Distributed UAV Architecture for Payload Power and Bus Isolation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) face challenges in managing power and bandwidth between flight critical systems and payload systems, leading to potential failures due to excessive power consumption or data bus overload by payload systems.

Innovation Solution

A distributed system architecture that separates the control and operation of flight critical systems from payload systems, using processors to obtain flight information, determine modified power states for payload modules, and manage power and bandwidth allocation dynamically based on flight phases.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If payload modules are equipped with high power consumption to perform their functions, then payload capability is improved, but flight critical systems may fail due to insufficient power

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepayload capabilityVSAvoidflight critical system operation

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adjusts power states of payload modules based on flight phase. During takeoff and landing phases, payload modules enter low-power states to ensure sufficient power for flight critical systems. During cruise phases, payload modules can operate at full power to maximize payload capability. This dynamic power management resolves the contradiction by making power allocation adaptable to operational requirements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes power consumption parameters of payload modules according to flight conditions. By modifying power states (e.g., from high-power operational mode to low-power standby mode) based on flight phase parameters, the system optimizes the balance between payload performance and flight safety, allowing high payload capability when safe and ensuring flight critical systems always have sufficient power.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Use of energy by moving object

If a large battery is equipped to ensure sufficient power for the entire mission, then power availability is improved, but device weight increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepower availabilityVSAvoidUAV weight

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system employs periodic power management where payload modules are cycled between low-power and high-power states based on flight phase requirements. During power-critical phases like takeoff and landing, payload modules operate in low-power mode. During less critical phases, they can operate at full capacity. This periodic activation pattern reduces overall power consumption, allowing smaller batteries to suffice while maintaining mission capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

Solution Approach 2:

The system maintains continuous monitoring and management of power states across all flight phases. By ensuring that power management is continuous and adaptive rather than intermittent, the system optimizes power utilization throughout the entire mission, extracting maximum efficiency from the battery and reducing the total energy capacity needed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

3Productivity

If payload modules operate at full power continuously, then payload performance is improved, but battery life is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepayload performanceVSAvoidbattery life

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDuration of action of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adjusts payload module power states based on real-time flight phase information. Payload modules transition between low-power and high-power operational modes according to mission requirements, ensuring high performance when needed while conserving battery life during less demanding phases, thereby extending overall operational duration.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

4Device complexity

If payload systems are integrated with flight critical systems on the same data bus, then system complexity is reduced, but reliability decreases due to potential failures affecting flight critical systems

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem architectureVSAvoidflight critical system operation

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments the data bus architecture into separate domains: a flight critical data bus for safety-critical communications and a payload data bus for non-critical payload operations. This segmentation isolates payload systems from flight critical systems, preventing payload failures from affecting flight safety while maintaining manageable system complexity through structured organization.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system introduces an intermediary data bus structure that mediates between payload systems and flight critical systems. This intermediary architecture allows controlled communication while maintaining isolation, enabling payload modules to access necessary flight data without direct access to critical flight control systems, thus protecting flight safety while enabling payload functionality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS12255827B2Distributed unmanned aerial vehicle architecture

Publication Date: 2025.03.18 SKYDIO INC

AI summary

An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) system includes one or more processors and one or more computer storage media storing instructions that when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations that include obtaining flight information of the UAV; determining one or more modifications based on the flight information; and transmitting data messages over data buses based on the one or more modifications.