Unmanned aerial vehicle

• US 10,099,778 B2
• Filed: 09/06/2016
• Issued: 10/16/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Prodrone Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Prodrone Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Sugaki, Kiyokazu, Ichihara, Kazuo
• Primary Examiner(s): Davis, Richard G
• Application Number:
  US15/759,811
• Publication Number:
  US 20180251212A1
• Time in Patent Office: 770 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 2025/325 specially adapted for helicopters
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 25/34 wheeled type, e.g. multi-wheeled bogies
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/13 Flying platforms
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/25 Fixed-wing aircraft VTOL aircraft B64U10/20
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/70 Convertible aircraft, e.g. convertible into land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 20/87 Mounting of imaging devices, e.g. mounting of gimbals
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/64 for parcel delivery or retrieval
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/10 autonomous, i.e. by navigating independently from ground or air stations, e.g. by using inertial navigation systems [INS]
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/104 using satellite radio beacon positioning systems, e.g. GPS
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/26 Ducted or shrouded rotors
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/297 Tilting rotors
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/14 ducted or shrouded
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/19 using electrically powered motors
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 70/70 Launching or landing using catapults, tracks or rails launching from storage containers B64U70/50

Abstract

To provide an unmanned aerial vehicle that can allow its airframe to approach a structure surface safely and is able to move on a surface of the structure, while keeping a constant clearance between the structure surface and the airframe. This is solved by an manned aerial vehicle including one or a plurality of rotors and a plurality of rotating bodies having one or more driving sources, wherein at least a part of each of the rotating bodies in their rotational radius direction extends forth on an air intake side of the rotors relative to a position of rotational planes of the rotors, and negative pressure produced on the air intake side of the rotors causes the airframe to adhere by suction to a structure surface, and in this state, by driving the plurality of rotating bodies, the vehicle is enabled to travel on the surface.

Claims

1. An unmanned aerial vehicle comprising:

one or a plurality of rotors; and

a plurality of rotating bodies having one or more driving sources,

wherein at least apart of each of the rotating bodies in their rotational radius direction extends forth on an air intake side of the rotors relative to a position of rotational planes of the rotors; and

negative pressure produced on the air intake side of the rotors causes the airframe to adhere by suction to a structure surface, and in this state, by driving the plurality of rotating bodies, the vehicle is enabled to travel on the surface.

2. The unmanned aerial vehicle according to claim 1, comprising a plurality of the rotors,

wherein the plurality of rotors include horizontal rotors and vertical rotors with the axes of rotation extending in intersecting directions;

and

the plurality of rotating bodies include the rotating bodies extending forth on the air intake side of the horizontal rotors relative to a position of the rotational planes of the horizontal rotors and the rotating bodies extending forth on the air intake side of the vertical rotors relative to a position of the rotational planes of the vertical rotors.

3. The unmanned aerial vehicle according to claim 1, wherein orientation of the airframe on the surface can be changed by rotating the respective rotating bodies disposed across the rotors in opposite directions to each other.

4. The unmanned aerial vehicle according to claim 1,

wherein the rotors and the plurality of rotating bodies are supported on a frame body comprised of pipe members;

and

the frame body has a lateral face in which the pipe member defining a lower side is placed outward in a horizontal direction relative to the pipe member defining an upper side.

5. The unmanned aerial vehicle according to claim 2,

wherein the plurality of rotors and the plurality of rotating bodies are supported on a frame body comprised of pipe members;

and

the frame body is formed in a generally L shape, as viewed from side.

6. The unmanned aerial vehicle according to claim 2, further comprising fixed wings,

wherein the vertical rotors are used to produce thrust when the vehicle flies horizontally.

7. The unmanned aerial vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising an arm with a hook portion formed at its forward end,

wherein the airframe can be supported with the arm by stretching the arm over a fence-like structure and making the hook portion engage onto a back surface of the fence-like structure.