UAV Land-Air Drive Assembly for Stealthy Ground Transition
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Solution Overview
Problem
Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) lack efficient forms of ground locomotion and stealthy approach capabilities, making it difficult to maneuver quietly into restricted spaces or reposition for better fields of view in military and law enforcement applications.
Innovation Solution
The UAV is equipped with a land/air drive assembly featuring a multi-speed motor assembly, a propeller, and a ground drive wheel, along with a drive assembly orientation actuator that allows the UAV to transition seamlessly between flight and ground drive modes, enabling precise orientation and slow, stealthy approaches.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If a UAV uses only aerial flight for movement, then it can cover large areas quickly, but it cannot maneuver quietly into restricted spaces or approach targets stealthily
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the drive system adaptable - the drive wheels can rotate to different positions (flight position vs. ground drive position) and the system can switch between aerial and ground modes. This dynamic reconfiguration allows the UAV to select ground-based slow/quiet movement when stealth is needed versus aerial flight when speed is prioritized, directly resolving the contradiction between speed and noise generation.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a UAV is equipped with both propellers and ground drive wheels, then it gains ground locomotion capability, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements universality by designing the drive wheels to serve dual functions: they act as landing gear when in the flight position and as ground drive wheels when rotated to the ground drive position. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate landing gear and ground propulsion systems, thereby reducing overall device complexity while maintaining ground locomotion capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the landing gear function and ground propulsion function into a single integrated system. The drive assemblies combine propellers for aerial movement with ground drive wheels for terrestrial movement, and these components are merged through the orientation actuator that positions them appropriately for each mode. This consolidation reduces the number of separate components and simplifies the overall system architecture.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the drive assembly is rotated between flight position and ground drive position, then the UAV can transition between modes, but the orientation mechanism adds complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The orientation actuator serves multiple functions: it positions the drive assemblies for both flight and ground drive modes, and it also serves as part of the landing gear structure. By making the actuator multi-functional, the patent reduces the need for additional separate mechanisms, thereby limiting the increase in complexity despite adding mode transition capability.
Data Source
AI summary
An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) having a plurality of arms and a land/air drive assembly attached to each arm. The land/air drive assembly includes (i) a multi-speed motor assembly; (ii) a propeller having a first diameter and driven by the motor assembly at a first speed; and (iii) a ground drive wheel having a second diameter greater than the first diameter and driven by the motor assembly at a second speed slower than the first speed. A drive assembly orientation actuator is positioned between each arm and each drive assembly, wherein the orientation actuator is configured to, on command, rotate the drive assembly between a flight position and ground drive position approximately perpendicular to the flight position.