TECHNICAL FIELD
Present disclosure in general relates to flying vehicles. Particularly, but not exclusively, the
present disclosure relates to a controlled aerial vehicle. Further, embodiments of the present
disclosure disclose a system for selectively morphing the controlled aerial vehicle.
5
BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE
A controlled aerial vehicle colloquially known as a multi-copter or unmanned aerial vehicle
(UAV), is an aircraft without a human pilot onboard. Its flight is controlled either
autonomously by onboard computers or by remote control of a pilot on the ground or in
10 another vehicle. The typical launch and recovery method of the controlled aerial vehicle is
by the function of an automatic system or an external operator on the ground. In brief, the
controlled aerial vehicle are simple, remotely piloted aircraft, but autonomous control is
increasingly being employed.
15 Controlled aerial vehicles have been used in aerial photography, surveillance, exploration,
delivery of goods and cargo and rescue. Operating the UAV for these purposes in various
environments is challenging due to limited free space availability and the presence of
clutter. Typically, operating conventional UAV may be in the form of hexacopter,
octocopter and quadcopters in cluttered spaces presents significant difficulties due to the
20 inherent challenges posed by obstacles and restricted manoeuvrability. The presence of
objects such as trees, buildings, power lines, or indoor structures introduces several
complexities. Firstly, the limited space available makes it challenging for UAVs to
navigate without colliding with objects. Their large footprint and rotor spans can easily get
entangled or cause damage. Secondly, the intricate and unpredictable airflow patterns
25 within cluttered spaces can significantly affect the stability and control of the UAV’s.
Moreover, the UAV's responsiveness and manoeuvrability are compromised due to
turbulence caused by objects in its vicinity. Lastly, the risk of damage to the UAV itself or
the surrounding objects is heightened, as any collision results in severe consequences.
30 Further, one of the objective may require contact inspection or close observation.
Therefore, using fixed-wing UAVs is not feasible due to their larger size and non-hover
feature. UAVs, in the form of quadcopter may be ideal because of their compact size and
3
rich manoeuvrability, which offer an enticing alternative for operation in the cluttered
environment. For higher payload or more extended endurance missions, the size of the
quadcopter UAV has to be increased, in turn making it difficult or impossible to fly in
confined spaces. To address this, conventionally, the UAV undergo morphing wherein the
5 UAV can reduce its size mid-flight (morphing) to fly effectively in the cluttered
environment. The mid-flight morphing designs of quadcopters UAV that implement an
additional actuator(s) are present.
Conventionally, the application of more number of actuators/ propellers such as four servo10 motors to directly control an individual arm-angle of the quadcopter UAV has been
realized. These conventional quadcopters can achieve various configurations required to
traverse through vertical as well as horizontal gaps. However, increasing the number of
actuators increases the risk of failure and reduces the power efficiency. Also, four servomotors are being implemented to actuate a scissor-like mechanism that expands and
15 compresses the arms of a quadcopter. In both designs, the morphing extent is limited as the
propeller configured in the arms may collide during morphing. The propeller collision is
prevented by installing the arms of the quadcopter in different planes. However, the
maximum reduction in the size is not specified.
20 In another conventional configuration, a sliding-arm morphing can be used with two servomotors and belt drives. The compression of UAV arm on one side results in the extension
of the opposite arm. Such configuration may not be suitable for operation in highly
cluttered environments. Similarly, if a single servo-motor is used to rotate the arms to the
extent that all the propellers are in a straight line, this results in the maximum possible size
25 reduction during hover in a horizontal plane. But the roll control is lost in this manoeuvre,
and the UAV may not be able to morph for a prolonged time. Few conventional UAV’s
eliminate application of additional actuators and use passive mechanical elements like
springs and hinges to reduce their size. Further, the UAV quadcopter incorporating a
compliant airframe that physically interacts with the environment to squeeze within the
30 gaps and fly is arranged, wherein the springs are used to morph the quadcopter by folding
its arms downwards while executing an airborne trajectory through a window-like clutter
in. However, this technique may not be suitable when sustained morphing is required, for
example traversing through the pipeline. Also, each arm may be connected to a base
4
airframe by a simple hinge and to reduce the size, two arms are folded down by
commanding negative thrust to the motors. However, in this configuration reducing the
UAV’s size in the horizontal plane increases the UAV’s size in the vertical plane.
5 Therefore, using the conventional configuration of the UAV’s may cause a shift in the
Centre of Gravity (COG) location in a body-fixed frame, which may cause deterioration in
the controller’s tracking performance. Also, multiple servo-motors directly actuating the
arms, may increase the size and weight of the UAV and therefore larger servo-motor is
required to counteract the higher propeller torques. In adverse conditions, configuring
10 larger and multiple servo-motor may result in sudden or abrupt failure due to overheating,
winding defects, bearing failure, etc. Therefore, conventional UAVs are not designed to
manage a complete failure of the servo-motor as the arms would continue to spin
uncontrollably due to propeller torques. This may in turn damage the operation of the
propellers and the UAV.
15 The present disclosure is directed to overcome one or more limitations stated above or any
other limitations associated with the prior arts.
SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE
One or more shortcomings of existing aerial vehicles have been overcome, and additional
20 advantages are provided through a mechanism, system, and method as claimed in the
present disclosure. Additional features and advantages are realized through the techniques
of the present disclosure. Other embodiments and aspects of the disclosure are described
in detail herein and are considered a part of the claimed disclosure. The limitations of the
prior arts are addressed to a great extent by the mechanism with its configuration and its
25 functionality as disclosed in the present disclosure.
The present disclosure discloses a mechanism for morphing of an aerial vehicle. The
mechanism comprises of a housing formed in a fuselage of the aerial vehicle. A gear unit
is disposed within the housing. The gear unit comprises of a drive gear and mounted on a
drive shaft disposed on a longitudinal axis of the aerial vehicle. A pair of driven gears are
30 mounted on a pair of driven shafts mounted along an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal
axis. Each driven gear of the pair of driven gears is orthogonally meshed with the drive
5
gear, and the pair of driven shafts are adapted to allow mounting of a plurality of arms of
the aerial vehicle. A support gear is meshed between the pair of driven gears to support
rotation and maintain a position of each of the pair of driven gears. At least one actuator is
coupled to the drive shaft to actuate the drive gear to drive the pair of driven gears to rotate
5 the pair of driven shafts. The pair of driven shafts are configured to displace the plurality
of arms between a first position and a second position upon activation of the at least one
actuator to reduce a span of the aerial vehicle.
In an embodiment, the drive shaft extends away from the housing along the longitudinal
axis.
10 In an embodiment, the housing is defined with an opening to accommodate each driven
shaft of the pair of driven shafts.
In an embodiment, each driven shaft of the pair of driven shafts extend away from the
housing through the opening.
In an embodiment, the mechanism comprises an arm connector coupled to the pair of
15 driven shafts, wherein the arm connector is defined with a body and a mounting provision
extending from either ends of the body.
In an embodiment, the plurality of arms are connected to the mounting provisions of the
arm connector.
In an embodiment, the plurality of arms are displaced symmetrically upon rotation of the
20 pair of driven shafts.
In an embodiment, the plurality of arms are oriented at a first predetermined angle with
respect to the fuselage in the first position.
