Amphibious aerial vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11745868-B2
Application number	US-202217751422-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 23, 2022
Priority date	Feb 20, 2019
Publication date	Sep 5, 2023
Grant date	Sep 5, 2023

Abstract

A UAV with vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) function. 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

The invention claimed is:

1. A UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle), which is characterized by comprising:
a plurality of lift propellers disposed on a flight platform;
a cabin engaged with said 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;
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; and
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
wherein said cabin is detachably attached to the flight platform.

2. The UAV according to claim 1 further comprising a pair of main wings coupled to the flight platform.

3. The UAV according to claim 2 , wherein the flight platform comprises a pair of parallel linear supports coupled to said pair of main wings.

4. The UAV according to claim 3 , which is characterized in that said plurality of lift propellers are disposed on said pair of parallel linear supports.

5. The UAV according to claim 2 further comprising a floatation device coupled to the cabin wherein when the cabin is physically detached from the flight platform, the cabin can float on water.

6. The UAV according to claim 5 , wherein the floatation device comprises an elongated strip structure capable of inflation and deflation, and having a lengthwise direction parallel to a longitudinal axis of the cabin.

7. The UAV according to claim 5 , wherein the floatation device comprises a plurality of air bags capable of inflation and deflation, said plurality of air bags are evenly arranged on a left side and a right side of the cabin.

8. The UAV according to claim 5 further comprising a first energy storage unit arranged in the cabin, and is configured to supply energy to the water propulsion system.

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

10. The UAV according to claim 9 , which is characterized in that the cabin has at least one electrically-driven wheel configured to move the cabin on a ground.

11. The UAV according to claim 9 , which is characterized in that the flight platform has at least one electrically-driven wheel configured to move the flight platform on a ground without being attached to the cabin.

Assignees

• Shanghai Autoflight Co Ltd

Inventors

• Tian Yu

Classifications

• B64C37/02 Primary

  Flying units formed by separate aircraft (towing B64D3/00; aircraft transported by aircraft B64D5/00; air-refuelling B64D39/00) · CPC title

• B64C29/0025 Primary

  the propellers being fixed relative to the fuselage · CPC title

• B64U60/40

  foldable or retractable · CPC title

• B64U50/13

  using external fans or propellers · CPC title

• B64U2101/60

  for transporting passengers; for transporting goods other than weapons · CPC title