FR3074144A1 - DRONE PROVIDED WITH MONS A PARACHUTE - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a drone (100) equipped with an air vehicle (1), said aerial vehicle (1) comprising an emergency system (15), said emergency system (15) comprising at least one parachute (20) and a deployment device (35) for opening said at least one parachute (20), said at least one parachute (20) comprising a sail (21) and a plurality of lines (25). The emergency system (15) comprises at least two servocontrols (40), each servocontrol (40) having a movable arm (42) connected to at least one said suspension (25) of the at least one parachute (20).

Description

Drone with at least one parachute

The present invention relates to a drone provided with at least one parachute.

The drone can take the form of a fixed wing aircraft or a rotary wing aircraft.

A drone may include a parachute to optimize the safety of the installations and of the persons landing when the drone experiences a failure making it uncontrollable.

The parachute can be folded in flight in a bag or a rigid container. Therefore, the parachute can be opened if necessary using an electrical, pyrotechnic, mechanical deployment device.

Document WO 2016/025444 thus presents a fixed-wing drone provided with a parachute. Document US 2009/0308979 presents a rotary-wing drone also equipped with a parachute.

Although the arrangement of a parachute is useful for limiting the risk of personal injury or damage to objects in the event of a crash, such a parachute does not allow the drone to be controlled. The parachute slows down the drone's fall and therefore limits the impact energy of the drone on the ground. By cons, this parachute does not control the descent of the drone which can descend to a sensitive area. The drone can notably drift in the presence of wind. As an illustration, if the drone falls towards a car in a parking lot following a breakdown or a gust of wind, the parachute brakes the fall of the drone but will not prevent the drone from hitting the car.

The object of the present invention is therefore to propose an innovative drone to tend to optimize the safety of installations and people, in particular on the ground in the event of a catastrophic failure.

Such a drone is equipped with an air vehicle, this air vehicle comprising an emergency system. This rescue system comprises at least one parachute and a deployment device for opening said at least one parachute, said at least one parachute comprising a sail and a plurality of lines.

The air vehicle can be a rotary or fixed wing vehicle. Each parachute can be kept in an air vehicle housing outside of a breakdown situation, for example in a bag or a rigid container. The deployment device can comprise a usual system, for example a pyrotechnic and / or electrical and / or mechanical and / or hydraulic system for opening the parachute by bringing it out of the housing.

The term "veil" designates the organ carrying the parachute, and therefore both a piece of fabric of a hemispherical parachute and a paraglider wing.

The emergency system also comprises at least two servo-controls, each servo-control having a movable arm connected, directly or indirectly by at least one link, to at least one so-called hanger of said at least one parachute.

The two servo controls then respectively include two movable arms. Such an arm can take the form of a tree or a rotary lever for example. Each arm is then connected to at least one hanger of at least one parachute by a link to be able to pull on this hanger. For example, lines used to control a parachute or a paraglider using two elevators are connected to the arms of the servo controls

Thus, each servo control can be requested to move the associated arm to deform the sail of one or more parachutes. The controlled deformation of the parachute (s) can make it possible to control the rate of descent of the air vehicle, for example by adequately positioning the air vehicle relative to the wind or relative to the ascending thermal air currents.

Controlling the air vehicle can possibly help to cancel a wind-induced skid phenomenon.

In addition, the controlled deformation of the parachute (s) can make it possible to direct the air vehicle to a chosen landing zone to limit damage to landing.

Consequently, the emergency system according to the invention can make it possible to reduce the safety and / or reliability levels of certain components of the air vehicle used except in the event of a breakdown, by proposing an emergency system capable of controlling a descent of the air vehicle. in case of failure.

The drone may further include one or more of the following characteristics.

Thus, the air vehicle comprising a roll axis, the two arms of the two servo controls can be arranged on either side of said roll axis.

The two servo controls and at least their arms can be arranged on either side of a roll axis of the air vehicle, or even of a front / rear axis of symmetry of the air vehicle.

