WO2019109215A1

WO2019109215A1 - Power device, unmanned aerial vehicle, and flight control method

Info

Publication number: WO2019109215A1
Application number: PCT/CN2017/114478
Authority: WO
Inventors: 陈晨
Original assignee: 深圳市大疆创新科技有限公司
Priority date: 2017-12-04
Filing date: 2017-12-04
Publication date: 2019-06-13
Also published as: CN109311536A

Abstract

A power device (100), an unmanned aerial vehicle (200), and a flight control method. The power device is used to drive an aerial vehicle to fly, and comprises a lifting assembly (1) and a horizontal propulsion assembly (2). The lifting assembly comprises multiple rotary blades (11). When the aerial vehicle is taking off or landing vertically, or hovering, the rotary blades provide a lifting force to the aerial vehicle. When the aerial vehicle is flying in a forward direction, the multiple rotary blades and a rotation plane of the multiple rotary blades provide a lifting force to the aerial vehicle. The horizontal propulsion assembly is used to apply a driving force to the aerial vehicle to drive the aerial vehicle to move forward in a horizontal direction. The power device enables an unmanned aerial vehicle to have increased forward-flight efficiency and a longer flight time.

Description

Power plant, unmanned aerial vehicle and flight control method

Technical field

The invention relates to the field of unmanned aerial vehicles, and in particular to a power device, an unmanned aerial vehicle and a flight control method.

Background technique

With the continuous development of technology, unmanned aerial vehicles and other unmanned intelligent devices have been more and more widely used.

At present, when the UAV is flying, it mainly uses the pulling force generated by the blades when the rotor rotates as the power to achieve flight. Since the rotor structure of the UAV is relatively simple, it is difficult to change the direction of the force of the rotor by changing the pitch. Therefore, when the UAV is in a state of high speed advancement, it is necessary to let itself lean forward a large angle and utilize the level of the rotor tension. The direction component and the vertical component are used as the forward power and lift respectively to meet the normal flight of the UAV.

However, when the UAV relies on the forward tilting of the forward flight, the unmanned aerial vehicle has a higher demand for the rotor pulling force, generally 2-3 times of its own gravity, resulting in lower forward flight efficiency and shorter flight range.

Summary of the invention

The embodiment of the invention provides a power device, an unmanned aerial vehicle and a flight control method, which can make the forward flight efficiency of the unmanned aerial vehicle high and the flight range is long.

In a first aspect, the present invention provides a power unit for driving an aircraft flight, including a lift assembly and a horizontal propulsion assembly, the lift assembly including a plurality of rotors, the plurality of rotors providing lift for the aircraft when the aircraft is vertically hoisted and hovered and hovered When the aircraft is flying forward, the rotation planes of the plurality of rotors and the plurality of rotors provide lift for the aircraft, and the horizontal propulsion assembly is used to apply a driving force for advancing in the horizontal direction to the aircraft.

In a second aspect, the present invention provides an unmanned aerial vehicle comprising a frame and a power unit as described above, the power unit being disposed on the frame for driving the unmanned aerial vehicle to fly.

In a third aspect, the present invention provides a flight control method for an unmanned aerial vehicle, which is applied to a flight controller of an unmanned aerial vehicle, and the method includes:

The flight controller receives the control command;

When the control command is to cause the UAV to take off and land vertically or hover in the air, the flight controller issues a first command for controlling the plurality of rotors to control the plurality of rotors to provide lift for the unmanned aerial vehicle;

When the control command is to cause the UAV to fly forward, the flight controller issues a second command for controlling the plurality of rotors to adjust the plane of rotation of the plurality of rotors such that the plane of rotation provides lift to the unmanned aerial vehicle.

The power device, the unmanned aerial vehicle and the flight control method of the present invention are mounted on an aircraft and used to drive the aircraft to fly. The power device includes a lift assembly for providing lift and a horizontal propulsion assembly for propelling the aircraft horizontally. The lift assembly includes a plurality of rotors. When the aircraft is vertically hoisted and hoisted and hovered, the plurality of rotors provide lift for the aircraft by self-rotation; and when the aircraft is flying forward, the plurality of rotors and the plane of rotation of the rotor provide lift for the aircraft. . The horizontal propulsion assembly is used to apply a driving force that advances in the horizontal direction to the aircraft. Since the connection between the power component and the rotor is disconnected during high-speed cruising, the power unit only relies on the horizontal propulsion assembly. The aircraft usually only needs to overcome the forward resistance, and the required power is less, and the high front can be maintained. The efficiency of the aircraft enables the aircraft to have a faster flight speed and a longer range.

DRAWINGS

In order to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, a brief description of the drawings used in the embodiments or the prior art description will be briefly described below. Obviously, the drawings in the following description It is a certain embodiment of the present invention, and other drawings can be obtained from those skilled in the art without any inventive labor.

1 is a schematic structural view of a power device according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention;

2 is a schematic view showing the relative positions of a rotor and an incoming flow in a power unit according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention;

3 is a schematic structural view of an unmanned aerial vehicle according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention;

4 is a schematic view of the attitude of a prior art rotorcraft in front flight

FIG. 5 is a schematic flow chart of a flight control method according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention.

Description of the reference signs:

1 - lift assembly; 2 - horizontal propulsion assembly; 11 - rotor; 100 - power unit; 101 - rack; 102 - load; 200 - unmanned aerial vehicle; 1011 - body; 1012 - arm.

Detailed ways

The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described in conjunction with the drawings in the embodiments of the present invention. It is a partial embodiment of the invention, and not all of the embodiments. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of the present invention without creative efforts are within the scope of the present invention.

1 is a schematic structural view of a power unit according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the power device provided in this embodiment can be installed on an aircraft and used to drive the aircraft to fly. The power device provided by the embodiment includes a lift assembly 1 for providing lift and a horizontal propulsion assembly 2 for propelling the aircraft horizontally, wherein the lift assembly 1 includes a plurality of rotors 11 when the aircraft is vertically taken up and down and hovered. The plurality of rotors 11 provide lift to the aircraft by their own rotation; and when the aircraft is flying forward, the plurality of rotors 11 and the plane of rotation of the rotors 11 provide lift to the aircraft. The horizontal propulsion assembly 2 is used to apply a driving force that advances in the horizontal direction to the aircraft.

