Aerial system and vehicle for continuous operation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9527392-B2
Application number	US-201414213450-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 14, 2014
Priority date	Mar 14, 2013
Publication date	Dec 27, 2016
Grant date	Dec 27, 2016

Abstract

An aerial vehicle system for gathering data may comprise a Waypoint Location, wherein the Waypoint Location comprises an arresting cable; a Ground Control Station, wherein the Ground Control Station comprises a charging cable; and an aerial vehicle, wherein the aerial vehicle comprises an onboard battery, a capturing hook and a sensor payload for generating surveillance data. The aerial vehicle may be configured to autonomously travel between the Waypoint Location and the Ground Control Station. The aerial vehicle may be configured to couple with the arresting cable via the capturing hook. The aerial vehicle may be configured to electronically couple with the charging cable via the capturing hook to facilitate charging the aerial vehicle's onboard battery.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An aerial vehicle system for gathering data, the aerial vehicle system comprising:
a waypoint location, wherein the waypoint location comprises an arresting cable having a first set of two or more infrared reflectors positioned thereon;
a ground control station, wherein the ground control station comprises a charging cable having a second set of two or more infrared reflectors positioned thereon; and
an aerial vehicle,
wherein the aerial vehicle comprises an onboard battery, a capturing hook, a sensor payload for generating surveillance and a vision processor configured to calculate the centers of each of said first or second set of two or more infrared reflectors using an image thresholding technique;
wherein the aerial vehicle is configured to autonomously travel between the waypoint location and the ground control station;
wherein the aerial vehicle is configured to couple and decouple with the arresting cable via the capturing hook;
wherein the aerial vehicle is configured to perch from the charging cable via the capturing hook;
wherein the aerial vehicle is configured to electronically couple and decouple with the charging cable via the capturing hook to facilitate charging the aerial vehicle's onboard battery.

2. The aerial vehicle system of claim 1 , wherein the charging cable comprises a power conductor and ground line-conductors.

3. The aerial vehicle system of claim 1 , wherein the aerial vehicle wirelessly communicates surveillance data with the ground control station while perched at the waypoint location.

4. The aerial vehicle system of claim 1 , wherein the aerial vehicle wirelessly communicates surveillance data with the ground control station while traveling between the waypoint location and the ground control station.

5. The aerial vehicle system of claim 1 , wherein the capturing hook comprises;
a first gate pivotally supported at a first end by a base portion and movable between (i) a closed position and (ii) an open position;
a first return spring biasing the first gate to the closed position;
a second gate pivotally supported at a first end by the base portion and movable between (i) a closed position and (ii) an open position;
a second return spring biasing the second gate to the closed position; and
a latch device comprising a movable locking part biased by a return spring to a locked position for locking of the second gate in the closed position.

6. The aerial vehicle system of claim 5 , wherein the capturing hook releases the cable by unlatching the second gate and allowing the cable to pull it into the open position.

7. The aerial vehicle system of claim 5 , wherein the capturing hook captures the cable by allowing it to push the first gate into the open position.

Assignees

• Aurora Flight Sciences Corp

Inventors

• Peverill James
• Woodworth Adam
• Freudberg Benjamin
• Cottrell Dan
• Mckenna Terrence

Classifications

• B60L53/68 Primary

  Off-site monitoring or control, e.g. remote control · CPC title

• B64F1/029

  using a cable or tether · CPC title

• B64U2101/30

  for imaging, photography or videography · 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

• B64C39/024

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