IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,401,020
Granted Patent B2
US 11,401,020 · App. 16/217,746 · Granted Aug 2, 2022

Unmanned aerial vehicle having buoyancy apparatus and attitude control method thereof

Inventors: Jae Wan Shim (Seoul, KR); Heon Phil Ha (Seoul, KR)
Assignee: Korea Institute of Science and Technology
B64B1/34B64B1/58B64C27/52B64C39/024B64D47/00B64C2201/101B64C2201/108
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,401,020
App. No.
16/217,746
Granted
Aug 2, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

Disclosed are an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) having a buoyancy apparatus and an attitude control method thereof, in which the buoyancy apparatus is coupled to the UAV to reduce the energy consumption of rotors such that the time of staying in the air is extended, enabling a long flight, and in which the buoyancy apparatus absorbs the impact energy and reduces the falling speed to thereby ensure sufficient safety for the UAV.

Claims (28)

1. An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), comprising:

a flight apparatus including a plurality of extending frames extending outward from a main body and rotors formed at respective end portions of the extending frames to be rotationally driven;

a buoyancy apparatus including buoyancy parts disposed to be spaced apart from each other and configured to secure buoyancy through injection of gas; and

a connection frame which is connected between the buoyancy parts disposed to be spaced apart from each other;

wherein

the flight apparatus is fixed to the connection frame such that the flight apparatus has a rotational degree of freedom; and

the buoyancy apparatus is fixed to the connection frame such that the buoyancy apparatus is capable of moving with six degrees of freedom by controlling a thrust of each of the multiple rotors differently.

2. The UAV of claim 1 , wherein the connection frame includes a first fixed connection member to which the flight apparatus is fixed, second fixed connection members each connected to a corresponding one of the buoyancy parts, and a rotational coupling part connected between the first fixed connection member and a second fixed connection member of the second fixed connection members.

3. The UAV of claim 1 , wherein the connection frame further includes an auxiliary connection member which has a part extending substantially in parallel to a rotational axis of the main body of the flight apparatus and to hold a weight object affixed thereto; and

wherein the auxiliary connection member includes at least two auxiliary connection members and is connected to a second fixed connection member through a revolving joint.

4. The UAV of claim 2 , wherein the second fixed connection member is connected to a surface of the buoyancy apparatus, and an extension line of the second fixed connection member passes through a center of buoyancy existing inside the buoyancy apparatus or crosses a vertical axis passing through the center of buoyancy of the buoyancy apparatus when the buoyancy apparatus is arranged in a horizontal direction.

5. An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) comprising:

a flight apparatus, equipped with multiple rotors formed at respective end portions of multiple extending frames extending outward from a main body, the flight apparatus being capable of moving with six-degrees-of-freedom by controlling a thrust of each of the multiple rotors differently;

a buoyancy apparatus including buoyancy parts disposed to be spaced apart from each other and configured to secure buoyancy through injection of gas; and

a connection frame which is connected between the buoyancy parts disposed to be spaced apart from each other and to which the flight apparatus is fixed such that the flight apparatus has a rotational degree of freedom;

wherein the connection frame includes a first fixed connection member to which the flight apparatus is fixed, second fixed connection members each connected to a corresponding one of the buoyancy parts, and a rotational coupling part connected between the first fixed connection member and a second fixed connection member of the second fixed connection members; and

wherein the second fixed connection member is connected to a surface of the buoyancy apparatus, the second fixed connection member and the first fixed connection member are disposed in one direction along one extension line, and the extension line crosses a vertical axis passing through a center of buoyancy of the buoyancy apparatus when the buoyancy apparatus is arranged in a horizontal direction.

6. The UAV of claim 5 , wherein the connection frame further includes an auxiliary connection member configured to connect to a rotational axis of the main body of the flight apparatus and to hold a weight object thereon.

7. The UAV of claim 6 , wherein the auxiliary connection member includes at least two auxiliary connection members and is connected to a second fixed connection member through a revolving joint.

8. The UAV of claim 5 , wherein the extension line of the second fixed connection member passes through a center of buoyancy existing inside the buoyancy apparatus.

9. An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) comprising:

a flight apparatus equipped with multiple rotors;

a buoyancy apparatus including buoyancy parts disposed to be spaced apart from each other and configured to secure buoyancy through injection of gas; and

a connection frame which is connected between the buoyancy parts disposed to be spaced apart from each other and to which the flight apparatus is fixed such that the flight apparatus has a rotational degree of freedom, the connection frame further comprising an auxiliary connection member configured to hold a weight object thereon,

wherein the connection frame includes a first fixed connection member to which the flight apparatus is fixed, second fixed connection members each connected to a corresponding one of the buoyancy parts, and a rotational coupling part connected between the first fixed connection member and a second fixed connection member of the second fixed connection members,

wherein the auxiliary connection member comprises at least two auxiliary connection members to form a lattice shape and is connected to the second fixed connection member through a revolving joint, and

wherein the second fixed connection member is connected to a surface of the buoyancy apparatus, the second fixed connection member and the first fixed connection member are disposed along a same, straight extension line, and the extension line passes through the buoyancy parts.

10. The UAV of claim 9 , wherein the first fixed connection member includes a pair of first fixed connection members spaced apart from each other and coupled to the flight apparatus while having the flight apparatus interposed therebetween.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 12, 2018
From: SHIM, JAE WAN; HA, HEON PHIL
To: KOREA INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Reel/Frame 047756/0512 →
Priority Claims (1)
KR 10-2018-0107260 · Sep 7, 2018 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20200079487A1 · Mar 12, 2020