Tethered aerial drone system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2019217952-A1
Application number	US-201616324656-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 19, 2016
Priority date	Aug 19, 2016
Publication date	Jul 18, 2019
Grant date	—

Abstract

Methods and systems are described for an aerial drone system including a drone system controller, at least one working drone (101), and a plurality of support drones (103). The working drone (101) is operated by the drone system controller (125) to adjust a position of the working drone (101). A tether line (105) coupled to the working drone (101) provides electrical power to the working drone (101). The support drones (103) are each coupled to the tether line (105) at a different location along the tether line (105) forming a tethered aerial drone system. Each support (drone 103) supports a portion of the weight of the tether line (105) and is operated by the drone system controller (125) to adjust the position of the tether line (105) by adjusting the position of one or more of the support drones (103).

First claim

We claim:

1 . An aerial drone system comprising:
a drone system controller; a working drone operated by the drone system controller to adjust a position of the working drone; a tether line coupled to the working drone to provide electrical power to the working drone; and a plurality of support drones each coupled to the tether line at a different location along the tether line and each partially supporting a weight of the tether line forming a tethered aerial drone system in which each support drone of the plurality of support drones is operated by the drone system controller to adjust the position of the tether line by adjusting a position of one or more support drones of the plurality of support drones.

2 . The aerial drone system of claim 1 , wherein each support drone of the plurality of support drones is coupled to the tether line at locations spaced at predetermined distances along a length of the tether line.

3 . The aerial drone system of claim 1 , wherein the tether line includes a plurality of cables, wherein each cable of the plurality of cables is coupled between two adjacent support drones.

4 . The aerial drone system of claim 3 , wherein each support drone of the plurality of support drones includes a reel configured to adjust a length of the tether line by controllably releasing and retracting the cable coupling the support drone to an adjacent support drone.

5 . The aerial drone system of claim 4 , wherein each support drone of the plurality of support drones is configured to detect a tension on the cable coupling the support drone to the adjacent support drone, and wherein the drone system controller is configured to adjust the position of the support drone and to operate the reel based on the detected tension on the cable.

6 . The aerial drone system of claim 1 , wherein the drone system controller is supported by the working drone, and wherein the drone system controller operates each support drone of the plurality of support drones by transmitting control signals to each support drone through the tether line.

7 . The aerial drone system of claim 1 , wherein the drone system controller is coupled to a proximal end of the tether line, and wherein the drone system controller operates the working drone and each support drone of the plurality of support drones by transmitting control signals to the working drone and to each support drone through the tether line.

8 . The aerial drone system of claim 1 , wherein the working drone is configured to perform a task, and wherein the drone system controller is configured to operate the working drone to position the working drone at a location to perform the task in an operating area.

9 . The aerial drone system of claim 8 , wherein the drone system controller is configured to operate the plurality of support drones to position the tether line outside of the operating area.

10 . The aerial drone system of claim 9 , wherein the working drone includes a camera and wherein the operating area includes a field of view of the camera.

11 . The aerial drone system of claim 9 , wherein the working drone includes a crane system configured to lift and lower a load from the working drone in the operating area below the working drone.

12 . The aerial drone system of claim 8 , wherein the drone system controller is configured to operate the plurality of support drones to position the tether line to avoid contact between the tether line and an obstacle proximal to the operating area.

13 . The aerial drone system of claim 1 , wherein the working drone operates as a hub drone, and further comprising a plurality of additional working drones each including a cable directly coupling the additional working drone to the hub drone.

14 . The aerial drone system of claim 1 , wherein the working drone operates as a hub drone, further comprising one or more wireless working drones, and wherein the hub drone provides at least one support function to the one or more wireless working drones, the at least one support function selected from a group consisting of battery charging and wireless communication relay.

15 . A method of positioning a working drone of a tethered aerial drone system in an operating area, the method including:
operating the working drone to adjust a position of the working drone relative to the operating area; and adjusting a position of a tether line coupled to the working drone by operating a plurality of support drones,
wherein each support drone of the plurality of support drones is coupled to the tether line at a different location along the tether line, and
wherein each support drone of the plurality of support drones partially supports a weight of the tether line.

16 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising adjusting a length of the tether line by operating a reel coupled to a support drone of the plurality of support drones to controllably release or retract a cable coupling the support drone to an adjacent support drone.

17 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising:
detecting a tension on a cable between a support drone and an adjacent support drone; and adjusting the position of the support drone or operating the reel based on the detected tension.

18 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
capturing images using a camera of the working drone; and operating the plurality of support drones to position the tether line outside of a field of view of the camera of the working drone.

19 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
lifting or lowering a load from the working drone in an area below the working drone using a crane system of the working drone; and operating the plurality of support drones to position the tether line outside of the area below the working drone while lifting or lowering the load.

20 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising operating the plurality of support drones to position the tether line to avoid contact between the tether line and an obstacle proximal to the operating area.

21 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
operating the working drone around, above, and below obstacles; and facilitating movement of the working drone while avoid contact between the tether line and the obstacles by adjusting a position of one or more of the support drones and selectively increasing and decreasing individual lengths of the tether line between adjacent support drones.

Assignees

• Motorola Solutions Inc

Inventors

• Zawadzki Artur
• Adamski Rafal Leszek
• Slusarczyk Michal

Classifications

• B64U2201/102

  adapted for flying in formations · CPC title

• B64U50/14

  ducted or shrouded · CPC title

• B64U2201/202

  using tethers for connecting to ground station · CPC title

• B64F3/02

  with means for supplying electricity to aircraft during flight · CPC title

• B64D47/08

  Arrangements of cameras · CPC title