Unmanned aerial vehicle and method using the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10850842-B2
Application number	US-201816027279-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 4, 2018
Priority date	Jul 17, 2017
Publication date	Dec 1, 2020
Grant date	Dec 1, 2020

Abstract

An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) includes a body, a plurality of rotated propulsion systems, and at least one air bag. The rotated propulsion systems are connected to the body and each includes a blade and an actuator configured to actuate the blade. The air bag is disposed on the body.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), comprising:
a body comprising a case having a door;
a plurality of rotated propulsion systems connected to the body and each comprising a blade and an actuator configured to actuate the blade;
at least one air bag disposed in the case of the body, wherein the air bag is configured to move out of the case through the door;
an air bag recycling motor disposed in the case; and
a towing rope connecting the air bag to the air bag recycling motor.

2. The UAV of claim 1 , further comprising a gas cylinder connected to the air bag.

3. The UAV of claim 1 , further comprising a trigger controller connected to the door, wherein the trigger controller is configured to open the door.

4. The UAV of claim 1 , further comprising:
an inflation device connected to the air bag; and
a remote control device electrically connected to the inflation device.

5. The UAV of claim 1 , wherein each of the rotated propulsion systems further comprises:
a turning mechanism connected to the actuator, wherein the turning mechanism is configured to move the blade.

6. The UAV of claim 1 , wherein the at least one air bag comprises a plurality of air bags.

7. The UAV of claim 6 , wherein the body is in a rectangular shape, and the air bags are disposed at corners of the rectangular body, respectively.

8. The UAV of claim 7 , wherein each of the rotated propulsion systems are disposed between the air bags at the corners of the rectangular body.

9. The UAV of claim 1 , wherein the at least one air bag comprises a plurality of air bags, and a number of the air bags is equal to a number of the rotated propulsion systems.

10. The UAV of claim 1 , wherein an upper half portion of the air bag is above the rotated propulsion systems, and a lower half portion of the air bag is below the rotated propulsion systems when the air bag is inflated.

11. The UAV of claim 1 , further comprising:
a plurality of covers; and
a plurality of pivots connecting the covers to the body, wherein the covers abut against a surface of the at least one air bag when the air bag is inflated.

12. The UAV of claim 10 , wherein portions of the covers are above the body, and other portions of the covers are below the body, respectively.

13. The UAV of claim 1 , further comprising a support frame disposed on the body, wherein the air bag is supported by the support frame.

14. A method, comprising:
lifting an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) having a plurality of rotated propulsion systems, wherein lifting the UAV comprises inflating an air bag in the UAV;
landing the UAV, wherein landing the UAV comprises deflating the air bag; and
operating an recycling motor to pull back the air bag into a case of the UAV, wherein a towing rope connects the air bag to the recycling motor.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein lifting the UAV further comprises operating the rotated propulsion systems in the UAV to provide an upward force to the UAV.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein landing the UAV further comprises operating the rotated propulsion systems in the UAV to provide a downward force to the UAV.

17. The method of claim 14 , wherein deflating the air bag comprises remotely controlling a gas release valve of the air bag.

Assignees

• Univ National Chiao Tung

Inventors

• Chang Mau-Chung Frank
• Chen Chiun-Hsun

Classifications

• B64U10/30 Primary

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

• B64U10/10

  Rotorcrafts · CPC title

• B64U2201/20

  Remote controls · CPC title

• B64U10/14

  with four distinct rotor axes, e.g. quadcopters · CPC title

• B64U30/20

  Rotors; Rotor supports · CPC title