In an embodiment, the plurality of arms are oriented at a second predetermined angle with
respect to the fuselage, the second predetermined angle is less than the first predetermined
25 angle in the second position.
In an embodiment, the mechanism comprises a plurality of shape memory alloy springs
connected to the fuselage at one end and to the plurality of arms at another end.
6
In an embodiment, the plurality of shape memory alloy springs are configured to displace
the plurality of arms with respect to the fuselage between the first position and the second
position upon applying a predefined voltage to the plurality of shape memory alloy springs.
In an embodiment, the mechanism comprises at least one linear actuator connected to the
5 plurality of arms, wherein the at least one linear actuator is configured to displace the
plurality of arms between the first position and the second position.
In an embodiment, the first predetermined angle is in a range of 0 to 180°.
In an embodiment, the second predetermined angle is in a range of 0 to 180°.
In one non-limiting embodiment of the present disclosure, an aerial vehicle is disclosed.
10 The aerial vehicle comprises a fuselage and a plurality of arms extending from the fuselage.
The plurality of arms are defined with a plurality of propellor units to produce thrust. A
mechanism is disposed within the fuselage and configured to displace the plurality of arms.
The mechanism comprises of a housing formed in a fuselage of the aerial vehicle. A gear
unit is disposed within the housing, the gear unit comprises of a drive gear mounted on a
15 drive shaft disposed on a longitudinal axis of the aerial vehicle. A pair of driven gears are
mounted on a pair of driven shafts mounted along an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal
axis. Each driven gear of the pair of driven gears is orthogonally meshed with the drive
gear. A plurality of arms are movably mounted on the pair of driven shafts. Further, a
support gear is meshed between the pair of driven gears to support rotation and maintain a
20 position of the pair of driven gears. At least one actuator is coupled to the drive shaft and
is configured to actuate the drive gear to drive the pair of driven gears to rotate the pair of
driven shafts. The pair of driven shafts are configured to displace the plurality of arms
between a first position and a second position upon activation of the at least one actuator
to reduce a span of the aerial vehicle.
25 In an embodiment, the fuselage is defined with at least two plates connected in parallel to
each other by vertical ribs to define a space therebetween to accommodate the mechanism
In an embodiment, the mechanism comprises of a propellor unit connected at one end of
each arm of the plurality of arms, wherein the propellor unit is configured to generate a
thrust force for propelling the aerial vehicle.
7
In another non-limiting embodiment, the present disclosure also discloses a system for
morphing an aerial vehicle. The system comprises of a mechanism disposed within a
fuselage of the aerial vehicle. The mechanism comprises of a housing disposed within a
fuselage of the aerial vehicle. A gear unit is disposed within the housing. The gear unit
5 comprises of a drive gear mounted on a drive shaft disposed on a longitudinal axis of the
aerial vehicle. At least one pair of driven gears are mounted on a pair of driven shafts
mounted along an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. Each driven gear of the pair
of driven gears is orthogonally meshed with the drive gear, and the pair of drive shafts are
adapted to allow mounting of a plurality of arms of the aerial vehicle. A support gear
10 meshed between the pair of driven gears to support the rotation and maintain the position
of the pair of driven gears. At least one actuator is coupled to the drive shaft and is
configured to actuate the drive gear to drive the pair of driven gears to rotate the pair of
driven shafts. A plurality of sensors are connected to the fuselage to detect objects
surrounding the aerial vehicle. A control unit is communicatively coupled to the at least
15 one actuator and the plurality of sensors. The control unit is configured to receive an
actuation signal from a user corresponding to a displacement of the plurality of arms. The
control unit activates the at least one actuator to rotate the pair of driven shafts to displace
the plurality of arms between a first position and a second position based on the inputs
from the user to reduce a span of the aerial vehicle. The control unit also receives one or
20 more signals from the plurality of sensors upon detection of an objects in line with a flight
path of the aerial vehicle. Lastly, the control unit activates the at least one actuator to rotate
the pair of driven shafts to displace the plurality of arms between a first position and a
second position based on the one or more signals to reduce a span of the aerial vehicle.
In yet another non-limiting embodiment, the present disclosure discloses a method of
25 morphing an aerial vehicle. The method comprises of receiving by a control unit, an
actuation signal from a user corresponding to a displacement of a plurality of arms of the
aerial vehicle. Next, the control unit activates the at least one actuator to rotate each of the
pair of driven shafts to displace the plurality of arms between a first position and a second
position based on the actuation signal. Later, the control unit receives a first signal from
30 the plurality of sensors upon detection of an objects in line with a flight path of the aerial
vehicle. Further, the control unit activates the at least one actuator to rotate the pair of
driven shafts to displace the plurality of arms between a first position and a second position
8
based on the first signal to reduce a span of the aerial vehicle. Followed by receiving a
second signal by the control unit from the plurality of sensors upon detection of an objects
away from a flight path of the aerial vehicle. Lastly, the control unit activates the at least
one actuator to rotate each of the pair of driven shafts to displace the plurality of arms from
5 the second position to the first position based on the second signal to normalize the span
of the aerial vehicle.
It is to be understood that the aspects and embodiments of the disclosure described above
may be used in any combination with each other. Several of the aspects and embodiments
may be combined together to form a further embodiment of the disclosure.
10 The foregoing summary is illustrative only and is not intended to be in any way limiting.
In addition to the illustrative aspects, embodiments, and features described above, further
aspects, embodiments, and features will become apparent by reference to the drawings and
the following detailed description.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS
15
The novel features and characteristic of the disclosure are set forth in the appended claims.
The disclosure itself, however, as well as a preferred mode of use, further objectives, and
advantages thereof, will best be understood by reference to the following detailed
description of an illustrative embodiment when read in conjunction with the accompanying
20 figures. One or more embodiments are now described, by way of example only, with
reference to the accompanying figures wherein like reference numerals represent like
elements and in which:
Figure 1 illustrates a perspective view of an aerial vehicle with a mechanism for selectively
morphing the aerial vehicle, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
25
Figure. 2 illustrates a front view of the aerial vehicle of Figure 1.
Figure. 3 illustrates an exploded view of the aerial vehicle of Figure 1.
30 Figure. 4 illustrates a top view of a plurality of arms and a propeller assembly of the aerial
vehicle of Figure 1.
9
Figure. 5 illustrates an exploded view of the plurality of arms and the propeller assembly
of the aerial vehicle.
5 Figure. 6 illustrates a perspective view of a mechanism for selectively morphing the aerial
vehicle. in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
Figure. 7 illustrates a front view of the mechanism of Figure 6 for selectively morphing the
aerial vehicle.
10
Figure. 8 illustrates an exploded view of the mechanism of Figure 6 for selectively
morphing the aerial vehicle.
Figure. 8a illustrates a graphical representation between a weight of the aerial vehicle, gear
15 ratio, and morphing speed, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
Figure. 9 illustrates a schematic view of a system for selectively morphing the controlled
aerial vehicle, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
20 Figure. 10 illustrates a flowchart indicating different modes for a flight control of the aerial
vehicle, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
Figure. 11a illustrates a top view of the aerial vehicle having a plurality of shape memory
alloy springs in a compressed configuration for selectively morphing the aerial vehicle to
25 a second position, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
Figure. 11b illustrates a top view of the aerial vehicle with the plurality of shape memory
alloy springs in an expanded configuration for selectively morphing the aerial vehicle to a
first position, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
30
Figure. 12a illustrates a top view of the aerial vehicle with the linear actuator for selectively
morphing the aerial vehicle to a first position, in accordance with an embodiment of the
present disclosure.
