Method of navigating an amphibious aerial vehicle on water

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11535372-B2
Application number	US-202217751714-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 24, 2022
Priority date	Feb 20, 2019
Publication date	Dec 27, 2022
Grant date	Dec 27, 2022

Abstract

A method of navigating a detached cabin of an UAV over water. The UAV having a plurality of lift propellers; a cabin engaged with a plurality of lift propellers; a water propulsion system engaged with the cabin to push the cabin in a forward direction when the cabin is at least partially immersed in water; at least one water inlet engaged with the water propulsion system; the cabin is a cargo hold or a passenger cabin. The UAV provided by the disclosure can realize vertical takeoff and landing in the water area, and fly, drive and navigate freely in the whole area.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of navigating a detached cabin of a UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) on water, which is characterized by comprising:
providing a UVA having
a) a plurality of lift propellers;
b) a cabin engaged with said plurality of lift propellers;
c) a water propulsion system engaged with the cabin to push the cabin in a forward direction when the cabin is at least partially immersed in water;
d) at least one water inlet engaged with the water propulsion system;
wherein the water propulsion system includes a motor, a water propeller and a cylinder;
wherein the cylinder is fixedly connected to the cabin; the cylinder is provided with an open end and a blocking end; the cylinder has an axis and said axis is parallel to a longitudinal axis of the cabin; and the open end of the cylinder faces a rear end of the UAV; the water inlet is positioned on a side wall of the cylinder;
wherein the motor is positioned inside the cylinder, and a body of the motor is fixedly connected with an inner wall of the cylinder;
wherein the water propeller is positioned inside the cylinder and close to the open end of the cylinder, and the water propeller is connected with an output shaft of the motor; and
turning the water propeller to move the cabin in a forward direction while the cabin is detached from said plurality of lift propellers and the cabin is floating on water.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein providing said plurality of lift propellers on a flight platform, and the cabin is detachably attached to the flight platform.

3. The method according to claim 2 further comprising providing a pair of main wings coupled to the flight platform.

4. The method according to claim 3 , further comprising providing a pair of parallel linear supports coupled to said pair of main wings.

5. The method according to claim 4 , wherein said plurality of lift propellers are disposed on said pair of parallel linear supports.

6. The method according to claim 2 further providing a floatation device coupled to the cabin wherein when the cabin is separated from the flight platform, the cabin can float on water.

7. The method according to claim 6 further providing a first energy storage unit arranged in the cabin, and is configured to supply energy to the water propulsion system.

8. The method according to claim 7 further providing a second energy storage unit arranged in the flight platform, and the flight platform can fly without being attached to the cabin.

9. The method according to claim 8 , further providing at least one electrically-driven wheel coupled to the cabin configured to move the cabin on a ground.

10. The method according to claim 8 , further providing at least one electrically-driven wheel on the flight platform configured to move the flight platform on a ground without being attached to the cabin.

Assignees

• Shanghai Autoflight Co Ltd

Inventors

• Tian Yu

Classifications

• B60F3/0007

  Arrangement of propulsion or steering means on amphibious vehicles · CPC title

• B64U10/25

  Fixed-wing aircraft (VTOL aircraft B64U10/20) · CPC title

• B64C37/00

  Convertible aircraft · CPC title

• B64C2211/00

  Modular constructions of airplanes or helicopters · CPC title

• B64C29/0025 Primary

  the propellers being fixed relative to the fuselage · CPC title