Automated docking of unmanned aerial vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12409949-B2
Application number	US-202418408154-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 9, 2024
Priority date	Oct 15, 2019
Publication date	Sep 9, 2025
Grant date	Sep 9, 2025

Abstract

Described herein are systems for automated docking of an unmanned aerial vehicle. For example, some systems include an unmanned aerial vehicle including a propulsion mechanism, a battery, and a processing apparatus; and a dock including a landing surface with a funnel geometry shaped to fit a bottom surface of the unmanned aerial vehicle at a base of the funnel, wherein tapered sides of the funnel form corners at the base of the funnel, and a battery charger configured to charge the battery of the unmanned aerial vehicle while the unmanned aerial vehicle is on the landing surface, wherein conducting contacts of the battery charger are on the landing surface, positioned at the bottom of the funnel.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A dock configured to exclusively house a single unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), the dock comprising:
a landing structure including a landing surface configured to receive the UAV, wherein the landing surface is configured for mechanical engagement with a support base of the UAV to inhibit relative movement between the UAV and the landing surface, wherein the landing structure is repositionable along an axis of movement extending in generally orthogonal relation to a vertical landing direction of the UAV; and
an enclosure configured to conceal the landing surface in a first arrangement of the dock and expose the landing surface in a second arrangement of the dock.

2. The dock of claim 1 , further comprising:
a movable fiducial positioned in a first location; and
a fixed fiducial positioned in a second location such that the movable fiducial is repositionable in relation to the fixed fiducial, wherein the movable fiducial and the fixed fiducial are each configured to facilitate position tracking of the UAV relative to the dock.

3. The dock of claim 1 , further comprising:
at least one fiducial configured to facilitate position tracking of the UAV relative to the dock.

4. The dock of claim 3 , wherein the at least one fiducial includes a first fiducial, and the landing surface includes a second fiducial.

5. The dock of claim 4 , wherein the first fiducial defines a first configuration, and the second fiducial defines a second configuration different than the first configuration.

6. The dock of claim 5 , wherein the first fiducial defines a first surface area, and the second fiducial defines a second surface area, wherein the first surface area is substantially larger than the second surface area.

7. The dock of claim 1 , further comprising:
a door connected to the enclosure such that the door is repositionable between a first position, in which the dock is configured to conceal the UAV, and a second position, in which the dock is configured to facilitate takeoff and landing of the UAV.

8. The dock of claim 7 , wherein the door is pivotably connected to the enclosure.

9. The dock of claim 8 , wherein the door is configured for movement through a range of angular motion greater than 90 degrees.

10. The dock of claim 7 , wherein the door is connected to the enclosure such that, in the second position, the door is positioned to avoid downdraft from the UAV.

11. A dock configured to exclusively house a single unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), the dock comprising:
an enclosure configured to house the UAV;
a landing structure including a charging member configured for electrical connection to the UAV to facilitate charging of the UAV when docked, wherein the landing structure is repositionable in relation to the enclosure along an axis of movement extending in generally orthogonal relation to a vertical landing direction of the UAV; and
a door pivotably connected to the enclosure such that the dock is reconfigurable between a storage configuration and a use configuration, wherein the door is configured for movement through a range of angular motion greater than 90 degrees such that the door is positioned to avoid downdraft from the UAV when the dock is in the use configuration.

12. The dock of claim 11 , wherein the axis of movement extends in a generally horizontal direction.

13. The dock of claim 11 , wherein the landing structure includes a landing surface configured for mechanical engagement with a support base of the UAV to inhibit relative movement between the UAV and the landing surface.

14. The dock of claim 11 , further comprising:
an identification member configured to facilitate position tracking of the UAV relative to the dock.

15. The dock of claim 14 , wherein the identification member is supported such that the identification member is repositioned during reconfiguration of the dock between the storage configuration and the use configuration.

16. A dock configured to exclusively house a single unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), the dock comprising:
an enclosure;
a landing structure including a landing surface configured to receive the UAV, wherein the landing surface is configured for mechanical engagement with a support base of the UAV to inhibit relative movement between the UAV and the landing surface, wherein the landing structure is repositionable along an axis of movement extending in generally orthogonal relation to a vertical landing direction of the UAV; and
a door connected to the enclosure such that the dock is reconfigurable between a closed configuration and an open configuration, wherein the door is movable through a range of angular motion greater than 90 degrees to allow the door to avoid downdraft from the UAV when the dock is in the open configuration.

17. The dock of claim 16 , wherein the door is pivotably connected to the enclosure.

18. The dock of claim 16 , further comprising:
an identification member configured to facilitate position tracking of the UAV relative to the dock.

19. The dock of claim 18 , wherein the identification member is repositionable during reconfiguration of the dock between the closed configuration and the open configuration.

20. The dock of claim 16 , wherein the landing structure includes a charging member configured for electrical connection to the UAV to facilitate charging of the UAV when docked, wherein the charging member is repositionable during reconfiguration of the dock between the closed configuration and the open configuration.

Assignees

• Skydio Inc

Inventors

• Kozlenko Yevgeniy
• Zhu Jack
• Cross Gareth
• Tomic Teodor
• Bry Adam
• Bachrach Abraham Galton

Classifications

• B64C39/024

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

• B64U10/13

  Flying platforms · CPC title

• B64U80/25

  for recharging batteries; for refuelling · CPC title

• B64U2201/10

  autonomous, i.e. by navigating independently from ground or air stations, e.g. by using inertial navigation systems [INS] · CPC title

• B64U80/70

  in containers (B64U80/60 takes precedence) · CPC title