Generally, since the rotor 11 generates a horizontal torque with respect to the power unit or the entire aircraft when actively rotating, in order to prevent the aircraft from rotating in the reverse direction, the number of the rotors 11 in the lift assembly 1 is at least two. One. This makes it possible to offset the torque generated by the rotor 11 by setting different directions of rotation for the different rotors 11 to ensure that the aircraft has a normal flight attitude.

Specifically, the power unit has a lift assembly 1 that can provide lift to the aircraft so that the aircraft can hover in the air or fly forward in the air. The lift assembly 1 has a plurality of rotors 11 disposed horizontally or approximately horizontally. The rotors 11 generally include a centrally located rotating shaft and a plurality of blades coupled to the rotating shaft, the blades rotating in a horizontal plane about the rotating shaft to provide the aircraft with Lift and pull.

Among them, when the rotor 11 in the lift assembly 1 corresponds to different flight states, the lift generated by the rotation and the power to drive the rotation thereof are not the same. The following are based on different flight conditions, The working principle of the horizontal rotor 11 will be specifically described.

When the aircraft is in vertical take-off, hovering or low-speed navigation, the rotor 11 is connected to the aircraft's own power source and is rotated by the power source. Since the blades of the rotor 11 are generally not parallel to the horizontal plane, they have a certain angle of attack. Thus, when the rotor 11 is rotated, the airflow flowing through the upper and lower surfaces of the blades of the rotor 11 is differentiated, and the airflow velocity through the upper surface of the blade is higher, the pressure is smaller, and the airflow flowing through the lower surface of the blade The speed is lower and the pressure is higher. In this way, under the pressure difference between the upper and lower surfaces of the blade, an upward lifting force acting on the rotor 11 is generated. When the lifting force generated when the rotor 11 rotates is greater than the gravity of the aircraft, the aircraft can be taken off the ground. Hovering in the air or performing low-speed navigation.

Since the rotor 11 on the aircraft rotates in a horizontal plane or an approximately horizontal plane, it is difficult to provide a driving force for the advancement of the aircraft, so when the aircraft is in a high-speed cruising state, the aircraft can be pushed or pulled by the horizontal propulsion assembly 2. At this point, the power unit works like a helicopter's unpowered spin drop. Specifically, since the aircraft has a high forward speed, the rotor 11 will encounter a strong incoming flow. Since the blade shape of the rotor 11 has a certain angle of attack, the rotor 11 can be rotated by the blowing of the airflow. When rotating, the blades of the rotor 11 can use the pressure difference between the upper and lower surfaces to generate lift, or squeeze the air, and the air can generate an oblique upward reaction force on the blade, and the reaction force is divided in the vertical direction. The force can be used as the lift to which the blade is subjected; in addition, when the rotor 11 rotates, the blades of the rotor 11 form a disk-shaped plane of rotation that can also squeeze air and be lifted by air. Under the reverse force, the reverse force can also be used as the lift of the rotor 11 to assist the aircraft in maintaining the flying height. Due to the faster forward speed of the aircraft, the larger the airflow received by the rotor 11, the greater the pressure difference or the reaction force, so when the aircraft has sufficient forward speed, the lift generated by the rotor 11 can be compared with the gravity of the aircraft. Offset to maintain the height of the aircraft in the air. Thus, the horizontal propulsion assembly 2 and the rotor 11 in the lift assembly 1 provide the aircraft with forward power and lift in the air, respectively, enabling the aircraft to fly normally at a certain cruising speed. Since the principle of the lift generated by the rotor 11 when driven by the power source of the aircraft and the rotation of the airflow is different, the rotational speed required for the rotor 11 is also different. Generally, the rotational speed of the rotor 11 when driven by the power module and providing the lift is provided. It is higher than the rotation speed when the rotor 11 is rotated by the air flow.

When the conventional rotor 11 is used as a power plant for flying at a high speed, since the rotor 11 is horizontal with respect to the body, it is necessary to tilt the whole machine forward by a large angle, so as to be driven by the horizontal component of the pulling force generated when the rotor 11 rotates. The rotor 11 is advancing. At this time, the vertical component of the lift when the rotor 11 rotates is small, and the aircraft needs to provide a large power to simultaneously satisfy the need of flying forward and overcoming gravity. In general, in order to meet the needs of high-speed forward flight, the power demand of the rotor 11 of the conventional rotor 11 aircraft is usually 2-3 times that of its own gravity. In the power device of this embodiment, when the aircraft is cruising at high speed, the connection between the power component and the rotor 11 is broken, and the power device only relies on the horizontal propulsion assembly 2, and the aircraft usually only needs to overcome the forward resistance, and the required Less power. Therefore, the power unit in this embodiment can maintain high efficiency, and the aircraft has a faster flying speed and a longer range.

In order to fly in front of the aircraft, the rotor 11 can be provided with a sufficient angle of attack by the windward rotation of the rotor 11 to provide a certain angle of attack for the plane of rotation of the rotor 11 when rotating. Specifically, when the aircraft is advanced horizontally, the angle of attack between the plane of rotation of the rotor 11 and the horizontal plane can be maintained between -5 and +20. Thus, the rotation plane of the rotor 11 and the horizontal plane are at a positive angle of attack. Therefore, when the rotor 11 is blown by the oncoming flow, the direction of the incoming flow has an angle with the plane of rotation of the rotor 11, so that the airflow rotates the plane with respect to the rotor 11. The direction of the force is oblique upwards, which can be broken down into backward forces and upward lift. At this point, the airflow creates an upward lift that can lift the rotor 11 and maintains the flight altitude under lift.

