Power and communication interface for vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs)

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10518901-B2
Application number	US-201715843487-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 15, 2017
Priority date	Feb 12, 2015
Publication date	Dec 31, 2019
Grant date	Dec 31, 2019

Abstract

A vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) system including: a rearward facing tang extending from a rear fuselage portion of a VTOL UAV; one or more metallic contacts disposed on an exterior surface of the tang; a UAV pod including a landing surface; and an opening disposed in the landing surface to receive the tang.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system comprising:
a tang extending from an aerial vehicle, wherein the tang comprises two or more metallic contacts disposed along a length of the tang on an exterior surface of the tang; and
an opening disposed in a landing surface to receive the tang.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the tang is a rearward facing tang.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the tang extends from a rear fuselage portion of the aerial vehicle.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the aerial vehicle is an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV).

5. The system of claim 4 wherein the aerial vehicle is a vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aerial vehicle.

6. The system of claim 1 further comprising:
an aerial vehicle pod, wherein the aerial vehicle pod comprises the landing surface.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the opening comprises slanted sides to aid in guiding the tang as the aerial vehicle lands.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the opening disposed in the landing surface comprises one or more metallic contacts, and wherein the one or more metallic contacts of the opening are aligned with the one or more metallic contacts disposed on the exterior surface of the tang and along the length of the tang when the tang is disposed in the opening.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the one or more metallic contacts disposed in the landing surface and the one or more metallic contacts disposed on the exterior surface of the tang are power contacts and data contacts.

10. The system of claim 8 wherein the one or more metallic contacts disposed in the landing surface slidably engage the aligned one or more metallic contacts disposed on the exterior surface of the tang.

11. The system of claim 1 further comprising:
a locking armature disposed proximate the opening of the landing surface, wherein the locking armature is in the landing surface, and wherein the locking armature detachably couples the tang to the landing surface when the tang is disposed in the opening.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the tang comprises a notch to receive a portion of the locking armature.

13. The system of claim 11 wherein the locking armature slidably engages the tang.

14. The system of claim 11 wherein the locking armature rotates the aerial vehicle, via the detachably coupled tang, relative to the landing surface.

15. An aerial vehicle comprising:
a rearward facing tang extending from a rear fuselage portion of the aerial vehicle; and
two or more metallic contacts disposed on an exterior surface of the tang, wherein at least one of the two or more metallic contacts is disposed along a length of the tang.

16. The aerial vehicle of claim 15 wherein the tang comprises a notch.

17. The aerial vehicle of claim 15 wherein the two or more metallic contacts disposed on the exterior surface of the tang comprise power contacts.

18. The aerial vehicle of claim 15 wherein the two or more metallic contacts disposed on the exterior surface of the tang comprise data contacts.

19. The aerial vehicle of claim 15 wherein the tang comprises a bulbous end.

20. The aerial vehicle of claim 15 wherein the aerial vehicle is a vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV).

Assignees

• Aerovironment Inc

Inventors

• Fisher Christopher Eugene
• Mukherjee Jason Sidharthadev
• Lott William Arden

Classifications

• B64U2201/10

  autonomous, i.e. by navigating independently from ground or air stations, e.g. by using inertial navigation systems [INS] · CPC title

• B64U80/70 Primary

  in containers (B64U80/60 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B64F1/005 Primary

  Protective coverings for aircraft not in use · CPC title

• B64F1/12

  for anchoring aircraft · CPC title

• B64C29/02

  having its flight directional axis vertical when grounded · CPC title