Landing platform for an unmanned aerial vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10434885-B2
Application number	US-201415500291-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 5, 2014
Priority date	Aug 5, 2014
Publication date	Oct 8, 2019
Grant date	Oct 8, 2019

Abstract

A landing platform for an unmanned aerial vehicle, including a plurality of substantially funnel-shaped centering housings configured to cooperate with a corresponding plurality of projections of the aerial vehicle for reaching a predetermined landing position. The platform can include a mechanism for recharging the battery of the aerial vehicle and/or with an arrangement for serial data transfer.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A landing platform for an unmanned aerial vehicle, comprising:
a plurality of substantially funnel-shaped centering housings configured to cooperate with a corresponding plurality of projections of the unmanned aerial vehicle for reaching a predetermined landing position;
a positive electrical contact and a negative electrical contact configured to cooperate with a corresponding positive electrical contact and with a corresponding negative electrical contact in at least one of the projections of the unmanned aerial vehicle for recharging a battery of the aerial vehicle;
wherein the electrical contacts of the platform comprise arms configured to embrace a projection of the unmanned aerial vehicle.

2. The landing platform of claim 1 , wherein an axis of the funnel-shaped housings is coaxial with an axis of the projections.

3. The landing platform of claim 1 , wherein the substantially funnel-shaped centering housings comprise a substantially frusto-conical mouth and a tubular portion that extends downwardly from a bottom of the frusto-conical mouth.

4. The landing platform of claim 1 , wherein the arms are staggered so that each arm cooperates with the projection at a different height of the projection.

5. The landing platform of claim 1 , further comprising an arrangement for serial data transfer.

6. The landing platform of claim 1 , wherein a surface of the substantially funnel-shaped centering housings is at least partially of a material that offers reduced friction with the projections.

7. The landing platform of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of a surface of the substantially funnel-shaped centering housings substantially follows a logarithm curve.

8. The landing platform of claim 1 , further comprising a substantially flat surface, wherein the substantially funnel-shaped centering housings are recessed with respect to the substantially flat surface.

9. The landing platform of claim 8 , wherein at least two of the substantially funnel-shaped centering housings are substantially tangent in proximity of the substantially flat surface.

10. The landing platform of claim 1 , wherein closure of the arms towards the projection is controlled by a pressure sensor.

11. The landing platform of claim 4 , wherein closure of the arms towards the projection is controlled by a pressure sensor.

12. An assembly comprising an unmanned aerial vehicle and a landing platform according to claim 1 .

13. The assembly of claim 12 , wherein the unmanned aerial vehicle is a vertical takeoff unmanned aerial vehicle comprising a plurality of rotors and a plurality of projections, each being in a form of a cylindrical foot, which extend downwardly from a fixed structure of the unmanned aerial vehicle.

14. The assembly of claim 12 , wherein the unmanned aerial vehicle further comprises a plug/socket arrangement to transfer data between the unmanned aerial vehicle and the landing platform.

15. The assembly of claim 13 , wherein the unmanned aerial vehicle further comprises a plug/socket arrangement to transfer data between the unmanned aerial vehicle and the landing platform.

Assignees

• Telecom Italia Spa

Inventors

• Antonini Roberto
• Fici Gian Piero
• Gaspardone Marco

Classifications

• B64C25/32

  characterised by elements which contact the ground or similar surface  (arrester hooks B64C25/68) · CPC title

• B60L53/18

  Cables specially adapted for charging electric vehicles · CPC title

• Y02T90/14

  Plug-in electric vehicles · CPC title

• B60L53/30

  Constructional details of charging stations · CPC title

• B64U70/30

  for capturing UAVs in flight by ground or sea-based arresting gear, e.g. by a cable or a net · CPC title