2 is a schematic view showing the relative positions of a rotor and an incoming flow in a power unit according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, in order to allow the aircraft to provide lift to the aircraft by rotation of the rotor 11 during hovering, the blade angle of attack of the rotor 11 is generally a positive angle of attack. When the rotor 11 is connected to the power source of the aircraft and is actively driven to generate lift under the driving of the power component, since the blade angle of attack of the rotor 11 is generally a positive angle of attack, the leading edge of the blade is higher than the trailing edge, so the paddle The lower surface of the blade is relatively flat, the airflow speed is slower, and the pressure is larger. The upper surface of the blade is affected by the shape of the leading edge of the blade, has a higher airflow velocity, and has a smaller pressure, so that the lift has a lift under the pressure difference. Thus, as long as the horizontal rotor 11 has a sufficient rotational speed, the lift can be provided by the pressure difference between the upper and lower surfaces of the blade, so that the rotor 11 can still normally provide a lift sufficient to overcome the gravity of the aircraft, thereby maintaining the aircraft hovering in the air or flying at low speed. .

As an alternative embodiment, in order to enable the rotor 11 to be rotated in a vertical take-off or hovering state, the lift assembly 1 further includes a power assembly for driving the rotation of the rotor 11 (Fig. Not shown) such that the rotor 11 can be rotated by the power assembly or driven by the airflow encountered when the aircraft is moving forward to provide lift to the aircraft.

When the rotor 11 in the power unit has a certain inflow speed, it can be driven by the airflow without being driven by the power component of the aircraft, so that in order to improve the driving efficiency of the power unit, the level can be switched according to the flight speed of the aircraft. The power source of the rotor 11. Specifically, since the magnitude of the lift generated by the rotor 11 when driven by the airflow is related to the flight speed of the aircraft, it can be defined that the flight speed of the aircraft when the lift generated by the rotor 11 is rotated by the airflow is equal to the gravity of the aircraft. For the self-sustaining speed of the aircraft. The working state of the power unit can be:

When the flying speed of the aircraft is far less than the self-sustaining speed until the self-sustaining speed is equal, the rotor 11 is rotated by the power component;

When the flight speed of the aircraft is greater than the self-sustaining speed, the rotor 11 rotates under the air flow encountered when the aircraft advances.

Since the aircraft is in a hovering state, or when the flying speed is low, the difference between the flying speed of the aircraft and the self-sustaining speed is large, and thus is much smaller than the self-sustaining speed. At this time, the flight speed of the aircraft is less than the first preset value, wherein the first preset value is also less than the self-sustaining speed, and the difference between the first preset value and the self-sustaining speed is greater than the second preset value. At this time, it is possible to determine whether the flight speed of the aircraft is much smaller than the self-sustaining speed by appropriately setting the second preset value and the size of the first preset value. When the flying speed of the aircraft is much smaller than the self-sustaining speed, the lifting force generated by the rotor 11 when the airflow is driven to rotate is not enough to overcome the gravity of the aircraft, and thus the driving force provided by the oncoming airflow generally only accounts for a part of the driving force of the rotor. The driving force of the rotation of the rotor 11 is partially or entirely derived from the driving force provided by the power component, so that the rotor 11 needs to be rotated by the power component and generates lift by rotation, so that the aircraft can maintain a certain height in the air.

In order to ensure the hovering performance of the aircraft, the rotor 11 usually adopts a large paddle load and a large pitch design. However, this structure may affect the efficiency of the spin of the aircraft, making it difficult to achieve the self-sustaining speed, thus allowing the aircraft to fly forward. It is always necessary to provide a power driven rotor 11 . Therefore, when the flight speed of the aircraft is increased from much smaller than the self-sustaining speed until it is close to the self-sustaining speed, that is, close to the self-sustaining speed, or has a predetermined difference from the self-sustaining speed, the airflow encountered by the aircraft cannot be completely allowed at this time. The rotor 11 maintains a sufficient rotational speed, so at this time the same The power component is required to drive the rotor 11 to rotate.

When the flying speed of the aircraft is fast enough, that is, greater than the self-sustaining speed, the rotor 11 can provide sufficient lift only by the driving of the airflow, so that the power connection between the power component and the rotor 11 is broken at this time, and the rotor 11 is The high-speed windward flow makes it self-rotating and produces lift that allows the aircraft to fly normally.

It should be noted that when the aircraft is flying, it may be affected by the external wind. When the direction of the wind is opposite to the flight speed of the aircraft, the wind speed of the aircraft is faster and the rotor 11 is provided with a stronger driving force. Thus, the speed of the windward flow at this time is equivalent to the vector sum of the flight speed of the aircraft and the external airflow speed. Correspondingly, the self-sustaining speed of the aircraft usually needs to be adjusted according to the wind.

Specifically, the direction of rotation of each of the rotors 11 when rotated by the power pack is the same as the direction of rotation of the rotors 11 that are driven by the airflow encountered when the aircraft is advanced. In this way, when the driving device switches the driving mode of the rotor 11, the rotor 11 can be driven to rotate under the driving of the power module and the rotor 11 can be driven by the airflow without the need to stop the rotor 11 and change the direction of rotation. Switching. Therefore, the power device does not generate a large height loss when switching the driving mode of the rotor 11, and can ensure better flight safety and flight quality.

In order to allow the aircraft to freely adjust its height, the rotor 11 can achieve lift adjustment of the horizontal rotor 11 by, for example, the rotor 11 can have a variable angle of attack. When the angle of attack of the rotor 11 is changed, the magnitude of the force applied by the airflow also changes, so that the lift formed by it changes. Alternatively, it is also possible to change the output rotational speed of the power unit so that the rotor 11 has a variable rotational speed when the power unit is driven, and the lift force also changes due to a change in the relative speed between the rotor 11 and the air flow. In addition, the angle of attack and the rotational speed of the rotor 11 can also be adjusted simultaneously to accelerate the rate of change of the lift and improve the maneuverability of the aircraft.

In general, since the aircraft generally has a body and an arm extending from the body, and the arm can have various positions relative to the body, the rotor 11 can be located above or to the side of the aircraft body. In this way, the rotor 11 does not interfere with components located under the aircraft, such as the landing gear or load, when rotating, and flight safety is better. Generally, in order to ensure high aerodynamic efficiency, the rotor 11 is generally disposed at an end position of the arm away from the body.