10
Figure. 12b illustrates a top view of the aerial vehicle with the linear actuator for selectively
morphing the aerial vehicle to a first position, in accordance with an embodiment of the
present disclosure.
5 Figure. 13 illustrates a block diagram of a system for selectively morphing the aerial
vehicle, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
Figure. 14 illustrates a flow diagram of a method for selectively morphing the aerial
vehicle, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
10 The figures depict embodiments of the disclosure for purposes of illustration only. One
skilled in the art will readily recognize from the following description that alternative
embodiments of the apparatus and methods illustrated herein may be employed without
departing from the principles of the disclosure described herein.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
15 While the embodiments in the disclosure are subject to various modifications and
alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof have been shown by way of example in
the figures and will be described below. It should be understood, however, that it is not
intended to limit the disclosure to the particular forms disclosed, but on the contrary, the
disclosure is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternative falling within the scope
20 of the disclosure.
It is to be noted that a person skilled in the art would be motivated from the present
disclosure and modify construction of a device or a system for selectively morphing an
aerial vehicle. However, such modifications should be construed within the scope of the
disclosure. Accordingly, the drawings show only those specific details that are pertinent to
25 understand the embodiments of the present disclosure, so as not to obscure the disclosure
with details that will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art having benefit
of the description herein.
The terms “comprises”, “comprising”, or any other variations thereof used in the
30 disclosure, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusions, such that a device and a
method that comprises a list of components does not include only those components but
11
may include other components not expressly listed or inherent to such device and the
system. In other words, one or more elements in the device or the method proceeded by
“comprises… a” does not, without more constraints, preclude the existence of other
elements or additional elements in the device or the system.
5 The present disclosure relates to a mechanism for selectively morphing an aerial vehicle.
Conventionally, controlled aerial vehicles have been used in aerial photography,
surveillance, exploration, delivery of goods and cargo and rescue. Operating the UAV for
these purposes in various environments is challenging due to limited free space availability
and the presence of clutter. Typically, operating conventional UAV may be in the form of
10 hexacopter and octocopter and quadcopters in cluttered spaces presents significant
difficulties due to the inherent challenges posed by obstacles and restricted
manoeuvrability. The presence of objects such as trees, buildings, power lines, or indoor
structures introduces several complexities. Firstly, the limited space available makes it
challenging for UAVs to navigate without colliding with objects. Their large footprint and
15 rotor spans can easily get entangled or cause damage. Secondly, the intricate and
unpredictable airflow patterns within cluttered spaces can significantly affect the stability
and control of the UAV’s. Moreover, the UAV's responsiveness and manoeuvrability are
compromised due to turbulence caused by objects in its vicinity. Lastly, the risk of damage
to the UAV itself or the surrounding objects is heightened, as any collision results in severe
20 consequences. Although the application of more number of actuators/ propellers such as
four servo-motors to directly control an individual arm-angle of the quadcopter UAV has
been realized. However, increasing the number of actuators increases the risk of failure and
reduces the power efficiency. Also, multiple servo-motors directly actuating the arms, may
increase the size and weight of the UAV and therefore larger servo-motor is required to
25 counteract the higher propeller torques. This in turn increases the operational and
maintenance costs of the aerial vehicle.
In view of the above, the present disclosure discloses a mechanism for morphing of an
aerial vehicle. The mechanism comprises of a housing formed in a fuselage of the aerial
vehicle. A gear unit is disposed within the housing and comprises of a drive gear and
30 mounted on a drive shaft disposed on a longitudinal axis of the aerial vehicle. A pair of
driven gears are mounted on a pair of driven shafts mounted along an axis perpendicular
12
to the longitudinal axis. Each driven gear of the pair of driven gears is orthogonally meshed
with the drive gear, and the pair of driven shafts are adapted to allow mounting of a plurality
of arms of the aerial vehicle. A support gear is meshed between the pair of driven gears to
support rotation and maintain a position of each of the pair of driven gears. At least one
5 actuator is coupled to the drive shaft to actuate the drive gear to drive the pair of driven
gears to rotate the pair of driven shafts. The pair of driven shafts are configured to displace
the plurality of arms between a first position and a second position upon activation of the
at least one actuator to reduce a span of the aerial vehicle.
The following paragraphs describe the present disclosure in detail with reference to
10 Figures. 1 to 14. In the figures, the same element or elements which have similar functions
are indicated by the same reference signs.
Referring to Figures. 1, 2 and 3 which illustrates a perspective, front and exploded views
of a controlled aerial vehicle (100) [hereinafter referred to as vehicle/aerial vehicle]. The
vehicle (100) of the present disclosure may be a quad-rotor aerial vehicle (e.g., an aerial
15 vehicle having four rotor assemblies). It may be appreciated that the vehicle (100) may be
a multi-rotor aerial vehicle having six rotor assemblies, eight rotor assemblies and the like.
All such different types of vehicles are considered to be within the scope of the present
disclosure. The vehicle (100) of the present disclosure may include a body also referred to
as a fuselage (3). The vehicle (100) may comprise one or more fuselage (3) and may define
20 a structure designed to receive and support vehicle electronics hereinafter referred to as a
control unit (30). The control unit (30) may include main computer board, on-board
electronics, GPS module, air telemetry and radio receiver each of them connected to the
main computer board. In another embodiment, the control unit (30) may include power
distribution board. The fuselage (3) may include at least two plates (3a, 3b) having a top
25 plate (3a) and a bottom plate (3b) coupled in a spaced apart configuration by vertical ribs
(4). The top plate (3a) and the bottom plate (3b) may be coupled to form a housing (10)
within the fuselage (3) defining a space therebetween to accommodate the vehicle
electronics, the control unit (30) and a mechanism (1) for morphing the vehicle (100). In
another embodiment, the top plate (3a) and the bottom plate (3b) may be connected by any
30 suitable means including but not limiting to fasteners such as screws. The fuselage (3) may
be defined with one or more connecting ports [not shown]. The one or more connecting
13
ports may be defined at a predefined location on the fuselage (3). For instance, the one or
more connecting ports may be defined at a central portion of the fuselage (3). The fuselage
(3) may have various shapes according to different designs on appearance of the vehicle
(100). For instance, the fuselage (3) may be square shaped, a polygonal shape, an
5 aerodynamic shape, a streamlined shape, or any regular or irregular shapes. In an
embodiment, the fuselage (3) may be made of metal such as aluminium, or suitable plastic
or polymer, or any other suitable material or combination of materials. In another
embodiment, the fuselage (3) may be made of composite materials but not limiting to the
same. For instance, the fuselage (3) may be made of carbon fibre, fiberglass, and other such
10 suitable materials. The fuselage (3) may be a truss structure, a monocoque or a semimonocoque structure. A plurality of arms (2) are arranged inside the fuselage (3) and
extend away from the fuselage (3).
