Indoor and Outdoor Aerial Vehicles for Painting and Related Applications

• US 20150274294A1
• Filed: 03/31/2015
• Published: 10/01/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Working Drones, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Working Drones, Inc.
• Inventors: Dahlstrom, Robert L.
• Granted Patent: US 10,399,676 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 2200/202 Applicator paint brush
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 13/005 mounted on vehicles or designed to apply a liquid on a very large surface, e.g. on the road, on the surface of large containers
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 13/0278 Arrangement or mounting of spray heads B05B13/0207 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 9/0403 with pumps for liquids or other fluent material B05B9/043 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 1/18 by spraying, e.g. insecticides spraying apparatus per se B05B
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/13 Flying platforms
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/00 UAVs specially adapted for particular uses or applications
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/28 for painting or marking
• CPC Class Codes: E04G 23/002 Arrangements for cleaning building facades

Abstract

An aerial operations system for performing various tasks such as painting is provided. The modular aerial operations system includes an aerial vehicle capable of vertically taking off and landing, hovering and precisely maneuvering near walls and other structures. The aerial vehicle may be a rotorcraft such as a multicopter. In an aspect, as aerial vehicle paints one or more designated surfaces using detachable arms and equipment. The system may paint the designated surface in one of several available techniques using paint provided in a container such as an attached reservoir, a base station, a paint can, or the like. The aerial operations system provided may also be configured to perform a variety of other tasks.

Claims

1. An aerial operations system, comprising:

(a) an aerial vehicle comprising a sprayer; and

(b) a base station comprising a sprayable material supply and a power supply; and

(c) a tether interconnecting the aerial vehicle and the base station, the tether providing the aerial vehicle with power from the power supply and sprayable material from the sprayable material supply.

2. The aerial operations system of claim 1, wherein the aerial vehicle is a multi-rotor rotorcraft.

3. The aerial operations system of claim 1, wherein the sprayable material is paint and the aerial operations system is configured to apply paint to an object via the sprayer.

4. The aerial operations system of claim 1, wherein the sprayable material supply is a reservoir.

5. The aerial operations system of claim 4, wherein the sprayable material supply includes a sprayable material agitator.

6. The aerial operations system of claim 1, wherein the base station further comprises a secondary fluid supply configured to mix with the sprayable material.

7. The aerial operations system of claim 6, wherein the secondary fluid is one of:

a soap;

a liquid adhesive;

a binder; and

a paint thinner.

8. The aerial operations system of claim 1, the aerial vehicle further comprising:

(d) an on board backup power source.

9. The aerial operations system of claim 1, the aerial vehicle further comprising:

(d) an on board sprayable material reservoir.

10. The aerial operations system of claim 9, wherein the on board sprayable material reservoir is detachable from the aerial vehicle.

11. The aerial operations system of claim 1, wherein the tether comprises a wired connection between the command and control system and the aerial vehicle and wherein the command and control system directs the aerial vehicle via the wired connection.

12. The aerial operations system of claim 1, wherein the base station comprises a command and control system, the command and control system directing the aerial vehicle.

13. The aerial operations system of claim 12, wherein the command and control system comprises a wireless communications transceiver configured to communicate with the aerial vehicle and a user input device.

14. The aerial operations system of claim 12, the aerial vehicle further comprising:

a position sensor;

wherein the command and control system is configured to receive inputs from the position sensor and direct a flight path of the aerial vehicle, the flight path chosen to spray sprayable material on an object via the sprayer.

15. The aerial operations system of claim 14, wherein the flight path is a raster flight pattern, and a sprayer end portion of the sprayer is between three and six inches from an object surface of the object.

16. The aerial operations system of claim 14, the aerial vehicle further comprising a paint application sensor configured to detect a material application quantity applied to the object.

17. The aerial operations system of claim 16, further comprising an environmental sensor communicatively connected to the command and control system.

18. The aerial operations system of claim 1, wherein the sprayer is connected for controllable movement to the aerial vehicle.

19. The aerial operations system of claim 1, wherein the base station comprises a landing pad.

20. The aerial operations system of claim 1, comprising an attachment point positioned between the sprayer and an aerial vehicle body, configured for detaching the sprayer and attaching another add-on.

21. The aerial operations system of claim 20, wherein the attachment point comprises fluid and electrical connections.

22. The aerial operations system of claim 20, comprising a second attachment point positioned on the aerial vehicle body and configured for attaching an add-on.

23. The aerial operations system of claim 1, further comprising a user input device configured to receive aerial vehicle commands.

24. The aerial operations system of claim 23, wherein the user input device wirelessly connects to the base station.

25. The aerial operations system of claim 23, wherein the user input device is integrated into the base station.

26. An aerial operations system, comprising:

(a) an aerial vehicle comprising an accessory attachment point;

(b) an add-on releasably connected to the aerial vehicle at the accessory attachment point configured to physically interact with an object;

(c) a base station comprising;

a command and control system controlling the aerial vehicle and the add-on; and

a power supply; and

(d) a tether interconnecting the aerial vehicle and the base station, the tether providing the aerial vehicle with power from the power supply.

27. The aerial operations system of claim 26, wherein the add-on is one of:

a window washing device;

a paint sprayer;

an overspray guard; and

an airbrush.

28. The aerial operations system of claim 27, the base station further comprising a water source, the tether configured to provide the water to the aerial vehicle.

29. The aerial operations system of claim 26, wherein the add-on is on of:

a brush;

a movable scoop;

an aerator;

a drill; and

a claw.