For example, the two servos include a left servo and a right servo in the eyes of an individual looking at the air vehicle in a direction from the rear to the front of the air vehicle. The terms rear and front refer to a direction of travel of the aerial vehicle.

Optionally, the two servo controls and at least their arms can be arranged symmetrically on either side of the roll axis, at least except in the event of breakdown of the air vehicle.

According to one aspect, said at least one parachute may comprise a single parachute.

The two servo controls are then connected to this single parachute, and for example to lines usually used on a parachute to control it.

According to another aspect, said at least one parachute can include at least two parachutes, said at least two servo-controls being connected respectively to said two parachutes.

For example, said at least one parachute includes a left parachute and a right parachute with regard to an individual looking at the air vehicle in a direction going from the rear to the front of the air vehicle.

These two parachutes can be of the type used on a space module.

According to another aspect, said veil has a shape of a spherical cap.

According to another aspect, said sail has the shape of a paraglider wing.

According to another aspect, said at least one parachute comprises at least one parachute damper.

Such a shock absorber can take the form of a fabric integral with the lines. The shock can be useful for controlling the opening of the parachute and the fall.

According to another aspect, the emergency system comprises at least one emergency booster dedicated to this emergency system.

The emergency thruster can be independent of the other possible thrusters of the air vehicle, namely can operate independently of the other thrusters.

The emergency thruster makes it possible to steer the air vehicle during its fall in order to counteract the effect of the wind and / or to bring the air vehicle to a landing zone presenting minimized risks for property and people landing

In one aspect, this emergency propellant and the servos can be powered by a single emergency power source dedicated to the emergency system.

The term "dedicated" means that the energy source does not power an organ of the drone that does not belong to the emergency system. For example, the energy source takes the form of one or more batteries electrically supplying at least one drive motor for the emergency propellant and the servo drives.

According to another aspect, said emergency propellant comprises a propeller.

Such a propeller has blades distributed circumferentially around a central axis of rotation of the propeller. A propeller drive motor rotates the blades around the central axis of rotation to generate thrust capable of moving the aircraft.

Possibly, the propeller is faired.

The blades are then rotated around the central axis of rotation in a cavity delimited by a hull. The hull tends to avoid tearing the parachute with the blades.

According to one aspect, said propeller may comprise at least one orientation motor conferring a degree of freedom on said propeller around at least one orientation axis to control the orientation of the thrust generated by said propeller.

At least one slewing motor can move the central axis of rotation around at least one slewing axis to orient the thrust generated by the propeller. The propeller then represents a vector thruster.

For example, the propeller is movable in rotation relative to a chassis of the air vehicle around a first orientation axis substantially parallel to a yaw axis of the aircraft, a first orientation motor controlling the rotary movement of the propeller around the first orientation axis. In a complementary or alternative manner, the propeller is movable in rotation relative to the chassis around a second orientation axis substantially parallel to a pitch axis of the aircraft, a second orientation motor controlling the rotary movement of the propeller around the second orientation axis.

According to another aspect, the emergency system may include a control device controlling said at least two servo-controls, said control device comprising a computer or a radio receiver in connection with a control of the drone not on board the air vehicle.

The control device can thus include a computer on board the air vehicle. Such a computer can be a primary autopilot computer of the air vehicle also used in normal flight conditions, or a standby autopilot computer dedicated to the standby system.

In a complementary or alternative manner, the control device can comprise an RX receiver communicating with a TX transmitter controlled by a teleoperator or even with a device known by the acronym FPV corresponding to the English expression "First Person View".

According to another aspect, the control device can be optionally connected to the said at least one orientation motor.

According to another aspect, when the propeller comprises blades and a device for modifying the pitch of the blades, in particular collectively, said control device can be connected to the device for modifying the pitch of said blades.

According to another aspect, when the control device comprises a said computer, the computer can be connected to an inertial measurement unit as well as to an anemometer and to a wind direction detection device which are all carried by the air vehicle .

Such an inertial measurement unit is known by the acronym IMU corresponding to the English expression "Inertial Measurement Unit" and can be autonomous.

