UAV Landing Gear Sensor System for Tip-Over Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) face challenges in safely landing due to unexpected conditions such as loss of balance or improper gear contact with the landing surface, necessitating a system to evaluate the landing status in real-time.
Innovation Solution
The UAV system incorporates a landing gear with multiple sensors and a processing unit that determines whether a predetermined number of sensors have touched or contacted the landing surface within specific times, allowing for immediate assessment of the landing status and preventing tip-overs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple sensors are installed on the landing gear to detect landing status, then the reliability of landing detection is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The landing detection system is segmented into multiple independent sensors distributed on different parts of the landing gear. Each sensor independently detects contact with the landing surface, and the processing unit integrates these distributed detection results to determine overall landing status, thereby improving reliability through redundancy while maintaining manageable system complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The sensors serve multiple functions: they detect both the presence of landing surface contact and the duration of contact. This multi-functionality allows a single sensor system to provide comprehensive landing status information without requiring additional specialized components, thus improving detection reliability without proportionally increasing complexity
2Reliability
If real-time landing status evaluation is implemented, then the safety of UAV landing is improved, but the loss of time for processing and responding increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-establishes detection thresholds and evaluation criteria before landing occurs. The processing unit is pre-programmed with the logic to evaluate sensor data and determine landing status, so that when landing actually occurs, the system can immediately compare sensor readings against pre-set criteria and provide rapid assessment without requiring complex real-time calculations
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements continuous feedback from multiple sensors to the processing unit during the landing process. The processing unit continuously monitors sensor signals and provides real-time evaluation of landing status, allowing for immediate detection of abnormal conditions and rapid response while maintaining streamlined processing through established feedback loops
3Reliability
If the UAV performs go-around due to improper landing detection, then the safety is improved, but the productivity decreases due to frequent go-arounds
Solution Approach 1:
The system requires only a predetermined number of sensors (partial action) to detect the landing surface rather than requiring all sensors to trigger a go-around. This threshold-based approach prevents overly conservative go-around decisions while maintaining safety, thereby improving landing efficiency by reducing unnecessary go-arounds
Solution Approach 2:
The continuous feedback mechanism allows the system to monitor landing progression in real-time and make informed decisions about whether a go-around is necessary. By continuously evaluating sensor data against safety criteria, the system can distinguish between acceptable variations in landing contact and actual dangerous conditions, reducing unnecessary go-arounds while maintaining safety
Data Source
AI summary
An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), a system and a method for determining a landing status of the UAV are provided. The UAV system includes a UAV, a landing surface and a processing unit. The UAV has a landing gear furnished with a plurality of sensors. The landing surface is provided for the UAV to land thereon. The processing unit, coupled electrically with the plurality of sensors, is to determine, while the UAV is landing towards the landing surface, either whether or not a number of the plurality of sensors that have touched the landing surface at least once within a touch-judging time is not less than a predetermined touch-judging number, or whether or not a number of the plurality of sensors that contact the landing surface synchronously within a land-judging time is not less than a predetermined land-judging number.