Technical Field

The present invention is related to a test platform which can simulate the flight of the air vehicles in order to eliminate the failures that can happen during flight tests of the rotary wing unmanned air vehicles, catastrophic results such as the crashing of the air vehicle.

State of the Art

Test platforms having an arm type mechanism which provides preflight testing of the unmanned air vehicles and gives freedom to the air vehicle during testing are known from the state of the art. However due to lack of a structure which can be able to make damping in the movement limits of the platforms, the shock effect created on the limits can give damage to the air vehicle. Otherwise because each test axis is not controlled separately, test is not only made on the required axis/axes.

The application No CN107036795 is related to a multi-functional error debugging platform. An unmanned air vehicle is located on a fixing plate by means of the rails which can move forward-backward horizontally in the platform and the telescopic bar on the vertical axis, error debugging and enabling safety is aimed for balance and movement performances of the mechanical arm like tools. Although the movements in horizontal and vertical axes can be controllable, it seems impossible to damp the movement limits in these axes with this available structure and to enable the safety of the vehicle to be tested.

The applications No CN105158004B, CN107063235A and CN107264834A are related to the test platform for the rotary wing unmanned air vehicles. Nevertheless a configuration which provides test opportunity in different rotational axes and can make damping in these axes are not provided in any of the applications. Consequently due to the abovementioned disadvantages and the inefficiency of the current solutions concerning this issue, it is required to make an improvement in the relevant field.

Aim of the Invention

The main aim of the present invention is to provide preflight testing of the rotary wing unmanned air vehicles separately at each axis. In addition to this, the dampener and the limiter used in the axis limits prevent the shock effect that can happen on the air vehicle. Thus the damages which can occur on the vehicles due to the shock effect can be eliminated.

The structural and characteristic features of the present invention will be understood clearly by the following drawings and the detailed description made with reference to these drawings and therefore the evaluation shall be made by taking these figures and the detailed description into consideration.

Description of the Drawings

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the test platform of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a view of the A detail shown in Figure 1 .

Figure 3 is a perspective view of a test platform to which a ladder is fixed from both sides.

Figure 4 shows the condition in which the air vehicle is attached onto the test platform. Figure 5 is a perspective view of the test platform and the air vehicle located thereon. Figure 6 shows a moving mechanism under the main table of the test platform on which the air vehicle is fixed.

The drawings shall not be scaled necessarily and the details that are not required for understanding the present invention can be omitted. Apart from this, elements that are at least substantially identical or at least having substantially similar functions are shown with the same numeral. Description of Part References

1. Hydraulic piston 15. Main table

2. Force meter 16. Air vehicle connection part

3. Control box 17. Fastening foot

4. Oil tank 18. Wheel

5. Linear sledge 19. Support profile

6. Linear carrier 20. Plate

7. Distance meter 21. Carrier profile

8. Universal hinge 22. Connection table

9. Damping set 23. Support foot

10. Hinge locking pin 24. Movable body

11. Rotary table A. Main chassis

111. Fixed portion B. Ladder

112. Rotating portion H. Air vehicle

12. Locking wedge T. Test platform

13. Axis limiting part x, y : Horizontal axis

14. Shock dampener z : Vertical axis

Detailed Description of the Invention

In this detailed description of the invention, the novelty of the invention is described with examples only in order to better explain the subject such that they shall not have any limiting effect on the invention.

The test platform (T) as shown in Figure 1 consists of; a main chassis (A) which moves on the wheels (18) where it is fixed and forms the main structure, a mobile ladder (B) set which can be connected/dismantled to/from the main chassis (A), a 4-axis mechanism in order to realize the flight tests of the air vehicle (H) on the main chassis (A) and fastening feet (17) used for fixing the main chassis (A) in the field where the test will be made and for fixing the ladders (B) to the floor. There is a connection table (22) in an engaged manner on the plate (20) which is fixed on the main chassis (A). Plate (20) and the hydraulic piston (1 ) movable within the connection table (22), moves the main table (15) in the direction of z axis by being engaged with the main chassis (A) from the bottom portion and engaged with the movable body (24) from the upper portion and locks the movements at the z axis when it is compressed from two sides. The movable body (24) is in a cage form consisting of profiles; it transmits the movement of the hydraulic piston (1 ) in z axis to the upper structure. The main chassis (A) is formed by means of carrier profiles (21 ) by welding to each other, fitted to each other or fixed by means of a connection element. The support profiles (19) which are again within the main chassis (A) and fixed to the carrier profiles (21 ) and each other, fix the wheels (18) which are out of the projection in z direction.

