Method and system for landing an unmanned aerial vehicle

• US 10,571,930 B2
• Filed: 08/16/2018
• Issued: 02/25/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 08/16/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Coleman, Jonathan H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rodden, Joshua E
• Application Number:
  US15/998,832
• Publication Number:
  US 20190138028A1
• Time in Patent Office: 558 Days
• Field of Search: 701 16
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 3/11 for carrying aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/65 Data transmitted between vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2720/10 Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18009 related to particular drive situations
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 1/364 Mobile units
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 70/00 Launching, take-off or landing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 70/93 for use on a land or nautical vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 80/25 for recharging batteries; for refuelling
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/042 specially adapted for aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0684 on a moving platform, e.g. aircraft carrier

Abstract

A method (100) of landing an unmanned aerial vehicle (101) on another vehicle (103), the method including: determining (110) the velocity of the unmanned aerial vehicle; determining (120) the velocity of the other vehicle; and adjusting (130) the velocity of at least one of the unmanned aerial vehicle and the other vehicle to ensure that the difference between the velocity of the unmanned aerial vehicle and the velocity of the other vehicle is greater than a predetermined amount as the unmanned aerial vehicle lands on the other vehicle.

Claims

1. A method of landing an unmanned aerial vehicle on a vehicle, wherein the unmanned aerial vehicle has a crash cage, wherein the vehicle has a base station configured to receive the crash cage of the unmanned aerial vehicle, and wherein the crash cage is a resilient structure, the method comprising:

determining a velocity of the unmanned aerial vehicle;

determining a velocity of the vehicle;

adjusting the velocity of at least one of the unmanned aerial vehicle and the vehicle to ensure that a difference between the velocity of the unmanned aerial vehicle and the velocity of the vehicle is greater than a predetermined amount as the unmanned aerial vehicle physically engages the vehicle;

adjusting the velocity of at least one of the unmanned aerial vehicle and the vehicle to ensure that the difference between the velocity of the unmanned aerial vehicle and the velocity of the vehicle is above a predetermined value as the crash cage engages the base station;

determining a spring rate of the crash cage;

determining a force at which the crash cage engages the base station;

determining a maximum deformation of the crash cage as the crash cage engages the base station; and

deploying a deployable restraint before the crash cage reaches its maximum deformation.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the base station comprises the deployable restraint configured to secure the unmanned aerial vehicle to the base station, the method comprising:

deploying the deployable restraint as the crash cage engages the base station.

3. A method according to claim 1, the method comprising:

determining a mass of the unmanned aerial vehicle;

determining a mass of the vehicle;

adjusting the velocity of at least one of the unmanned aerial vehicle and the vehicle to ensure that a difference between a momentum of the unmanned aerial vehicle and a momentum of the vehicle is greater than a predetermined momentum amount.

4. A method according to claim 1, the method comprising:

determining a mass of the unmanned aerial vehicle;

determining a mass of the vehicle;

adjusting the velocity of at least one of the unmanned aerial vehicle and the vehicle to ensure that a difference between a kinetic energy of the unmanned aerial vehicle and a kinetic energy of the vehicle is greater than a predetermined kinetic energy amount.

5. A method according to claim 1, the method comprising:

determining a maximum possible velocity of the unmanned aerial vehicle;

adjusting the velocity of the vehicle depending on the maximum possible velocity of the unmanned aerial vehicle.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein the unmanned aerial vehicle has the crash cage that is electrically connected to a battery management system of the unmanned aerial vehicle, the method comprising:

receiving the unmanned aerial vehicle at the base station, the base station having at least one electrode configured to connect electrically to the crash cage of the unmanned aerial vehicle;

forming an electrical coupling between a power supply and the battery management system when the at least one electrode is connected to the crash cage; and

charging the unmanned aerial vehicle by virtue of the electrical coupling.

7. An unmanned aerial system having a controller operatively connectable to an unmanned aerial vehicle and a vehicle, the controller being configured to:

determine a velocity of the unmanned aerial vehicle;

determine a velocity of the vehicle;

adjust the velocity of at least one of the unmanned aerial vehicle and the vehicle to ensure that a difference between the velocity of the unmanned aerial vehicle and the velocity of the vehicle is greater than a predetermined amount as the unmanned aerial vehicle physically engages the vehicle;

determine a mass of the unmanned aerial vehicle;

determine a mass of the vehicle; and

adjust the velocity of at least one of the unmanned aerial vehicle and the vehicle to ensure that a difference between a momentum of the unmanned aerial vehicle and a momentum of the vehicle is greater than a predetermined momentum amount.

8. An unmanned aerial system according to claim 7, wherein the unmanned aerial vehicle comprises a crash cage, and wherein the vehicle comprises a base station configured to receive the crash cage of the unmanned aerial vehicle.

9. An unmanned aerial system according to claim 8, wherein the base station comprises a recess configured to receive the crash cage of the unmanned aerial vehicle.

10. An unmanned aerial system according to claim 9, wherein the recess of the base station has an opening that is smaller than the crash cage of the unmanned aerial vehicle.

11. An unmanned aerial vehicle and/or a vehicle having a controller, the vehicle being configured to receive the unmanned aerial vehicle, the controller being configured to:

determine a velocity of the unmanned aerial vehicle;

determine a velocity of the vehicle;

adjust the velocity of at least one of the unmanned aerial vehicle and the vehicle to ensure that a difference between the velocity of the unmanned aerial vehicle and the velocity of the vehicle is greater than a predetermined amount as the unmanned aerial vehicle physically engages the vehicle;

determine a mass of the unmanned aerial vehicle;

determine a mass of the vehicle; and

adjust the velocity of at least one of the unmanned aerial vehicle and the vehicle to ensure that a difference between a kinetic energy of the unmanned aerial vehicle and a kinetic energy of the vehicle is greater than a predetermined kinetic energy amount.