FIELD OF INVENTION

The present embodiment relates to unmanned aerial vehicles or drones, and more particularly to a scalar architecture for the unmanned aerial vehicles or drones.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

5 [001] Drones or unmanned aerial vehicles may be classified into four major types: multi rotor drones, fixed wing drones, single rotor helicopter drones, fixed wing hybrid drones. Multi-rotor drones are ubiquitous and continue to find usage across civilian and military applications and are further classified as tricopter, quadcopter, hexacopter, and octocopter, with quadcopters being more popular. 0 [002] Initially, multi-rotor drone includes a top plate, a bottom plate and a frame is clamped between the two. The strength and anti-rotation ability of the drone mainly depend on this structure. To ensure the strength, so the body is made thicker, which increases the weight of the drone. Over the years, the multi-rotor drones have changed in their architecture and design. 5 [003] W02020019629 Al discloses a truss-type drone frame, having a number of arms and an intermediate connector that has number of connectors. The arms are fixedly connected to the connectors. KR102054119B1 discloses a drone with a centre of mass connected with arms carrying or connected to propellers.

[004] US20180027772A1 discloses a quadcopter with a cylindrical fuselage 3 0 connected to four propellers. US20180354623A1 discloses a multi-rotor drone having at least five arms with pairs of coaxial contra rotating rotors/ propellers are configured on each arm defining a polygon.

[005] Quadcopter or multirotor design, essentially, employs a main structure coupled to tubes, of varying shapes, that are used as arms. The strength of traditional 5 drones, therefore, depends on the strength of the material employed e.g., carbon fibre. Such drones are therefore usually stacked keeping functional payloads and components on the outside of entire drone architecture or system, thus making it impossible to scale for dimensions as well as payload size for varying applications.

[006] The traditional or conventional drones are therefore highly dependent on the fuselage or main body or frame on their applications and therefore different application areas require complete overhaul of the design or frame/architecture of drones.

[007] Traditional, drone frame structure/architecture is therefore not scalable. Accordingly, there is a need for a drone structure/architecture that is scalable and provides enhanced strength irrespective of material used.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the foregoing, a scalable drone (100A, 100B) including a frame (102) with a number of modules (204, 206) connected to each other through a number of channels (208). A number of landing gear mounts (212) projecting from the number of channels (208) in vertical plane of the frame (102) and a number of receiving portions (210) projecting from the plurality of channels (208) in horizontal plane of the frame (102). A number of landing gears (106) are connected to the number of landing gear mounts (212) and a number of arms (104) are connected to the number of receiving portions (210).

In an embodiment, the number of modules (204, 206) are connected to each other in a single horizontal plane. In an embodiment, the number of modules (204, 206) are connected to each other in a single vertical plane. In an embodiment, the number of modules (204, 206) are connected to each other in more than one vertical and horizontal plane.

In an embodiment, the number of arms (104) are mounted on the frame (102) through a hinge (210) projecting from the channel (208) in horizontal plane. In an embodiment, the number of arms (104) are mounted on the frame (102) through a hinge (210) projecting from the channel (208) in horizontal plane. In an embodiment, the arms (104), the landing gears (106) and the number of modules (204, 206) are replaceable thereby enabling a scalable architecture of the scalable drone (100).

In an embodiment, a number of propellers are mounted at the distal end of the plurality of arms (104).

In an embodiment, the shape of the frame (102) is any polygonal such as a square, a rectangle, a pentagon, a hexagon, an octagon, trapezoidal or the like for creation of quad, hexa ,flat oct, coaxial quad, coaxial octa and/or coaxial hexa drones.

In an embodiment, the shape of the frame (102) is any polygonal such as a square, a rectangle, a pentagon, a hexagon, an octagon, trapezoidal or the like for creation of quad, hexa ,flat oct, coaxial quad, coaxial octa and/or coaxial hexa drones.

In an aspect, a modular drone (100A, 100B) including a modular frame (102) with a number of modular modules (204, 206) connected to each other through a number of modular channels (208). A number of landing gear mounts (212) projects from the number of modular channels (208) in vertical plane of the modular frame (102) and a number of receiving portions (210) projects from the number of modular channels (208) in horizontal plane of the modular frame (102). A number of landing gears (106) are connected to the number of landing gear mounts (212) and a number of arms (104) are connected to the number of receiving portions (210).