In order to drive the horizontal rotor 11 to produce active rotation, the power assembly usually includes a motor, a motor The output shaft is pivotally coupled to the rotor 11 of the horizontal rotor 11. The motor has a relatively compact volume and can be easily powered by a battery or the like to drive the horizontal rotor 11 to rotate.

In order to drive the aircraft forward, the horizontal propulsion assembly 2 in the power unit can typically be used to generate horizontal thrust to advance the aircraft under horizontal thrust.

Specifically, the horizontal propulsion assembly 2 may include a propeller, a ducted fan, or a jet device. Among them, the propeller or ducted fan can be arranged in front, side or rear of the entire aircraft. When the propeller and ducted fan are located in front of the aircraft, the propeller or ducted fan can provide tension to the aircraft through the rotation of the blade, while the propeller and ducted fan are located behind the aircraft, and the air is generated by the rotation of the blade. Backward airflow to achieve reverse travel of the aircraft. The jet device can use a pressurized gas cylinder or air bag to inject air into the rear of the aircraft to propel the aircraft forward.

In this embodiment, the power unit is mounted on the aircraft and is used to drive the aircraft to fly. The power unit includes a lift assembly for providing lift and a horizontal propulsion assembly for propelling the aircraft horizontally, wherein the lift assembly includes a plurality of rotors. When the aircraft is taking off and landing vertically and hovering, the plurality of rotors provide lift to the aircraft by their own rotation; and when the aircraft is flying forward, the plurality of rotors and the plane of rotation of the rotor provide lift for the aircraft. The horizontal propulsion assembly is used to apply a driving force that advances in the horizontal direction to the aircraft. Since the connection between the power component and the rotor is disconnected during high-speed cruising, the power unit only relies on the horizontal propulsion assembly. The aircraft usually only needs to overcome the forward resistance, and the required power is less, and the high front can be maintained. The efficiency of the aircraft enables the aircraft to have a faster flight speed and a longer range.

FIG. 3 is a schematic structural diagram of an unmanned aerial vehicle according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 3, the unmanned aerial vehicle 200 provided in this embodiment includes a rack 101 and a power unit 100 according to the first embodiment. The power unit 100 is disposed on the rack 101 of the unmanned aerial vehicle 200 for driving no The human aircraft 200 flies. The specific structure, working principle and effect of the power device 100 have been described in detail in the foregoing first embodiment, and are not described herein again.

Specifically, the UAV 200 can generally be used for autonomous or user remote flight, and typically includes different components such as the rack 101 and the power unit 100. In order to enable the unmanned aerial vehicle 200 to be lifted off and fly in the air, the unmanned aerial vehicle 200 is provided with a power unit 100, and the lift assembly 1 of the power unit 100 enables the unmanned aerial vehicle 200 to achieve air flight and hovering against its own gravity. The horizontal propulsion assembly 2 in the power unit 100 is used to the unmanned aerial vehicle 200 Provides a horizontal driving force to enable the UAV 200 to achieve cruising flight at different speeds.

Wherein, since the lift component 1 of the power unit 100 mainly provides upward lift to the unmanned aerial vehicle 200, the horizontal propulsion assembly 2 only needs to overcome the resistance when the unmanned aerial vehicle 200 is advanced, and thus the power requirement of the power unit 100 is small. The power unit 100 is highly efficient in propelling the unmanned aerial vehicle 200, and the unmanned aerial vehicle 200 is capable of achieving a longer range.

Specifically, since the lift direction generated by the lift assembly 1 is generally substantially in the vertical direction, most of the lift of the lift assembly 1 can be used to overcome the gravity of the unmanned aerial vehicle 200, so that as long as the lift generated by the lift assembly 1 is generated, Greater than the gravity of the UAV 200, the UAV 200 can be taken off the ground or hovered in the air, and the lift assembly 1 only needs to reserve less power for maneuvering. Therefore, in the prior art, the rotor 11 of the rotorcraft needs to achieve a lift of 2-3 times the gravity of the aircraft in order to fly normally, and the lift required for the lift assembly 1 is greatly reduced, which can effectively improve the efficiency of the power unit and increase the number of The voyage of a human aircraft.

4 is a schematic view showing the attitude of a prior art rotorcraft in front flight. As shown in FIG. 4, the conventional conventional rotorcraft relies on the rotor to provide lift, and in the forward flight, in order to allow the rotor to provide forward power, it is necessary to tilt the rotorcraft's fuselage forward and downward, thereby allowing the rotor to rotate. The direction is directed to the front upper portion of the rotorcraft and the horizontal component of the force generated by the rotation of the rotor is used to drive the rotorcraft forward. At this time, the bottom of the fuselage of the rotorcraft will be blocked by the head of the body, and the field of view of the equipment under the fuselage will be affected. In the present embodiment, the unmanned aerial vehicle 200 is powered by the lift assembly 1 and the horizontal propulsion assembly 2 in the power unit 100, respectively. Therefore, when the conventional rotorcraft is flying forward, the fuselage needs to be tilted forward to make the rotor When the unmanned aerial vehicle 200 in this embodiment is horizontally flying, the entire body is in a horizontal posture or an approximate horizontal posture. Only when the UAV 200 is performing maneuvering and posture adjustment, the body will exhibit a certain tilting side. In this way, the UAV 200 does not need to perform an overall forward tilting like the prior art rotorcraft when flying, but can maintain the horizontal attitude of the airframe for forward flight, and thus the components located under the UAV 200 are not subject to In the occlusion, the UAV 200 can obtain a better lower front field of view.

Specifically, the frame 101 of the UAV 200 may generally include a body 1011 and an arm 1012, and the power unit 100 is coupled to the body 1011 via the arm 1012. Thus, one end of the arm 1012 is connected to the body 1011, and the other end is extended to the outside of the body 1011, for example, above or to the side of the body 1011. Thus, the lift component 1 in the power unit 100 can be set. It is placed at one end of the arm 1012 away from the body 1011. Since the lift assembly 1 includes components such as the rotor 11 that require a large movable space, the lift assembly 1 or the like is disposed at a position away from the arm of the body 1011 of the unmanned aerial vehicle 200, and the body 1011 can be prevented from interfering with the normal rotation of the rotor 11. It also prevents the rotation of the rotor 11 from causing interference and influence on the accessories provided on the body 1011.

