Positioning of in-situ methane sensor on a vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) unmanned aerial system (UAS)

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11299268-B2
Application number	US-201715801790-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 2, 2017
Priority date	Nov 2, 2016
Publication date	Apr 12, 2022
Grant date	Apr 12, 2022

Abstract

Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) for use in the detection, localization, and quantification of gas leaks are provided. More specifically the use of an in-situ sensor mounted to a UAS such that the sensor is positioned in a region unaffected by prop wash that is relatively undisturbed by the effects of the propeller(s) and other environmental conditions when in use is described. Additionally, methods of determining the optimal placement of the in-situ sensor on any given UAS are also provided.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An unmanned aerial system comprising:
a vehicle body having a first vehicle end and a second vehicle end,
at least one propulsion control system integrally connected to the vehicle body,
at least one power source electronically connected to the at least one propulsion control system,
at least one propulsion system electronically connected to and in signal communication with the at least one propulsion control system and connected to the vehicle body wherein the at least one propulsion system, in conjunction with the propulsion control system, is capable of producing at least a vertical and horizontal propulsion of the UAS and wherein the propulsion system generates at least a turbulent airflow region and at least one region unaffected by prop wash,
at least one mounting apparatus with a first end and a second end wherein the at least one mounting apparatus is connected to the vehicle body such that the first end of the at least one mounting apparatus extends beyond the first vehicle end and the second end extends past the second vehicle end wherein the first end of the mounting apparatus is positioned in the at least one region unaffected by prop wash,
at least one sensing device adjustably connected to the at least one mounting apparatus and positioned at the first end of the at least one mounting apparatus such that the sensing device is situationally positioned within the at least one region unaffected by prop wash of the UAS, and
at least one sensing control device electronically connected to and in signal communication with the sensing device.

2. The unmanned aerial system of claim 1 wherein the at least one sensing control device is positioned at the second end of the at least one mounting apparatus.

3. The unmanned aerial system of claim 2 wherein the at least one anemometer is configured to utilize data from the at least one sensing device and the at least one sensing control unit.

4. The unmanned aerial system of claim 1 further comprising at least one anemometer connected to the vehicle body of the UAS and configured to utilize data from the at least one propulsion control system and the at least one sensing device.

5. The unmanned aerial system of claim 4 further comprising a second elongated mounting structure having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the second elongated body is connected to the vehicle body and the anemometer is configured to be positioned at the second end of the second elongated body.

6. The unmanned aerial system of claim 5 wherein the anemometer is configured to be positioned at a distance between 10 cm and 2 m from the vehicle body.

7. The unmanned aerial system of claim 1 wherein the at least one mounting apparatus is configured to have two elongated mounting bodies, each having a first end and a second end known as the first and second end of the mounting apparatus, wherein the at least one sensing device and at least one sensing control unit are configured to be slidingly engaged with the two elongated mounting bodies and wherein the at least one sensing device is configured to be positioned at the first end and the at least one sensing control device is configured to be positioned at the second end.

8. The unmanned aerial system of claim 7 further comprising at least one motor system connected to the at least one sensing device and the at least one sensing control unit and electronically connected to the at least one power source, whereby the at least one motor system coordinates the movement of the at least one sensing unit and the at least one sensing control unit such that as environmental conditions change thereby affecting the region unaffected by prop wash, the at least one sensing device is repositioned to remain within the region unaffected by prop wash and the at least one sensing control device is repositioned to effectively counterbalance the at least one sensing device.

9. The unmanned aerial system of claim 1 wherein the at least one mounting apparatus is configured to be a truss like structure having a first edge and a second edge wherein the first edge is connected to the second edge by a plurality of interconnection bridges.

10. The unmanned aerial system of claim 1 wherein the at least one sensing device and the at least one sensing control device are collocated within a single housing.

11. The unmanned aerial system of claim 10 further comprising at least one motor system connected to the at least one sensing device collocated with the at least one sensing control unit and electronically connected to the at least one power source, whereby the at least one motor system coordinates the movement of the at least one sensing unit collocated with the at least one sensing control unit such that as environmental conditions change thereby affecting the region unaffected by prop wash, the at least one sensing device is repositioned to remain within the region unaffected by prop wash.

12. The unmanned aerial system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one sensing device comprises a methane sensor.

Assignees

• California Inst Of Techn

Inventors

• Christensen Lance E
• Smith Brendan J
• Manzatianu Vlad

Classifications

• B64U2201/20

  Remote controls · CPC title

• B64U2201/10

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

• B64U2101/47

  for fire fighting · CPC title

• B64U20/80

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

• B64U50/13 Primary

  using external fans or propellers · CPC title