Referring to Figures. 4 and 5, each of the plurality of arms (2) are connected by an arm
15 connector (5). The arm connector (5) comprises a mounting provisions (5a) at the end
portions such that a first end of each arm of the plurality of arms (2) may be removably
secured to the arm connector (5). Further, the mounting provisions (5a) of the arm
connector (5) may be receivable by corresponding connecting ports of the one or more
connecting ports defined on the fuselage (3). In an embodiment, each of the plurality of
20 arms (2) may be either fixedly connected or may be movably connected to the fuselage (3)
via the arm connector (5). In an embodiment, the first end of the plurality of arms (2) may
be connected to the fuselage (3) by at least one of a binding screw mechanism or a lock pin
mechanism which enables the plurality of arms (2) to displace between an extended
position and collapsed position. It should be noted that the number of plurality of arms
25 depend on the type of the vehicle (100) i.e., whether the vehicle (100) is a quad-rotor
vehicle, hexa-rotor vehicle, octa-rotor vehicle, or a multi-rotor vehicle. Although, the
vehicle (100) depicted in the figures is a quad-rotor vehicle, the same should not be
construed as a limitation of the present disclosure. In an embodiment, the plurality of arms
(2) may be symmetrical with respect to substantial centre of the fuselage (2). A second end
30 of each of the plurality of arms (2) opposite to the first end may be defined with a receiving
portion. The receiving portion defined in each of the plurality of arms (2) may be
configured to receive and support a plurality of propellor units (6). The plurality of
propellor units (6) are also referred to as rotor assemblies. Each propellor unit (6) includes
14
a motor (6a) and a propeller (6b) connected to the motor (6a). The motor (6a) may drive
the propeller (6b) to rotate and hence provide a propulsion to the vehicle (100). The motor
(6a) of each propellor unit of the plurality of propellor units (6) may be powered by a
battery module (not shown in figures) connected to the fuselage (3). The said battery
5 module may be releasably connected to the fuselage (3). In an embodiment, the battery
module may be mounted to a bottom surface of the fuselage (3). For instance, the bottom
surface of the fuselage (3) may be defined with a cavity with securing means for convenient
insertion and/or ejection of the battery module. The battery module may be adapted to
power the control unit (30) and the propellor unit (6) of the vehicle (100). The battery
10 module may include a series of batteries or may be individual battery of necessary capacity.
Referring to Figure. 6, the vehicle (100) further includes a mechanism (1) disposed within
the fuselage (3) and configured to displace the plurality of arms (2). The mechanism (1)
may be defined at predetermined locations on the fuselage (3) including central portion, a
frontal portion, or a rear portion as per the requirement. The mechanism (1) comprises of
15 a drive shaft (14) extending away from the housing and is disposed along a longitudinal
axis (B-B) of the vehicle (100). A pair of driven shafts (16a, 16b) extend from the housing
(10) in opposite directions. The pair of driven shafts (16a, 16b) are mounted on an axis (AA) perpendicular to the longitudinal axis (B-B). The housing (10) is defined with an
opening (18) to accommodate each driven shaft of the pair of driven shafts (16a, 16b). The
20 plurality of arms (2) are mounted on the pair of driven shafts (16a, 16b). The pair of driven
shafts (16a, 16b) are connected to the arm connector (5) which is coupled to the plurality
of arms (2) and disposed at both ends of the housing (10). In one embodiment, the plurality
of arms (2) include two sets of arms, each set being connected to the arm connector (5)
coupled to each driven shaft of the pair of driven shafts (16a, 16b), such that each set of
25 plurality of arms (2) lie in different planes (as shown in Figure. 1). Each set of the plurality
of arms (2) are disposed at a first predetermined angle (ϴ1) which is in a range of 0-180°.
Now referring to Figures. 7 and 8, the mechanism (1) further comprises of a gear unit (12)
disposed within the housing (10). The gear unit (12) includes at least four gears coupled
with each other perpendicularly forming a closed loop. The gear unit (12) comprises of a
30 drive gear (8a) mounted on a drive shaft (14). A pair of driven gears (9a, 9b) are mounted
on the pair of driven shafts (16a, 16b). In an embodiment, the drive gear (8a) is rotatable
15
along the longitudinal axis (B-B) and the pair of driven gears (9a, 9b) are rotatable along
the axis (A-A). Each driven gear of the pair of driven gears (9a, 9b) are orthogonally
meshed with the drive gear (8a). A support gear (8b) is meshed between the pair of driven
gears (9a, 9b) to support rotation and maintain a position of each of the pair of driven gears
5 (9a, 9b) during their rotation. In an embodiment, the drive gear (8a), the pair of driven gears
(9a, 9b), and the support gear (8b) may be at least one of a bevel gear and a miter gear.
Further, at least one actuator (7) is coupled to the drive shaft (14) and is configured to
actuate the drive gear (8a) to drive the pair of driven gears (9a, 9b) to rotate the pair of
driven shafts (16a, 16b). Consequently, the pair of driven shafts (16a, 16b) displaces the
10 arm connector (5) which in turn displaces the plurality of arms (2b) between a first position
(FP) and a second position (SP). Each set of arms of the plurality of arms (2) are displaced
symmetrically from the first predetermined angle (ϴ1) to a second predetermined angle
(ϴ2) to reduce a span of the vehicle (100). In an embodiment, the plurality of arms (2) are
positioned at a first predetermined angle (ϴ1) in the first position (FP). In an embodiment,
15 the plurality of arms (2) are oriented to the second predetermined angle (ϴ2) in a range of
0-180° in the second position (SP). In an embodiment, the second predetermined angle
(ϴ2) is less than the first predetermined angle (ϴ1). As an example, initially, if the first
predetermined angle (ϴ1) is 60° before actuation of the at least one actuator (7), the second
predetermined angle (ϴ2) may b e around 20° upon actuation of the at least one actuator
20 (7) to achieve morphing of the vehicle (100). In an embodiment, the at least one actuator
(7) may rotate in a reverse or opposite direction to rotate the drive gear (8a), the pair of
driven gears (9a, 9b) and the driven shafts (16a, 16b) in opposite directions to normalize
the span of the vehicle (100).
The mechanism (1) allows morphing of the vehicle (100) such that the plurality of arms
25 (2) are configured to form X geometry. Thus, an angle between the adjacent arms (2) can
be manipulated mid-flight. The plurality of arms (2) are always symmetric about the
vehicles (100) front (roll axis). Further, at least two counterclockwise spinning opposing
motor are mounted on one set of arms of the plurality of arms (2), whereas at least two
clockwise spinning opposing motors are mounted on remaining set of arms of the plurality
30 of arms (2). The plurality of arms (2) are rigidly fastened to the pair of driven shafts (16a,
16b) of the gears (9a,9b). Therefore, by rotating the servo-motor, the plurality of arms (2)
will rotate in opposite directions to reduce the span of the vehicle (100). The adjacent
16
motors are not located in the same plane, hence collision of propeller tip while morphing
is prevented. Also, the vertical ribs (4) prevents complete overlap of the propellers. The
actuation of the mechanism (1) aids to attain the collapsed position (second position) when
the plurality of arms (2) are folded for compact storage and manoeuvrability. The
5 symmetry of the plurality of arms (2) along pitch and roll axes is maintained, thus location
of COG is preserved throughout the morphing. The torque acting upon the at least one
actuator (7) can be reduced by changing a gear ratio of the mechanism (1). This allows the
vehicle (100) to be scalable with an insignificant change in weight of the gear unit (12).