For example, the computer can communicate with the inertial measurement unit to detect damage by determining whether the attitude angles of the air vehicle exceed stored attitude thresholds and / or if a rate of descent exceeds a stored descent threshold and / or a height of the air vehicle becomes less than a memorized threshold height. If so, the computer can automatically initiate the opening of each parachute, or may even have logic stopping the main thruster motors to avoid degradation of each parachute.

The computer can, if necessary, require the exit of a landing gear and / or can control a backup thruster to position the aerial vehicle in the direction of the wind, adapt the thrust generated by the backup thruster, orient the thrusters emergency ... For example, the computer controls the emergency thruster and the servo-controls to steer the air vehicle towards a memorized landing zone.

According to another aspect, the control device can therefore be connected to said deployment device.

In addition to a drone, the invention relates to a method for securing the descent of an aerial vehicle from the drone. This process includes the following steps:

- opening of said at least one parachute,

- deformation of said sail of said at least one parachute with said servos to direct said descent.

Optionally, when the air vehicle has at least one main propellant operating outside of a breakdown, the method may include a step of stopping the main propellant carried out before the opening of said at least one parachute.

Optionally, when the air vehicle has at least one mobile landing gear between a flight position and a landing position, this landing gear being in the flight position during a flight, the method may include a displacement step from the landing gear from the flight position to the landing position made before the opening of said at least one parachute or in parallel with this opening.

The invention and its advantages will appear in more detail in the context of the description which follows with examples given by way of illustration with reference to the appended figures which represent:

- Figure 1, a schematic view of an air vehicle having a hemispherical parachute,

FIG. 2, a schematic view of an aerial vehicle having a parachute in the shape of a paraglider wing,

- Figure 3, a schematic view of an air vehicle having two hemispherical parachutes,

- Figures 4 and 5, schematic views of an air vehicle having a propeller propeller,

FIG. 6, a diagram illustrating a drone architecture provided with a computer controlling the emergency system,

- Figure 7, a diagram illustrating a drone architecture fitted with a radio receiver controlling the emergency system.

The elements present in several separate figures are assigned a single reference.

Figures 1 to 3 show drones 100 according to the invention.

With reference to FIG. 1 and independently of the embodiment, the drone 100 comprises an aerial vehicle 1 without an on-board pilot. This aerial vehicle 1 is provided with a carrying structure 2 as well as with a fixed wing and / or a rotary wing.

In addition, the air vehicle 1 can comprise at least one main propellant 5 which participates at least in the lift or in the propulsion of the air vehicle. Such a main propellant 5 can take the form of a tractive or propellant propeller, a rotor, etc.

According to the example of FIG. 1, a supporting structure 2 of the air vehicle comprises a central support 3 and arms 4. The arms 4 are for example integral with the central support 3. Consequently, the arms 4 each carry a main propellant 5 Such a main propellant 5 can comprise at least one rotor 6 set in motion by a motor 7. FIG. 1 presents main propellants provided with a single rotor but other variants are possible. By way of example, a main propellant may comprise two counter-rotating rotors, and possibly two motors respectively putting the two rotors in motion.

In addition, the aerial vehicle 1 comprises a main energy source 8 supplying energy to the main thrusters. For example, the motors of the main propellers are electric motors, the main source of electrical energy 8 comprising at least one battery or one battery. The main electrical power source 8 can be carried by the central support 3 and / or the arms

4.

Furthermore, the air vehicle extends longitudinally from the rear 101 towards the front 102 of this air vehicle 1 in a direction of advance towards the front AV of the air vehicle.

In addition, the air vehicle is movable in space around an AXLAC yaw axis, an AXROL roll axis and an AXTANG pitch axis.

According to another aspect, the air vehicle 1 comprises an emergency system 15.

The emergency system 15 includes at least one parachute 20 intended to be opened, namely deployed, at least in the event of an accidental fall of the air vehicle.

Each parachute 20 can be contained in a container 30 of the air vehicle when this parachute is not used.

