Method and apparatus for launching unmanned aerial vehicle and unmanned aerial vehicle incorporating the same

• US 10,234,872 B2
• Filed: 12/27/2016
• Issued: 03/19/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zerotech (Beijing) Intelligence Technology Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Zerotech Intelligence Technc
• Inventors: Wang, Shuaiqin, Zhu, Xiongwei, Zheng, Yiqiang
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Khoi H
• Assistant Examiner(s): Peche, Jorge O
• Application Number:
  US15/390,750
• Publication Number:
  US 20180067498A1
• Time in Patent Office: 812 Days
• 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 70/00 Launching, take-off or landing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 70/10 for releasing or capturing UAVs by hand
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0011 associated with a remote control arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/042 specially adapted for aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0669 specially adapted for vertical take-off

Abstract

A method for launching an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) comprises: receiving a pre-launching signal; detecting, via at least one sensor of the UAV, at least one status parameter of the UAV in response to receiving the pre-launching signal; determining a launching mode of the UAV according to the at least one detected status parameter of the UAV; and launching the UAV according to the determined launching mode of the UAV.

Claims

1. A method for launching an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), comprising:

receiving a pre-launching signal;

detecting, via at least one sensor of the UAV, at least one status parameter of the UAV in response to receiving the pre-launching signal;

determining a launching mode of the UAV according to the at least one detected status parameter of the UAV; and

launching the UAV according to the determined launching mode of the UAV,

wherein the at least one status parameter of the UAV comprises an acceleration of the UAV, and the determining step further comprises;

comparing the acceleration of the UAV with an acceleration threshold to determine the launching mode of the UAV,

wherein the comparing step further comprises;

determining the launching mode of the UAV as a hand launching mode, if the acceleration of the UAV is greater than the acceleration threshold;

or

determining the launching mode of the UAV as a ground launching mode, if the acceleration of the UAV is smaller than or equal to the acceleration threshold.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein prior to the determining step, the method further comprises:

obtaining three average values of the acceleration components of the UAV detected along three orthogonal axes within a period; and

calculating a sum of the average values as a value of the acceleration of the UAV.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein prior to the determining step, the method further comprises:

obtaining three average values of the acceleration components of the UAV detected along three orthogonal axes within a period; and

using any of the three average values as a value of the acceleration of the UAV.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein in the ground launching mode, the launching step comprises:

receiving a launching signal;

increasing a rotary speed of rotors of the UAV at a constant rate in response to receiving the launching signal; and

stopping increasing the rotary speed of the rotors of the UAV when either of the following two conditions is met;

the UAV is higher than a predetermined upper threshold height;

or

a first predetermined period has lapsed since the receipt of the launching signal.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein in the hand launching mode, the launching step comprises:

receiving a launching signal;

controlling rotors of the UAV to rotate at a first rotary speed in response to the receiving the launching signal, wherein the first rotary speed is smaller than a rotary speed used for launching the UAV;

determining whether the UAV leaves a hand or a handheld platform of an operator of the UAV; and

increasing the rotary speed of the rotors of the UAV to a second rotary speed if it is determined that the UAV leaves the hand or handheld platform of the operator of the UAV, wherein the second rotary speed is greater than the first rotary speed and substantially allows the UAV to hover in the air.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the launching step further comprises:

detecting a motion speed of the UAV;

adjusting, after the increasing step, the rotary speed of the rotors according to the motion speed of the UAV, thereby a vertical motion speed of the UAV approaches to zero.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the step of determining whether the UAV leaves a hand or handheld platform of an operator of the UAV comprises:

comparing a vertical motion speed of the UAV with a first threshold motion speed; and

determining that the UAV leaves the hand or handheld platform of the operator of the UAV if the vertical motion speed of the UAV is greater than or equal to the first threshold motion speed.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein subsequent to the launching step, the method further comprises:

stopping launching the UAV, when any of the following conditions is met;

a vertical motion speed of the UAV is smaller than a second threshold motion speed;

or

a second predetermined period has lapsed since the receipt of the launching signal;

or

the height of the UAV is higher than a predetermined upper threshold height.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

adjusting the operation of the UAV after launching the UAV, such that the UAV hovers at a height at which the UAV is positioned when the launching of the UAV stops.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining step further comprises:

setting a value of a mode flag representing the launching mode of the UAV;

wherein the launching step further comprises;

identifying the value of the mode flag; and

launching the UAV in a launching mode represented by the identified value of the mode flag.

11. An apparatus for launching an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), wherein the UAV comprises a plurality of rotors, and the apparatus comprises:

a receiver for receiving a pre-launching signal;

at least one sensor for detecting at least one status parameter of the UAV in response to receiving the pre-launching signal; and

a processor for determining a launching mode of the UAV according to the at least one detected status parameter of the UAV, and controlling the plurality of rotors to rotate according to the determined launching mode of the UAV, so as to launch the UAV,

wherein the at least one status parameter of the UAV comprises an acceleration of the UAV, and the processor is further configured to perform;

comparing the acceleration of the UAV with an acceleration threshold to determine the launching mode of the UAV,

wherein the processor is further configured to perform;

determining the launching mode of the UAV as a hand launching mode, if the acceleration of the UAV is greater than the acceleration threshold;

or

determining the launching mode of the UAV as a ground launching mode, if the acceleration of the UAV is smaller than or equal to the acceleration threshold.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the processor is further configured to perform:

obtaining three average values of the acceleration components of the UAV detected along three orthogonal axes within a period; and

calculating a sum of the average values as a value of the acceleration of the UAV.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the processor is further configured to perform:

obtaining three average values of the acceleration components of the UAV detected along three orthogonal axes within a period; and

using any of the three average values as a value of the acceleration of the UAV.

14. An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), comprising:

a plurality of rotors;

a receiver for receiving a pre-launching signal;

at least one sensor for detecting at least one status parameter of the UAV, in response to receiving the pre-launching signal; and

a processor for determining a launching mode of the UAV according to the at least one detected status parameter of the UAV, and controlling the plurality of rotors to rotate according to the determined launching mode of the UAV, so as to launch the UAV,

wherein the at least one status parameter of the UAV comprises an acceleration of the UAV, and the processor is further configured to perform;

comparing the acceleration of the UAV with an acceleration threshold to determine the launching mode of the UAV,

wherein the processor is further configured to perform;

determining the launching mode of the UAV as a hand launching mode, if the acceleration of the UAV is greater than the acceleration threshold;

or

determining the launching mode of the UAV as a ground launching mode, if the acceleration of the UAV is smaller than or equal to the acceleration threshold.