UAV Attitude Control via Movable Propulsion Motors
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Solution Overview
Problem
Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) face challenges in maintaining attitude control, especially during hovering or transitioning modes, due to the imbalance of thrust, drag, weight, and lift forces, which can be disrupted by environmental changes or component failures, and existing systems lack the ability to dynamically adjust forces in response to changing conditions.
Innovation Solution
The system involves pivoting, angling, or repositioning propulsion motors and landing gear to vary the force vectors, allowing UAVs to adapt to changes in circumstances by reorienting forces and relocating the center of gravity, enabling independent control of attitude and movement regardless of angular orientation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If the UAV uses a rigid construction to reduce weight and cost, then the structure is lighter and less expensive, but the ability to adapt to changing environmental conditions and operational requirements is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the propulsion system adjustable rather than fixed. The propulsion units can be repositioned and reoriented during operation, allowing the rigid vehicle structure to dynamically adapt to changing wind conditions, operational requirements, and environmental factors. This resolves the contradiction by maintaining structural rigidity for weight savings while introducing dynamic adjustability through the propulsion system.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the UAV operates in hovering or transitioning flight modes, then mission flexibility is improved, but attitude control becomes difficult due to force imbalance
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses dynamic adjustment of propulsion unit positions and orientations to maintain force balance during hovering and transitioning flight modes. By continuously repositioning and reorienting propulsion units, the system adapts to maintain stable attitude control while operating in flexible flight modes, resolving the contradiction between flight mode flexibility and attitude stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes physical parameters of the propulsion system (position, orientation, and potentially thrust magnitude) to maintain force equilibrium during hovering and transitioning modes. By adjusting these parameters dynamically, the system maintains attitude stability while enabling flexible flight mode operation.
3Device complexity
If the UAV lacks human onboard control to reduce complexity and cost, then the vehicle is simpler and cheaper, but the ability to rapidly adapt to changing circumstances is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements automated feedback control systems that sense environmental conditions and operational status, then automatically adjust propulsion unit positions and orientations. This feedback mechanism enables rapid adaptation to changing circumstances without human intervention, resolving the contradiction by maintaining simple vehicle structure while incorporating intelligent adaptive control.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs self-adjustment through automated control algorithms that manage propulsion unit repositioning and reorientation based on sensor data and flight conditions. This self-service capability enables rapid adaptation without human onboard control, maintaining simplicity while enhancing adaptability.
4Device complexity
If the UAV uses fixed propulsion motor alignment to simplify control, then the control system is simpler, but the ability to counteract wind forces and maintain desired velocity is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically repositions and reorients propulsion units to optimize thrust effectiveness against wind forces. Rather than using fixed alignment, the propulsion system adapts its configuration to counteract headwinds, tailwinds, crosswinds, and vertical winds, maintaining effective thrust while managing control complexity through automated systems.
Data Source
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AI summary
Aerial vehicles may be configured to control their attitudes by changing one or more physical attributes. For example, an aerial vehicle may be outfitted with propulsion motors having repositionable mounts by which the motors may be rotated about one or more axes, in order to redirect forces generated by the motors during operation. An aerial vehicle may also be outfitted with one or more other movable objects such as landing gear, antenna and/or engaged payloads, and one or more of such objects may be translated in one or more directions in order to adjust a center of gravity of the aerial vehicle. By varying angles by which forces are supplied to the aerial vehicle, or locations of the center of gravity of the aerial vehicle, a desired attitude of the aerial vehicle may be maintained irrespective of velocity, altitude and/or forces of thrust, lift, weight or drag acting upon the aerial vehicle.