Modular housing structure for unmanned aerial vehicles having a repeating structure and ingress point

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12338650-B2
Application number	US-202418404358-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 4, 2024
Priority date	Jun 14, 2018
Publication date	Jun 24, 2025
Grant date	Jun 24, 2025

Abstract

A modular housing structure for housing a plurality of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) includes a plurality of housing segments and a plurality of landing pads. The plurality of housing segments are shaped to mechanically join together to define an interior of the modular housing structure. The individual housing segments have a common structural shape that repeats when assembled to form the modular housing structure. The plurality of landing pads are positioned within the individual housing segments, each of the landing pads sized to physically support and charge a corresponding one of the UAVs.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A modular housing structure for housing a plurality of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), comprising:
a plurality of housing segments shaped to mechanically join together to define an interior of the modular housing structure, wherein the housing segments each have a common structural shape that repeats when assembled to form the modular housing structure; and
a plurality of landing pads positioned within the modular housing structure defined by the housing segments, wherein each of the landing pads is adapted to charge a corresponding one of the UAVs, and wherein each of the housing segments includes multiple instances of the landing pads,
wherein a first housing segment of the housing segments includes an ingress point adapted to allow passage of the UAVs in or out of the modular housing structure,
wherein the interior includes a shared interior space that connects the ingress point to each of the landing pads within the modular housing structure and is adapted to permit passage of the UAVs to fly from the ingress point to any of the landing pads within the modular housing structure,
wherein one or more others of the housing segments each include an instance of a second ingress point, and wherein the first ingress point and one or more instances of the second ingress point are adapted to join together to form a larger ingress point when the housing segments are joined.

2. The modular housing structure of claim 1 , wherein each of the housing segments are foldable into a substantially flat configuration.

3. The modular housing structure of claim 1 , wherein the first housing segment includes an endcap structure shaped to enclose an end of the modular housing structure, the endcap structure including the ingress point.

4. The modular housing structure of claim 1 , further comprising:
a roof that is formed when the housing segments are joined together,
wherein the larger ingress point extends down a center of the roof of the modular housing structure.

5. The modular housing structure of claim 1 , wherein the first housing segment includes first navigational aids positioned proximate to the ingress point and configured to enable the UAVs to access first information for guiding the UAVs to pass through the ingress point.

6. The modular housing structure of claim 5 further comprising:
second navigational aids smaller than the first navigational aids, wherein the second navigational aids are positioned proximate to the landing pads and configured to enable the UAVs to access second information for guiding the UAVs onto the landing pads once the UAVs are flying within the modular housing structure.

7. The modular housing structure of claim 6 , wherein the first navigational aids and the second navigational aids are fiducial markers.

8. The modular housing structure of claim 6 , wherein a second housing segment of the plurality of housing segments includes a third navigational aid on the interior of the modular housing structure, the third navigational aid configured to enable the UAVs to access third information for indicating to the UAVs a relative physical position of the second housing segment from amongst the plurality of housing segments to aid navigation to a given landing pad.

9. The modular housing structure of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of landing pads are organized into multiple levels of landing pads such that some landing pads are vertically above others of the landing pads.

10. The modular housing structure of claim 9 , wherein the shared interior space includes an access corridor formed by the housing segments when the housing segments are joined together, wherein the access corridor extends down the interior of the modular housing structure,
wherein select ones of the landing pads form a center row of the landing pads disposed below the access corridor, wherein the center row of the landing pads is not covered by other landing pads, wherein the access corridor connects to the ingress point and extends past all of the landing pads.

11. A modular housing structure for housing a plurality of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), comprising:
a plurality of housing segments shaped to mechanically join together to define an interior of the modular housing structure, wherein the housing segments each have a common structural shape that repeats when assembled to form the modular housing structure;
a plurality of landing pads positioned within the modular housing structure defined by the housing segments, wherein each of the landing pads is adapted to charge a corresponding one of the UAVs, and wherein each of the housing segments includes multiple instances of the landing pads,
wherein a first housing segment of the housing segments includes an ingress point adapted to allow passage of the UAVs in or out of the modular housing structure,
wherein the interior includes a shared interior space that connects the ingress point to each of the landing pads within the modular housing structure and is adapted to permit passage of the UAVs to fly from the ingress point to any of the landing pads within the modular housing structure,
a first navigational aid positioned proximate to the ingress point of the first housing segment and configured to enable the UAVs to access first information for guiding the UAVs to pass through the ingress point; and
second navigational aids each positioned proximate to a corresponding one of the landing pads and configured to enable the UAVs to access second information for guiding the UAVs onto the landing pads,
wherein a second housing segment of the plurality of housing segments includes a third navigational aid disposed on the interior of the modular housing structure, the third navigational aid configured to enable the UAVs to access third information for indicating to the UAVs a relative physical position of the second housing segment from amongst the plurality of housing segments to aid navigation to a given landing pad.

12. A modular housing structure for housing a plurality of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), comprising:
a plurality of housing segments shaped to mechanically join together to define an interior of the modular housing structure, wherein the housing segments each have a common structural shape that repeats when assembled to form the modular housing structure; and
a plurality of landing pads positioned within the modular housing structure defined by the housing segments, wherein each of the landing pads is adapted to charge a corresponding one of the UAVs, and wherein each of the housing segments includes multiple instances of the landing pads,
wherein a first housing segment of the housing segments includes an ingress point adapted to allow passage of the UAVs in or out of the modular housing structure,
wherein the interior includes a shared interior space that connects the ingress point to each of the landing pads within the modular housing structure and is adapted to permit passage of the UAVs to fly from the ingress point to any of the landing pads within the modular housing structure,
wherein the shared interior space includes an access corridor formed by the housing segments when the housing segments are joined together, wherein the access corridor extends down the interior of the modular housing structure,
wherein select ones of the landing pads form a center row of the landing pads disposed below the access corridor, wherein the center row of the landing pads is not covered by other landing pads,
wherein the access corridor connects to the ingress point and extends past all of the landing pads.

13. The modular housing structure of claim 12 , wherein the plurality of

Assignees

• Wing Aviation Llc

Inventors

• Blake Jesse
• Schmalzried James
• Twyford Evan

Classifications

• G08G5/57

  for unmanned aircraft · CPC title

• G08G5/55

  for a single aircraft · CPC title

• B64U70/95

  Means for guiding the landing UAV towards the platform, e.g. lighting means · CPC title

• B64U50/37

  Charging when not in flight · CPC title

• B64U50/39

  Battery swapping · CPC title