UAV Launch Lift Height Control Using External Winch Elevation
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Solution Overview
Problem
The limited weight-carrying capability of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) due to battery or fuel weight constraints hinders efficient package delivery, as they require significant energy to ascend to delivery altitudes, leading to energy inefficiency and increased costs.
Innovation Solution
A system utilizing a winch mechanism with a motorized spool and aerial components like balloons or blimps to lift UAVs and packages to predetermined altitudes, allowing the UAVs to glide to their destinations without using onboard energy, thereby reducing energy consumption and operational costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If UAVs use onboard energy (battery/fuel) to ascend to delivery altitudes, then they can achieve autonomous flight and delivery, but energy consumption increases and weight-carrying capability is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an external winch system as an intermediary mechanism that provides the lifting force needed to raise the UAV to delivery altitude. This external system acts as a mediator between the ground and the UAV, eliminating the need for the UAV to generate its own lift through energy-consuming propulsion during the ascent phase.
Solution Approach 2:
The winch system provides an upward counteracting force that opposes the gravitational weight of the UAV and its payload. By using this external counterforce mechanism, the UAV's onboard power system is relieved from the burden of overcoming gravity during ascent, allowing energy to be reserved for horizontal travel and delivery operations.
2Speed
If UAVs ascend to higher altitudes using onboard energy, then delivery range is extended, but battery or fuel weight increases reducing payload capacity
Solution Approach 1:
The external winch system serves as a mediator that provides the lifting capability needed to reach higher delivery altitudes without requiring the UAV to carry additional fuel or battery weight. This allows the UAV to access extended delivery ranges while maintaining optimal payload capacity.
3Use of energy by moving object
If UAVs carry more battery or fuel weight, then energy availability increases, but weight-carrying capability for packages decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The external winch system acts as an intermediary that provides the energy-intensive lifting function, allowing the UAV to carry minimal onboard energy reserves while maximizing package weight capacity. The winch system effectively externalizes the energy requirement for vertical transport.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the lifting function from the UAV system and relocates it to an external ground-based winch system. This separation allows the UAV to be optimized for payload carriage rather than lifting capability, as the lifting function has been extracted and provided externally.
4Speed
If UAVs use significant energy to ascend to delivery altitudes, then vertical transport is achieved, but energy efficiency decreases and operational costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The winch system serves as an intermediary mechanism that performs the energy-intensive vertical transport function externally. This allows the UAV to achieve efficient vertical transport without consuming its own onboard energy, thereby dramatically improving energy efficiency and reducing operational costs.
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 approach enables more energy-efficient package delivery by minimizing the UAV's energy expenditure during transport, reducing air drag, and enhancing delivery efficiency while lowering operational costs.
Implementation Method 1
A system utilizing a winch mechanism with a motorized spool and aerial components like balloons or blimps to lift UAVs and packages to predetermined altitudes
Implementation Method 2
A system utilizing a winch mechanism with a motorized spool and aerial components like balloons or blimps to lift UAVs and packages to predetermined altitudes
Implementation Method 3
allowing the UAVs to glide to their destinations without using onboard energy, thereby reducing energy consumption and operational costs
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods for determining a vehicle elevation height for launching an unmanned aerial vehicle may include performing a quantitative balancing analysis using baseline factors, establishing optimal values for operational goals of a vehicle based on the quantitative balancing analysis, determining a vehicle elevation height that achieves the established optimal values for the operational goals of the vehicle by evaluating vehicle delivery parameters using normalized values, and initiating on a winch system elevation of the unmanned aerial vehicle to the determined vehicle elevation height for launching.