In the aspect, the number of modular modules (204, 206) are connected to each other in a single horizontal plane. The number of modular modules (204, 206) may be connected to each other in a single vertical plane. The number of modular modules (204, 206) may be connected to each other in more than one horizontal and vertical plane.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[008] The above and still further features and advantages of embodiments of the present invention will become apparent upon consideration of the following detailed descnption of embodiments thereof, especially when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, and wherein:

[009] FIG. 1A, IB, and 1C illustrates a top view, a perspective view, and a side view respectively, of a scalable drone architecture or drone, according to an embodiment herein;

[0010] FIG. 2A, 2B, and 2C illustrates a top view, a perspective view and a side view of a frame of the drone architecture or drone of FIG. 1, according to an embodiment herein;

[0011] FIG. 3 illustrates a perspective top view of a rectangular frame of a drone, according to an embodiment herein;

[0012] FIG. 4 illustrates a perspective top view of a hexagonal frame of a drone, according to an embodiment herein; and

[0013] FIG. 5A and 5B illustrate a perspective view of a drone without and with payloads, according to an embodiment herein.

[0014] To facilitate understanding, like reference numerals have been used, where possible, to designate like elements common to the figures.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0015] As used throughout this application, the word "may" is used in a permissive sense (i.e., meaning having the potential to), rather than the mandatory sense (i.e., meaning must). Similarly, the words “include”, “including”, and “includes” mean including but not limited to.

[0016] The phrases “at least one”, “one or more”, and “and/or” are open-ended expressions that are both conjunctive and disjunctive in operation. For example, each of the expressions “at least one of A, B and C”, “at least one of A, B, or C”, “one or more of A, B, and C”, “one or more of A, B, or C” and “A, B, and/or C” means A alone, B alone, C alone, A and B together, A and C together, B and C together, or A, B and C together.

[0017] The term “a” or “an” entity refers to one or more of that entity. As such, the terms “a” (or “an”), “one or more” and “at least one” can be used interchangeably herein. It is also to be noted that the terms “comprising”, “including”, and “having” can be used interchangeably.

[0018] The terms “architecture” and “structure” and other variations thereof, as used herein, refers to entire body of a drone as envisaged according to the embodiment herein.

[0019] As mentioned, there remains a need for a drone structure/architecture that is scalable and provides enhanced strength irrespective of material used. The embodiment herein provide a drone structure or architecture where tubes are critical structural components and are mounted on edges of a frame or body such that 6 functional payloads or components are enclosed within the drone architecture or structure.

[0020] FIG. 1A, IB, and 1C illustrates a top view, a perspective view, and a side view respectively, of a scalable drone architecture or a scalable drone (100), according to an embodiment herein. The figure illustrates the scalable drone (100) via different views (100A, 100B, 100C), according to an embodiment herein. The scalable drone (100) includes a frame (102), a number of arms 104, and a number of legs 106. The arms 104 are connected to the frame 102 and extend from the frame 102 in a horizontal plane of the frame 102. The legs 106 are connected to the frame 102 and extend from the frame 102 in a vertical plane of the frame 102.

The number of propellers are mounted at the distal end of the number of arms (104).

In an embodiment, the angle of the number of propellers are adjustable to vary the thrust generated by the number of propellers of the scalable drone (100).

[0021] FIG. 2A, 2B, and 2C illustrates a top view, a perspective view and a side view respectively of the frame 102 of the drone architecture or drone of FIG. 1, according to an embodiment herein. The frame 102 includes a number of modules 204, 206 connected via each other via a number of channels 208 as shown in FIG. 2A, 2B and 2C. The module 204 is constructed by joining or connecting a number of tubes 202 on the number of channels 208 as shown in FIG. 2A, 2B and 2C. The modules 204 and 206 are constructed by using hollow or solid tubes that are coupled with each other at the channels 208. The frame 102 includes at least two modules (204, 206) that are circular, square, pentagonal or polygonal in shape. In an embodiment, there may be “n” number of modules connected to each other via the channel (208). The modules are connected or coupled vertically, one on top of other, using a number of channels 208. The channel (208) includes a receiving portion such as a hinge (210) projecting in the horizontal plane and another receiving portion such as a landing gear mount (212) projecting in the vertical plane as shown in Fig. 2D. The hinge (210) and the landing gear mount (212) are configured to receive arms (104) in the horizontal plane and the landing gears (106) in the vertical plane respectively.