Even under the complete failure of the servo-motor, the vehicle (100) may remain fully
10 controllable due to its symmetric nature and simple mechanical design. Further, the
configuration of the mechanism (1) allows the two sets of arms not to be located in the
same plane. This allows the adjacent propellers (6b) of the plurality of arms (2) to overlap,
further reducing the span. In extreme cases, the adjacent propellers can overlap entirely,
attaining shortest possible span. The minimum span is mechanically restricted to a small
15 value with almost 88% less than its nominal value the vehicle’s (100) span reduction
(without the propellers) is the highest amongst any other fully controllable morphing
mechanism.
In an embodiment, the mechanism (1) also allows the morphing of the vehicle (100) to be
20 scalable. Thus, the same actuator (7) can morph the vehicle (100) having higher weight.
Scalability is achieved by manipulating the gear ratio of the drive gear (8a), the support
gear (8b) and the pair of driven gears (9a, 9b) of the mechanism (1). The gear ratio can be
changed by changing the ratio of the number of teeth on meshing gears of the gear unit
(12). As the weight of the vehicle (100) increases, the torque generated by the propellers
25 increases. This torque is acted on the at least one actuator (7) through the gear unit (12).
The at least one actuator (7) may stall at higher operating torques and will not morph the
vehicle (100). However, by increasing the gear ratio, the torque acting on the at least one
actuator (7) can be decreased and brought below a stalling torque. Increasing the gear ratio
also decreases the morphing speed. Depending on the required morphing rate, the speed
30 ratings of the at least one actuator (7) can be chosen. The graph that shows the relation
between the vehicle weight, gear ratio, and morphing speed is given in Figure 8a. It is clear
from the graph that, upon increasing the gear ratio of the gear unit (12), the morphing speed
of the vehicle (100) will also decrease. Thus, the vehicle (100) is also tolerant to the failure
17
of the actuator (7). After failure of the actuator (7), the support gear (8b) will become the
driven pinion under the influence of propeller torques and depending on detent-torque of
the at least one actuator (7), arms (2) may either hold their position or with the propeller
torques overcoming the detent torque, the span will keep on reducing till it is mechanically
5 limited by the vertical ribs (4). The plurality of arm (2) rotation direction depends on the
motor rotation direction. Reversing the motor’s spinning directions will cause the plurality
of arms (2) to unfold after failure to increase span. After the arm’s contact with the standoff,
it will remain there indefinitely. In all cases, the symmetric geometry of the vehicle (100)
is maintained, and it can be fully controlled. The behaviour of the plurality of arms (2) after
10 a failure if the detent torque is lesser.
In one embodiment, as shown in Figures. 11a and 11b, the mechanism (1) may include a
plurality of Shape-Memory-Alloy (SMA) springs (20) that may be alternative for enabling
15 span-reduction mid-flight of the vehicle (100). SMA springs (20) are metallic materials
that can remember and recover their original shape when subjected to specific temperature
changes. When an electric current passes through a SMA wire, it generates a heat due to
its electrical resistance. By carefully controlling the applied voltage and current, the SMA
wire can be heated to a temperature above its transition temperature, causing it to undergo
20 a phase change and revert to its original shape. In this setup, without the plurality of SMA
wires, plurality of arms (2) are free to rotate about the fuselage (3). SMA wires are coiled
like a spring and its ends are connected to the fuselage (3) and plurality of arms (2). The
plurality of SMA springs (20) restrict an uncontrolled rotation of plurality of arms (2) after
the propellers start to spin. To enable span reduction, voltage may be applied to the
25 terminals of the plurality of SMA springs (20). After the voltage is applied the plurality of
SMA springs (20) will heat due to its resistance. Heating will cause the plurality of SMA
springs (20) to shrink. As the plurality of SMA springs (20) shrink the plurality of arms (2)
to which they are connected will rotate, reducing the span. The span can be reduced till the
plurality of SMA springs (20) achieve their maximum contraction. The plurality of arms
30 (2) can be installed in different planes to avoid propeller tip collision and further reduce
the span. By removing the voltage across the plurality of SMA springs (20) terminals the
propeller torque will drive the span to its nominal size.
18
In another embodiment, as shown in Figures 12a and 12b, the mechanism (1) may include
a linear actuator (22) connected to the plurality of arms (2). The linear actuator (22) is
configured to retract and expand the plurality of arms (2) to reduce the span mid-flight by
5 ‘shrinking’ the vehicle (100). The shrinking of the vehicle can be achieved by ‘pulling’ the
plurality of arms (2) in with the help of the linear actuator (22). This actuator may be
electromagnetically driven like a solenoid or may be mechanically actuated like a rack and
pinion mechanism.
10 Referring to Figure. 13 in conjunction with Figure. 1, a system (200) for morphing the
vehicle (100) is disclosed. The system (200) comprises of the mechanism (1) disposed
within a fuselage (3) of the aerial vehicle (100). A plurality of sensors (25) are connected
to the fuselage and may be arranged inside the housing (10). The plurality of sensors (25)
are configured to detect objects surrounding the aerial vehicle (100). The plurality of
15 sensors (25) use techniques such as object detection, semantic segmentation, or depth
estimation, computer vision algorithms can recognize and classify obstacles based on their
visual characteristics. In an embodiment, radars may also be used within the fuselage (3)
which can directly provide obstacle information in XYZ coordinates. The control unit (30)
communicatively coupled to the at least one actuator (7) of the mechanism (1) and the
20 plurality of sensors (25). The system further includes various modules such as a ground
control station (GCS), flight control module having a position controller, attitude and rate
controller and an output driver which are communicatively coupled to the control unit (30).
The control unit (30) is configured to activate the at least one actuator (7) for morphing the
vehicle (100) in two modes which are a manual mode and an automatic mode. In manual
25 mode of operation, the control unit (30) is configured to receive an actuation signal from a
user (32) corresponding to a displacement of the plurality of arms (2). Upon receiving the
actuation signal, the control unit (30) activates the at least one actuator (7) to rotate the pair
of driven shafts (16a, 16b) of the mechanism (1) to displace the plurality of arms (2)
between the first position (FP) and the second position (SP) based on the inputs from the
30 user (32) to reduce a span of the vehicle (100). Alternatively, in the automatic mode of
operation, the control unit (30) is configured to receive one or more signals from the
plurality of sensors (25) upon detection of the objects in line with a flight path of the vehicle
(100). Upon receiving the one or more signals, the control unit (30) activate the at least one
19
actuator (7) to rotate the pair of driven shafts (16a, 16b) to displace the plurality of arms
(2) between a first position (FP) and a second position (SP) to reduce the span of the vehicle
(100).
5 In an embodiment, the control unit (30) comprises, a processor (not shown in Figures) and
a memory unit (not shown in Figures) is communicatively coupled to the processor. The
processors can be implemented as one or more microprocessors, microcomputers,
microcontrollers, digital signal processors, central processing units, state machines, logic
circuitries, and/or any devices that manipulate signals based on operational instructions.
