RU2767389C1 - Method for precise landing of unmanned aerial vehicle of airplane type and device for its implementation - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: aviation.

SUBSTANCE: group of inventions relates to a method and a device for the precise landing of an unmanned aerial vehicle (hereinafter – UAV) of an airplane type. To land the UAV, it is withdrawn in the direction of a landing site in a certain way, an anchor is lowered from the UAV using an anchor cable, engine speed of the UAV is lowered to reduce speed, and the UAV is flown at the minimum permissible speed until the anchor engages with a hooking device, when the anchor engages with the hooking device, a parachute is released, and the engine is turned off, after the anchor engages with the hooking device and the parachute is opened, the UAV is pulled by the anchor cable coupled with the anchor with the hooking device in the direction of a pre-stretched horizontal grid at the landing site of the UAV, the UAV is landed on the stretched grid. The device contains onboard equipment and landing equipment. Onboard equipment contains a parachute, a parachute ejection device, an onboard coil with an anchor cable and an anchor fixed at the end of the cable, a cable lowering device. Landing equipment contains a landing pad with racks installed vertically on it, a grid stretched on a frame and having a hole, two flexible poles, a device for rewinding anchor cable, a winch, a launcher, pole removing mechanisms, a landing cable.

EFFECT: UAV landing safety is improved; UAV reuse efficiency is increased.

2 cl, 2 dwg

Description

The invention relates to methods for landing an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) of an aircraft type and can be used to solve the problem of ensuring accurate landing of a UAV using a parachute on a small area, such as a ship deck, a mobile platform or a small free area of the earth's surface.

A known method of landing UAVs in an aircraft [System adaptive control of aircraft. / A.S. Novoselov, V.E. Bolnokin, P.I. Chinaev, A.N. Yuriev. - M.: Mashinostroenie, 1987, p. 9-10]. To land a UAV according to this scheme, conventional manned airfields or operationally deployed landing strips on suitable terrain (sections of highways, horizontal terrain) can be used.

The disadvantage of this method is that the UAV landing requires an appropriate flat long area and special equipment.

A known method of landing a UAV using a stopper [System adaptive control of aircraft. / A.S. Novoselov, V.E. Bolnokin, P.I. Chinaev, A.N. Yuriev. - M.: Mashinostroenie, 1987, p. 9-10]. The implementation of this method also requires an equipped runway, but shorter than when landing like an airplane.

A known method of landing UAV "Aquila" with capture in the catching network [System adaptive control of aircraft. / A.S. Novoselov, V.E. Bolnokin, P.I. Chinaev, A.N. Yuriev. - M.: Mashinostroenie, 1987, p. 69-76]. The method consists in forming a narrow sectoral UAV approach zone and setting a reference landing trajectory, carrying out the UAV flying along the reference trajectory and landing the UAV in a catching network.

The main disadvantage of UAV landing methods in an airplane-like manner, using a stopper and in a catching network is the low autonomy of landing, which is due to the impossibility of implementing these methods from any angle, in relation to small landing sites and without providing complex and expensive ground infrastructure (airfields with a runway , course-glide path and other complex auxiliary landing equipment). This significantly limits the admissible conditions, flexibility and efficiency of the use of UAVs.

A known method of landing a UAV using a parachute [System adaptive control of aircraft. / A.S. Novoselov, V.E. Bolnokin, P.I. Chinaev, A.N. Yuriev. - M.: Mashinostroenie, 1987, p. 9-10]. To implement this method, the UAV is equipped with a parachute ejected at the landing stage, and inflatable landing balloons (pillows) located under the fuselage and under the wings and protecting the UAV from damage at the moment of touching the ground.

The main disadvantage of the parachute method is the low landing accuracy, as a result of which its implementation requires a large landing area, free from interfering objects, a collision with which can lead to the loss of the UAV. Additional time spent on searching for UAVs over a large area and subsequent evacuation of UAVs to the launch area determines the low efficiency of UAV reuse. In addition, the search and evacuation of the UAV requires the involvement of additional equipment (transport), which reduces the degree of autonomy of the method.

