SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR CONTROLLING AN AERIAL UNIT

• US 20130206919A1
• Filed: 02/05/2013
• Published: 08/15/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sky Sapience Ltd. (COMSovereign Holding Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sky Sapience Ltd. (COMSovereign Holding Corp.)
• Inventors: Cohen, Shy, Keidar, Ronen, Shachor, Gabriel
• Application Number:
  US13/759,087
• Publication Number:
  US 20130206919A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 244/23.A
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 27/04 Helicopters
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 27/08 with two or more rotors
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 29/04 characterised by jet-reaction propulsion
• 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: B64F 1/007 Helicopter portable landing pads
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 1/12 for anchoring aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 1/125 Mooring or ground handling devices for helicopters
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/13 Flying platforms
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/16 with five or more distinct rotor axes, e.g. octocopters
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/60 Tethered aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/20 for use as communications relays, e.g. high-altitude platforms
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/30 for imaging, photography or videography
• 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: B64U 30/24 Coaxial rotors
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/26 Ducted or shrouded rotors

Abstract

An aerial unit that includes a first propeller; a second propeller that is spaced apart from the first propeller and is below the first propeller; a propelling module that is configured to rotate the first propeller and the second propeller about a first axis; an apertured duct that comprises a first duct portion and a second duct portion. The first duct portion surrounds the first propeller. The second duct portion surrounds the second propeller. The apertured duct defines at least one aperture at an intermediate area that is positioned below the first propeller and is above the second propeller. The aggregate size of the at least one aperture is at least fifty percent of a size of the intermediate area; a frame; and at least one steering element; an interfacing module arranged to be connected to a connecting element that couples the aerial unit to a ground unit. The propelling module and the duct are connected to the frame.

Claims

1. An aerial unit, comprising:

a first propeller;

a second propeller that is spaced apart from the first propeller and is below the first propeller;

a propelling module that is configured to rotate the first propeller and the second propeller about a first axis;

an apertured duct that comprises a first duct portion and a second duct portion;

wherein the first duct portion surrounds the first propeller;

wherein the second duct portion surrounds the second propeller;

wherein the apertured duct defines at least one aperture at an intermediate area that is positioned below the first propeller and is above the second propeller;

wherein an aggregate size of the at least one aperture is at least fifty percent of a size of the intermediate area;

a frame that is connected to the propelling module and to the apertured duct;

at least one steering element; and

an interfacing module arranged to be connected to a connecting element that couples the aerial unit to a ground unit.

2. The aerial unit according to claim 1, wherein a height of the intermediate area exceeds a height of each one of the first and second duct portions.

3. The aerial unit according to claim 1, wherein a height of the intermediate area exceeds a sum of heights of the first and second duct portions.

4. The aerial unit according to claim 1, wherein the first and second duct portions have an annular shape.

5. The aerial unit according to claim 1, wherein the first and second duct portions do not include any apertures.

6. The aerial unit according to claim 1, wherein the first and second duct portions are spaced apart from each other and are connected to each other by structural elements that are spaced apart from each other.

7. The aerial unit according to claim 1, wherein the aggregate size of the at least one aperture is at least seventy five percent of a size of the intermediate area.

8. The aerial unit according to claim 1, wherein the aggregate size of the at least one aperture is at least ninety percent of a size of the intermediate area.

9. The aerial unit according to claim 1, wherein the aggregate size of the at least one aperture is at least ninety five percent of a size of the intermediate area.

10. The aerial unit according to claim 1, further comprising groups of additional propellers and additional propelling modules, each additional propelling module is arranged to rotate a group of additional propellers;

wherein each group of propellers differs from the first and second propellers and is positioned outside the duct.

11. The aerial unit according to claim 10, wherein a group of propellers of the groups of additional propellers is surrounded by an additional apertured duct.

12. The aerial unit according to claim 11, wherein the additional apertured duct defines apertures that have an aggregate size that exceeds forty percent of a size of the additional apertured duct.

13. The aerial unit according to claim 11, wherein the group of propellers comprises a first additional propeller and a second additional propeller and wherein the additional apertured duct comprises a first additional duct portion and a second additional duct portion;

wherein the first additional duct portion surrounds the first additional propeller;

wherein the second additional duct portion surrounds the second additional propeller;

wherein the additional apertured duct defines at least one additional aperture at an additional intermediate area that is positioned below the first additional propeller and above the second additional propeller;

wherein an aggregate size of the at least one additional aperture is at least fifty percent of a size of the additional intermediate area.

14. The aerial unit according to claim 10, wherein each group of propellers is surrounded by an additional apertured duct.

15. The aerial unit according to claim 14, wherein each group of propellers of the groups of additional propellers is surrounded by an additional apertured duct.

16. The aerial unit according to claim 15, wherein each additional apertured duct defines apertures that have an aggregate size that exceeds forty percent of a size of the additional apertured duct.

17. The aerial unit according to claim 15, wherein each group of propellers comprises a first additional propeller and a second additional propeller and wherein each additional apertured duct comprises a first additional duct portion and a second additional duct portion;

wherein the first additional duct portion surrounds the first additional propeller;

wherein the second additional duct portion surrounds the second additional propeller;

wherein the additional apertured duct defines at least one additional aperture at an additional intermediate area that is positioned below the first additional propeller and above the second additional propeller;

wherein an aggregate size of the at least one additional aperture is at least fifty percent of a size of the additional intermediate area.

18. The aerial unit according to claim 14, wherein the additional propellers are arranged in a symmetrical manner around the first propeller.

19-20. -20. (canceled)

21. A system, comprising an aerial unit, a ground unit and a connecting element that connects the aerial unit to the ground unit;

wherein the ground unit comprises;

a connecting element manipulator, for altering an effective length of the connecting element;

wherein the effective length of the connecting element defines a distance between the ground unit and the aerial unit;

a ground unit controller for controlling the connecting element manipulator; and

a positioning unit arranged to image the aerial unit and to generate metadata about a location of the aerial unit;

wherein the aerial unit comprises;

a first propeller;

a second propeller that is spaced apart from the first propeller and is below the first propeller;

a propelling module that is configured to rotate the first propeller and the second propeller about a first axis;

an apertured duct that comprises a first duct portion and a second duct portion;

wherein the first duct portion surrounds the first propeller;

wherein the second duct portion surrounds the second propeller;

wherein the apertured duct defines at least one aperture at an intermediate area that is positioned below the first propeller and is above the second propeller;

wherein an aggregate size of the at least one aperture is at least fifty percent of a size of the intermediate area;

a frame that is connected to the propelling module and to the apertured duct;

at least one steering element; and

an interfacing module arranged to be connected to a connecting element that couples the aerial unit to a ground unit.

22-40. -40. (canceled)

41. An aerial unit, comprising:

a first propeller;

a second propeller that is spaced apart from the first propeller and is below the first propeller;

a propelling module that is configured to rotate the first propeller and the second propeller about a first axis;

an apertured duct that comprises a first duct portion and a second duct portion;

wherein the first duct portion surrounds the first propeller;

wherein the second duct portion surrounds the second propeller;

wherein the first and second duct portions are spaced apart from each other and are connected to each other by structural elements that are spaced apart from each other.