10 The memory unit stores processor-executable instructions, which, on execution, causes the
processor to receive one or more command signals associated with the user inputs from a
user interface unit (not shown in Figures) of the system (200). In an embodiment, the user
interface unit is coupled to the control unit (30) to receive inputs from a user (32) to operate
the vehicle (100). The inputs received from the user (32) include, but are not limited to,
15 any essential details that are required to operate the vehicle (100). In an embodiment can
be an input/ output device to display information related to mechanism (1), altitude,
morphing and the like. The user interface unit may display an indication with respect to
these information of the components. In yet another embodiment of the present disclosure,
the user interface unit can include a variety of software and hardware interfaces, for
20 example, a web interface, a graphical user interface, and the like.
Further, the system (200) may include a communication module (not shown in Figures.)
that facilitates the interaction of the vehicle (100) with an application installable on a
computing device, through which an operation of the system (200) and the vehicle (100)
may be configured and controlled remotely. In an embodiment, the computing device
25 includes, but is not limited to laptop computer, a desktop computer, a notebook, a
workstation, a mainframe computer, a server, a network server, cloud, hand-held device,
wearable device, and the like. The communication of the system (200) with the computing
device may occur through a wide variety of networks and protocol types, including wired
networks, for example, LAN, cable, etc., and wireless networks, such as WLAN, cellular,
30 or satellite. In an embodiment, the communication may occur via Bluetooth Low Energy,
LoRa, ZigBee, and the like. In an embodiment, a display of the computing device may also
function as the user interface unit.
20
Referring to Figure. 14, the present disclosure also discloses a method (400) of morphing
the vehicle (100). The method (400) comprises the steps of initially when the user (32)
selects the manual operation mode, at step 401, the control unit (30) receives an actuation
from the user (32) corresponding to a displacement of a plurality of arms (2) of the vehicle
5 (100). The user (32) operates the user interface unit to provide the inputs or command to
the control unit (30). At step 402, the control unit (30) activates the at least one actuator
(7) upon receiving the actuation signal based on the user inputs. Consequently, the at least
one actuator (7) rotates each of the pair of driven shafts (16a, 16b) to displace the plurality
of arms (2) between the first position (FP) and the second position (SP) based on the
10 actuation signal. The plurality of arms (2) are oriented at the second predetermined angle
to reduce the span of the vehicle (100). The control unit (30) may also receive a deactivation signal from the user (32) to activate the at least one actuator (7) in opposite
direction to displace the plurality of arms (2) from the second position (SP) to the first
position (FP) to normalize the span of the vehicle (100). Further, if the user (32) selects the
15 automatic mode of operation, at step 403, the control unit (30) receives a first signal from
the plurality of sensors (25) upon detection of an objects in line with a flight path of the
vehicle (100). Upon detection of the objects, at step 404, the control unit (30) activates the
at least one actuator (7) to rotate the pair of driven shafts (16a, 16b) to displace the plurality
of arms (2) between a first position (FP) and a second position (SP) based on the first signal
20 to reduce the span of the aerial vehicle (100). At step 405, the control unit (30) receives a
second signal from the plurality of sensors (25). The second signal may correspond to the
non-detection of the objects in flight path of the vehicle (100). Lastly, at step 406, the
control unit (30) activates the at least one actuator (7) to rotate each of the pair of driven
shafts (16a, 16b) in opposite direction to displace the plurality of arms (2) from the second
25 position (SP) to the first position (FP) based on the second signal to normalize the span of
the aerial vehicle (100).
In an embodiment, the at least one actuator (7) may at least one of the motor, servo-motor,
voltage application, electromagnetism, any such, based on the type of the application and
30 based on the type of mechanism.
In an embodiment, the mechanism (1) may comprise an auxiliary actuator (not shown in
Figures) which can be connected to one set of arms for independent actuation of each set
21
of the plurality of arms (2) for morphing the aerial vehicle. The plurality of arms (2) may
be displaced asymmetrically with the help of independent actuation of the at least one
actuator (7) and the auxiliary actuator.
5 In an embodiment, the vehicle (100) also includes a payload and/or imaging module
extension (not shown in Figure). The payload and/or imaging module extension (not shown
in Figures) may be configured to receive and support payload or imaging module.
The mechanism (1) of the vehicle (100) facilitates in controlled morphing of the vehicle
10 (100) using the system (200). Further, the mechanism (1) and system (200) for morphing
mechanism reduces the nominal span of the vehicle by 88%. In addition to it, the
mechanism (1) provides other crucial unique features such as weight scalability and fault
tolerance against the complete failure of the actuator. Further, the system (200) also aids
in tracking of the vehicle (100) under different parametric uncertainties and disturbances.
15
Example explaining the morphing operation of the vehicle (100):
The system of morphing and span-reducing of the vehicle has ability to seamlessly
transition between manual and autonomous modes, empowering operators to choose most
suitable mode for a given situation. In manual mode, operators have direct control over the
20 vehicles flight, allowing for precise manoeuvring and responsiveness. In autonomous
mode, the vehicle leverages advanced onboard sensors and controller to autonomously
navigate, avoid obstacles, and execute predefined tasks or mission objectives. As shown in
Figures 9 and 10, the modes can be changed by the operator through a Ground Control
Station (GCS) which is connected to the vehicle over the radio. The flight control flowchart
25 of the vehicle is shown in Figure 10. In manual mode, the operation of a vehicle using the
system is performed by the operator who directly controls its flight dynamics using a
Ground Control Station (GCS) or remote controller, or a similar input device. The operator
interfaces with the vehicles flight control system, which receives desired attitude
commands and translates them into appropriate motor adjustments for each rotor. These
30 commands are typically provided through joysticks or control sticks that allow the operator
to manipulate the vehicle's roll, pitch, yaw, and throttle. The desired setpoints from the
operator are fed into the attitude and rate controller. The attitude and rate controller
22
compares the setpoint with the current attitude and outputs the motor RPM commands that
will drive this error to zero. Attitude and rate control makes use of a novel control allocation
matrix that adapts to the span of the copter. Moving the left joystick forward increases the
throttle and lifts the vehicle (100) off the ground, while pushing the right joystick to the
5 left or right controls the roll, tilting the aircraft in the desired direction. Similarly,
manipulating the right joystick forward or backward adjusts the pitch, causing the vehicle
(100) to move forward or backward respectively. Yaw control is achieved by pushing the
left joystick, enabling the copter to rotate clockwise or counterclockwise around its vertical
axis.
10
The modes (manual or autonomous) could be changed mid-flight by toggling the switch
on the GCS. The user also has the capability to utilize switches on the Ground Control
Station (GCS) to enable span reduction based on the feedback provided by the onboard
camera. By integrating a forward-looking camera into the system (200), the user gains
15 visual insights into the surroundings and can assess the available space or obstacles that
may require span reduction for safe manoeuvring. The feedback from the camera is
transmitted to the GCS, where the user can monitor the live video feed and make informed
decisions regarding span adjustment. This functionality allows for precise control and
adaptability in various environments, enabling the vehicle (100) to navigate through
20 narrow passages or confined spaces with enhanced safety and efficiency.
