Landing pad with charging and loading functionality for unmanned aerial vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11939084-B2
Application number	US-202318305942-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 24, 2023
Priority date	Sep 8, 2020
Publication date	Mar 26, 2024
Grant date	Mar 26, 2024

Abstract

A landing pad for an unmanned aerial vehicle (“UAV”) is disclosed. The landing pad includes a support structure, a charging pad, and a plurality of movable UAV supports. The charging pad is coupled to the support structure and able to move relative to the support structure. The UAV supports are also coupled to the support structure and configured to translate along the support structure from a first position to a second position. When the UAV supports are in the first position, the charging pad supports the UAV. When the UAV supports are in the second position, the charging pad is lowered and the UAV supports then provide support to the UAV.

First claim

We claim:

1. A landing pad for an unmanned aerial vehicle (“UAV”), comprising:
a support structure;
a charging pad; and
a plurality of UAV supports coupled to the support structure, wherein the plurality of UAV supports are configured to move along the support structure from a first position to a second position, wherein when in the first position the plurality of UAV supports provide the UAV access to the charging pad such that the charging pad supports the UAV, and wherein when in the second position the plurality of UAV supports support the UAV,
wherein the charging pad is rotatably coupled to the support structure and is configured to support the UAV when in a first position and to move away from the UAV to a second position such that an underside of the UAV is accessible.

2. The landing pad of claim 1 , wherein the UAV is configured to load a payload when the plurality of UAV supports are in the second position.

3. The landing pad of claim 1 , wherein the UAV is configured to land on the landing pad when the plurality of UAV supports are in the first position.

4. The landing pad of claim 1 , wherein the UAV is configured to takeoff from the landing pad when the plurality of UAV supports are in a third position.

5. The landing pad of claim 1 , wherein the UAV is configured to deploy a payload coupling apparatus when the plurality of UAV supports are in the second position.

6. The landing pad of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of UAV supports comprises a roller, wherein the roller spans the charging pad, and wherein the roller is configured to roll along a portion of the support structure.

7. The landing pad of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of UAV supports comprises a gear wheel coupled to a bar, wherein the bar spans the charging pad, and wherein the support structure comprises a track corresponding to the gear wheel.

8. The landing pad of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of UAV supports comprises:
a first pair of UAV supports that move in opposite directions to one another; and
a second pair of UAV supports that move in opposite directions to one another, wherein the first pair of UAV supports are perpendicular to the second pair of UAV supports.

9. A method, comprising:
supporting an unmanned aerial vehicle (“UAV”) above a ground surface by a charging pad of a landing pad;
moving a plurality of UAV supports across the landing pad from a first position to a second position, wherein when in the first position the plurality of UAV supports provide the UAV access to the charging pad such that the charging pad supports the UAV, and wherein when in the second position the plurality of UAV supports support the UAV; and
after moving the plurality of UAV supports to the second position, moving the charging pad away from the UAV such that the UAV is no longer supported by the charging pad and the plurality of UAV supports support the UAV above the ground surface.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
loading a payload to the UAV after the charging pad has moved away from the UAV and the UAV is supported by the plurality of UAV supports.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
after loading the payload to the UAV, initiating a takeoff of the UAV; and
after initiating the takeoff, moving the plurality of UAV supports away from the UAV such that the UAV is no longer supported by the plurality of UAV supports.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein the moving the plurality of UAV supports across the landing pad stops when the plurality of UAV supports contact the UAV.

13. A payload loading system, comprising:
an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that comprises a fuselage and a retractable tether, wherein a distal end of the tether is coupled to a payload coupling apparatus, and a proximate end of the tether is coupled to the UAV; and
a landing pad, comprising:
a support structure;
a charging pad; and
a plurality of UAV supports coupled to the support structure, wherein the plurality of UAV supports are configured to move along the support structure from a first position to a second position, wherein when in the first position the plurality of UAV supports provide the UAV access to the charging pad such that the charging pad supports the UAV, and wherein when in the second position the plurality of UAV supports support the UAV,
wherein the charging pad is rotatably coupled to the support structure and is configured to support the UAV when in a first position and to move away from the UAV to a second position such that an underside of the UAV is accessible.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the UAV is configured to load a payload when the plurality of UAV supports are in the second position.

15. The system of claim 13 , wherein the UAV is configured to land on the landing pad when the plurality of UAV supports are in the first position.

16. The system of claim 13 , wherein the UAV is configured to takeoff from the landing pad when the plurality of UAV supports are in a third position.

17. The system of claim 13 , wherein the UAV is configured to deploy the payload coupling apparatus when the plurality of UAV supports are in the second position.

18. The system of claim 13 , wherein each of the plurality of UAV supports comprises a roller, wherein the roller spans the charging pad, and wherein the roller is configured to roll along a portion of the support structure.

19. The system of claim 13 , wherein each of the plurality of UAV supports comprises a gear wheel coupled to a bar, wherein the bar spans the charging pad, and wherein the support structure comprises a track corresponding to the gear wheel.

20. The system of claim 13 , wherein the plurality of UAV supports comprises:
a first pair of UAV supports that move in opposite directions to one another; and
a second pair of UAV supports that move in opposite directions to one another, wherein the first pair of UAV supports are perpendicular to the second pair of UAV supports.

Assignees

• Wing Aviation Llc

Inventors

• Liske Kyle
• Prager André
• Renold Nick

Classifications

• B64F1/22

  for handling aircraft · CPC title

• B64F1/35

  for supplying electrical power to stationary aircraft · CPC title

• B64U50/19 Primary

  using electrically powered motors · CPC title

• B64U2201/20

  Remote controls · CPC title

• B64U10/14

  with four distinct rotor axes, e.g. quadcopters · CPC title