The closest in essence and the achieved result (prototype) is the SkyRod UAV landing method , accessed 04/02/2019]. This is a method of precise landing of aircraft-type unmanned aerial vehicles weighing up to 30 kg, which consists in the fact that at the stage of landing the UAV, a cable with an anchor is lowered from it, the flight is performed in such a way that the anchor catches on a hook placed on a rail mounted horizontally on two high poles. Upon successful engagement of the anchor with the towing device, the parachute is ejected to dampen the speed of the vehicle and its oscillatory and yaw movements, and the UAV switches to a trajectory of rotation on a cable around the yard until it hangs on it.

A device for implementing this method [ibid], consisting of a ground part in the form of two poles placed vertically at the landing site of the UAV, and a horizontal rail with a hook device installed on them, as well as placed on board the UAV parachute, parachute release device, coil with coiled cable with an anchor at the end, devices for lowering the cable. Moreover, the height of the poles is greater than the length of the cable with the anchor, which ensures the free rotation of the UAV around the yardarm when the anchor is successfully engaged with the towing device.

The application of the device for implementing the method is based on the fact that at the stage of landing the UAV is taken out in the direction of the landing site in such a way that the projection of the trajectory of the subsequent flight of the UAV onto the towing device placed on the poles at the landing site of the UAV crosses it, and the flight altitude ensures the engagement of the UAV descended from UAV anchor for the towing device. They lower the anchor from the UAV with the help of a cable and fly until the anchor engages with the towing device. If the engagement is not completed, then the UAV approach is repeated for landing. When the anchor is successfully hooked onto the hook, the parachute release device is triggered and a parachute is ejected from the UAV to dampen the speed of the device, and the engine is turned off. The unmanned aerial vehicle switches from horizontal flight to rotational motion around the horizontal rail until it hovering.

The disadvantage of the method and the device for its implementation are the practical impossibility of safely using the method for landing a UAV with a mass of more than 30 kilograms, as well as the difficulties that arise when removing the UAV after it hangs on a cable to prepare for the next flight, as well as the towing device for landing the next UAV.

The technical result of the invention is to ensure the safe landing of a UAV weighing more than 30 kilograms on a small landing site with a deviation from a given point of no more than a few meters, increasing the efficiency of re-use of the UAV, as well as reducing the time for preparing a landing site for landing the next unmanned aerial vehicle.

This result is achieved by the fact that in the known method of precise landing of an unmanned aerial vehicle of an aircraft type, in which at the initial stage of landing the UAV is carried out in the direction of the landing site in such a way that the projection of the trajectory of the subsequent flight onto the towing device placed on the poles at the landing site, crossed it, and the flight altitude ensured the engagement of the anchor lowered from the UAV by the towing device, the anchor is lowered from the UAV using the anchor cable, the UAV engine speed is reduced to reduce speed, and the UAV is flown at the minimum allowable speed until the anchor engages by the towing device, when engaging the anchors by the towing device release the parachute and turn off the engine, additionally ensure the flight height of the UAV and the length of the released anchor cable more than the height required for the safe landing of the UAV on a parachute, after the anchor is engaged by the towing device and the parachute opens, the UAV is pulled by the anchor cable coupled with using the anchor by the towing device, in the direction of the previously stretched horizontally mesh at the UAV landing site, the UAV is landed on the stretched mesh.

This result is achieved by the fact that in the device for implementing the method of precise landing of an unmanned aerial vehicle of an aircraft type, containing

on-board equipment consisting of: a parachute, a parachute ejection device, an onboard reel with an anchor cable and an anchor, a device for lowering a cable;

and landing equipment consisting of: a landing pad, two poles and a towing device;

wherein

the anchor is attached to the end of the anchor cable,

the device for lowering the anchor cable is mechanically connected to the onboard coil to transfer it into rotation on command,

the parachute ejection device is connected to the anchor cable to eject the parachute from the UAV in the event of a load from the anchor side,

the poles on which the hitch is placed are installed vertically on the landing site,

moreover, before the start of the UAV landing stage, the anchor cable with an anchor at the end is wound on an onboard coil, and the parachute is placed on board the UAV,

