Park, H.; Kang, H.; Hwang, B.; Joe, S.; Kim, B. A Fruit Harvesting Mechanism Capable of Multidimensional Movements: A Preliminary Study on the Integrated Mechanism with a Hexacopter. Aerospace2024, 11, 203.
Park, H.; Kang, H.; Hwang, B.; Joe, S.; Kim, B. A Fruit Harvesting Mechanism Capable of Multidimensional Movements: A Preliminary Study on the Integrated Mechanism with a Hexacopter. Aerospace 2024, 11, 203.
Park, H.; Kang, H.; Hwang, B.; Joe, S.; Kim, B. A Fruit Harvesting Mechanism Capable of Multidimensional Movements: A Preliminary Study on the Integrated Mechanism with a Hexacopter. Aerospace2024, 11, 203.
Park, H.; Kang, H.; Hwang, B.; Joe, S.; Kim, B. A Fruit Harvesting Mechanism Capable of Multidimensional Movements: A Preliminary Study on the Integrated Mechanism with a Hexacopter. Aerospace 2024, 11, 203.
Abstract
This study introduces a fruit harvesting mechanism powered by a single motor, designed for integration with unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). The mechanism performs reciprocating motion by converting linear motion into rotational motion. Consequently, the end-effector can execute multi-dimensional kinematic trajectories, including biaxial and rotational movements, synchronized with the motor's position. These axial and rotational motions facilitate the gripper's ability to reach, retrieve, and detach fruit from branches during the harvesting process. Notably, a critical consideration in designing this fruit harvesting mechanism is to generate the necessary torque at the end-effector while minimizing reaction forces and torque that could destabilize the UAV during flight. With these considerations in mind, this preliminary study aimed to harvest a Fuji apple and conducted dynamic analysis. We constructed a prototype of the single motor-driven fruit harvesting mechanism using a suitable servo motor. To assess its mechanical performance and evaluate its impact on the hexacopter, we developed both a specific test platform featuring a six-spherical-prismatic-spherical parallel structure and a virtual environmental flight simulator. Overall, the results demonstrate the successful harvesting of a Fuji apple weighing approximately 300 g by the single motor-driven fruit harvesting mechanism, with no adverse effects observed on the hexacopter's operation.
Copyright:
This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