In an embodiment, the landing gear (106) may include a leg, a castor equipped with a shock absorbing strut, a cushion pad or the like.

In an embodiment, the number of modules may be connected to each other in single horizontal plane and in single vertical plane, which means the number of modules may be connected with each other through the channel (208) in side by side relation and stacked vertically, one on the top of the other.

In an embodiment, the number of modules (204, 206) may be connected to each other in more than one horizontal and vertical plane such that the number of modules (204, 206) spread both in horizontal and vertical plane simultaneously.

In an embodiment, the module of one particular shape may be connected to the module of any other shape. For instance, a square shaped module may be connected to pentagon shaped module.

In an embodiment, the numbers of channels 208 are directly proportional to number of comers in a polygonal module 204, 206 e.g., a square module requires four channels 208 at each of the corners to connect with another square module. The frame 102 thus formed has empty space through the frame as shown in FIG. 2. The channel 208 provides strength, stiffness and mounting for the tubes 202, legs 106, hinges, external pay load and internal components. The channel 208 has mounting means at all the faces/sides. In an embodiment, the channel has mounting means on six sides/faces.

In an embodiment, the number of channels 208 are disposed anywhere throughout the length of the modules (204, 206) for sake of connecting the modules (204, 206) with each other.

[0022] In a preferred embodiment, the tubes 202 are connected with channels 208 using sleeves or dual threaded insets. The tubes 202 are also able to receive and hold light loads of internal components and/or external pay loads.

In an embodiment, the landing gear is wheel or castor equipped with a shock absorber strut, a cushion pad or the like.

[0023] In an embodiment, the tubes 202 may be hollow. The hollow tubes may be fitted with tube inlays inside and bonded to an inner lining of tube via mechanical or chemical means. In a preferred embodiment, the tube inlays are bonded to inner lining of the tubes by using adhesive. The tube inlays may be threaded with one or more holes depending on size of tube and frame and help to connect the tubes [e.g., hollow tubes] with channels and prevents tubes from twisting providing the overall frame 102 a torsional strength.

[0025] FIG. 3 illustrates a perspective top view of a rectangular frame of a drone, according to an embodiment herein. The rectangular frame 302 includes two rectangular modules, a top module 304 and a bottom module 306 that are connected via channels 308a, 308b, 308c, and 3O8d at four corners in a vertical plane. The arms are mounted on the hinges 314a, 314b, 314c, and 314d. The arms 310a, 310b, 310c, and 310d are mounted on the hinges mounted on the channels 308a, 308b, 308c, and 3O8d. The arms 310a, 310b, 310c, and 310d are mounted with motors 312a, 312b, 312c and 312d respectively to mount propellers that allow the drone to be lifted vertically. In an embodiment, the rectangular frame 302 is mounted on four legs or landing gear via the four landing gear mounts that are mounted on the channels 308a, 308b, 308c, and 3O8d on the lower module 306. In an embodiment, a rectangular module based frame includes four hinges, four channels, four arms with four motor mounts, and four landing gear with landing gear mounts. Similarly, a hexagonal frame and a drone based on hexagonal frame as illustrated in FIG. 4. In an embodiment, the drone based on a polygonal frame or trapezoidal frame is constructed.

In an embodiment, the propellers are mounted on either side of the motor (312) that is above the motor (312) and down the motor (312).

In an embodiment, the propellers are replaceable to enable usage of the propellers of different sizes depending upon the thrust required to lift the drone (100) based on the pay load carried by the drone (100).

[0026] The FIG. 3 and 4 illustrates scalability of the drone according to an embodiment herein. The drone may be scaled down or up by altering dimensions of the tubes and allows for creation of quad, hexa ,flat oct, coaxial quad, coaxial octa and/or coaxial hexa drones accordingly merely by altering the tube arrangements and dimensions.

