Unmanned aerial vehicle

• US 10,266,264 B2
• Filed: 06/08/2018
• Issued: 04/23/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Autel Robotics Co., Ltd (Autel Intelligent Technology Corp., Ltd. (f/k/a Autel Intelligent Technology Company Limited))
• Original Assignee: Autel Robotics Co., Ltd (Autel Intelligent Technology Corp., Ltd. (f/k/a Autel Intelligent Technology Company Limited))
• Inventors: Luo, Dongdong, Ni, Feng, Lv, Hang, Su, Wenbing
• Primary Examiner(s): McFall, Nicholas
• Application Number:
  US16/003,589
• Publication Number:
  US 20180290749A1
• Time in Patent Office: 319 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/66 Arrangements of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 27/24 using steam or spring force jet aircraft B64D27/16
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/10 Rotorcrafts
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/14 with four distinct rotor axes, e.g. quadcopters
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 20/83 Electronic components structurally integrated with aircraft elements, e.g. circuit boards carrying loads
• 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 2201/20 Remote controls
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/19 using electrically powered motors
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/30 Supply or distribution of electrical power
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 60/50 with landing legs
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/60 Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft

Abstract

The present invention discloses an unmanned aerial vehicle, including: a fuselage; a battery accommodation cavity, disposed on the fuselage; a battery pack, including at least two battery blocks and mounted inside the battery accommodation cavity; a battery circuit board, electrically connected to the battery blocks in the battery pack; and a functional module, electrically connected to the battery circuit board, the battery blocks in the battery pack supplying power to the functional module via the battery circuit board at the same time. By using the solution of the present invention, endurance of the unmanned aerial vehicle is increased.

Claims

1. An unmanned aerial vehicle, comprising:

a fuselage having a battery accommodation cavity, wherein the battery accommodation cavity comprises at least two openings;

a plurality of arms, wherein each arm is coupled to the fuselage, wherein each of the at least two openings is located between two neighboring arms of the plurality of arms;

a propulsion assembly mounted on the each arm, wherein the propulsion assembly comprises a propeller and a motor, the motor being configured to rotate the propeller in order to generate lift force;

an electronic board disposed inside the fuselage, wherein the electronic board comprises at least one of a flight control board, an electronic speed control board, a steering driving board and a radar electronic board; and

at least two battery blocks, wherein each of the at least two battery blocks comprises a battery housing and a battery disposed in the battery housing;

wherein the each of the at least two battery blocks is inserted into the battery accommodation cavity via one of the at least two openings;

wherein at least a portion of the each of the at least two battery blocks is visible in a state where the each of the at least two battery blocks is completely installed into the battery accommodation cavity;

wherein the at least two battery blocks power the electronic board at the same time.

2. The unmanned aerial vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising a battery circuit board electrically connected to the at least two battery blocks, the at least two battery blocks powering the electronic board at the same time via the battery circuit board.

3. The unmanned aerial vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the at least two battery blocks are connected to the battery circuit board respectively to form a parallel structure.

4. The unmanned aerial vehicle according to claim 3, wherein the at least two battery blocks comprises a first battery block and a second battery block.

5. The unmanned aerial vehicle according to claim 4, wherein the first battery block comprises a first positive power interface and a first negative power interface, the second battery block comprising a second positive power interface and a second negative power interface, the battery circuit board comprising a third positive power interface, a third negative power interface, a fourth positive power interface and a fourth negative power interface;

wherein the first positive power interface is electrically connected to the third positive power interface, the first negative power interface being electrically connected to the third negative power interface;

wherein the second positive power interface is electrically connected to the fourth positive power interface, the second negative power interface being electrically connected to the fourth negative power interface;

wherein the third positive power interface is electrically connected to the fourth positive power interface, the third negative power interface being electrically connected to the fourth negative power interface.

6. The unmanned aerial vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the at least two battery blocks are connected to the battery circuit board respectively to form a series structure.

7. The unmanned aerial vehicle according to claim 6, wherein the at least two battery blocks comprise a first battery block and a second battery block.

8. The unmanned aerial vehicle according to claim 7, wherein the first battery block comprises a first positive power interface and a first negative power interface, and the second battery block comprising a second positive power interface and a second negative power interface, the battery circuit board comprising a third positive power interface, a third negative power interface, a fourth positive power interface and a fourth negative power interface;

wherein the first positive power interface is electrically connected to the third negative power interface, the first negative power interface being electrically connected to the third positive power interface;

wherein the second positive power interface is electrically connected to the fourth negative power interface, and the second negative power interface being electrically connected to the fourth positive power interface;

wherein the third positive power interface is electrically connected to the fourth negative power interface.

9. The unmanned aerial vehicle according to claim 2, comprising at least two electronic boards, the battery circuit board comprising at least two inner power supply loops for allocating a total voltage on the battery circuit board to the at least two electronic boards.

10. The unmanned aerial vehicle according to claim 9, wherein each of the at least two inner power supply loops is electrically connected to at least one electronic board.

11. The unmanned aerial vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the at least two battery blocks are connected in series.

12. The unmanned aerial vehicle according to claim 11, wherein the at least two battery blocks comprise a first battery block and a second battery block.

13. The unmanned aerial vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the at least two battery blocks are connected in parallel.

14. The unmanned aerial vehicle according to claim 1, wherein each of the at least two battery blocks further comprises an adapter board electrically connected to the battery;

wherein the electronic board comprises a flight control board, and the adapter board is configured to monitor a performance status of the battery and feed back a monitoring result to the flight control board.

15. The unmanned aerial vehicle according to claim 14, wherein each of the at least two battery blocks further comprises a protection board configured to prevent the battery from being broken or deformed.

16. The unmanned aerial vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the battery accommodation cavity extends along a first direction and/or a second direction on a plane of the fuselage.

17. The unmanned aerial vehicle according to claim 16, wherein the battery accommodation cavity extends along the first direction and the second direction on the plane of the fuselage, and the first direction are perpendicular to the second direction.

18. The unmanned aerial vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the arms are spaced on an outer periphery of the fuselage.