Pod cover system for a vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11851209-B2
Application number	US-202017083092-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 28, 2020
Priority date	Feb 11, 2015
Publication date	Dec 26, 2023
Grant date	Dec 26, 2023

Abstract

An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) storage and launch system includes a UAV pod having an open position and a closed position, the closed position establishing an interior that is weather resistant to an environment external to the UAV pod and a vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) UAV enclosed in the UAV pod so that the UAV pod in the closed position provides a weather resistant interior for the VTOL UAV.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) storage and launch system, comprising:
a UAV pod having an open position and a closed position, the closed position establishing an interior; and
a UAV pod processor having addressable memory;
a vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) UAV enclosed in the UAV pod, wherein the VTOL UAV comprises wings to provide a primary source of lift during horizontal flight, and wherein the VTOL UAV comprises rotors to provide the primary source of lift during vertical flight;
a UAV landing surface in communication with the UAV pod processor, wherein the UAV landing surface is oriented to account for crosswind during a launch to provide an advantageous orientation for the launch in the crosswind, wherein the UAV landing surface is rotated after a landing of the VTOL UAV on the UAV landing surface to better position the VTOL UAV for receipt into the interior of the UAV pod such that the wings of the VTOL UAV do not impinge on the UAV pod during rotation, wherein the UAV landing surface is configured to rotate to position the VTOL UAV to provide the advantageous orientation for the launch in the crosswind and translate up from the interior of the UAV pod to a top opening of the UAV pod prior to the launch; and
a proximity sensor in communication with the UAV pod processor, wherein the proximity sensor is configured to detect a proximity of an object positioned over the UAV pod, and wherein the UAV pod processor is configured to enable go and no-go flight decisions based on the detected proximity of the object positioned over the UAV pod.

2. The UAV storage and launch system of claim 1 further comprising solar panels on at least one exterior surface, wherein the solar panels charge a UAV pod battery.

3. The UAV storage and launch system of claim 1 wherein the UAV pod further comprises a two-part hinged cover, wherein the two-part hinged cover is positioned closed after the UAV is launched by a cover motor and is returned to the open position before the UAV lands by a cover motor.

4. The UAV storage and launch system of claim 1 wherein the interior of the UAV pod is weather resistant to an environment external to the UAV pod in the closed position.

5. The UAV storage and launch system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a weather sensor in communication with the UAV pod processor, wherein the weather sensor is configured to provide measurement of a prevailing wind, wherein the UAV landing surface is rotatable, and wherein the wings of the VTOL UAV are aligned with the prevailing wind in the advantageous orientation of the UAV landing surface;
wherein the UAV pod processor is further configured to enable go and no-go flight decisions based on a mission weather sensor go and no-go parameters.

6. The UAV storage and launch system of claim 1 , wherein the UAV landing surface is configured to translate up from the interior of the UAV pod to a top opening of the UAV pod prior to the launch.

7. The UAV storage and launch system of claim 1 , wherein the UAV landing surface is oriented to account for crosswind during landing of the VTOL UAV to provide the advantageous orientation for landing in the crosswind, wherein the UAV landing surface is configured to rotate after landing of the VTOL UAV to position the VTOL UAV for receipt into the interior of the UAV pod such that the wings of the VTOL UAV do not impinge on the UAV pod, and wherein the UAV landing surface is further configured to translate down into the interior of the UAV pod after rotation.

8. An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) system, comprising:
a UAV pod having an interior volume and a top opening;
a UAV pod processor having addressable memory;
a UAV landing surface in communication with the UAV pod processor, wherein the UAV landing surface is rotatable to account for crosswind, wherein the UAV landing surface is translatable between the interior volume of the UAV pod and a top opening of the UAV pod, and wherein the UAV landing surface rotated after a landing of a UAV on the UAV landing surface to better position the UAV for receipt into the interior of the UAV pod such that the wings of the VTOL UAV do not impinge on the UAV pod during rotation;
a vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) UAV enclosed in the UAV pod, wherein the VTOL UAV comprises wings to provide a primary source of lift during horizontal flight, wherein the VTOL UAV comprises rotors to provide the primary source of lift during vertical flight, wherein the UAV landing surface is configured to rotate to position the VTOL UAV to provide the advantageous orientation for the launch in the crosswind and translate up from the interior of the UAV pod to a top opening of the UAV pod prior to the launch, and wherein the wings of the VTOL UAV do not impinge on the UAV pod during rotation; and
a proximity sensor in communication with the UAV pod processor, wherein the proximity sensor is configured to detect a proximity of an object positioned over the UAV pod, and wherein the UAV pod processor is configured to enable go and no-go flight decisions based on the detected proximity of the object positioned over the UAV pod.

9. The UAV system of claim 8 , further comprising:
at least one weather sensor in communication with the UAV pod processor, wherein the weather sensor is configured to measure the external environment, wherein the UAV landing surface is configured to rotate to align the wing of the VTOL UAV disposed on the UAV landing surface such that the wing of the VTOL UAV is aligned with a prevailing wind of the measured external environment;
wherein the UAV pod processor is further configured to enable go and no-go flight decisions based on a mission weather sensor go and no-go parameters.

10. The UAV system of claim 8 , wherein the VTOL UAV is configured to launch and land on the UAV landing surface, wherein the VTOL UAV comprises wings to provide the primary source of lift during horizontal flight.

11. The UAV system of claim 10 , wherein the VTOL UAV comprises rotors to provide the primary source of lift during vertical flight.

12. The UAV system of claim 10 , wherein the UAV landing surface is rotated to provide an advantageous orientation for the launch of the VTOL UAV in the crosswind, and wherein the wings of the VTOL UAV are aligned with a prevailing wind in the advantageous orientation of the UAV landing surface.

13. The UAV system of claim 10 , wherein the UAV landing surface is configured to translate up from the interior volume of the UAV pod to the top opening of the UAV pod prior to the launch of the VTOL UAV, and wherein the UAV landing surface is configured to rotate after translating up to the top opening of the UAV pod to position the VTOL UAV to provide an advantageous orientation for the launch in the crosswind.

14. The UAV system of claim 10 , wherein the UAV landing surface is rotated to provide an advantageous orientation for the landing of the VTOL UAV in the crosswind, and wherein the wings of the VTOL UAV are aligned with a prevailing wind after landing on the UAV landing surface in the advantageous orientation of the UAV landing surface.

15. The UAV system of claim 14 , wherein the UAV landing surface is configured to rotate after landing of the VTOL UAV to position the VTOL UAV for receipt into the interior volume of the UAV pod, wherein the wings of the VTOL UAV do not impinge on the UAV pod during rotation of the UAV landing surface after landing of the VTOL UAV, and wherein the UAV landing surface is configured to translate down into the interior volume of the UAV pod from the top opening of the UAV pod after landing of the VTOL UAV and rota

Assignees

• Aerovironment Inc
• Aero Vironment Inc

Inventors

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

Classifications

• B64U80/30

  with arrangements for data transmission · CPC title

• B64U80/25

  for recharging batteries; for refuelling · CPC title

• B64U70/92

  Portable platforms · CPC title

• B64U10/20

  Vertical take-off and landing [VTOL] aircraft (flying platforms B64U10/13; helicopters B64U10/17) · CPC title

• B64U70/99

  Means for retaining the UAV on the platform, e.g. dogs or magnets · CPC title