The unmanned aerial vehicle 200 usually needs to perform different operations such as aerial photography, remote sensing, and item placement. Accordingly, the unmanned aerial vehicle 200 usually includes a load 102, and the load 102 can be of various types, and the load 102 is convenient. For the operation, the load 102 is generally disposed below the body 1011, so that when the UAV 200 is flying, the side and the bottom of the load 102 are not blocked by the body 1011.

Alternatively, the load 102 carried by the UAV 200 may include at least one of a camera and an ultrasound probe. Thus, when the UAV 200 is carrying the camera, it is possible to photograph the lower area of the UAV 200 for aerial photography or the like. The UAV 200 can transmit ultrasonic waves when carrying an ultrasonic probe, and perform tasks such as terrain detection, mapping, or the like to perform obstacle avoidance operations using ultrasonic echoes.

As an alternative embodiment, since the rotor 11 in the lift assembly 1 is actively rotated under the driving of the power assembly, the body 1011 of the UAV 200 is subjected to the torque of the rotor 11 to generate a reverse rotation. In order to keep the fuselage 1011 of the unmanned aerial vehicle 200 stable without causing rotation, the lift assembly 1 of the power unit 100 may include an even number of rotors 11 symmetrically disposed on both sides of the central axis of the body 1011. At this time, the horizontal rotors 11 on different sides of the central axis of the body 1011 may have opposite rotational directions, and thus each pair of rotors 11 located on both sides of the central axis of the body 1011 may have opposite torque directions due to self-rotation. Thereby offsetting each other, the UAV 200 is pointed in the correct course direction.

In general, the lift assembly 1 in the UAV 200 can generally include four, six or eight rotors 11 and to ensure that the UAV 200 has a compact structure and lighter weight, the lift assembly of the UAV 200 One of the four rotors 11 is generally included in the first embodiment. The four rotors 11 are symmetrically disposed on both sides of the central axis of the body 1011, and the two pairs of rotors 11 are respectively located at the front and the rear of the unmanned aerial vehicle 200.

In order to achieve normal cruising or maneuvering of the UAV 200, the UAV 200 is provided with a horizontal propulsion assembly 2 for providing horizontal power. The horizontal propulsion assembly 2 may be disposed at a front end, a rear end, or a side portion of the body 1011. When the horizontal propulsion assembly 2 is located in the machine The front end of the body 1011, or the side of the body 1011 and disposed forwardly, the horizontal propulsion assembly 2 is typically a propeller or the like that can generate a forward pulling force by its own rotational motion, thereby pulling the UAV 200 forward. . When the horizontal propulsion assembly 2 is located at the side rear of the body 1011, the UAV 200 is pushed forward by mainly pushing or ejecting the airflow backwards and under the reaction force of the airflow. At this time, the horizontal propulsion assembly 2 generally includes a propeller, a ducted fan, or other jet device or the like.

Further, the horizontal propulsion assembly 2 can also be used to change the heading of the UAV 200. Specifically, the horizontal propulsion assembly 2 may also be provided with a pneumatic control airfoil, or the horizontal propulsion assembly 2 may generate a vector flow with a changeable direction. At this time, the propeller of the horizontal propulsion assembly 2 or the nozzle of the jet device has a variable orientation. .

In addition, the number of horizontal propulsion assemblies 2 may also be plural, and a plurality of horizontal propulsion assemblies are disposed at different portions of the unmanned aerial vehicle 200, so that the total thrust of the horizontal propulsion assembly 2 may be increased on the one hand, so that the unmanned aerial vehicle 200 has The faster flight speed and longer range, on the other hand, can also utilize the torque generated by the difference in driving force between different horizontal propulsion components, so that the UAV 200 can perform steering and air maneuvering.

Since the aircraft 1011 generally maintains a horizontal posture while the UAV 200 in the present embodiment is flying, the body 1011 can be a lift body or have an airfoil capable of generating lift. When the whole body 1011 is a lift body, generally, the lower surface of the body 1011 is relatively flat, and the upper surface of the body 1011 has a streamlined protrusion, so that the airflow flowing through the upper and lower surfaces of the body 1011 has different speeds, and the lower surface of the body 1011 has a lower surface. The airflow speed is slower, and the airflow velocity on the upper surface of the body 1011 is faster. Thus, due to the different airflow speeds on the upper and lower surfaces of the body 1011, the air pressure on the lower surface of the body 1011 is greater than the air pressure on the upper surface of the body 1011, and the pressure difference between the upper and lower sides of the body can generate lift for the unmanned aerial vehicle 200. In addition, the body 1011 may also locally have an airfoil capable of generating lift, the airfoil may be an airfoil having an angle of attack, and generate lift by a difference in flow velocity of the airflow under the airfoil, or may be similar to the body of the lift body, and The upward lift is formed by the difference in shape of the upper and lower surfaces. Thus, the lift of the UAV 200 is provided by the structure of the horizontal rotor 11 and the body 1011, which can effectively improve the aerodynamic performance of the UAV and improve the range and seaworthiness of the UAV.

In order to improve the flight performance of the UAV 200, a pneumatic control surface may also be provided on the body 1011. The pneumatic control surface is a movable airfoil that can pass when the UAV 200 is flying. Adjusting the angle of the pneumatic control surface and changing the airflow speed through the pneumatic control surface, thereby causing the UAV 200 to perform pitching, rolling or yaw operations. The pneumatic control surface can act alone or in combination with the power unit 100 on the UAV 200 to improve the maneuverability and maneuverability of the UAV 200 and improve the flight performance of the UAV 200.

In this embodiment, the unmanned aerial vehicle includes a frame and a power device, and the power device is disposed on the frame of the unmanned aerial vehicle for driving the unmanned aerial vehicle to fly; the power device includes a lift assembly for providing lift and for propelling the aircraft a horizontally advanced horizontal propulsion assembly, wherein the lift assembly includes a plurality of rotors, the plurality of rotors provide lift to the aircraft by self-rotation when the aircraft is vertically taken off and landing and hovering; and when the aircraft is flying forward, the plurality of rotors and The plane of rotation of the rotor provides lift to the aircraft. The horizontal propulsion assembly is used to apply a driving force that advances in the horizontal direction to the aircraft. Since the connection between the power component and the rotor is disconnected during high-speed cruising, the power unit only relies on the horizontal propulsion assembly. The aircraft usually only needs to overcome the forward resistance, and the required power is less, and the high front can be maintained. The efficiency of the aircraft enables the aircraft to have a faster flight speed and a longer range; at the same time, the UAV can also obtain a better view of the lower front.

