UAV Propeller Seat Sensing for Attachment and Motor Verification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) lack mechanisms to detect if a propeller is securely attached to a propeller seat or attached to the correct motor, which can lead to propeller detachment and potential crashes during flight.
Innovation Solution
A propulsion assembly for UAVs that includes a motor, propeller seat, and sensor system to collect sensing data for determining propeller attachment and compatibility without requiring motor operation, allowing for secure locking and correct motor activation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional UAVs operate without propeller detection mechanisms, then the device complexity is reduced, but the reliability of flight operation deteriorates due to potential propeller detachment or incorrect attachment
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor system performs propeller detection before motor activation and flight operation. The controller checks propeller presence, locking status, and spatial configuration in advance, preventing unsafe operation before it can occur. This preliminary detection ensures reliability without requiring complex continuous monitoring during flight.
Solution Approach 2:
A non-contact sensor acts as an intermediary between the propeller and the control system. The sensor detects propeller characteristics (presence, locking, orientation) without physical contact, translating physical propeller states into electrical signals for the controller. This intermediary approach provides reliable detection while maintaining simple system architecture.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the UAV activates motors without propeller verification, then the ease of operation is improved, but the harmful factors increase due to potential propeller detachment and crashes
Solution Approach 1:
The controller applies preliminary anti-action by preventing motor activation when propeller detection fails. The system proactively blocks unsafe operation before harmful effects can occur, rather than reacting after detachment. This approach eliminates crash risk while maintaining operational simplicity through automatic safety checks.
Solution Approach 2:
The sensor provides feedback to the controller about propeller status (present/absent, locked/unlocked, correct orientation). The controller uses this feedback to automatically determine whether motor activation is safe, eliminating the need for manual verification while preventing harmful operations. This closed-loop feedback ensures safety without complicating user interaction.
3Measurement precision
If a sensor system is added to detect propeller locking status, then the measurement precision of propeller attachment is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts only the essential detection functions needed for safety: propeller presence, locking status, and spatial configuration. By focusing on these specific measurements rather than comprehensive monitoring, the system achieves high measurement precision for critical parameters while keeping the sensor system simple and targeted.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces complex mechanical detection mechanisms (such as mechanical switches, levers, or interlocks) with a non-contact sensor system. This substitution provides more precise measurement of propeller attachment status without the mechanical complexity, wear, and failure modes associated with physical detection systems.
Data Source
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AI summary
A method for controlling a movable object comprises: obtaining sensing data from a sensor disposed on or near a propeller seat of the movable object; determining a spatial configuration between the propeller seat and a propeller disposed on the propeller seat based on the sensing data; and determining whether to actuate a motor configured to drive the propeller seat based on the spatial configuration.