Wearable Drone Base for Autonomous Launch and Landing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current systems for small unmanned vehicles face challenges in efficient operation and control, particularly during launch and recovery, as they require manual handling and preparation of launch and recovery zones, which can be cumbersome and risky for operators.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising an unmanned vehicle and a wearable base device that uses positional changes of the device relative to the operator's body to initiate autonomous launch and recovery maneuvers, eliminating the need for dedicated zones and reducing operator workload through natural gesture-based control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual handling and preparation of launch and recovery zones is used, then the unmanned vehicle can be launched and recovered, but the operator workload and cognitive load increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The wearable base device detects the operator's posture and position automatically to initiate launch and recovery sequences, allowing the system to serve itself by interpreting natural human movements as commands without requiring manual control input or complex operator actions
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical handling of the unmanned vehicle with an automated detection and control system that uses position determination units to sense operator posture and triggers autonomous launch and recovery maneuvers through electronic control signals
2Reliability
If dedicated launch and recovery zones are used, then the unmanned vehicle operations can be performed safely, but additional infrastructure is required
Solution Approach 1:
The wearable base device serves multiple functions including position determination, command initiation, and autonomous control triggering, eliminating the need for separate dedicated launch and recovery infrastructure by making the operator's body the portable base station
Solution Approach 2:
The patent moves the base station function from a fixed ground-based infrastructure to a wearable device on the operator's body, changing the spatial dimension from stationary ground zones to mobile body-mounted platforms, allowing operations anywhere the operator can move
3Productivity
If multiple unmanned vehicles are operated simultaneously, then the operational capability increases, but the control complexity and cognitive load on the operator increase
Solution Approach 1:
The wearable base device acts as an intermediary that automatically manages the control of multiple unmanned vehicles by detecting operator posture and position to initiate appropriate launch and recovery sequences, reducing the cognitive burden on the operator through automated vehicle management
Data Source
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AI summary
A system comprises an unmanned vehicle and a wearable base device for the unmanned vehicle. The wearable base device comprises a position determining unit configured to determine a first position information of the wearable base device relative to a body of a person wearing the wearable base device and a second position information of the wearable base device relative to the body of the person. The wearable base device further comprises a first communication unit configured to transmit the first position information and the second position information of the wearable base device to the unmanned vehicle. The unmanned vehicle comprises a second communication unit configured to receive the first position information and the second position information. The unmanned vehicle is configured to perform an autonomous start manoeuvre of the unmanned vehicle from the wearable base device in response to receiving the first position information, and to perform an autonomous landing manoeuvre of the unmanned vehicle on the wearable base device in response to receiving the second position information.