FIG. 5 is a schematic flow chart of a flight control method according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention. In the present embodiment, a flight control method is provided, which can be applied to control the flight of the unmanned aerial vehicle in the foregoing second embodiment, so that the unmanned aerial vehicle provides the lift at the time of flight using its own rotor. Specifically, the flight control method is used in a flight controller of an unmanned aerial vehicle. As shown in FIG. 5, the flight control method may specifically include the following steps:

S101. The flight controller receives a control instruction.

S102. When the control command is to make the UAV move up and down vertically or hover in the air, the flight controller issues a first instruction for controlling the plurality of rotors to control the plurality of rotors to provide lift for the unmanned aerial vehicle;

S103. When the control command is to make the UAV fly forward, the flight controller issues a second command for controlling the plurality of rotors to adjust a rotation plane where the plurality of rotors are located, so that the rotation plane provides lift for the unmanned aerial vehicle.

Specifically, the flight controller can implement data interaction with the processor of the UAV or the outside world to receive the processor or the external control command, and issue corresponding instructions to the control surface of the UAV according to different control commands. In order to control the unmanned aerial vehicle to achieve take-off, landing and flight attitude control.

The control command received by the flight controller is generally used to indicate what kind of flight operation the UAV performs, such as instructing the UAV to take off, land, air hover, or cruise in the air. The control surface of the UAV is mainly the rotor and the pneumatic control surface on the fuselage. When the received control commands are different, the commands issued by the flight controller to the control surface will also change accordingly.

When the control command causes the UAV to take off and land vertically, or if the flight speed is slow and the flight cannot be faster on the rotor, the flight controller will issue a control for the multiple rotors. The first command, the first command, enables the plurality of rotors to rotate spontaneously and utilizes the lift generated by the rotation of the rotor to provide the unmanned aircraft with the lift required to take off and land and hover. Specifically, the principle of generating lift when the rotor rotates spontaneously has been described in detail in the foregoing first embodiment, and details are not described herein again.

And when the control command causes the UAV to perform a forward flight cruise operation, the flight controller issues a second command for controlling the plurality of rotors, the second command being capable of adjusting the rotational power of the rotor so that the plurality of rotors are in front When flying, the rotor is rotated by the oncoming airflow, and the rotation plane formed by the rotation of the rotor is adjusted, and the rotation plane formed by the rotation of the rotor provides lift for the unmanned aerial vehicle. Specifically, the principle that the rotation plane formed by the rotation of the rotor is used to provide the lift for the unmanned aerial vehicle has also been described in detail in the foregoing first embodiment, and details are not described herein again. It can be understood that the rotation speed of the rotor under the control of the first command is higher than the rotation speed under the control of the second command.

In this way, when the flight controller receives the control command corresponding to different flight operations, the first command or the second command can be sent to the control surface such as the rotor to provide lift by the rotation of the rotor or by using the airflow to drive the rotation of the rotor. Ensure the normal flight of the unmanned aerial vehicle. Because the lift of the UAV is always provided by the rotor, the flight attitude can be kept horizontal and has a good view of the lower front; and when the UAV is flying forward, the power unit only needs to provide horizontal propulsion, thus ensuring a high level. Propulsion efficiency enables unmanned aerial vehicles to have faster flight speeds and longer voyages.

Optionally, since the rotor can be driven by the power component or by the oncoming relative flow during flight, the first command and the second command are respectively sent by the flight controller to the power for driving the rotation of the rotor. Component. Thus, the first command and the second command can be used to control the output power and the output speed of the power component, thereby enabling the UAV to hover and The power component is used to drive the rotation of the rotor during vertical take-off and landing, and the power output of the power component is reduced or even the power connection between the power component and the rotor is cut off when the UAV is flying forward, and the rotor is driven by the head-on flow of the UAV. Rotate.

Specifically, the power component generally includes an electronic governor and a motor, and the first command and the second command are sent by the flight controller to the corresponding electronic governor, and the electronic governor controls the rotational speed of the corresponding motor. Thereby adjusting the rotational speed of the rotor or at least one of the rotational planes formed by the rotor.

In addition, control commands for controlling the flight controller can be issued from different locations. For example, as an alternative, control commands can be issued by the user from the console. At this time, the user can use the portable terminal as a control terminal to issue a control command to the flight controller of the UAV to cause the flight controller to issue a corresponding command. Specifically, the data communication is usually implemented by using a wireless communication method between the control terminal and the flight controller.

As another alternative embodiment, since the UAV is moving forward, its own flight speed and acceleration parameters may change, and thus it can be detected according to various types of airborne sensors of the UAV. Issue corresponding control commands to the flight controller. At this time, the control command for controlling the flight controller may be issued by the inertial measurement unit. The inertial measurement unit can detect the flight parameters such as the speed and acceleration of the UAV, and thus can issue corresponding control commands to the flight controller according to the current flight parameters of the UAV, so that the flight controller controls the rotation of the rotor.

On this basis, optionally, since the UAV is flying forward, it needs the oncoming flow to reach a certain relative speed to make the rotation plane of the rotor generate enough lift to maintain the flying height of the UAV, so it can be detected. The flight speed of the unmanned aerial vehicle to control the switching between the different flight modes of the unmanned aerial vehicle in realizing the rotation of the power-driven rotor and the rotation of the rotor under the inflow. Therefore, the inertial measurement unit can send a control command to the flight controller to drive the rotor to rotate and provide lift for the unmanned aerial vehicle when the flight speed of the unmanned aerial vehicle is obtained from far less than the self-sustaining speed to the self-sustaining speed.