The mechanism comprises the following; a hydraulic piston (1 ) which carries free charge for a linear movement about z axis, bidirectional force meter (2) used for measuring the free charge, a pneumatic control box (3) used for controlling the hydraulic piston (1 ), oil tank (4), linear sledge (5), linear carriers (6), a laser distance meter (7) used for measuring the movement amount. The linear sledge (5) which move about z axis together with the elements on the movable body (24) is supported by means of the linear carrier (6) fixed to the plate (20). In the movable portion in z axis, there are parts which constitute x, y and z rotational axes. These parts shown in Figure 2 are universal hinge (8) for x and y rotational axes, damping set (9) and hinge locking pins (10). About the Z rotational axis, there are self-bearing rotary table (1 1 ), locking wedge (12), axis limiting part (13), shock dampeners (14), main table (15) and rubber supported air vehicle connection parts (16) used for preventing vibration. These connection parts (16) fixed on the main table (15) are the sections where the feet of the air vehicle (H) are mounted.

Before starting the test, adjustment of the axes are made where they are required to be made. For the linear z axis, a stroke length adjustment can be made. The stroke length is adjusted by taking the braking ratio into consideration in a manner such that it does not exceed the total stroke length of the hydraulic piston (1 ). During the test the movement amount of the hydraulic piston (1 ) is measured by means of the laser distance meter (7), when the stroke length is reached, the motion is stopped by pressurizing the hydraulic piston (1 ) in -z direction (gravity direction) by means of the control box (3). In addition to this, the linear z axis is locked by pressurizing the hydraulic piston (1 ) from two inlets. Distance meter (7) realizes distance measurement by taking the plate (20) as reference. The rotational freedom of the air vehicle (FI) about the x and y axes are provided by means of the universal hinge (8) located on the bottom portion of the rotary table (1 1 ). In order to decrease the shock effect in the movement limits in the axes, the damping set (9) which dampens the crash effect are common for x and y rotational axes. These axes are locked with at least one hinge locking pin (10) attached onto the universal hinge (8) one by one or together.

The rotational freedom of the air vehicle (H) around z axis is provided by means of the self-bearing and voidless rotary table (1 1 ) such that its detailed view is given in Figure 6. Rotary table (1 1 ) is essentially a roller and consists of a fixed portion (1 1 1 ) and a rotating portion (1 12) engaged with the main table (15). Together with at least one shock dampener (14) located on the rotary table (1 1 ), the shock effect created as a result of the crash at the limits of the z axis can be decreased. The axis limiting part

(13) located on the main table (15) is the part which determines the bidirectional rotation amount in connection with the angle between the crash of the shock dampener

(14) during z axis centered rotation and the shock dampener (14). When the axis limiting part (13) is removed, the platform can continuously rotate about the z axis. By fitting a locking wedge (12) to the fixed portion (1 1 ) of the rotary table (1 1 ) over the main table (15), the movement of the main table (15) about the z axis can be prevented.

The assembly of the air vehicle (H) to the test platform (T) by two operators with the help of the ladders (B) is made on the main table (15) by using rubber supported air vehicle connection parts (16). As it is shown in Figures 4, 5 and 6, after the air vehicle (FI) is connected to the test platform (T), the hydraulic piston (1 ) is pressurized by means of the pneumatic control box (3) and the oil tank (4) in which the hydraulic fluid is stored in a manner such that its free charge (total weight of the movable parts) in the +Z direction (reverse direction to gravity) and its first frictional first can be balanced. Thus the main table (15) moves upwardly from the support feet (23) providing the balance by contacting to the bottom portion of the air vehicle (FI) during its assembly. Test in required axes are made by operating the air vehicle (FI). In case linear z axis is locked by pressurizing the hydraulic piston (1 ) from two inlets, the other rotational axes are also locked, thus impulse force about the z axis of the main table (15) and the air vehicle (FI) on it is calculated from the difference observed in the bidirectional force meter (2).