UAV Microphone Positioning for Propeller Noise Reduction

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional unmanned aerial vehicles face a challenge in maintaining flight performance while ensuring the quality of sound pickup, as microphone placement away from propeller noise sources can disrupt balance, leading to reduced flight capabilities.

Innovation Solution

An unmanned aerial vehicle equipped with a microphone and an actuator, controlled by a processor that adjusts the microphone's position based on positional relationship information to minimize self-generated noise interference while maintaining flight stability.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If the microphone is arranged away from the propeller to reduce self-generated noise, then the sound pickup quality is improved, but the balance of the unmanned aerial vehicle deteriorates and flight performance is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveself-generated noise interferenceVSAvoidflight performance
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies the dynamics principle by making the microphone position adjustable rather than fixed. The microphone can be dynamically repositioned along the extension direction of the arm based on detected target sound directions. This allows the system to optimize sound pickup quality by positioning the microphone away from propeller noise when needed, while maintaining flight balance by allowing flexible positioning adjustments without adding permanent structural complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Object-affected harmful factors

If the microphone is arranged away from the propeller to reduce self-generated noise, then the sound pickup quality is improved, but the device complexity increases due to additional mounting mechanisms

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveself-generated noise interferenceVSAvoidmicrophone mounting mechanism
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies the universality principle by designing the arm structure to serve multiple functions: it provides mechanical support for the microphone, enables positioning adjustments along the extension direction, and integrates with the overall UAV structure. This multi-functional design eliminates the need for separate dedicated mounting mechanisms, thereby improving sound pickup quality without significantly increasing device complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP3957561B1Unmanned flight body, control method, and program
Publication Date: 2023.07.19 PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO LTD
  • EP3957561B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3957561B1 patent drawingFigure 2A
  • EP3957561B1 patent drawingFigure 2B

AI summary

Unmanned aerial vehicle (100) includes a microphone (111) which picks up a sound emitted by a target, an actuator (130) which extends to change a position of the microphone (111), and a processor (151). The processor (151) obtains positional relationship information which indicates at least one of a position of the target or a distance from the unmanned aerial vehicle (100) to the target, causes the unmanned aerial vehicle (100) to move to a first position at which the unmanned aerial vehicle (100) and the target have a predetermined positional relationship based on the positional relationship information, and causes actuator (130) to extend toward the target after unmanned aerial vehicle (100) moves to the first position.