Repair of structures using unmanned aerial vehicles
Methods and apparatus for performing repair operations using an unmanned aerial vehicle. The methods are enabled by equipping the UAV with tools for rapidly repairing a large structure or object (e.g., an aircraft or a wind turbine blade) that is not easily accessible to maintenance personnel. In accordance with various embodiments disclosed below, the unmanned aerial vehicle may be equipped with an easily attachable/removable module that includes an additive repair tool. The additive repair tool is configured to add material to a body of material. For example, the additive repair tool may be configured to apply a sealant or other coating material in liquid form to a damage site on a surface of a structure or object (e.g., by spraying liquid or launching liquid-filled capsules onto the surface). In alternative embodiments, the additive repair tool is configured to adhere a tape to the damage site.
1 . An apparatus comprising an unmanned aerial vehicle and a launcher module coupled to the unmanned aerial vehicle,
wherein the unmanned aerial vehicle comprises:
a body frame;
a plurality of rotor motors mounted to the body frame; and
a plurality of rotors operatively coupled to respective rotor motors of the plurality of rotor motors, and
wherein the launcher module comprises:
an inner ring mounted to the body frame of the unmanned aerial vehicle; and
a rotatable launcher subassembly comprising an outer ring that is rotatably coupled to the inner ring and a launcher that is mounted to the outer ring,
wherein the launcher comprises a launcher barrel and a launching mechanism positioned and configured to impel a liquid-filled capsule through the launcher barrel.
2 . The apparatus as recited in claim 1 , wherein the launcher module further comprises:
a launcher pitch control motor fixedly coupled to the outer ring; and
means for mechanically coupling the outer ring to the launcher pitch control motor to enable the launcher pitch control motor to drive rotation of the outer ring relative to the inner ring,
wherein the launcher and the launcher pitch control motor are disposed at diametrically opposed angular positions on the outer ring.
3 . The apparatus as recited in claim 2 , wherein the launcher module further comprises:
a reservoir hopper coupled to the inner ring and containing liquid-filled capsules;
a capsule feeder tube connecting the reservoir hopper to the launching mechanism;
a canister coupled to the inner ring and containing compressed gas;
a gas feeder tube connecting the canister to the launching mechanism; and
a trigger mechanism comprising an electromechanical control valve capable of transitioning from a closed state in which the gas feeder tube does not provide gas from the canister to the launching mechanism to an open state in which the gas feeder tube provides gas from the canister to the launching mechanism for propelling a liquid-filled capsule through and out the launcher barrel.
4 . The apparatus as recited in claim 1 , wherein:
the rotatable launcher subassembly further comprises a recoil compensation subsystem fixedly coupled to the outer ring and operatively coupled to the launcher barrel;
the recoil compensation subsystem comprises first and second linear rails and first and second shock absorbers coupled to the outer ring; and
the launcher barrel is slidably coupled to the first and second linear rails and operatively coupled to the first and second shock absorbers, which first and second shock absorbers are configured to distribute recoil momentum of the launcher barrel over time.
5 . The apparatus as recited in claim 3 , wherein:
the launcher module further comprises a sensor configured for outputting sensor data indicating a number of liquid-filled capsules which have passed through the capsule feeder tube; and
the unmanned aerial vehicle further comprises a flight controller configured to control operation of the rotor motors to adjust flight-related feedback gains as a function of the sensor data received from the sensor.
6 . The apparatus as recited in claim 5 , wherein the flight controller is further configured to control operation of the rotor motors to produce an equilibrium thrust to offset reaction forces produced when capsules are launched, the equilibrium thrust being a function of at least a capsule launch velocity, a capsule launch rate calculated based on the sensor data, and a mass of a liquid-filled capsule.
7 . The apparatus as recited in claim 5 , wherein:
the rotatable launcher subassembly further comprises a camera coupled to the outer ring; and
the launcher module further comprises a vision-based targeting system configured to receive image data from the camera, process the image data to determine an area where additional material should be deposited on a surface by the launcher, and send control signals to the launcher pitch control motor and command signals to the flight controller for aiming the launcher barrel toward the area.
8 . The apparatus as recited in claim 2 , wherein the means for mechanically coupling the outer ring to the launcher pitch control motor comprise a pinion gear which is mounted to an output shaft of the launcher pitch control motor and a ring gear which is mounted to or integrally formed with the outer ring and is engaged by the pinion gear.
