Pod launch and landing system for vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVS)

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11603218-B2
Application number	US-201916410704-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 13, 2019
Priority date	Feb 11, 2015
Publication date	Mar 14, 2023
Grant date	Mar 14, 2023

Abstract

An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) storage and launch system, including: a UAV pod having an interior; and a telescoping UAV landing surface disposed in the interior of the UAV pod; where the telescoping UAV landing surface may translate up toward a top opening of the UAV pod, translate down into an interior of the UAV pod, or rotate relative to the UAV pod.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) launch system, comprising:
a UAV landing surface; and
two or more regions disposed on a surface proximate to the UAV landing surface, wherein each of the two or more regions correspond to two or more landing points of the UAV, and wherein each of the two or more regions comprise at least one of: a power connection and a communication connection with a corresponding landing point of the two or more landing points of the UAV;
wherein the UAV landing surface is configured to elevate the UAV above the two or more regions, wherein the UAV landing surface is configured to rotate the UAV relative to the two or more regions, and wherein the UAV landing surface is configured to lower the UAV to make contact between the two or more landing points of the UAV and the two or more regions.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the UAV landing surface is a telescoping UAV landing surface.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the two or more landing points of the UAV are electrically conductive.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein the two or more landing points of the UAV are connected to at least one of: a battery and a data connection within the UAV.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein at least one of the two or more landing points is positioned on an end of a motor pod of the UAV.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein at least one of the two or more landing points is a positive lead.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein at least one of the two or more landing points is a negative lead.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein at least one of the two or more landing points is positioned on a vertical stabilizer of the UAV.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the UAV landing surface is rotatable to account for crosswind during a launch of the UAV seated in the UAV landing surface.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein the UAV landing surface is configured to rotate to align a wing of the UAV seated on the UAV landing surface subsequent to a landing of the UAV.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein the UAV landing surface is configured to rotate to a predetermined alignment with respect to a prevailing wind.

12. The system of claim 1 wherein the two or more landing points comprise four landing points.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein the two or more regions comprise four regions.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the four regions comprise two power connections and two communication connections.

15. A method comprising:
vertically landing an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) on a UAV landing surface;
seating the UAV on two or more regions disposed on a surface proximate to the UAV landing surface, wherein each of the two or more regions correspond to two or more landing points of the UAV, and wherein each of the two or more regions comprise at least one of: a power connection and a communication connection with a corresponding landing point of the two or more landing points of the UAV;
elevating the UAV landing surface above the two or more regions;
rotating the UAV on the UAV landing surface relative to the two or more regions; and
lowering the UAV on the UAV landing surface to make contact between the two or more landing points of the UAV and the two or more regions.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising:
guiding, by the one or more guides, the wing of the UAV into a proper angular orientation relative to the UAV landing surface, wherein each pair of guide paddles forms a V-channel, and wherein the wing of the UAV is at least partially disposed within the V-channel when the UAV is landed.

17. The method of claim 15 further comprising:
rotating the UAV landing surface to a predetermined alignment with respect to a prevailing wind subsequent to the landing of the UAV.

18. The method of claim 15 further comprising:
rotating the UAV landing surface to a predetermined alignment with respect to a prevailing wind; and
launching the UAV from the UAV landing surface.

19. The method of claim 15 further comprising:
providing power to a battery of the UAV from the power connection of the two or more regions.

20. The method of claim 15 further comprising:
providing data to a data connection of the UAV from the communication connection of the two or more regions.

Assignees

• Aerovironment Inc

Inventors

• Fisher Christopher Eugene
• Mukherjee Jason Sidharthadev
• Lott William Arden

Classifications

• B64F1/222 Primary

  for storing aircraft, e.g. in hangars · CPC title

• B64F1/02 Primary

  for arresting aircraft, e.g. nets or cables · CPC title

• B64C39/024

  of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV · CPC title

• B64U30/20

  Rotors; Rotor supports · CPC title

• B64U50/37

  Charging when not in flight · CPC title