Consequently, the emergency system 15 includes a deployment device 35 for opening each parachute 20 at the request of a non-onboard human pilot or an automatic system. Such a deployment device 35 may include a pyrotechnic, electric, hydraulic, mechanical actuator, etc.

According to the example illustrated in Figure 7 described below, the deployment device 35 may include a spring 36 capable of ejecting the parachute out of a container 30, a movable finger 37 and an actuator 38 capable of moving the finger. During a normal flight phase, the movable finger keeps the spring 37 compressed. If necessary, this finger is moved by the corresponding actuator to allow the spring 37 to relax and eject the parachute out of the container 30.

Furthermore and with reference to FIG. 1, each parachute 20 conventionally comprises a sail 21 and a plurality of hangers 25. Each hanger 25 is a wire link of a line of lines, the line of lines making it possible to attach the sail 21 to the supporting structure 2 of the air vehicle. According to the example of FIG. 1, the parachute comprises a main hanger 26 fixed to the central support 3, several intermediate hangers 27 each fixed to the main hanger and to several high hangers 28, each high hanger being fixed to the sail. Other examples are illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3. In general, the various known parachute architectures can be envisaged.

According to another aspect, said backup system 15 includes at least two servo-controls 40.

Each servo control 40 is fixed to the support structure 2, and for example to the central support 3.

In addition, each servo control 40 is provided with an actuator 41 for servo control and with an arm 42 set in motion by the actuator 41 for servo control. The servo actuator 41 can be electrically powered by a backup power source dedicated to the backup system 15, and possibly used by the deployment device.

For example, the servo actuator 41 is a rotary motor provided with an output shaft integral in rotation with the arm 42. The arm 42 of a servo control is for example movable in rotation about a pivot axis substantially parallel to the pitch axis. Such an arm can take the form of a lever, a spreader ...

According to another aspect, the two arms 42 of the two servo-controls 40 are for example arranged on either side of the axis of roll AXROL, and for example symmetrical to one another with respect to a plane containing the AXROL roll axis and AXLAC yaw axis of the aerial vehicle.

In addition, each arm is connected directly or indirectly to at least one hanger 25 of a parachute 20 to pull on at least one hanger in order to deform the sail of the parachute.

Optionally, at least one link 43 is attached to an arm and at least one hanger. Such a link is an elongated member and can comprise at least one cord, at least one cable, at least one wire ...

Optionally, at least one hanger is attached to an arm.

According to another aspect, the sail 21 of a parachute can have the shape of a spherical cap 22.

Alternatively and with reference to FIG. 2, the sail 21 of a parachute can have the shape of a paraglider wing 23.

Furthermore, a parachute can have at least one parachute damper 34. Such a parachute damper 34 can take the form of a fabric, possibly perforated, which extends between several lines 25.

Furthermore, according to FIGS. 1 and 2, the air vehicle 1 comprises a single parachute 20. The two arms 42 of the two servo-controls are then for example connected to lines 25 different from this single parachute, for example via links 43.

According to FIG. 3, the air vehicle includes two parachutes 20. Each parachute 20 is associated with its own deployment device 35.

The two arms 42 of the two servo-controls are then for example respectively connected to lines 25 of the two parachutes, for example via links 43.

According to other variants, the air vehicle may include more than two parachutes.

Furthermore, and with reference to FIG. 4, the emergency system 15 can include at least one emergency thruster 50.

Such an emergency thruster 50 can be dedicated to the emergency system. Consequently, each emergency thruster 50 is inactive when the parachute is not deployed.

Optionally, each emergency thruster 50 and the servo-controls 40 are supplied by a single emergency energy source which is dedicated to the emergency system 15.

According to the variant shown, the emergency propellant 50 comprises a propeller 51, tractive or propellant, set in motion by a drive shaft. The propeller 51 is provided with a plurality of blades 55 distributed circumferentially around a central axis of rotation AXROT. Therefore, the propeller 51 is provided with a drive motor 52 rotating the blades of the propeller 51 around the central axis of rotation to generate a thrust F.