9 . An apparatus comprising an unmanned aerial vehicle and a launcher rotatably coupled to the unmanned aerial vehicle,
wherein the unmanned aerial vehicle comprises:
a body frame;
at least one rotor motor mounted to the body frame; and
at least one rotor operatively coupled to the at least one rotor motor;
an inner ring mounted to the body frame; and
an outer ring that is rotatably coupled to the inner ring, wherein the launcher is mounted to the outer ring,
wherein the launcher is rotatable about a pitch axis, and comprises a launcher barrel and a launching mechanism positioned and configured to impel a liquid-filled capsule through the launcher barrel.
10 . The apparatus as recited in claim 9 , further comprising:
a launcher pitch control motor fixedly coupled to the outer ring; and
means for mechanically coupling the outer ring to the launcher pitch control motor to enable the launcher pitch control motor to drive rotation of the outer ring relative to the inner ring.
11 . The apparatus as recited in claim 10 , wherein the means for mechanically coupling the outer ring to the launcher pitch control motor comprise a pinion gear which is mounted to an output shaft of the launcher pitch control motor and a ring gear which is mounted to or integrally formed with the outer ring and is engaged by the pinion gear.
12 . The apparatus as recited in claim 9 , further comprising:
a reservoir hopper coupled to the inner ring and containing liquid-filled capsules;
a capsule feeder tube connecting the reservoir hopper to the launching mechanism;
a canister coupled to the inner ring and containing compressed gas;
a gas feeder tube connecting the canister to the launching mechanism; and
a trigger mechanism comprising an electromechanical control valve capable of transitioning from a closed state in which the gas feeder tube does not provide gas from the canister to the launching mechanism to an open state in which the gas feeder tube provides gas from the canister to the launching mechanism for propelling a liquid-filled capsule through and out the launcher barrel.
13 . The apparatus as recited in claim 9 , further comprising a recoil compensation subsystem fixedly coupled to the outer ring and operatively coupled to the launcher barrel,
wherein the recoil compensation subsystem comprises first and second linear rails and first and second shock absorbers coupled to the outer ring, and
wherein the launcher barrel is slidably coupled to the first and second linear rails and operatively coupled to the first and second shock absorbers, which first and second shock absorbers are configured to distribute recoil momentum of the launcher barrel over time.
14 . A System comprising:
an unmanned aerial vehicle; and
a launcher module configured to be coupled to anthe unmanned aerial vehicle, the launcher module comprising:
an inner ring configured to be mounted to the unmanned aerial vehicle; and a rotatable launcher subassembly comprising:
an outer ring that is rotatably coupled to the inner ring; and
a launcher that is mounted to the outer ring.
15 . Thesystem as recited claim 14 , wherein the launcher comprises a launcher barrel and a launching mechanism positioned and configured to impel a liquid-filled capsule through the launcher barrel.
16 . The system as recited in claim 14 , wherein the launcher module further comprises:
a launcher pitch control motor fixedly coupled to the outer ring; and
means for mechanically coupling the outer ring to the launcher pitch control motor to enable the launcher pitch control motor to drive rotation of the outer ring relative to the inner ring,
wherein the launcher and the launcher pitch control motor are disposed at diametrically opposed angular positions on the outer ring.
17 . The system as recited in claim 15 , wherein the launcher module further comprises:
a reservoir hopper coupled to the inner ring and containing liquid-filled capsules;
a capsule feeder tube connecting the reservoir hopper to the launching mechanism;
a canister coupled to the inner ring and containing compressed gas;
a gas feeder tube connecting the canister to the launching mechanism; and
a trigger mechanism comprising an electromechanical control valve configured to transition from a closed state in which the gas feeder tube does not provide gas from the canister to the launching mechanism to an open state in which the gas feeder tube provides gas from the canister to the launching mechanism for propelling a liquid-filled capsule through and out the launcher barrel.
18 . The system as recited in claim 15 , wherein:
the rotatable launcher subassembly further comprises a recoil compensation subsystem fixedly coupled to the outer ring and operatively coupled to the launcher barrel;
the recoil compensation subsystem comprises first and second linear rails and first and second shock absorbers coupled to the outer ring; and
the launcher barrel is slidably coupled to the first and second linear rails and operatively coupled to the first and second shock absorbers, which first and second shock absorbers are configured to distribute recoil momentum of the launcher barrel over time.
19 . The system as recited in claim 17 , wherein the launcher module further comprises a sensor configured for outputting sensor data indicating a number of liquid-filled capsules which have passed through the capsule feeder tube.
20 . The system as recited in claim 16 , wherein: the rotatable launcher subassembly further comprises a camera coupled to the outer ring; and
the launcher module further comprises a vision-based targeting system configured to receive image data from the camera, process the image data to determine an area where additional material should be deposited on a surface by the launcher, and send control signals to the launcher pitch control motor and command signals to a flight controller for aiming the launcher barrel toward the area.