We all know about the kind of unavoidable exasperating noises that are generated by propeller blades of drones during their operation. While Amazon is developing drone technology for delivering products to buyers quickly and efficiently, nobody would like to hear such noises while getting delivery from the drone at the backyard of their home.

So Amazon is developing very unique solutions to reduce noises produced by drones. Last month, we published a post on a patent application from Amazon titled “Active Airborne Noise Abatement” that described technology to predict drone noises using a machine learning system and accordingly generate anti-noises that cancel out the net effect of such noises.

Now, we have discovered another patent application from Amazon that provides multiple propeller blade designs for the drones that will improve an aerodynamic performance and sound control associated with the drones.

PATENTED TECHNOLOGY

According to the patent application, the propeller blades of the drones are designed with blade treatments (102, as shown in Figure 1 (above)) that can alter a sound generated by the propeller blades. The blade treatment (such as fringes) retracts or extends in a way such that an airflow around the propeller blades gets disrupted, thereby reducing the sound generated by the propeller blades.

Technical details:

As shown in Figure 2 (above), a propeller blade comprises of blade treatments (202) that will alter the sound generated by the propeller blades of the drone while rotating at high speeds. The blade treatments disrupt the airflow around the propeller blades as they rotate and absorbs the sound generated by the propeller blade.

The blade treatments are of a variety of sizes and shapes. Some of the blade treatments are adjustable and can be moved or activated with the help of a blade treatment controller (211, as shown in Figure 2). The blade treatment controller includes a drive mechanism (204, as shown in Figure 2), such as a servo motor, that moves an actuator 210. Further, the actuator contacts the blade treatments and is configured to reposition the blade treatments in a way such that the sound generated by the propeller blades is absorbed.

Moreover, the propeller blades can be equipped with solar panels (212, as shown in Figure 2) along with fuel cell (such as a battery, 206 as shown in Figure 2) in order to supply a required electrical energy to the blade treatment controller and the drive mechanism.

Further, a number of variations of the propeller blades with the blade treatments are also provided in the patent application (as shown in Figure 3 (above), Figure 4 (below), and Figure 5 (below)). For instance, as shown in Figure 3 (above), the blade treatment can be covered with a flexible material (314).  The flexible material is fabricated with any flexible material, such as rubber, polyethylene, polypropylene, nylon, polyester, laminate, fabric, Kevlar, carbon fiber, etc. Also, the flexible material stretches around the blade treatment, thereby altering an overall shape and resulting sound generated by the propeller blade.

WHAT IS YOUR TAKE?

So what do you think about this Patented technology by Amazon? Let us know in the comment section.

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