In addition, the emergency thruster 50 may comprise a device 60 for modifying the pitch of the blades making it possible to modify the pitch of the blades, for example collectively and in the same way. Such a device 60 for modifying the pitch of the blades may be of a usual type. This device 60 for modifying the pitch of the blades may for example comprise a hydraulic system for displacing in translation a piston connected to the blades 55, a spider type system, a servo drive which pushes a rod in the center of the drive shaft allowing change the pitch of the blades ...

Furthermore, the emergency propellant 50 may comprise at least one orientation motor 53, 54 for orienting the thrust F generated by the emergency propellant 50. Each orientation motor 53, 54 confers a degree of freedom in rotation around d '' an axis of orientation to the emergency propellant relative to the supporting structure.

For example, a first electric orientation motor 53 is connected to the propeller to move this propeller around a first orientation axis AXOR1 substantially parallel to the yaw axis AXLAC.

For example, a second electric orientation motor 54 is connected to the propeller to move this propeller around a second orientation axis AXOR2 substantially parallel to the pitch axis AXTANG.

According to another aspect and with reference to FIG. 5, the emergency thruster comprises a faired propeller 51. Thus the blades 55 rotate around the central axis of rotation AXROT within a hull 56.

Furthermore and independently of the presence of a propeller, the air vehicle 1 can include at least one landing gear 80 movable between a POSF flight position shown in dotted lines and a POSO landing position shown in solid lines. A landing actuator 200 is then linked to the landing gear to move this landing gear. The landing gear or even the landing actuator can be equipped with at least one fuse point or at least one energy absorber in order to limit the consequences of an impact with the ground.

According to another aspect and with reference to FIG. 6, the backup system 15 comprises a control device 65.

This control device 65 is connected by a wired or non-wired link to the servo controls 40 in order to control them.

Where appropriate, the control device 65 is connected by a wired or non-wired connection to the device 60 for modifying the pitch of the blades, to each orientation motor 53, 54, to the deployment device 35, to the actuator of landing 200, at a switch or equivalent of an emergency power source 85 ...

According to FIG. 6, the control device 65 comprises a computer 66. The computer 66 can for example comprise at least one processor 67 and at least one memory 68, an integrated circuit, a programmable system, a logic circuit, these examples not limiting not the scope given to the expression "calculator".

This computer is then configured to apply a predetermined process in the event of damage.

This computer 66 can for this purpose be connected to an inertial measurement unit 75 of the air vehicle 1 as well as to an anemometer 76 and to a device 77 for detecting the direction of the wind, or even a system of location by satellites carried by the vehicle. aerial for example.

This computer can be a computer dedicated to the emergency system, or it can also be a computer for an automatic piloting system for the air vehicle.

Alternatively or additionally, according to FIG. 7, the control device can comprise a radio receiver 69 in connection with a control 70 not on board the air vehicle 1. Such a control 70 can include a remote control 71 and / or a known system under the acronym FPV and the English expression First Person View.

This radio receiver 69 is connected by a wired or non-wired link to the servo controls 40 in order to control them in the order given by the command 70. If necessary, the radio receiver 69 is connected by a wired or non-wired link to the device 60 modification of the pitch of the blades, to each orientation motor 53, 54, to the deployment device 35, to the landing actuator 200, to a switch of an emergency power source 85 ...

Regardless of the variant, the control device can then request an opening of each parachute 20 by transmitting a signal to the deployment device 35.

In addition, the control device can then deform the sail 21 by at least one parachute 20 by transmitting a signal to the servo-controls 40 to control the descent.

Optionally, the opening order of each parachute may also require the stopping of each main thruster 5.

Furthermore, the opening order of each parachute may also require the movement of the landing gear 80 from said POSF flight position to said POSO landing position.

Thus, a signal emitted by the control device can be transmitted both to the main thrusters, to the emergency thruster and to the landing actuator to complete the preceding steps. Timers can be set up to carry out these stages in a preferential order, for example to stop the main thrusters before opening each parachute.

