Apparatus and method for unmanned flight

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10273001-B2
Application number	US-201715698516-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 7, 2017
Priority date	Sep 9, 2016
Publication date	Apr 30, 2019
Grant date	Apr 30, 2019

Abstract

Systems, apparatuses, and methods are provided herein for unmanned flight optimization. A system for unmanned flight comprises a set of motors configured to provide locomotion to an unmanned aerial vehicle, a set of wings coupled to a body of the unmanned aerial vehicle via an actuator and configured to move relative to the body of the unmanned aerial vehicle, a sensor system on the unmanned aerial vehicle, and a control circuit. The control circuit being configured to: retrieve a task profile for a task assigned to the unmanned aerial vehicle, cause the set of motors to lift the unmanned aerial vehicle, detect condition parameters based on the sensor system, determine a position for the set of wings based on the task profile and the condition parameters, and cause the actuator to move the set of wings to the wing position while the unmanned aerial vehicle is in flight.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for unmanned vehicle flight pattern control comprising:
a set of motors configured to provide locomotion to an unmanned aerial vehicle;
a set of wings coupled to a body of the unmanned aerial vehicle via an actuator and configured to move relative to the body of the unmanned aerial vehicle;
a sensor system on the unmanned aerial vehicle; and
a control circuit coupled to the sensor system, the control circuit being configured to:
retrieve a task profile for a task assigned to the unmanned aerial vehicle;
cause the set of motors to lift the unmanned aerial vehicle;
detect condition parameters of the unmanned aerial vehicle based on the sensor system;
determine a position for the set of wings based on the task profile and the condition parameters; and
cause the actuator to move the set of wings to the wing position while the unmanned aerial vehicle is in flight.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the set of wings are configured to rotate about an axis that is perpendicular to the body of the unmanned aerial vehicle via the actuator and the wing position comprises a wing rotation angle.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the wing position comprises one or more of an extended position, partially extended position, and a retracted position.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the set of wings comprises one or more flexible membrane supported by a frame structure coupled to the actuator.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the set of motors are configured to rotate relative to the body of the unmanned aerial vehicle to an angle determine based on one or more of the task profile and the condition parameters.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the control circuit is further configured to turn off one or more motors in the set of motors based on the task profile and the condition parameters.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the unmanned aerial vehicle further comprises one or more of a tail and a sail coupled to the body of the unmanned aerial vehicle and configured provide stability to the unmanned aerial vehicle.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the condition parameters are further determined based on information received from one or more of: a stationary sensor, a weather reporting service, an air traffic control signal, and one or more other aerial vehicles.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the condition parameters comprises one or more of: wind speed, wind direction, air pressure, visibility, lighting condition, precipitation, weather condition, ground condition, distance to a charging station, and locations of one or more other aerial vehicles.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the task profile comprises one or more requirements for task accuracy, acceptable speed, acceptable altitude, acceptable flight zone, acceptable distance from a target location, acceptable risk, data to be collected, action to be performed, and required modular attachments.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the wing position is determined based on satisfying requirements of the task profile while minimizing power consumption of the unmanned aerial vehicle.

12. A method for unmanned vehicle flight pattern control comprising:
retrieving a task profile for a task assigned to an unmanned aerial vehicle comprising:
a set of motors configured to provide locomotion to the unmanned aerial vehicle;
a set of wings coupled to a body of the unmanned aerial vehicle via an actuator and configured to move relative to the body of the unmanned aerial vehicle; and
a sensor system;

causing the set of motors to lift the unmanned aerial vehicle;
detecting condition parameters of the unmanned aerial vehicle based on the sensor system;
determining, with a control circuit, a wing position for the set of wings based on the task profile and the condition parameters; and
causing the actuator to move the set of wings to the wing position while the unmanned aerial vehicle is in flight.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the set of wings are configured to rotate about an axis that is perpendicular to the body of the unmanned aerial vehicle and the wing position comprises a wing rotation angle.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the wing position comprises one or more of an extended position, partially extended position, and a retracted position.

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein the set of wings comprises one or more flexible membranes supported by a frame structure.

16. The method of claim 12 , wherein the set of motors are configured to rotate relative to the body of the unmanned aerial vehicle to an angle determine based on one or more of the task profile and the condition parameters.

17. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
turning off one or more motors in the set of motors based on the task profile and the condition parameters.

18. The method of claim 12 , wherein the unmanned aerial vehicle further comprises one or more of a tail and a sail coupled to the body of the unmanned aerial vehicle and configured provide stability to the unmanned aerial vehicle.

19. The method of claim 12 , wherein the condition parameters are further determined based on information received from one or more of: a stationary sensor, a weather reporting service, an air traffic control signal, and one or more other aerial vehicles.

20. The method of claim 12 , wherein the condition parameters comprises one or more of: wind speed, wind direction, air pressure, visibility, lighting condition, precipitation, weather condition, ground condition, distance to a charging station, and locations of one or more other aerial vehicles.

21. The method of claim 12 , wherein the task profile comprises one or more requirements for task accuracy, acceptable speed, acceptable altitude, acceptable flight zone, acceptable distance from a target location, acceptable risk, data to be collected, action to be performed, and required modular attachments.

22. The method of claim 12 , wherein the wing position is determined based on satisfying requirements of the task profile while minimizing power consumption of the unmanned aerial vehicle.

23. An apparatus for unmanned vehicle flight pattern control, comprising:
a non-transitory storage medium storing a set of computer readable instructions; and
a control circuit configured to execute the set of computer readable instructions which causes to the control circuit to:
retrieve a task profile for a task assigned to an unmanned aerial vehicle comprising:
a set of motors configured to provide locomotion to the unmanned aerial vehicle;
a set of wings coupled to a body of the unmanned aerial vehicle via an actuator and configured to rotate relative to the body of the unmanned aerial vehicle; and
a sensor system;

cause the set of motors to lift the unmanned aerial vehicle;
detect condition parameters of the unmanned aerial vehicle based on the sensor system;
determine a wing position for the set of wings based on the task profile and the condition parameters; and
cause the actuator to move the set of wings to the wing position while the unmanned aerial vehicle is in flight.

Assignees

• Walmart Apollo Llc

Inventors

• Cantrell Robert L
• Thompson John P
• Winkle David C
• Atchley Michael D
• High Donald R
• Mattingly Todd D
• O'Brien John J
• Simon John F

Classifications

• B64U10/40

  Ornithopters · CPC title

• B64U50/14

  ducted or shrouded · CPC title

• B64U10/30

  Lighter-than-air aircraft, e.g. aerostatic aircraft · CPC title

• B64U2201/00

  UAVs characterised by their flight controls · CPC title

• B64U2101/60

  for transporting passengers; for transporting goods other than weapons · CPC title