With the rapid advancement in unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) technology, the
demand for stable and high-precision electro-optical (EO) pods, such as cameras,
lidar sensors, and infrared imaging systems, has significantly increased.
However, the inherent vibrations generated by the UAV’s propulsion system and
aerodynamic disturbances pose significant challenges to the stability and
accuracy of these payloads. To address this issue, this paper presents a study
on the application of high-static low-dynamic stiffness (HSLDS) vibration
isolation devices in EO payloads mounted on UAVs. The HSLDS system is designed
to effectively isolate low-frequency and high-amplitude vibrations while
maintaining high static stiffness, ensuring both stability during hovering and
precise pointing capabilities. A nonlinear dynamic system model with two degrees
of freedom is formulated for an EO pod supported by HSLDS isolators at both
ends. The model’s natural frequencies are determined, and approximate
expressions for the displacement transmissibility at both ends are derived.
These expressions facilitate a comparative analysis of the isolation performance
between the HSLDS-supported system and a system with linear elastic supports.
Furthermore, the influence of system parameters on isolation performance is
exhaustively investigated and summarized. The findings reveal that the
HSLDS-supported system exhibits a broader effective frequency range for
vibration isolation and improved isolation performance at operating frequencies,
as compared to a system utilizing linear elastic supports under identical base
excitation conditions. This research underscores the potential of HSLDS devices
as an effective solution for enhancing the stability and accuracy of EO pods
mounted on UAVs, thereby advancing the capabilities of these aerial platforms in
critical applications such as reconnaissance, surveillance, and target
tracking.