Naturally, the present invention is subject to numerous variations as to its implementation. Although several embodiments have been described, it is understood that it is not conceivable to identify exhaustively all the possible modes. It is of course conceivable to replace a means described by an equivalent means without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Although Figures 1 to 3 describe a rotary wing drone, the drone can have an alternative or complementary fixed wing.

Claims (20)

1. Drone (100) provided with an air vehicle (1), said air vehicle (1) comprising a rescue system (15), said rescue system (15) comprising at least one parachute (20) and at least one deployment device (35) for opening said at least one parachute (20), said at least one parachute (20) comprising a sail (21) and a plurality of hangers (25), characterized in that said rescue system (15 ) comprises at least two servos (40), each servo (40) having an arm (42) movable connected to at least one said hanger (25) of said at least one parachute (20). 2. Drone according to claim 1, characterized in that said aerial vehicle (1) comprising a roll axis (AXROL), said arms (42) of said two servo controls (40) are arranged on either side of said roll axis (AXROL). 3. Drone according to any one of claims 1 to 2, characterized in that said at least one parachute comprises a single parachute (20). 4. Drone according to any one of claims 1 to 2, characterized in that said at least one parachute includes at least two parachutes (20), said at least two servo controls (40) being connected respectively to said two parachutes (20). 5. Drone according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that said veil (21) has the shape of a spherical cap (22). 6. Drone according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that said sail (21) has the shape of a paraglider wing (23). 7. Drone according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that said at least one parachute (20) comprises at least one parachute damper (34). 8. Drone according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that said emergency system (15) comprises at least one emergency thruster (50) dedicated to this emergency system. 9. A drone according to claim 8, characterized in that said emergency thruster (50) and said servos (40) are powered by a single emergency power source (85) dedicated to the emergency system (15). 10. Drone according to any one of claims 8 to 9, characterized in that said emergency thruster (50) comprises a propeller (51). 11. Drone according to claim 10, characterized in that said propeller (51) is faired. 12. Drone according to any one of claims 10 to 11, characterized in that said propeller (51) comprises at least one orientation motor (53, 54) giving a degree of freedom to said propeller (51) around at least one orientation axis (AXOR1, AXOR2) to control the orientation of a thrust (F) generated by said propeller (51). 13. Drone according to any one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that said backup system (15) comprises a control device (65) controlling said at least two servo controls (40), said control device (65) comprising a computer (66) or a radio receiver (69) in connection with a control (70) of the drone not on board in the air vehicle (1). 14. Drone according to claim 12 and claim 13, characterized in that said control device (65) is connected to said at least one orientation motor (53, 54). 15. A drone according to claim 12 and claim 13, characterized in that said propeller (51) comprising blades (55) and a device (60) for modifying the pitch of said blades, said control device (65) is connected to the device (60) for modifying the pitch of said blades. 16. Drone according to claim 12, characterized in that said control device (65) comprising said computer (66) said computer (66) is connected to an inertial measurement unit (75) as well as to an anemometer (76) and to a device (77) for detecting the direction of the wind carried by the air vehicle. 17. Drone according to claim 12 and claim 13, characterized in that said control device (65) is connected to said deployment device (35). 18. Method for securing the descent of an aerial vehicle from a drone (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 17, characterized in that said method comprises the following steps: - opening of said at least one parachute (20), - deformation of said sail (21) of said at least one parachute (20) with said servos (40) to direct said descent. 19. The method of claim 18, characterized in that said aerial vehicle (1) having at least one main propellant (5), said method comprises a step of stopping said main propellant (5) performed before said opening of said at least one parachute (20). 20. The method of claim 18, characterized in that said aerial vehicle (1) having at least one landing gear (80) movable between a flight position (POSF) and a landing position (POSO), said train being in said flight position (POSF) during a flight, said method comprises a step of moving said landing gear (80) from said flight position (POSF) to said landing position (POSO) ) performed before said opening of said at least one parachute (20) or in parallel with this opening.