuators needed and minimizing space usage by adjusting its height and form to guide UAVs to a positioning area, allowing for reduced complexity and size.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If a totally active mode positioning solution is used, then the UAV can be precisely positioned, but the number of actuators and device complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepositioning precisionVSAvoidnumber of actuators

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The guide member is designed to be movable between a first position (operating state) and a second position (non-operating state). In the first position, the guide member forms a guide surface that guides the UAV to the positioning area. In the second position, the guide member is retracted to minimize space occupation. This dynamic configuration allows the system to achieve precise positioning when needed while maintaining compact form when not in use, resolving the contradiction between positioning precision and device complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Ease of operation

If a conical structure guide member is used, then the UAV can be guided to positioning area, but the space occupied by the device increases

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveUAV guiding capabilityVSAvoidspace occupied by guide member

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSVolume of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The guide member transitions between an extended state (forming a conical guide surface for UAV guidance) and a retracted state (minimizing space occupation). This dynamic capability allows the guide member to provide effective UAV guidance when needed while occupying minimal space when not in use, resolving the contradiction between guiding capability and space occupation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The guide member is designed to be nested within or alongside the base structure when in the non-operating state, and deployed outward when needed for UAV guidance. This nesting approach allows the guide member to maintain its functional form factor during operation while being compact during storage, resolving the space occupation issue.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Data Source

PatentUS11524796B2Positioning mechanism, UAV dock using same, and UAV replenishment method

Publication Date: 2022.12.13 SZ DJI TECH CO LTD

AI summary

A positioning mechanism includes a base including a landing area and a guide member movably arranged at the landing area and configured to guide a moving object. The landing area includes a positioning portion. The guide member is configured to be in a non-operating state or an operating state relative to the base. A form of the guide member in the non-operating state is different from the form of the guide member in the operating state.