Shock-resisting device and method

An unmanned aerial vehicle, comprising:

• a fuselage;
• and
• a shock-resisting device mechanically coupled to the fuselage, where the shock-resisting device includes
• an outer shell,
• an inner gimbal movable relative to the outer shell, and
• an actuatable snubber between the outer shell and the inner gimbal such that actuating the actuatable snubber from a retracted position, to directly engage either a radially inward facing surface of the outer shell or a radially outward facing surface of the inner gimbal, to limit movement of the outer shell and the inner gimbal relative to one another,
• wherein the actuatable snubber includes a retainer configured to maintain the actuatable snubber in the retracted position,
• wherein the actuatable snubber is configured to move from the retracted position to being in an engaged position, directly engaged with either the radially inward facing surface or the radially outward facing surface, in response to loss of power to the retainer,
• wherein the actuatable snubber includes a potential-energy-storing reservoir coupled to the retainer, wherein the potential-energy-storing reservoir is configured to release stored potential energy upon loss of power to facilitate moving the actuatable snubber from the retracted position to the engaged position, wherein the potential-energy-storing reservoir includes a resilient member that includes a windable spring, and
• wherein the windable spring is configured to release the stored potential energy, in response to loss of power when the actuatable snubber is in the retracted position, by outputting a torque that facilitates moving the actuatable snubber from the retracted position to the engaged position.

A shock-resisting device, comprising:

• an outer shell;
• an inner gimbal movable relative to the outer shell;
• and
• a snubber actuatable between the outer shell and the inner gimbal such that actuating the snubber to directly engage either a radially inward facing surface of the outer shell or a radially outward facing surface of the inner gimbal results in a stiff attachment between the outer shell and the inner gimbal, the snubber including
• a dog movable from a retracted position to an engaged position relative to respective elements of the snubber to create the stiff attachment,
• a resilient member configured to bias the dog in the engaged position, wherein the resilient member includes a windable spring, and wherein the windable spring is configured to release stored potential energy, in response to loss of power when the actuatable snubber is in the retracted position, by outputting a torque that facilitates moving the actuatable snubber from the retracted position to the engaged position, and
• a powered retainer coupled to the resilient member and configured to counter the resilient member to hold the dog in the retracted position until loss of power to the retainer is experienced.