UAV Gantry Handling for Damage-Resistant Retrieval and Deployment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) require human intervention for deployment and retrieval, are prone to damage during automated retrieval due to limited sensing capabilities and dynamic conditions, and have limited operational range, necessitating human presence in the same area of operation.
Innovation Solution
A system with an enclosed storage area, gantry arms, and a platform with a sliding door for UAVs, equipped with sensors and a controller, automates UAV retrieval and deployment, accounting for dynamic motion and storing UAVs for recharging, using gantry arms to manipulate and position UAVs accurately.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If automated retrieval systems (net-type or vertical wire) are used, then retrieval automation is improved, but damage probability increases and human disengagement is required
Solution Approach 1:
A robotic arm serves as an intermediary between the UAV and the storage system. The robotic arm carefully grasps and places the UAV in the storage compartment, eliminating direct contact between the UAV and potentially damaging retrieval mechanisms like nets or vertical wires. This intermediary approach allows automated retrieval while minimizing damage risk through controlled, precise manipulation.
2Extent of automation
If passive retrieval system (landing pad) is used, then UAV autonomy is improved, but alignment maintenance difficulty increases under dynamic conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The robotic arm acts as a mediator that takes over the alignment and positioning task. Instead of relying solely on the UAV's limited onboard intelligence to maintain alignment during dynamic conditions, the robotic arm actively adjusts and positions the UAV, compensating for platform motion and environmental factors that would otherwise require complex UAV sensing and control capabilities.
3Adaptability or versatility
If retrieval system is mounted on moving vehicle, then operational mobility is improved, but UAV stability during retrieval deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The robotic arm provides dynamic compensation for platform motion. As the vehicle moves and the platform experiences vibrations or changes in position, the robotic arm actively adjusts its movements to maintain stable grasping and positioning of the UAV. This dynamic control allows the system to operate from moving vehicles while maintaining UAV stability during the retrieval process.
4Ease of operation
If manual deployment and management is used, then operational control is improved, but time consumption and human presence requirement increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables self-service operation where the robotic arm autonomously deploys and retrieves UAVs without human intervention. The storage compartment automatically receives and secures UAVs, and the system can manage multiple vehicles simultaneously. This eliminates the need for human operators to physically handle each UAV, significantly reducing time consumption while maintaining precise operational control through automated decision-making algorithms.
Data Source
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AI summary
Provided is a system including a platform to receive unmanned air vehicles (UAVs) thereon for launching and retrieving the UAVs. The system can include a pair of gantry arms that move to any location along the platform to position a UAV as desired. The platform includes a door that can open to expose a storage area in the system to receive and store UAVs, as well as to re-charge power in the UAVs. The storage area can include a plurality of cells that can be adjusted to receive a UAV of any size for storage therein.