additionally included in the landing equipment

a metal frame and mesh with dimensions of at least three maximum dimensions of an unmanned aerial vehicle,

racks with a height that ensures safe landing of a UAV descending on a parachute on the grid,

a hole in the center of the grid with a diameter not less than the diameter of the side coil,

winch,

landing rope,

starting device,

timer,

power supply,

two pole cleaning mechanisms,

anchor cable rewinder,

wherein

racks are installed vertically on the landing site,

a metal frame with a mesh stretched over it is fixed horizontally on racks,

pole cleaning mechanisms are located on racks opposite to the center of the grid and are mechanically connected to the poles,

the poles are mounted on the pole cleaning mechanisms and made flexible, and the upper ends are made U-shaped,

the winch, the launcher and the anchor cable rewinder are fixed on the landing site, and the winch and the launcher are installed under the hole in the net, and the anchor cable rewinder so that its axis is parallel to the winch axis without displacement,

moreover, the starting device is made in the form of a toggle switch with a lever and is connected to a timer to start it,

the mechanisms of winch rotation and pole retraction are connected to the electrical supply through controlled timer contacts,

the onboard coil is made easily removable,

while the towing device consists of

a landing rope wound around the winch, the free end of which is made in the form of a self-tightening loop stretched through a hole in the net between the trigger lever and the upper ends of the vertical poles.

The essence of the invention is as follows.

Figure 1 shows a diagram of a device for implementing the proposed method of precise landing UAV aircraft type until the engagement of the anchor for the towing device, figure 2 - after the clutch landing cable with the anchor cable.

The figures show:

1 - UAV; 2 - UAV velocity vector; 3 - onboard coil; 4 - anchor cable; 5 - anchor; 6 - landing site; 7 - racks; 8 - mesh stretched over the frame; 9 - hole in the grid; 10 - flexible poles; 11 - device for rewinding the anchor cable; 12 - winch; 13 - starting device; 14 - pole cleaning mechanisms; 15 - landing cable loop; 16 - parachute, 17 - landing cable.

Landing platform 6 serves to install racks 7 on it, an anchor cable rewinder 11, a winch 12 and a starting device 13.

Racks 7 are designed to fix a metal frame on them, on which a mesh 8 is stretched. At the same time, two of them oppositely standing relative to the center of the mesh 8 racks 7 serve to place the cleaning mechanisms of poles 14 on them.

Grid 8 is designed to compensate for the additional rate of descent of the UAV 1, which occurs when it is pulled up to the landing site 6.

The hole 9 in the grid 8 serves to pass through it the landing rope 17 with a loop 15 during the preparation and landing of the UAV 1, as well as the onboard coil 3 after the landing of the UAV 1.

Flexible poles 10 are intended for tension between their upper ends and the trigger 13 of the self-tightening loop 15 in preparation for the landing of the UAV 1 and the initial repayment of the speed of the UAV 1 when the anchor 5 is hooked on the loop 15.

The anchor cable rewinder 11 is used to rewind, after landing the UAV 1, the anchor cable 4, coupled with the landing cable 17, from the winch 12 back to the onboard reel 3 removed from the UAV 1 in order to disconnect the cables 4 and 17.

The winch 12 with a rotation mechanism is designed to pull up the UAV 1 by winding onto it the landing rope 17 and the anchor rope 4 coupled with the anchor 5 and the loop 15.

The starting device 13 serves to tension the loop 15 of the landing rope 17 before the landing of the UAV 1, and after the landing rope 17 is engaged with the anchor rope 4 (figure 2) and tensioned - actuating the winch 12 rotation mechanisms and cleaning the poles 14 through a timer.

The cleaning mechanisms of the poles 14 serve for the timely cleaning of the poles 10 and the safe landing of the UAV 1 on the grid 8.

The landing rope 17 with a self-tightening loop 15 at the end is intended for coupling with the anchor 5 to the anchor rope 4 and pulling the UAV 1 onto the net 8.

Parachute 16 is designed for safe landing of UAV 1.

The principle of operation of the device that implements the UAV precision landing method is as follows.

