Tethered hovering platform

摘要

The design and refinement of a tethered hovering platform into a feasible working system is presented. To determine a starting point for the design, a detailed historical search was conducted to find the history and the current state of such technology. Real world current needs are analyzed to produce a mission specification and to drive the preliminary vehicle design. Analysis of environmental conditions and decisions about an initial payload package are made in conjunction with motor and propeller sizing. Initial concept testing to discover feasibility and operational issues was performed; from this, instability issues were discovered. Analyzing these instability issues using known rotorcraft and momentum effects, in conjunction with flight testing, yields possible solutions to the problem. The use of constrained layer dampers as a means of passive stabilization is addressed and suggested as the preferred solution. Testing of passive constrained layer damping verifies the stability of the solution. The system components and manufacturing cost is presented in comparison to current systems using active stabilization.

主权项

1. A tethered hovering platform adapted to hover above a base station, comprising:
a propeller configuration selected from a group of propeller configurations consisting of a single propeller configuration, a counter rotating propeller configuration, a three propeller located co-planar configuration and a four propeller located co-planar configuration; a propulsion configuration provided by a motor, connected to a gear system that drives the propeller configuration; said platform, including a thrust duct outer ring cylindrically ducting the motor and propeller configuration, said thrust duct outer ring having a periphery; and a damping device mounted cantilever from the periphery of the thrust duct outer ring, wherein the platform is attached to a base station by a tether attached to the damping device mounted cantilever from the periphery of thrust duct outer ring of the platform, and wherein said damping device is structured to deflect along its longitudinal axis to provide damping during flight.