Apparatus for providing maintenance and shelter to drone

• US 10,457,420 B2
• Filed: 11/23/2016
• Issued: 10/29/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/23/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sharper Shape Oy (Sharper Shape, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Sharper Shape Oy (Sharper Shape, Inc.)
• Inventors: Heinonen, Tero
• Primary Examiner(s): Bonzell, Philip J
• Assistant Examiner(s): Abell, Tye William
• Application Number:
  US15/359,878
• Publication Number:
  US 20180141680A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,070 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/10 Air crafts
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/12 Inductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/14 Conductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/30 Constructional details of charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/31 Charging columns specially adapted for electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/51 Photovoltaic means
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/52 Wind-driven generators
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/80 Exchanging energy storage elements, e.g. removable batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 1/12 for anchoring aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 1/222 for storing aircraft, e.g. in hangars
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 1/24 Adaptations of turntables
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 5/30 Cleaning aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/13 Flying platforms
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 70/99 Means for retaining the UAV on the platform, e.g. dogs or magnets
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 80/25 for recharging batteries; for refuelling
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 80/70 in containers B64U80/60 takes precedence
• 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

Abstract

An apparatus for providing maintenance and shelter to at least one drone. The apparatus includes at least one maintenance unit operable to provide maintenance to a drone that has arrived for maintenance thereat; a base structure for providing support to the at least one maintenance unit; at least one landing structure suitable for the drone to land thereat, each landing structure including a first actuator that is operable to move the landing structure in relation to the base structure, so as to align the drone landed on the landing structure with respect to the at least one maintenance unit; and means for supporting the base structure on ground, the means for supporting the base structure operable to alter position of the base structure to provide shelter to the landing structure.

Claims

1. An apparatus for providing maintenance and shelter to at least one drone, the apparatus comprising:

at least one maintenance unit operable to provide maintenance to a drone that has arrived for maintenance;

a base structure fixed within a ground pit to a support, the base structure being configured for providing support to the at least one maintenance unit;

at least one landing structure suitable for the drone to land on, wherein each landing structure comprises a first actuator that is operable to move the at least one landing structure in relation to the base structure, so as to align the drone landed on the at least one landing structure with respect to the at least one maintenance unit, thereby enabling the at least one maintenance unit to provide maintenance to the drone; and

wherein the support is configured to lower and raise the apparatus into and out of the ground pit.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one maintenance unit comprises at least one of:

a battery changing unit, a battery charging unit, a cleaning unit, a measurement-device changing unit, and a replaceable-part changing unit.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a movement of the at least one landing structure in relation to the base structure comprises at least one of:

a lateral movement, a rotational movement, and a vertical movement.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a spray pump and nozzles configured to dispense herbicide for preventing growth of vegetation in proximity of the apparatus.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a heating unit for heating at least the base structure and the at least one landing structure to prevent ice and snow to accumulate on surfaces of the base structure and the at least one landing structure.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a roof; and

a third actuator that is operable to selectively open or close the roof.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein a shape of the roof and the base structure is a streamlined structure.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the support is further configured to move the base structure one or more of laterally or rotationally in relation to the ground.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising a flexible cover arranged between the base structure and a ground surface to cover the ground-pit.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of the at least one landing structure comprises means to detachably attach the drone to the at least one landing structure.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the means to detachably attach the drone comprises:

hooks and/or clamps for holding the drone; and

a second actuator that is operable to control the hooks and/or the clamps.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the means to detachably attach the drone comprises an electromagnet.