Among them, the self-sustaining speed is generally defined as the flying speed of the unmanned aerial vehicle when the lift generated when the rotor is rotated by the airflow is equal to the gravity of the unmanned aerial vehicle. When the UAV's flight speed is much higher than the self-sustaining speed, the airflow can drive the rotor to maintain sufficient speed, and rely on the rotation plane when the rotor rotates to provide sufficient lift for the UAV; The flight speed of the device is much lower than the self-sustaining speed. When it is increased to be close to the self-sustaining speed but still less than the self-sustaining speed, the rotor itself is difficult to maintain sufficient speed under the driving of the airflow. Therefore, it is necessary to access the power source, and the rotation of the rotor at this time. Some or all of the power comes from the power source. Thus, when the inertial measurement unit acquires that the aircraft flight speed is less than the self-sustaining speed, it can be driven by the flight controller to drive the rotor to rotate and provide lift to the unmanned aerial vehicle.

Similarly, when the inertial measurement unit acquires that the flight speed of the UAV is greater than the self-sustaining speed, the control command may be sent to the flight controller to adjust the rotational speed and the rotation plane of the rotor to utilize the rotation plane of the rotor and the rotor. The unmanned aerial vehicle provides lift. In this way, the UAV can drive the rotor to rotate and provide sufficient lift through the airflow, and the power source no longer powers the rotor.

It can be understood that when the flying speed of the UAV is far less than the self-sustaining speed until it is equal to the self-sustaining speed, the rotor cannot be driven by the airflow alone to maintain sufficient rotation speed, so the driving force provided by the oncoming airflow generally only accounts for the rotor driving. A part of the force, and the driving force of the rotation of the rotor is partially or entirely derived from the driving force provided by the power component. When the flying speed of the UAV is greater than the self-sustaining speed, the power of the rotor rotation can be fully provided by the airflow encountered by the UAV, and maintain sufficient speed under the airflow.

In addition, in order to provide the unmanned aerial vehicle with the power of the horizontal forward flight, the flight control method may further include the step of applying a driving force for horizontal advancement to the unmanned aerial vehicle by the horizontal propulsion assembly when the unmanned aerial vehicle is flying forward. In this way, by allowing the flight controller to control the operation of the horizontal propulsion assembly, a horizontal driving force can be applied to the UAV to enable the UAV to fly horizontally. Specifically, the flight controller can control parameters such as the propulsion power of the horizontal propulsion assembly and the propulsion direction in the horizontal plane.

In this embodiment, the flight control method may be applied to control the flight of the unmanned aerial vehicle, so that the unmanned aerial vehicle provides the lift during flight by using the own rotor; the flight control method may specifically include the following steps: the flight controller receives the control command When the control command is for the UAV to take off and land vertically or hover in the air, the flight controller issues a first command for controlling the plurality of rotors to control the plurality of rotors to provide lift for the UAV; when the control command is When the UAV is flying forward, the flight controller issues a second command for controlling the plurality of rotors to adjust the plane of rotation of the plurality of rotors such that the plane of rotation provides lift for the unmanned aerial vehicle. Since the aircraft is disconnected during high-speed cruising, the connection between the power unit and the rotor is broken, and the power unit relies only on the horizontal propulsion unit. In operation, the aircraft usually only needs to overcome the forward resistance, requires less power, can maintain high forward efficiency, and enables the aircraft to have a faster flight speed and a longer range. At the same time, the UAV can also get Better lower front field of view.

One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that all or part of the steps to implement the various method embodiments described above may be accomplished by hardware associated with the program instructions. The aforementioned program can be stored in a computer readable storage medium. The program, when executed, performs the steps including the foregoing method embodiments; and the foregoing storage medium includes various media that can store program codes, such as a ROM, a RAM, a magnetic disk, or an optical disk.

Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are merely illustrative of the technical solutions of the present invention, and are not intended to be limiting; although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art will understand that The technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments may be modified, or some or all of the technical features may be equivalently replaced; and the modifications or substitutions do not deviate from the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention. range.

Claims

A power unit for driving an aircraft flight, comprising: a lift assembly and a horizontal propulsion assembly, the lift assembly including a plurality of rotors, the plurality of the rotors being when the aircraft is vertically hoisted and hovered and hovered The aircraft provides lift, a plurality of the rotors and a plurality of rotation planes of the rotors providing lift to the aircraft when the aircraft is flying forward, the horizontal propulsion assembly for applying a level to the aircraft The driving force for the direction.
The power unit according to claim 1, wherein an angle of attack between a plane of rotation of the rotor and a horizontal plane is -5 to +20 when the aircraft is advanced horizontally.
The power unit of claim 1 wherein the blade angle of attack of the rotor is a positive angle of attack.
A power unit according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein said lift assembly further comprises a power assembly for driving said rotor to rotate, said rotor being rotated by said power assembly or The airflow encountered by the aircraft as it advances is driven to rotate to provide lift to the aircraft.
The power unit according to claim 4, wherein said flight speed of said aircraft is rotated by said power unit when said flight speed of said aircraft is far less than a self-sustaining speed to be comparable to said self-sustaining speed;

When the flying speed of the aircraft is greater than the self-sustaining speed, the rotor rotates under the airflow encountered when the aircraft advances;

Wherein the self-sustaining speed is a flying speed of the aircraft when a lift generated when the rotor is rotated by the airflow is equal to a gravity of the aircraft.
A power unit according to claim 5, wherein a direction of rotation of each of said rotors when driven by said power pack is rotated by an air flow encountered by said rotors as said aircraft advances The direction of rotation is the same.
A power unit according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein said rotor has a variable angle of attack; and/or said rotor has a variable rotational speed when said power pack is driven.
A power unit according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the rotor is located above or to the side of the body of the aircraft.
A power unit according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein said power The assembly is a motor, the output shaft of which is coupled to the rotor shaft of the rotor.
A power unit according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein said horizontal propulsion assembly is for generating a horizontal thrust to advance said aircraft under the action of said horizontal thrust.
The power unit of claim 10 wherein said horizontal propulsion assembly comprises one or more of a propeller, a ducted fan or a jet.
A power unit according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the number of said rotors in said lift assembly is at least two.
An unmanned aerial vehicle, comprising: a frame and a power device, the power device being disposed on the frame for driving the unmanned aerial vehicle to fly;

