Unmanned aerial vehicle

• US 10,040,547 B1
• Filed: 11/18/2015
• Issued: 08/07/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samuel Pedigo
• Original Assignee: Samuel Pedigo
• Inventors: Pedigo, Samuel
• Primary Examiner(s): Green, Richard R
• Application Number:
  US14/944,418
• Time in Patent Office: 993 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 25/52 Skis or runners
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 29/0025 the propellers being fixed relative to the fuselage
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 29/005 the motors being fixed relative to the fuselage
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/10 All-wing aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 47/08 Arrangements of cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/25 Fixed-wing aircraft VTOL aircraft B64U10/20
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/30 for imaging, photography or videography
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/31 for surveillance
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/10 Wings
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/20 Rotors; Rotor supports
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/30 Lift-producing means using radial airflow
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/13 using external fans or propellers
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/19 using electrically powered motors
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 60/50 with landing legs
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 70/80 Vertical take-off or landing, e.g. using rockets rotorcrafts B64U10/10; VTOL aircraft B64U10/20

Abstract

An unmanned aerial vehicle includes a vehicle body and a vehicle wing on the vehicle body. A front motor assembly is provided in the vehicle body and the vehicle wing. A front vertical air discharge pathway and a front horizontal air discharge pathway communicate with the front motor assembly. A front air diverter is disposed between a retracted position unblocking the front vertical air discharge pathway to impart vertical lift to the vehicle and an extended position blocking the front vertical air discharge pathway to impart horizontal thrust to the vehicle. A pair of rear motor assemblies is provided in the vehicle wing and each includes a rear vertical air discharge pathway and a rear horizontal air discharge pathway communicating with the rear motor assembly. A rear air diverter is disposed between a retracted position unblocking the rear vertical air discharge pathway to impart vertical lift to the vehicle and an extended position blocking the rear vertical air discharge pathway to impart horizontal thrust to the vehicle.

Claims

1. An unmanned aerial vehicle, comprising:

a vehicle body having a ventral body surface;

a vehicle wing on the vehicle body, the vehicle wing having a dorsal wing surface and a ventral wing surface, the vehicle wing forming an airfoil;

a front motor assembly including;

a front fan motor carried by the vehicle body;

a front fan drivingly engaged by the front fan motor;

a front vertical air discharge pathway in the vehicle body, the front vertical air discharge pathway disposed in pneumatic communication with the front fan and discharging to the ventral body surface of the vehicle body;

a front horizontal air discharge pathway in the vehicle body, the front horizontal air discharge pathway disposed in pneumatic communication with the front vertical air discharge pathway and discharging at a wing edge of the vehicle wing;

a front diverter slot in the vehicle body adjacent to the front vertical air discharge pathway;

a front air diverter disposed between an extended position blocking the front vertical air discharge pathway and a retracted position within the front diverter slot and removed from and unblocking the front vertical air discharge pathway; and

a front diverter motor operatively engaging the front air diverter; and

a pair of rear motor assemblies each including;

a rear fan motor carried by the vehicle wing;

a rear fan drivingly engaged by the rear fan motor;

a rear vertical air discharge pathway in the vehicle wing, the rear vertical air discharge pathway disposed in pneumatic communication with the rear fan and discharging to the ventral wing surface of the vehicle wing;

a rear diverter slot in the vehicle body adjacent to the rear vertical air discharge pathway;

a rear horizontal air discharge pathway in the vehicle wing, the rear horizontal air discharge pathway disposed in pneumatic communication with the rear vertical air discharge pathway and discharging at an edge of the vehicle wing;

a rear air diverter disposed between an extended position blocking the rear vertical air discharge pathway and a retracted position within the rear diverter slot and removed from and unblocking the rear vertical air discharge pathway; and

a rear diverter motor operatively engaging the rear air diverter.

2. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 1 further comprising a vertical stabilizer upward-standing from the vehicle wing, a rudder in the vertical stabilizer and a rudder control motor operatively engaging the rudder.

3. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 1 further comprising a camera compartment carried by the vehicle body and at least one camera in the camera compartment.

4. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 3 wherein the camera compartment comprises an upper camera housing protruding beyond the dorsal wing surface of the vehicle wing and a lower camera housing protruding beyond the ventral body surface of the vehicle body.

5. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 3 further comprising a camera motor operatively engaging the at least one camera for multi-positioning capability of the at least one camera.

6. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 1 further comprising a pair of ailerons carried by the vehicle wing and a pair of aileron control motors operatively engaging the pair of ailerons, respectively.

7. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 1 further comprising a front landing skid protruding from the ventral body surface of the vehicle body and a pair of spaced-apart rear landing skids protruding from the ventral wing surface of the vehicle wing.

8. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 1 further comprising a front valve deployed between the front vertical air discharge pathway and the front horizontal air discharge pathway when the front air diverter is in the extended position and a rear valve deployed between the rear vertical air discharge pathway and the rear horizontal air discharge pathway when the rear air diverter is in the extended position.

9. An unmanned aerial vehicle, comprising:

a vehicle body having a nose, a tail and a ventral body surface extending from the nose to the tail;

a vehicle wing on the vehicle body, the vehicle wing having a pair of side wing edges, a rear wing edge extending between the side wing edges and a dorsal wing surface and a ventral wing surface extending between the side wing edges and the rear wing edge, the vehicle wing forming an airfoil;

a front motor assembly including;

a front fan motor carried by the vehicle body;

a ducted front fan drivingly engaged by the front fan motor;

a front vertical air discharge pathway in the vehicle body, the front vertical air discharge pathway disposed in pneumatic communication with the front fan and discharging to the ventral body surface of the vehicle body;

a front horizontal air discharge pathway in the vehicle body, the front horizontal air discharge pathway disposed in pneumatic communication with the front vertical air discharge pathway and discharging at the rear wing edge of the vehicle wing;

a front diverter slot in the vehicle body adjacent to the front vertical air discharge pathway;

a front air diverter disposed between an extended position blocking the front vertical air discharge pathway and a retracted position within the front diverter slot and removed from and unblocking the front vertical air discharge pathway;

a front diverter motor operatively engaging the front air diverter; and

a pair of rear motor assemblies each including;

a rear fan motor carried by the vehicle wing;

a ducted rear fan drivingly engaged by the rear fan motor;

a rear vertical air discharge pathway in the vehicle wing, the rear vertical air discharge pathway disposed in pneumatic communication with the rear fan and discharging to the ventral wing surface of the vehicle wing;

a rear diverter slot in the vehicle body adjacent to the rear vertical air discharge pathway;

a rear horizontal air discharge pathway in the vehicle wing, the rear horizontal air discharge pathway disposed in pneumatic communication with the rear vertical air discharge pathway and discharging at the rear wing edge of the vehicle wing;

a rear air diverter disposed between an extended position blocking the rear vertical air discharge pathway and a retracted position within the rear diverter slot and removed from and unblocking the rear vertical air discharge pathway; and

a rear diverter motor operatively engaging the rear air diverter;

a vertical stabilizer upward-standing from the vehicle wing;

a rudder in the vertical stabilizer;

a rudder control motor operatively engaging the rudder;

a pair of ailerons carried by the vehicle wing; and

a pair of aileron control motors operatively engaging the pair of ailerons, respectively.

10. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 9 further comprising a camera compartment carried by the vehicle body and at least one camera in the camera compartment.

11. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 10 wherein the camera compartment comprises an upper camera housing protruding beyond the dorsal wing surface of the vehicle wing and a lower camera housing protruding beyond the ventral body surface of the vehicle body.

12. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 10 further comprising a camera motor operatively engaging the at least one camera for multi-positioning capability of the at least one camera.

13. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 10 wherein the front horizontal air discharge pathway comprises a front pathway segment disposed in pneumatic communication with the front vertical air discharge pathway, a pair of curved side pathway segments disposed in pneumatic communication with the front pathway segment on respective sides of the camera compartment and a pair of rear pathway segments disposed in pneumatic communication with the side pathway segments, respectively, and discharging to the rear wing edge of the vehicle wing.

14. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 13 further comprising a pair of discharge conduits disposed in pneumatic communication with the pair of rear pathway segments, respectively, of the front horizontal air discharge pathway.

15. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 9 further comprising a front landing skid protruding from the ventral body surface of the vehicle body and a pair of spaced-apart rear landing skids protruding from the ventral wing surface of the vehicle wing.

16. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 9 further comprising a front valve deployed between the front vertical air discharge pathway and the front horizontal air discharge pathway when the front air diverter is in the extended position and a rear valve deployed between the rear vertical air discharge pathway and the rear horizontal air discharge pathway when the rear air diverter is in the extended position.

17. An unmanned aerial vehicle, comprising:

a vehicle body having a nose, a tail and a ventral body surface extending from the nose to the tail;

a vehicle wing on the vehicle body, the vehicle wing having a pair of side wing edges diverging from the nose of the vehicle body, a rear wing edge extending between the side wing edges and a dorsal wing surface and a ventral wing surface extending between the side wing edges and the rear wing edge, the vehicle wing forming an airfoil;

a camera compartment carried by the vehicle body;

at least one camera in the camera compartment;

a front motor assembly including;

a front motor opening in the vehicle body;

a front fan motor in the front motor opening;

a ducted front fan drivingly engaged by the front fan motor;

a front vertical air discharge pathway in the vehicle body, the front vertical air discharge pathway disposed in pneumatic communication with the front motor opening and discharging to the ventral body surface of the vehicle body;

a front horizontal air discharge pathway in the vehicle body, the front horizontal air discharge pathway disposed in pneumatic communication with the front vertical air discharge pathway and discharging at the rear wing edge of the vehicle wing;

a front diverter slot in the vehicle body adjacent to the front vertical air discharge pathway;

a front air diverter disposed between an extended position blocking the front vertical air discharge pathway and a retracted position in the front diverter slot and removed from and unblocking the front vertical air discharge pathway;

a front diverter motor operatively engaging the front air diverter; and

a pair of rear motor assemblies each including;

a rear fan motor carried by the vehicle wing;

a ducted rear fan drivingly engaged by the rear fan motor;

a rear vertical air discharge pathway in the vehicle wing, the rear vertical air discharge pathway disposed in pneumatic communication with the rear fan and discharging to the ventral wing surface of the vehicle wing;

a rear horizontal air discharge pathway in the vehicle wing, the rear horizontal air discharge pathway disposed in pneumatic communication with the rear vertical air discharge pathway and discharging at the rear wing edge of the vehicle wing;

a rear diverter slot in the vehicle body adjacent to the rear vertical air discharge pathway;

a rear air diverter disposed between an extended position blocking the rear vertical air discharge pathway and a retracted position in the rear diverter slot and removed from and unblocking the rear vertical air discharge pathway; and

a rear diverter motor operatively engaging the rear air diverter;

a front landing skid protruding from the ventral body surface of the vehicle body;

a pair of spaced-apart rear landing skids protruding from the ventral wing surface of the vehicle wing;

a vertical stabilizer upward-standing from the vehicle wing;

a rudder in the vertical stabilizer;

a rudder control motor operatively engaging the rudder;

a pair of ailerons carried by the vehicle wing;

a pair of pair of aileron control motors operatively engaging the pair of ailerons, respectively; and

a remote control unit configured to remotely control the at least one camera, the front fan motor, the rear fan motor, the front diverter motor and the rear diverter motor.

18. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 17 wherein the camera compartment comprises an upper camera housing protruding beyond the dorsal wing surface of the vehicle wing and a lower camera housing protruding beyond the ventral body surface of the vehicle body.

19. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 17 further comprising a camera motor operatively engaging the at least one camera for multi-positioning capability of the at least one camera.

20. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 17 wherein the front horizontal air discharge pathway comprises a front pathway segment disposed in pneumatic communication with the front vertical air discharge pathway, a pair of curved side pathway segments disposed in pneumatic communication with the front pathway segment on respective sides of the camera compartment and a pair of rear pathway segments disposed in pneumatic communication with the side pathway segments, respectively, and discharging to the rear wing edge of the vehicle wing.