System and method for managing unmanned aerial vehicles

• US 10,195,952 B2
• Filed: 03/20/2017
• Issued: 02/05/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SZ DJI Technology Co., Ltd. (d/b/a DJI) (iFlight Technology Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: SZ DJI Technology Co., Ltd. (d/b/a DJI) (iFlight Technology Company Limited)
• Inventors: Wang, Mingxi, Chen, Xiangyu
• Primary Examiner(s): Butler, Rodney A
• Application Number:
  US15/463,574
• Publication Number:
  US 20170190260A1
• Time in Patent Office: 687 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/10 Air crafts
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/124 Detection or removal of foreign bodies
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/126 Methods for pairing a vehicle and a charging station, e.g. establishing a one-to-one relation between a wireless power transmitter and a wireless power receiver
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/36 by positioning the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/66 Data transfer between charging stations and vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/67 Controlling two or more charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/68 Off-site monitoring or control, e.g. remote control
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/80 Exchanging energy storage elements, e.g. removable batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 29/0016 the lift during taking-off being created by free or ducted propellers or by blowers
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 45/04 Landing aids; Safety measures to prevent collision with earth's surface
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/13 Flying platforms
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/19 using electrically powered motors
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/34 In-flight charging photovoltaics B64U50/31
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/39 Battery swapping
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 70/90 Launching from or landing on platforms
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 80/25 for recharging batteries; for refuelling
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0011 associated with a remote control arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 : Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 : Plug-in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 : Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles

Abstract

A base station for automated battery pack or payload exchange and methods for using the same. The base station provides a landing surface for receiving a mobile platform and includes a manipulator controlled by a manipulator compartment for accessing resource storage. The base station is operable to ascertain a location of the platform on the landing surface and move the manipulator to the mobile platform. Thereby, the base station system advantageously accommodates low-accuracy landing of the mobile platform and further enables extended and autonomous operation of the mobile platform without the need for user intervention for exchanging battery packs and payloads.

Claims

1. A base station for a mobile platform having a payload, comprising:

a landing surface;

a sensor configured to ascertain a location of the mobile platform on the landing surface;

a resource storage storing a replacement payload; and

a mechanical manipulator configured to;

connect a physical cable assembly to the mobile platform,

interact with the replacement payload and the payload of the mobile platform automatically and without user interaction,

grasp the replacement payload from the resource storage,

move the replacement payload to the mobile platform based on the ascertained location of the mobile platform,

insert the replacement payload into a payload-slot positioned on the mobile platform, and

decouple from the replacement payload.

2. The base station of claim 1, wherein the mechanical manipulator is configured to move translationally along an X-axis, a Y-axis, or a Z-axis or rotationally to the mobile platform based on the ascertained location of the mobile platform.

3. The base station of claim 1, further comprising:

a processor configured to calculate a distance between the mobile platform and another base station located on a flight path of the mobile platform.

4. The base station of claim 3, wherein the processor is further configured to generate a command to the mobile platform, instructing the mobile platform to land on the landing surface or travel to the other base station.

5. The base station of claim 1, wherein the physical cable assembly comprises at least one of a first communication cable assembly for transmitting data from the base station to the mobile platform, a second communication cable assembly for transmitting data from the mobile platform to the base station, a power cable for providing electrical power to the mobile platform, or a fuel line for refueling the mobile platform.

6. The base station of claim 1, further comprising:

an electric coil system configured to wirelessly provide power to the mobile platform.

7. The base station of claim 6, wherein the electric coil system is equipped in the mechanical manipulator.

8. The base station of claim 6, wherein the electric coil system is included in the landing surface.

9. The base station of claim 1, wherein the mechanical manipulator is further configured to move the mobile platform from the ascertained location to a predetermined location on the landing surface.

10. The base station of claim 9, wherein the predetermined location comprises one or more receiving cavities defined on a predetermined surface of the landing surface and configured to receive one or more landing legs of the mobile platform.

11. The base station of claim 1, wherein the mechanical manipulator is further configured to:

move along an X-axis and a Y-axis to the replacement payload,

extend a resource-carriage along a Z-axis, and

retract the resource-carriage along the Z-axis to remove the replacement payload from the resource storage.

12. The base station of claim 1, wherein the mechanical manipulator is further configured to:

identify a service marker on the mobile platform indicative of a position of the payload, and

interact with the payload based on a location of the service marker.

13. A method of inserting a replacement payload into a mobile platform, comprising:

ascertaining, by a sensor, a location of the mobile platform on a landing surface of a base station;

connecting, by a mechanical manipulator, a physical cable assembly to the mobile platform;

interacting, by the mechanical manipulator, with the replacement payload and a payload of the mobile platform automatically and without user interaction;

grasping, by the mechanical manipulator, the replacement payload positioned in a resource storage of the base station;

moving, by the mechanical manipulator, the replacement payload to the mobile platform based on the ascertained location of the mobile platform;

inserting, by the mechanical manipulator, the replacement payload into a payload-slot positioned on the mobile platform; and

decoupling the mechanical manipulator from the replacement payload.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein moving the replacement payload comprises moving the mechanical manipulator grasping the replacement payload translationally along an X-axis, a Y-axis, or a Z-axis or rotationally of the landing surface to the mobile platform based on the ascertained location of the mobile platform.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein grasping the replacement payload comprises moving the mechanical manipulator along an X-axis, a Y-axis, or a Z-axis of the landing surface.

16. A base station comprising:

a sensor for ascertaining a location of a mobile platform on a landing surface; and

a mechanical manipulator configured to;

connect a physical cable assembly to the mobile platform,

interact with a replacement payload and a payload of the mobile platform automatically and without user interaction,

grasp the replacement payload positioned in a resource storage of the base station,

move the replacement payload to the mobile platform based on the ascertained location of the mobile platform,

insert the replacement payload into a payload-slot positioned on the mobile platform, and

decouple from the replacement payload.

17. The base station of claim 16, wherein the mechanical manipulator is further configured to move translationally along an X-axis, a Y-axis, or a Z-axis or rotationally of the landing surface to move the replacement payload to the mobile platform based on the ascertained location of the mobile platform.

18. The base station of claim 16, wherein the mechanical manipulator is further configured to move along an X-axis, a Y-axis, or a Z-axis of the landing surface to grasp the replacement payload.