Systems and methods for UAV battery exchange

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11332033-B2
Application number	US-201916502896-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 3, 2019
Priority date	Aug 8, 2014
Publication date	May 17, 2022
Grant date	May 17, 2022

Abstract

A unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) battery changing station includes a UAV landing area configured to support a UAV coupled to a first battery when the UAV is resting on the battery changing station, a movable battery storage unit including a holding station configured to store a second battery, and a battery replacement member configured to retrieve the second battery from the holding station and couple the second battery to the UAV. The movable battery storage unit is configured to permit the holding station to rotate about an axis of rotation.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) battery changing station comprising:
a UAV landing area configured to support a UAV when the UAV is resting on the battery changing station, the UAV being coupled to a first battery;
a movable battery storage unit including a holding station configured to store a second battery, the movable battery storage unit is configured to permit the holding station to rotate about an axis of rotation; and
a battery replacement member configured to retrieve the second battery from the holding station and couple the second battery to the UAV.

2. The UAV battery changing station of claim 1 , wherein the UAV landing area includes a visible marker configured to aid the UAV in landing.

3. The UAV battery changing station of claim 2 , wherein the visible marker includes an image.

4. The UAV battery changing station of claim 3 , wherein the image includes a particular image indicative that the UAV is allowed to land.

5. The UAV battery changing station of claim 2 , wherein the visible marker includes an LED light.

6. The UAV battery changing station of claim 5 , wherein the LED light is configured to flash in a specific spatial or temporal pattern indicative that the UAV is allowed to land.

7. The UAV battery changing station of claim 1 , wherein:
the holding station is one of a plurality of holding stations of the movable battery storage unit; and
the movable battery storage unit has a configuration of a carousel that permits the plurality of holding stations to rotate about the axis of rotation.

8. The UAV battery changing station of claim 7 , wherein the axis of rotation passes through a center of the carousel.

9. The UAV battery changing station of claim 7 , wherein the plurality of holding stations include at least four holding stations.

10. The UAV battery changing station of claim 1 , wherein the movable battery storage unit includes a battery charging unit configured to charge the second battery when the second battery is stored in the holding station.

11. The UAV battery changing station of claim 1 , wherein the movable battery storage unit is located beneath the UAV landing area.

12. The UAV battery changing station of claim 1 , wherein the battery replacement member is further configured to decouple the first battery from the UAV.

13. The UAV battery changing station of claim 12 , wherein the battery replacement member includes a mechanical elevator.

14. The UAV battery changing station of claim 13 , wherein the mechanical elevator includes a robotic arm clamp configured to grasp the first battery.

15. The UAV battery changing station of claim 14 , wherein the mechanical elevator is further configured to effect a horizontal movement to decouple the first battery from the UAV.

16. The UAV battery changing station of claim 15 , wherein the mechanical elevator is further configured to effect a vertical movement to transport the first battery to the movable battery storage unit.

17. The UAV battery changing station of claim 13 , wherein the mechanical elevator is further configured to effect a vertical movement to transport the second battery from the movable battery storage unit to the UAV.

18. The UAV battery changing station of claim 17 , wherein the mechanical elevator is further configured to effect a horizontal movement to couple the second battery to the UAV.

19. A UAV battery changing method comprising:
providing the UAV battery changing station of claim 1 ;
controlling the UAV to land on the UAV landing area; and
controlling the battery replacement member to remove the second battery from the holding station and couple the second battery to the UAV.

20. The method of claim 19 , further comprising:
controlling the battery replacement member to remove the first battery from the UAV and move the first battery to the holding station.

Assignees

• Sz Dji Technology Co Ltd

Inventors

• Wang Mingxi

Classifications

• B64U70/90

  Launching from or landing on platforms · CPC title

• B64U30/20

  Rotors; Rotor supports · CPC title

• B64U50/39

  Battery swapping · CPC title

• B64U60/50

  with landing legs · CPC title

• B64U10/13

  Flying platforms · CPC title