As can be seen from figure 1, it is initially assumed that before landing UAV 1 prepared landing equipment, namely: poles 10 set vertically; the lever of the toggle switch of the starting device 13 is transferred to a horizontal position; pull the loop 15 of the landing rope 17 between the lever of the toggle switch of the starting device 13 and the U-shaped ends of the poles 10.

At the initial stage of landing, the UAV 1 is displayed (by the operator manually or automatically according to the programmed program) on such a flight route so that the projections of the subsequent flight of the UAV 1 and the loop 15 stretched between the poles 10 intersect, and the flight height above the platform 6 is sufficient to open the parachute 16 and safe UAV landing 1.

Before landing, at the command of the operator or programmatically on board the UAV 1, to reduce its speed, the engine speed is reduced and the device for lowering the anchor cable 4 is started, the onboard coil 3 begins to rotate and the anchor cable 4 unwinds. Anchor 5 is lowered from the UAV 1 to a length L (H< L<H+h, where Η is the flight height of the UAV 1, h is the joint height of the flexible pole 10 and the rack 7) and the flight is performed along a given route until the anchor 5 engages for the loop 15 of the landing rope stretched between the upper ends of the poles 10 and the launcher 13 17.

When the anchor 5 is hooked on the loop 15, the anchor cable 4 is pulled, which leads to the operation of the parachute ejection device, which ejects the parachute 16 and turns off the UAV 1 engine. , on which the loop 15 is thrown, begin to bend and extinguish the kinetic energy of the UAV 1 (movement speed) until the loop 15 jumps off the poles 10. The ejected parachute 16, opening up, also slows down the horizontal movement of the UAV 1. With further tension of the anchor cable 4, the self-tightening loop 15 , coupled to the cable 4 with the help of the anchor 5, continues to tighten and leads to the triggering of the trigger 13, namely, the toggle switch lever of the trigger switches from horizontal to vertical position, releasing the loop 15 and starting the timer. The delay time of the timer operation is determined by the time required for the loop 15 to fully tighten and the landing cable 17 to anchor with the anchor cable 4, the horizontal speed of the UAV 1 to be canceled and the parachute 16 to fully open.

After the timer is triggered, the mechanism for rotating the winch 12 is turned on to pull up the UAV 1, and the mechanisms for cleaning the poles 14 for cleaning the poles 10 so that they do not interfere with the landing of the UAV 1 on the net 8.

The UAV 1 pull-up speed is selected higher than the UAV 1 descent speed on the parachute 16 without pulling up to ensure the UAV 1 landing on the stretched mesh 8.

After landing UAV 1 stops the rotation of the axis of the winch 12, and the rotation mechanism of the winch 12 is turned off. Onboard coil 3 is disconnected from UAV 1 and UAV 1 is removed from grid 8 and, accordingly, from landing site 6. The removed onboard coil 3, coupled to winch 12 with landing cable 17 and anchor cable 4, is passed through hole 9 in grid 8 and installed in anchor cable rewinding device 11. Rewind the coupled cables 4 and 17 from the winch 12 onto the removed side spool 3 until the place of anchor 5 coupling with the loop 15 appears. the anchor 5 is removed from the anchor cable rewinder 11 for installation on the UAV 1. The poles 10 are moved to the vertical position and the lever of the trigger switch 13 is in the cocked (horizontal) position, the released loop 15 of the landing cable 17 is pulled between the upper ends of the poles 10 and the lever of the trigger switch devices 13. Landing equipment is ready for landing the next UAV.

The upper ends of the poles 10 are U-shaped or in the form of a slingshot, which makes it easy to throw a loop 15 of the landing cable 17 on them and release the loop 15 from them when pulling up the coupled cables 4 and 17. The self-tightening loop 15 is made in the form of a ring tied to one the end of the cable 17, and the other end of the cable 17 stretched through it. The starting device 13 is made in the form of a toggle switch with a lever that switches when a mechanical load is applied to start the timer.

