UAV Upward Sensor Reconfiguration for Autonomous Overhead Contact
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) lack effective autonomous capabilities for navigating and interacting with objects in the airspace above them during autonomous procedures, such as take-off and maintenance tasks, due to limited sensor configurations and control systems.
Innovation Solution
The integration of upwards-configurable sensors and actuators in UAVs, controlled by a dedicated controller, allows for real-time data capture and manipulation of objects in the airspace above, enabling enhanced autonomous operations like vertical take-off, inspection, and interaction with objects.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If traditional sensor configurations are used in UAVs, then the device complexity is reduced, but the autonomous capability for navigating and interacting with objects in airspace above is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the Dynamics principle by making the sensor configuration adjustable and reconfigurable. The sensor system can dynamically change its orientation and field of view to face different directions (including upwards) based on the autonomous procedure being executed. This allows the UAV to adapt its sensing capabilities to different operational contexts without requiring permanently fixed sensors in all possible orientations, thus improving autonomous capability while controlling device complexity through intelligent dynamic reconfiguration.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements the Universality principle by designing a sensor system that serves multiple functions through reconfiguration. The same sensor can be oriented to perform different tasks: facing forwards during normal flight, facing upwards during take-off or when objects are in airspace above, and facing in other directions as needed. This multi-functional approach eliminates the need for separate dedicated sensors for each function, thereby enhancing autonomous capability while avoiding proportional increases in device complexity.
2Loss of information
If upwards-configurable sensors are added to UAVs, then the field of view of airspace above is achieved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor system is designed to dynamically reconfigure its orientation based on operational needs. Rather than adding permanent fixed sensors in all possible directions (which would greatly increase complexity), the system uses adjustable sensors that can be oriented upwards or in other directions as required by the autonomous procedure. This dynamic approach ensures complete field of view coverage when needed while maintaining simpler hardware architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the sensing task into different operational phases. During normal flight, sensors face forwards for standard navigation. During specific autonomous procedures (take-off, object interaction), the sensor orientation is segmented into an upwards-facing configuration. This phased approach to sensing coverage ensures information completeness without requiring continuously active complex sensor arrangements in all directions.
3Measurement precision
If real-time data capture and control are implemented, then the precision of autonomous operations is improved, but the processing requirements and system complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms where sensor data captured in real-time is processed and used to continuously adjust the UAV's autonomous operations. The controller receives data from the reconfigurable sensor system and uses this feedback to make precise control decisions about actuator positioning and movement. This closed-loop feedback system enables high control precision for interacting with objects in airspace above while managing system complexity through efficient use of existing processing capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-configuring the sensor orientation and control parameters before executing autonomous procedures. The sensor is positioned in the upwards-facing configuration in advance of the actual object interaction task, and control algorithms are prepared beforehand. This preliminary preparation allows real-time data capture and control with high precision without requiring excessively complex real-time processing during the critical interaction phase.
Data Source
AI summary
An unmanned aerial vehicle, UAV, is operable in an autonomous mode. The UAV comprises an upwards-configurable sensor an actuator and a controller. The upwards-configurable sensor is configurable in an upwards-facing configuration during an autonomous procedure such that a field of view of the upwards-configurable sensor includes airspace directly above the UAV during the autonomous procedure. The controller is operable to control the actuator during the autonomous procedure based on data captured by the upwards-configurable sensor to cause the UAV to make physical contact with an object in the airspace directly above the UAV during the autonomous procedure.