UAV having hermetically sealed modularized compartments and fluid drain ports

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11230374-B2
Application number	US-202016842710-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 7, 2020
Priority date	Jun 29, 2010
Publication date	Jan 25, 2022
Grant date	Jan 25, 2022

Abstract

In one possible embodiment, an amphibious unmanned aerial vehicle is provided, which includes a fuselage comprised of a buoyant material. Separators within the fuselage form separate compartments within the fuselage. Mounts associated with the compartments for securing waterproof aircraft components within the fuselage. The compartments each have drainage openings in the fuselage extending from the interior of the fuselage to the exterior of the fuselage.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An amphibious unmanned aerial vehicle comprising:
a) a fuselage comprised of a buoyant material walls;
b) separators within the fuselage forming separate compartments within the fuselage;
c) mounts associated with the compartments for securing waterproof aircraft components within the fuselage; and
d) wherein the compartments are constructed to individually surround a battery, a payload, and avionics electronics, but wherein the compartments are not sealed from water intrusion, while the battery, the payload, the avionics electronics, and associated connectors and wiring are hermetically sealed such that the amphibious unmanned aerial vehicle is capable of landing on land and on water without damage to electrical and electronic components.

2. The amphibious unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the compartments are modularized compartments comprising openings to allow loading of a battery module, a payload module, and an avionics electronics module therein.

3. The amphibious unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 2 comprising a securing mechanism to retain the battery module, the payload module, and the avionics electronics module within their respective modularized compartments.

4. The amphibious unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 3 , wherein the securing mechanism comprises hand rotatable tabs.

5. The amphibious unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 4 , wherein the hand rotatable tabs comprise a pivotable handle.

6. The amphibious unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the compartments each have drainage openings in the fuselage extending from the interior of the fuselage to the exterior of the fuselage.

7. The amphibious unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 6 , wherein the drainage openings in some of the compartments comprise weep holes through a wall of the fuselage.

8. The amphibious unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the compartments comprises a drainage channel at a bottom thereof, and wherein the drainage channel comprises a drainage opening associated therewith.

9. The amphibious unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 8 , wherein the drainage opening comprises a weep hole.

10. The amphibious unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 8 , wherein the drainage opening comprises a plurality of weep holes.

11. The amphibious unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 1 , comprising a skid pad on a bottom of the fuselage.

12. The amphibious unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 1 comprising drainage openings extending through the separators within the fuselage.

13. The amphibious unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 1 comprising securing mechanisms at a top of the fuselage adjacent to openings in the compartments to secure the waterproof aircraft components within the compartments.

14. The amphibious unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 1 , wherein at least some of the mounts within the compartments comprise integrated connectors for electrically connecting a corresponding aircraft component upon mounting of the corresponding aircraft component within a respective compartment.

15. The amphibious unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the compartments comprise a battery compartment comprising a surface mount connector flush with a mounting surface of the mounts within the battery compartment.

16. The amphibious unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the compartments comprise a payload compartment comprising a surface mount connector flush with a mounting surface of the mounts within the payload compartment.

17. The amphibious unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the compartments comprise a payload compartment comprising an open bottom.

18. The amphibious unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 17 , wherein there is no fuselage wall below the payload compartment.

19. The amphibious unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the compartments comprise an avionics compartment comprising a heat sink opening.

20. The amphibious unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 1 comprising:
a) the separators within the fuselage forming separate battery, payload, and avionics compartments within the fuselage to protect the battery, the payload, and the avionics electronics;
b) the mounts associated with the compartments being for securing the battery, the payload, and the avionics electronics within the fuselage; and
c) drainage openings extending through the wall of fuselage to connect the compartments with an exterior of the unmanned aerial vehicle.

Assignees

• Aerovironment Inc

Inventors

• Belik Pavel
• Szarek Thomas
• Torres Gabriel E
• Fraye Vernon P

Classifications

• B64U80/70

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

• B64U60/10

  specially adapted for use on water · CPC title

• B64U20/80

  Arrangement of on-board electronics, e.g. avionics systems or wiring · CPC title

• B64U60/50

  with landing legs · CPC title

• B64U10/70

  Convertible aircraft, e.g. convertible into land vehicles · CPC title