By leveraging data obtained from sensors such as cameras, and radar, the vehicle (100)
gains a comprehensive understanding of its environment. It can identify and analyze
obstacles in its path. By employing techniques such as object detection, semantic
25 segmentation, or depth estimation, computer vision algorithms can recognize and classify
obstacles based on their visual characteristics. Radars can directly provide obstacle
information in XYZ coordinates. Once the obstacle is detected, its coordinates are sent to
the motion planning module. The optimal desired path the vehicle is calculated by the
system has to avoid obstacles. This desired path in XYZ coordinates will be sent to the
30 position control. The position controller is a feedback controller that compares the desired
position/velocity coordinates with the current coordinates and tries to drive the error to
zero.
23
As the vehicles are underactuated systems thus it cannot purely translate. The vehicle (100)
has to tilt to gain velocity and move from one place to another. Therefore, the output of the
position controller is the desired tilt angles (attitude). The desired attitude is fed into the
attitude and rate control which outputs the motor commands like in a manual mode.
5
When using the autonomous mode of the span-reducing copter, it has access to a forwardlooking camera, and radar. These sensor technologies work together to provide a complete
picture of the vehicle’s surroundings. The camera captures the visual image of what is in
front of the quadcopter, while a light radar uses light waves to create a detailed 3D map of
10 the area, and radar detects objects and measures their distance and speed. By combining
the information from these sensors, the system can make decisions about reducing its span.
This helps it navigating through tight spaces and avoid obstacles safely. These sensors
would be mounted in front of the vehicle (100).
Equivalents:
15 With respect to the use of substantially any plural and/or singular terms herein, those
having skill in the art can translate from the plural to the singular and/or from the singular
to the plural as is appropriate to the context and/or application. The various singular/plural
permutations may be expressly set forth herein for sake of clarity.
It will be understood by those within the art that, in general, terms used herein, and
20 especially in the appended claims (e.g., bodies of the appended claims) are generally
intended as “open” terms (e.g., the term “including” should be interpreted as “including
but not limited to,” the term “having” should be interpreted as “having at least,” the term
“includes” should be interpreted as “includes but is not limited to,” etc.). It will be further
understood by those within the art that if a specific number of an introduced claim recitation
25 is intended, such an intent will be explicitly recited in the claim, and in the absence of such
recitation no such intent is present. For example, as an aid to understanding, the following
appended claims may contain usage of the introductory phrases “at least one” and “one or
more” to introduce claim recitations. However, the use of such phrases should not be
construed to imply that the introduction of a claim recitation by the indefinite articles “a”
30 or “an” limits any particular claim containing such introduced claim recitation to inventions
containing only one such recitation, even when the same claim includes the introductory
24
phrases “one or more” or “at least one” and indefinite articles such as “a” or “an” (e.g., “a”
and/or “an” should typically be interpreted to mean “at least one” or “one or more”); the
same holds true for the use of definite articles used to introduce claim recitations.
In addition, even if a specific number of an introduced claim recitation is explicitly recited,
5 those skilled in the art will recognize that such recitation should typically be interpreted to
mean at least the recited number (e.g., the bare recitation of “two recitations,” without other
modifiers, typically means at least two recitations, or two or more recitations).
Furthermore, in those instances where a convention analogous to “at least one of A, B, and
C, etc.” is used, in general such a construction is intended in the sense one having skill in
10 the art would understand the convention (e.g., “a system having at least one of A, B, and
C” would include but not be limited to systems that have A alone, B alone, C alone, A and
B together, A and C together, B and C together, and/or A, B, and C together, etc.). In those
instances where a convention analogous to “at least one of A, B, or C, etc.” is used, in
general such a construction is intended in the sense one having skill in the art would
15 understand the convention (e.g., “a system having at least one of A, B, or C” would include
but not be limited to systems that have A alone, B alone, C alone, A and B together, A and
C together, B and C together, and/or A, B, and C together, etc.). It will be further
understood by those within the art that virtually any disjunctive word and/or phrase
presenting two or more alternative terms, whether in the description, claims, or drawings,
20 should be understood to contemplate the possibilities of including one of the terms, either
of the terms, or both terms. For example, the phrase “A or B” will be understood to include
the possibilities of “A” or “B” or “A and B.”
While various aspects and embodiments have been disclosed herein, other aspects and
embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art. The various aspects and
25 embodiments disclosed herein are for purposes of illustration and are not intended to be
limiting, with the true scope and spirit being indicated by the following claims.
25
REFERENCE NUMERALS:
Aerial vehicle 100
System 200
Method 400
Mechanism 1
Plurality of arms 2
Fuselage 3
Top plate 3a
Bottom plate 3b
Vertical ribs 4
Arm connector 5
Mounting provisions 5a
Plurality of propellor units 6
Motor 6a
Propellor 6b
At least one actuator 7
Drive gear 8a
Support gear 8b
Pair of driven gears 9a, 9b
Housing 10
Gear unit 12
Drive shaft 14
Pair of driven shafts 16a, 16b
Opening 18
Plurality of shape memory alloy springs 20
Linear actuator 22
Plurality of sensors 25
Control unit 30
User 32
26
We claim:
1. A mechanism (1) for morphing of an aerial vehicle (100), the mechanism (1)
comprising:
a housing (10) formed in a fuselage (3) of the aerial vehicle (100);
5 a gear unit (12) disposed within the housing (10), the gear unit (12) comprising:
a drive gear (8a) mounted on a drive shaft (14) disposed on a longitudinal
axis (B-B) of the aerial vehicle (100);
a pair of driven gears (9a, 9b) mounted on a pair of driven shafts (16a, 16b)
mounted along an axis (A-A) perpendicular to the longitudinal axis (B-B), wherein
10 each driven gear of the pair of driven gears (9a, 9b) is orthogonally meshed with
the drive gear (8a), and the pair of driven shafts (16a, 16b) are adapted to allow
mounting of a plurality of arms (2) of the aerial vehicle (100);
a support gear (8b) meshed between the pair of driven gears (9a, 9b) to
support rotation and maintain a position of each of the pair of driven gears (9a, 9b);
15 at least one actuator (7) coupled to the drive shaft (14), wherein the at least one
actuator (7) is configured to actuate the drive gear (8a) to drive the pair of driven gears
(9a, 9b) to rotate the pair of driven shafts (16a, 16b); and
wherein the pair of driven shafts (16a, 16b) are configured to displace the
plurality of arms (2b) between a first position (FP) and a second position (SP) upon
20 activation of the at least one actuator (7) to reduce a span of the aerial vehicle (100).
2. The mechanism (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the drive shaft (14) extends away
from the housing (10) along the longitudinal axis (B-B).
25 3. The mechanism (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the housing (10) is defined with an
opening (18) to accommodate each driven shaft of the pair of driven shafts (16a, 16b).
4. The mechanism (1) as claimed in claim 3, wherein each driven shaft of the pair of
driven shafts (16a, 16b) extend away from the housing (10) through the opening (18).
30 5. The mechanism (1) as claimed in claim 1, comprises an arm connector (5) coupled to
the pair of driven shafts (16a, 16b), wherein the arm connector (5) is defined with a
body (5b) and a mounting provision (5a) extending from either ends of the body (5b).
27
6. The mechanism (1) as claimed in claim 5, wherein the plurality of arms (2) are
connected to the mounting provisions (5a) of the arm connector (5).