[0027] Further, the critical components of the drone (100) so built may be kept in the empty space formed by the frame (102) and thus giving full flexibility to mount devices and/or payloads on the outside, at the top as well as at the bottom simultaneously. FIG. 5A and 5B illustrates a perspective view of a drone carrying pay loads.

In an embodiment, the critical components may include a display, a microphone, a headphone, a plurality of sensors associated with the drone (100), a camera, a flight control module, a GPS module, an electronic speed controller or the like.

[0029] In an embodiment, the arms (104), the landing gears (106) and the number of modules (204, 206) of the frame (102) are replaceable and therefore enabling the scalable architecture of the scalable drone (100) to be of bigger and even smaller sizes depending on the pay load carried and application area of the drone (100). For instance, if the payload is a number of small electronic components such as headphones, personal assistant devices (PDA’s) and speaker etc, then the size of the drone (100) can be kept smaller and in case the drone (100) is configured to dispense water to the lawn or to the field, then the size of the drone (100) can be kept a bit bigger to accommodate necessary water tanks and fertilizers as a pay load of the drone (100) as can be seen through the Fig. 5B.

In an embodiment, the scalable drone (100) is configured to carry weapons or other protective equipments for military operations at remote or inaccessible areas. The scalable drone (100), therefore: can be reduced to the size that the drone (100) is capable to fly at dense areas such as forests etc.

In an aspect, a modular drone (100A, 100B) including a modular frame (102) with a number of modular modules (204, 206) connected to each other through a number of modular channels (208). A number of landing gear mounts (212) projects from the number of modular channels (208) in vertical plane of the modular frame (102) and a number of receiving portions (210) projects from the number of modular channels (208) in horizontal plane of the modular frame (102). A number of landing gears (106) are connected to the number of landing gear mounts (212) and a number of arms (104) are connected to the number of receiving portions (210).

In the aspect, the number of modular modules (204, 206) are connected to each other in a single horizontal plane.

In the aspect, the number of modular modules (204, 206) are connected to each other in a single vertical plane.

In the aspect, the number of modular modules (204, 206) are connected to each other in more than one horizontal and vertical plane.

[0028] The frame (102) as may be seen is spacious allowing for accommodation of numerous components and thus making the drone (100) truly versatile and able to perform multiple functions. The use of channels (208) allows mounting heavy payloads in any orientation. The frame (102) further includes intelligent failure points.

[0030] Given the scalable model comprising tubes, hinges and channels, the drone according to the embodiment herein is easier to mass manufacture and assemble. Since the structure is modular, it is possible to repair the drone by disassembling, removal of faulty structure or component and assembling again by replacing the defected or broken part.

[0031] The preceding is a simplified summary to provide an understanding of some aspects of embodiments of the present invention. This summary is neither an extensive nor exhaustive overview of the present invention and its various embodiments. The summary presents selected concepts of the embodiments of the present invention in a simplified form as an introduction to the more detailed description presented below. As will be appreciated, other embodiments of the present invention are possible utilizing, alone or in combination, one or more of the features set forth above or described in detail below.

[0032] The foregoing discussion of the present invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to limit the present invention to the form or forms disclosed herein. In the foregoing Detailed Description, for example, various features of the present invention are grouped together in one or more embodiments, configurations, or aspects for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure. The features of the embodiments, configurations, or aspects may be combined in alternate embodiments, configurations, or aspects other than those discussed above. This method of disclosure is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention the present invention requires more features than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive aspects lie in less than all features of a single foregoing disclosed embodiment, configuration, or aspect. Thus, the following claims are hereby incorporated into this Detailed Description, with each claim standing on its own as a separate embodiment of the present invention.

[0033] Moreover, though the description of the present invention has included description of one or more embodiments, configurations, or aspects and certain variations and modifications, other variations, combinations, and modifications are within the scope of the present invention, e.g., as may be within the skill and knowledge of those in the art, after understanding the present disclosure. It is intended to obtain rights which include alternative embodiments, configurations, or aspects to the extent permitted, including alternate, interchangeable and/or equivalent structures, functions, ranges or steps to those claimed, whether or not such alternate, interchangeable and/or equivalent structures, functions, ranges or steps are disclosed herein, and without intending to publicly dedicate any patentable subject matter.