From the foregoing, it follows that ensuring the safe landing of UAVs weighing more than 30 kg on a small platform is ensured by:

rejection of the yard, around which the UAV begins to rotate in the prototype method after the anchor is engaged and the anchor cable is wound until the UAV hangs;

smooth decrease in the kinetic energy (speed) of the UAV through the use of flexible poles and a deployable parachute;

pulling up with the help of a winch an unmanned aerial vehicle descending on a parachute to the center of a horizontally stretched net for the coupled anchor and landing cables;

timely cleaning of flexible poles;

UAV landing on a stretched net.

Increasing the efficiency of re-use of UAVs, as well as reducing the time for preparing a landing site for landing the next UAV is provided by:

use of an easily removable onboard coil;

the presence of a hole in the center of the grid;

inclusion in the composition of the landing equipment of the device for rewinding the anchor cable;

connection of the anchor cable of the UAV and the landing cable by means of an anchor and a self-tightening loop.

The UAV precise landing method is practically realizable and can be carried out both manually and automatically. When landing manually, cleaning the poles and turning on / off the winch mechanism can be done manually by one person.

Thus, the proposed method for precise landing of an aircraft-type UAV and a device for its implementation ensure the safe landing of a UAV weighing more than 30 kilograms on a small landing site with a deviation from a given point of no more than a few meters, increasing the efficiency of reusing the UAV, as well as reducing the time for preparing a landing site for landing. landing of the next unmanned aerial vehicle.

Claims (2)

1. A method for precise landing of an unmanned aerial vehicle of an aircraft type, in which, at the initial stage of landing, the UAV is carried out in the direction of the landing site in such a way that the projection of the trajectory of the subsequent flight on the hook placed on the poles at the landing site crosses it, and the flight altitude ensured the engagement of the anchor lowered from the UAV by the towing device, the anchor is lowered from the UAV using the anchor cable, the UAV engine speed is reduced to reduce speed and the UAV is flying at the minimum allowable speed until the anchor is engaged by the towing device, when the anchor is engaged by the towing device, the parachute is released and turn off the engine, characterized in that they provide the flight height of the UAV and the length of the released anchor cable to more than the height required for the safe landing of the UAV on a parachute; device, in alignment of the grid stretched horizontally in advance at the landing site of the UAV, the UAV is landed on the stretched grid. 2. A precision landing device for an unmanned aerial vehicle of an aircraft type, containing on-board equipment consisting of: a parachute, a parachute ejection device, an onboard reel with an anchor cable and an anchor, a device for lowering the cable; and landing equipment consisting of: a landing pad, two poles and a towing device; at the same time, the anchor is fixed at the end of the anchor cable, the device for lowering the anchor cable is mechanically connected to the onboard reel to turn it into rotation on command, the parachute ejection device is connected to the anchor cable for ejecting the parachute from the UAV in the event of a load from the anchor, poles on which the towing device is installed vertically on the landing site, and before the UAV landing stage, the anchor cable with an anchor at the end is wound on the side coil, and the parachute is placed on the UAV board, characterized in that the landing equipment includes a metal frame and a mesh with dimensions of at least three the maximum dimensions of an unmanned aerial vehicle, a stand with a height that ensures safe landing of a parachuted UAV on the net, a hole in the center of the net with a diameter not less than the diameter of the onboard reel, a winch, a landing rope, a starting device, a timer, electric power supply, two pole cleaning mechanisms, a rewinding device anchor cable, In this case, the racks are installed vertically on the landing site, the metal frame with the net stretched over it is fixed horizontally on the racks, the pole cleaning mechanisms are located on racks opposite to the center of the grid and are mechanically connected to the poles, the poles are installed on the pole cleaning mechanisms and made flexible, and the upper ends are made U-shaped, the winch, the launcher and the anchor cable rewinder are fixed on the landing site, and the winch and the launcher are installed under the hole in the net, and the anchor cable rewinder so that its axis is parallel to the axis of the winch without displacement, and the launcher is made in the form of a toggle switch with a lever and connected to a timer to start it, the mechanisms for rotating the winch and cleaning the poles through the controlled contacts of the timer are connected to electrical power, the onboard coil is easily removable, while the towing device consists of a landing cable wound around the winch, a free horse which is made in the form of a self-tightening loop stretched through a hole in the grid between the trigger lever and the upper ends of the vertical poles.

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