Stability systems for tethered unmanned aerial vehicles
An unmanned aerial vehicle including a body, a platform, a rotor, a tether cable, and an actuation system. The platform is coupled to the body such that the platform is rotatable relative to the body about a first horizontal axis of rotation. The rotor is rigidly coupled to the platform such that the rotor and the platform rotate together about the first horizontal axis of rotation. The tether cable extends away from the body and is coupled to the body such that the tether cable is rotatable relative to the body about a second horizontal axis of rotation. The first and second horizontal axes of rotation are normal to a vertical plane. The actuation system is configured to rotate the platform in a clockwise direction about the first horizontal axis of rotation when the tether cable rotates in a counter-clockwise direction about the second horizontal axis of rotation.
1. An unmanned aerial vehicle comprising:
a body;
a platform coupled to the body such that the platform is rotatable relative to the body about a first horizontal axis of rotation normal to a vertical plane extending through the body;
a rotor rigidly coupled to the platform such that the rotor and the platform rotate together about the first horizontal axis of rotation;
a tether cable extending away from the body and coupled to the body such that the tether cable is rotatable relative to the body about a second horizontal axis of rotation normal to the vertical plane; and
an actuation system configured to rotate the platform in a clockwise direction about the first horizontal axis of rotation when the tether cable rotates in a counter-clockwise direction about the second horizontal axis of rotation.
2. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the vertical plane is a first vertical plane, wherein the platform coupled to the body such that the platform is rotatable relative to the body about a third horizontal axis of rotation normal to a second vertical plane, wherein the second vertical plane extending through the body and orthogonal to the first vertical plane, wherein the tether cable coupled to the body such that the tether cable is rotatable relative to the body about a fourth horizontal axis of rotation normal to the second vertical plane, and wherein the actuation system further configured to rotate the platform in the clockwise direction about the third horizontal axis of rotation when the tether cable rotates in the counter-clockwise direction about the fourth horizontal axis of rotation.
3. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the actuation system further configured to rotate the platform an angular distance based on a relative angle between the tether cable and the body.
4. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 3 , wherein the actuation system further configured to rotate the platform the same angular distance as the tether cable.
5. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising an electronic controller configured to
determine a tension of the tether cable,
increase an angular speed of the rotor when the tension of the tether cable decreases, and
decrease the angular speed of the rotor when the tension of the tether cable increases.
6. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the tether cable configured to provide power to the unmanned aerial vehicle.
7. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the tether cable configured to transmit data from the unmanned aerial vehicle.
8. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the tether cable configured to couple the body to an external coupling.
9. An unmanned aerial vehicle comprising:
a body;
a platform coupled to the body such that the platform is rotatable relative to the body about a first horizontal axis of rotation normal to a vertical plane extending through the body;
a rotor rigidly coupled to the platform such that the rotor and the platform rotate together about the first horizontal axis of rotation;
a tether cable extending away from the body and coupled to the body such that the tether cable is rotatable relative to the body about a second horizontal axis of rotation normal to the vertical plane; and
a pulley system coupled to the tether cable and to the platform, wherein the pulley system configured to rotate the platform in a clockwise direction about the first horizontal axis of rotation when the tether cable rotates in a counter-clockwise direction about the second horizontal axis of rotation.
10. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 9 , wherein the pulley system including
a first pulley positioned proximate to a first side of the platform,
a second pulley positioned proximate to a second side of the platform opposite the first side,
a first cable supported by the first pulley and coupled to the tether cable and to the second side of the platform, and
a second cable supported by the second pulley and coupled to the tether cable and to the first side of the platform.
11. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 9 , wherein the vertical plane is a first vertical plane, wherein the platform coupled to the body such that the platform is rotatable relative to the body about a third horizontal axis of rotation normal to a second vertical plane, wherein the second vertical plane extending through the body and orthogonal to the first vertical plane, wherein the tether cable coupled to the body such that the tether cable is rotatable relative to the body about a fourth horizontal axis of rotation normal to the second vertical plane, and wherein the pulley system further configured to rotate the platform in the clockwise direction about the third horizontal axis of rotation when the tether cable rotates in the counter-clockwise direction about the fourth horizontal axis of rotation.
12. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 9 , wherein the pulley system further configured to rotate the platform an angular distance based a relative angle between the tether cable and the body.
13. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 12 , wherein the pulley system further configured to rotate the platform the same angular distance as the tether cable.
14. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 9 , further comprising an electronic controller configured to
determine a tension of the tether cable,
increase an angular speed of the rotor when the tension of the tether cable decreases, and
decrease the angular speed of the rotor when the tension of the tether cable increases.
15. An unmanned aerial vehicle comprising:
a body;
a platform coupled to the body;
an electronic actuator configured to rotate the platform relative to the body about a first horizontal axis of rotation normal to a vertical plane extending through the body;
a rotor rigidly coupled to the platform such that the rotor and the platform rotate together about the first horizontal axis of rotation;
a tether cable extending away from the body and coupled to the body such that the tether cable is rotatable relative to the body about a second horizontal axis of rotation normal to the vertical plane; and
an electronic controller configured to
determine movement of the tether cable relative to the body, and
drive the electronic actuator to rotate the platform in a clockwise direction about the first horizontal axis of rotation when the tether cable rotates in a counter-clockwise direction about the second horizontal axis of rotation.
16. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 15 , wherein the electronic actuator includes a motor and an arm, wherein the arm coupled to the motor and to the platform such that rotation of the motor causes rotation of the platform about the first horizontal axis of rotation.
17. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 15 , wherein the vertical plane is a first vertical plane, wherein the electronic actuator is a first electronic actuator, wherein the unmanned aerial vehicle further comprising a second electronic actuator configured to rotate the platform relative to the body about a third horizontal axis of rotation normal to a second vertical plane, wherein the second vertical plane extending through the body and orthogonal to the first vertical plane, wherein the tether cable coupled to the body such that the tether cable is rotatable relative to the body about a fourth horizontal axis of rotation normal to the second vertical plane, and wherein the electronic controller further configured to drive the second electronic actuator to rotate the platform in the clockwise direction about the third horizontal axis of rotation when the tether cable rotates in the counter-clockwise direction about the fourth horizontal axis of rotation.
18. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 15 , wherein the electronic controller further configured to
determine a relative angle between the tether cable and the body, and
drive the electronic actuator to rotate the platform an angular distance based on the relative angle between the tether cable and the body.
19. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 18 , wherein the electronic controller further configured to drive the electronic actuator to rotate the platform the same angular distance as the tether cable.
20. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 15 , wherein the electronic controller further configured to
determine a tension of the tether cable,
increase an angular speed of the rotor when the tension of the tether cable decreases, and
decrease the angular speed of the rotor when the tension of the tether cable increases.