Using drones to lift personnel up cell towers

• US 10,227,134 B2
• Filed: 08/26/2016
• Issued: 03/12/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Etak Systems, Llc
• Original Assignee: Etak Systems, Llc
• Inventors: Priest, Lee
• Primary Examiner(s): Bonzell, Philip J
• Application Number:
  US15/248,634
• Publication Number:
  US 20160362180A1
• Time in Patent Office: 928 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 27/06 with single rotor
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/022 Tethered aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/13 Flying platforms
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 20/80 Arrangement of on-board electronics, e.g. avionics systems or wiring
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/30 for imaging, photography or videography
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/60 for transporting passengers; for transporting goods other than weapons
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/202 using tethers for connecting to ground station
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/20 Rotors; Rotor supports
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/18 Network planning tools
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices

Abstract

A method for transporting maintenance personnel at a cell tower includes, responsive to a requirement for a tower climb for one or more of a site survey, a site audit, maintenance, and installation at the cell tower, securing a person in a drone, wherein the drone includes flight components at a substantial length from the person allowing the flight components to fly over a top of the cell tower and to place the person directly adjacent to a desired location on the cell tower; flying the drone up the cell tower to locate the person directly adjacent to the desired location; and performing the one or more of a site survey, a site audit, maintenance, and installation at the cell tower.

Claims

1. A method for transporting maintenance personnel at a cell tower, the method comprising:

responsive to a requirement for a tower climb for one or more of a site survey, a site audit, maintenance, and installation at the cell tower, securing a person in a drone, wherein the drone comprises flight components at a length from the person allowing the flight components to fly over a top of the cell tower and to place the person directly adjacent to a desired location on the cell tower;

flying the drone up the cell tower to locate the person directly adjacent to the desired location;

performing the one or more of a site survey, a site audit, maintenance, and installation at the cell tower; and

connecting to a platform on the cell tower for the person to egress and ingress to the drone, wherein the platform is transported as payload carried by the drone and selectively connected and locked to the cell tower by the person, the platform is for supporting one or more persons for operations on the cell tower.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the drone comprises a support structure with a plurality of rotors and support wires or members for the securing, wherein the support wires or members comprise the length.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the drone comprises a single set of rotors connected to a motor connected to a base via a support member, wherein the person is secured to the base, and wherein the support member comprises the length.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the drone comprises a single person propulsion system.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the drone is automatically guided to the desired location based on location identifiers and wherein the desired location is set via a Graphical User Interface or three-dimensional model of the cell tower.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the drone is one of manually operated by the person and by remote control via an operator.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

maintaining a second drone for backup.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the length comprises at least 20 feet.

9. A drone for transporting maintenance personnel at a cell tower, the drone comprising:

one or more rotors connected to a structure;

one or more support members connected to the structure, wherein a person is selectively secured to the one or more support members, wherein the one or more support members comprise a length from the person to the one or more rotors allowing the one or more rotors to fly over a top of the cell tower and to place the person directly adjacent to a desired location on the cell tower; and

a connector adapted to connect to a platform on the cell tower for the person to egress and ingress to the drone, wherein the platform is transported as payload carried by the drone and selectively connected and locked to the cell tower by the person, the platform is for supporting one or more persons for operations on the cell tower;

wherein, responsive to a requirement for a tower climb for one or more of a site survey, a site audit, maintenance, and installation at the cell tower, the drone is adapted to fly the person up the cell tower for performance thereof.

10. The drone of claim 9, wherein the one or more support members comprise support wires or members connected to the structure for the securing, wherein the support wires or members comprise the length.

11. The drone of claim 9, wherein the one or more rotors comprise a single set of rotors connected to a motor on the structure and the one or more support members comprise a single support member, wherein the person is secured to a base connected to the single support member, and wherein the single support member comprises the length.

12. The drone of claim 9, wherein the drone comprises a single person propulsion system.

13. The drone of claim 9, wherein the drone is automatically guided to the desired location based on location identifiers and wherein the desired location is set via a Graphical User Interface or three-dimensional model of the cell tower.

14. The drone of claim 9, wherein the drone is one of manually operated by the person and by remote control via an operator.

15. The drone of claim 9, wherein the length comprises at least 20 feet.