UAV Flight Control with Anticipatory Blower Compensation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing UAVs used for cleaning industrial facilities face challenges in maintaining precise position control due to delayed compensation of thrust-induced displacement, leading to unstable flight and inefficient dust removal, especially when using powerful blowers that generate strong air streams.
Innovation Solution
A UAV with a flight controller connected to a blower controller, allowing early anticipation and compensation for thrust, enabling stable and precise flight control by synchronizing the build-up of thrust with countermeasures such as tilting, and using a blower controller with adjustable air stream intensity and direction for improved cleaning efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If powerful blowers are used to generate strong air streams for efficiently removing dust, then dust removal efficiency is improved, but position control accuracy deteriorates due to delayed compensation of thrust-induced displacement
Solution Approach 1:
The flight controller receives blower control commands in advance and anticipates the thrust before it actually occurs. This allows the flight controller to initiate compensation measures early, such as tilting the UAV, so that the lifting/propulsion air streams act timely against the displacement due to thrust. By performing the compensation action in advance, the system maintains position control accuracy while using powerful blowers for efficient dust removal.
2Speed
If flight control compensates for lateral thrust by strong control commands, then position control response is improved, but flight stability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The flight controller anticipates the thrust build-up from the blower and initiates compensation measures in advance. This preliminary action allows for smooth, progressive control adjustments rather than sudden strong commands, maintaining flight stability while achieving timely position correction.
Solution Approach 2:
The flight controller applies counter-thrust or tilting adjustments before the lateral thrust fully develops. By applying the anti-action in advance, the system prevents large displacements and oscillations, maintaining stability while still responding to the thrust changes.
3Loss of time
If position control has delay while UAV flies along surfaces to be cleaned, then response time is reduced, but cleaning quality deteriorates due to wavy flying path
Solution Approach 1:
The flight controller receives blower control commands and anticipates the thrust before it occurs. This allows the controller to pre-adjust the UAV position and maintain a stable flying path along the surface to be cleaned, preventing wavy motion and ensuring consistent cleaning quality without control delay.
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
This solution enhances the accuracy and stability of UAV position control, improving dust removal efficiency and allowing safe navigation through narrow passages, while reducing safety margins and maintaining a clean air stream for effective dust transport.
Implementation Method 1
the blower section generates an air stream for blowing dust off surfaces
Implementation Method 2
multiple downward thrusting motor/propeller units
Implementation Method 3
an adequate flight control of the UAV may be early initiated, e.g., by tilting the UAV, so that the lifting/propulsion air streams act timely against displacement due to the thrust
Data Source
AI summary
An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) has a multicopter section for flying in air with an attached blower section for generating an air stream for blowing dust off surfaces. A flight controller controls the multicopter section, a blower controller controls the blower section, and a power supply supplies power to the multicopter and blower sections. The flight controller and the blower controller are connected, and the blower controller is adapted to supply blower control commands to the flight controller to compensate for the thrust of the air stream from the blower section by flight control of the multicopter section. The UAV may be enclosed by a protective cage in the form of a meshed polyhedron, wherein the rods of the meshes are elastically connected at the respective nodes.