The power unit includes a lift assembly and a horizontal propulsion assembly, the lift assembly including a plurality of rotors, the plurality of the rotors providing lift to the aircraft when the aircraft is vertically hoisted and hovered, when the aircraft is In the pre-flight, a plurality of said rotors and a plurality of said rotors provide a lifting plane for said aircraft, said horizontal propulsion assembly for applying a driving force in the horizontal direction to said aircraft.
The UAV according to claim 13, wherein an angle of attack between the plane of rotation of the rotor and the horizontal plane is -5° to +20° when the aircraft is advanced horizontally.
The UAV according to claim 13 wherein the blade angle of attack of the rotor is a positive angle of attack.
The UAV according to any one of claims 13 to 15, wherein the lift assembly further includes a power assembly for driving the rotation of the rotor, the rotor being rotated by the power assembly or The airflow encountered while the aircraft is advancing is driven to rotate to provide lift to the aircraft.
The UAV according to claim 16, wherein said flight speed of said aircraft is rotated by said power component when said flight speed of said aircraft is far less than a self-sustaining speed to be comparable to said self-sustaining speed;

When the flying speed of the aircraft is greater than the self-sustaining speed, the rotor rotates under the airflow encountered when the aircraft advances;

Wherein the self-sustaining speed is a flying speed of the aircraft when a lift generated when the rotor is rotated by the airflow is equal to a gravity of the aircraft.
The UAV according to claim 17, wherein a rotation direction of each of said rotors when driven by said power pack is rotated by an air flow encountered by said rotors as said aircraft advances The direction of rotation is the same.
An unmanned aerial vehicle according to any one of claims 13 to 15, wherein said rotor has a variable angle of attack; and/or said rotor has a variable rotational speed when said power pack is driven .
An unmanned aerial vehicle according to any one of claims 13 to 15, wherein the rotor is located above or to the side of the aircraft body of the aircraft.
An unmanned aerial vehicle according to any one of claims 13 to 15, wherein the power component is a motor, and an output shaft of the motor is coupled to a rotor shaft of the rotor.
The UAV according to any one of claims 13 to 15, wherein the horizontal propulsion assembly is for generating a horizontal thrust to advance the aircraft under the horizontal thrust.
The UAV according to claim 22, wherein said horizontal propulsion assembly comprises one or more of a propeller, a ducted fan or a jet.
An unmanned aerial vehicle according to any one of claims 13 to 15, wherein the number of said rotors in said lift assembly is at least two.
The UAV according to any one of claims 13 to 15, wherein the body is in a horizontal posture when the UAV is flying horizontally.
The UAV according to any one of claims 13 to 15, wherein the frame comprises a body and an arm, and the power unit is coupled to the body by the arm.
The UAV according to claim 26, further comprising a load disposed below said body.
The UAV according to claim 27, wherein the load comprises a camera and/or an ultrasound probe.
The UAV according to any one of claims 13 to 15, wherein the power assembly of the power unit includes an even number of rotors, and the rotors are symmetrically disposed on both sides of the central axis of the body.
The UAV according to any one of claims 13 to 15, wherein the horizontal propulsion assembly is disposed at a front end, a rear end, or a side of the body.
An unmanned aerial vehicle according to any one of claims 13 to 15, wherein the body is a lift body or has an airfoil capable of generating lift.
The UAV according to any one of claims 13-15, characterized in that the body is further provided with a pneumatic control surface.
A flight control method for an unmanned aerial vehicle, which is applied to a flight controller of an unmanned aerial vehicle, characterized in that

The flight controller receives a control command;

When the control command is to cause the UAV to take off and land vertically or hover in the air, the flight controller issues a first command for controlling a plurality of rotors to control the plurality of rotors as the unmanned The aircraft provides lift;

When the control command is to fly the UAV forward, the flight controller issues a second command for controlling a plurality of rotors to adjust a rotation plane in which the plurality of the rotors are located, such that the rotation The plane provides lift for the unmanned aerial vehicle.
The flight control method according to claim 33, wherein said first command and said second command are both transmitted by said flight controller to a power assembly for driving said rotor to rotate.
The flight control method according to claim 34, wherein said power component comprises an electronic governor and a motor, and said first command and said second command are both sent by said flight controller to a corresponding station The electronic governor controls the rotational speed of the motor corresponding thereto to control the rotational speed and/or the rotational plane of the rotor.
The flight control method according to claim 34 or 35, wherein the control command is issued by the user from the control terminal.
The flight control method according to claim 34 or 35, wherein the control command is issued by an inertial measurement unit.
The flight control method according to claim 37, wherein the inertial measurement unit acquires the flight controller of the UAV from the self-sustaining speed to the self-sustaining speed, to the flight controller Transmitting the control command to drive the rotor to rotate and provide lift to the unmanned aerial vehicle;

When the inertial measurement unit acquires that the flight speed of the UAV is greater than the self-sustaining speed, the control command is sent to the flight controller to adjust the rotation speed of the rotor And a plane of rotation to provide lift to the unmanned aerial vehicle using the rotor and the plane of rotation of the rotor.
The flight control method according to claim 38, wherein said self-sustaining speed is said unmanned aerial vehicle when a lift generated when said rotor is rotated by said airflow is equal to a gravity of said unmanned aerial vehicle Flight speed.
A flight control method according to claim 38 or claim 39, wherein said power element provides at least said rotor rotation when said UAV flight speed is substantially less than a self-sustaining speed to be comparable to said self-sustaining speed Partial driving force;

When the flying speed of the UAV is greater than the self-sustaining speed, the driving force of the rotation of the rotor is all from the airflow when the UAV is flying.
The flight control method according to any one of claims 33 to 35, further comprising: applying a horizontally advanced drive to the unmanned aerial vehicle by the horizontal propulsion assembly when the UAV is flying forward force.
The flight control method according to any one of claims 33 to 35, characterized in that the rotational speed of the rotor under the control of the first command is greater than the rotational speed of the rotor under the control of the second command.