7. The mechanism (1) as claimed in claim 6, wherein the plurality of arms (2) are
5 displaced symmetrically upon rotation of the pair of driven shafts (16a, 16b).
8. The mechanism (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein in the first position (FP), the
plurality of arms (2) are oriented at a first predetermined angle with respect to the
fuselage (3).
10
9. The mechanism (1) as claimed in claim 8, wherein in the second position (SP), the
plurality of arms (2) are oriented at a second predetermined angle with respect to the
fuselage (3), the second predetermined angle is less than the first predetermined angle.
15 10. The mechanism (1) as claimed in claim 1, comprises a plurality of shape memory alloy
springs (20) connected to the fuselage (3) at one end and to the plurality of arms (2) at
another end.
11. The mechanism (1) as claimed in claim 10, wherein the plurality of shape memory
20 alloy springs (20) are configured to displace the plurality of arms (2) with respect to
the fuselage (3) between the first position (FP) and the second position (SP) upon
applying a predefined voltage to the plurality of shape memory alloy springs (20).
12. The mechanism (1) as claimed in claim 1, comprises at least one linear actuator (22)
25 connected to the plurality of arms (2), wherein the at least one linear actuator (22) is
configured to displace the plurality of arms (2) between the first position (FP) and the
second position (SP).
13. The mechanism (1) as claimed in claim 8, wherein the first predetermined angle is in a
30 range of 0 to 180°.
14. The mechanism (1) as claimed in claim 9, wherein the second predetermined angle is
in a range of 0 to 180°.
35 15. An aerial vehicle (100) comprising:
28
a fuselage (3);
a plurality of arms (2) extending from the fuselage (3), the plurality of arms (2)
are defined with a plurality of propellor units (6) to produce thrust;
a mechanism (1) disposed within the fuselage (3) and configured to displace the
5 plurality of arms (2), the mechanism (1) comprising;
a housing (10) formed in the fuselage (3) of the aerial vehicle (100);
a gear unit (12) disposed within the housing (10), the gear unit (12)
comprising:
a drive gear (8a) mounted on a drive shaft (14) disposed on a
10 longitudinal axis (B-B) of the aerial vehicle (100);
a pair of driven gears (9a, 9b) mounted on a pair of driven shafts
(16a, 16b) mounted along an axis (A-A) perpendicular to the longitudinal
axis (B-B), wherein each driven gear of the pair of driven gears (9a, 9b) is
orthogonally meshed with the drive gear (8a), and the pair of driven shafts
15 (16a, 16b) are coupled to the plurality of arms (2) of the aerial vehicle (100);
a support gear (8b) meshed between the pair of driven gears (9a, 9b)
to support rotation and maintain a position of the pair of driven gears (9a,
9b);
at least one actuator (7) coupled to the drive shaft (14), wherein the at least
20 one actuator (7) is configured to actuate the drive gear (8a) to drive the pair of
driven gears (9a, 9b) to rotate the pair of driven shafts (16a, 16b); and
wherein the pair of driven shafts (16a, 16b) are configured to
displace the plurality of arms (2) between a first position (FP) and a second
position (SP) upon activation of the at least one actuator (7) to reduce a span
25 of the aerial vehicle (100).
16. The aerial vehicle (100) as claimed in claim 15, wherein the fuselage (3) is defined
with at least two plates (3a, 3b) connected in parallel to each other by vertical ribs (4)
to define a space therebetween to accommodate the mechanism (1).
30
17. The aerial vehicle (100) as claimed in claim 15, comprises a propellor unit (6)
connected at one end of each arm of the plurality of arms (2), wherein the propellor
unit (6) is configured to generate a thrust force for propelling the aerial vehicle (100).
29
18. A system (200) for morphing an aerial vehicle (100), the system (200) comprising:
a mechanism (1) disposed within a fuselage (3) of the aerial vehicle (100), the
mechanism (1) comprising:
5 a housing (10) disposed within the fuselage (3) of the aerial vehicle (100);
a gear unit (12) disposed within the housing (10), the gear unit (12)
comprising:
a drive gear (8) mounted on a drive shaft (14) disposed on a
longitudinal axis (B-B) of the aerial vehicle (100);
10 a pair of driven gears (9a, 9b) mounted on a pair of driven shafts
(16a, 16b) mounted along an axis (A-A) perpendicular to the longitudinal axis
(B-B), wherein each driven gear of the pair of driven gears (9a, 9b) is
orthogonally meshed with the drive gear (8a), and the pair of drive shafts are
adapted to allow mounting of a plurality of arms (2) of the aerial vehicle (100);
15 a support gear (8b) meshed between the pair of driven gears (9a, 9b)
to support the rotation and maintain the position of the pair of driven gears (9a,
9b);
at least one actuator (7) coupled to the drive shaft (14), wherein the at least
one actuator (7) is configured to actuate the drive gear (8a) to drive the pair of
20 driven gears (9a, 9b) to rotate the pair of driven shafts (16a, 16b);
a plurality of sensors (25) connected to the fuselage (3), the plurality of
sensors (25) are configured to detect objects surrounding the aerial vehicle (100);
a control unit (30) communicatively coupled to the at least one actuator (7)
and the plurality of sensors (25), wherein the control unit (30) is configured to:
25 receive an actuation signal from a user (32) corresponding to a
displacement of the plurality of arms (2);
activate the at least one actuator (7) to rotate the pair of driven shafts
(16a, 16b) to displace the plurality of arms (2) between a first position (FP)
and a second position (SP) based on the inputs from the user (32) to reduce
30 a span of the aerial vehicle (100);
receive one or more signals from the plurality of sensors (25) upon
detection of the objects in line with a flight path of the aerial vehicle (100);
and
30
activate the at least one actuator (7) to rotate the pair of driven shafts
(16a, 16b) to displace the plurality of arms (2) between the first position
(FP) and the second position (SP) based on the one or more signals to reduce
a span of the aerial vehicle (100).
5 19. A method (400) of morphing an aerial vehicle (100), the method (400) comprising:
receiving by a control unit (30), an actuation signal from a user (32) corresponding
to a displacement of a plurality of arms (2) of the aerial vehicle (100);
activating by the control unit (30), the at least one actuator (7) to rotate each of the
pair of driven shafts (16a, 16b) to displace the plurality of arms (2) between a first
10 position (FP) and a second position (SP) based on the actuation signal to reduce a span
of the aerial vehicle (100);
receiving, by the control unit (30), a first signal from the plurality of sensors (25)
upon detection of an objects in line with a flight path of the aerial vehicle (100);
activating, by the control unit (30), the at least one actuator (7) to rotate the pair of
15 driven shafts (16a, 16b) to displace the plurality of arms (2) between a first position
(FP) and a second position (SP) based on the first signal to reduce the span of the aerial
vehicle (100);
receiving, by the control unit (30), a second signal from the plurality of sensors (25)
upon detection of an objects away from a flight path of the aerial vehicle (100); and
20 activating by the control unit (30), the at least one actuator (7) to rotate each of the
pair of driven shafts (16a, 16b) to displace the plurality of arms (2) from the second
position (SP) to the first position (FP) based on the second signal to normalize the span
of the aerial vehicle (100).