Hybrid Power Systems for Vehicle with Hybrid Flight Modes

• US 20160221683A1
• Filed: 05/19/2014
• Published: 08/04/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2014
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: X Development LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Roberts, John, Bachrach, Abe, Burgess, James Ryan
• Application Number:
  US14/281,558
• Publication Number:
  US 20160221683A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 27/02 Aircraft characterised by the type or position of power plants fuselages specially adapted for mounting power plants B64C1/16; wings specially adapted for power plants B64C3/32
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 27/026 comprising different types of power plants, e.g. combination of a piston engine and a gas-turbine Hybrid electric aircraft B64D27/33
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/13 Flying platforms
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/60 for transporting passengers; for transporting goods other than weapons
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/19 using electrically powered motors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/60 Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft

Abstract

Embodiments described herein may relate to methods and systems for supplying auxiliary power to an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) with different flight modes. In particular, the system may determine that a UAV is operating in a first flight mode. Responsively, the system may cause the UAV to draw power from a first power source at a first power level while operating in the first flight mode. Subsequently, the system may determine that the UAV switched from operating in the first flight mode to operating in a second flight mode. Responsively, the system may cause the UAV, while operating in the second flight mode, to continue drawing power from the first power source at the first power level and draw power from a second power source at a second power level, where the UAV consumes power at a higher rate during the second flight mode than during the first flight mode.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a first power source for an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV);

a second power source configured to supply auxiliary power for the UAV; and

a control system configured to;

determine that the UAV is operating in a first flight mode, and responsively cause the UAV to draw power from the first power source at a first power level while operating in the first flight mode;

determine that the UAV has switched from operating in the first flight mode to operating in a second flight mode; and

upon determining that the UAV has switched from operating in the first flight mode to operating in the second flight mode, cause the UAV to continue drawing power from the first power source at the first power level and to draw power from the second power source at a second power level, wherein the UAV consumes power at a higher rate during the second flight mode than during the first flight mode.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the control system is further configured to:

determine that the UAV has switched from operating in the second flight mode to operating in the first flight mode; and

upon determining that the UAV switched from operating in the second flight mode to operating in the first flight mode, deactivate the second power source and maintain operation of the first power source at the first power level.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the first power level is an optimized constant power level.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the optimized constant power level is determined based on one or more of:

(i) payload on the UAV, (ii) weight of the UAV, (iii) flight distance, (iv) flight conditions, and (v) flight speed.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the second power source is powered off while the UAV operates in the first flight mode.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the second power source is operated at a reduced power level while the UAV operates in the first flight mode, and wherein the reduced power level is lower than the second power level.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the first flight mode comprises forward flight.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the second flight mode comprises hover flight.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the second flight mode comprises one or more of:

(i) acceleration, (ii) turning, (iii) climbing in altitude, (iv) stopping at hover, (v) takeoff, and (vi) landing.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the first power source comprises a first specific energy density, wherein the second power source comprises a second specific energy density, and wherein the first specific energy density is higher than the second specific energy density.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the first power source comprises an internal combustion engine, and wherein the second power source comprises a battery.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the first power source comprises a first battery, and wherein the second power source comprises a second battery.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the first and second batteries comprise the same battery type.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the first and second batteries comprise different battery types.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the first and second power sources are configured to operate on the same powertrain.

16. A method comprising:

determining that a UAV is operating in a first flight mode;

in response to the determination that the UAV is operating in the first flight mode, causing the UAV to draw power from the first power source at a first power level while operating in the first flight mode;

determining that the UAV has switched from operating in the first flight mode to operating in a second flight mode; and

in response to determining that the UAV has switched from operating in the first flight mode to operating in the second flight mode, causing the UAV to continue drawing power from the first power source at the first power level and to draw power from the second power source at a second power level, wherein the UAV consumes power at a higher rate during the second flight mode than during the first flight mode, and wherein the power draw from the second power source at the second power level begins upon determining that the UAV has switched to operating in the second flight mode.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

determining that the UAV has switched from operating in the second flight mode to operating in the first flight mode; and

in response to determining that the UAV has switched from operating in the second flight mode to operating in the first flight mode, deactivating the second power source and maintaining operation of the first power source at the first power level, wherein deactivating the second power source occurs upon determining that the UAV has switched from operating in the second flight mode to operating in the first flight mode.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the first power level is an optimized constant power level.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the optimized constant power level is determined based on one or more of:

(i) payload on the UAV, (ii) weight of the UAV, (iii) flight distance, (iv) flight conditions, and (v) flight speed.

20. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored therein instructions executable by a control system to cause the control system to perform functions comprising:

determining that a UAV is operating in a first flight mode;

in response to the determination that the UAV is operating in the first flight mode, causing the UAV to draw power from the first power source at a first power level while operating in the first flight mode;

determining that the UAV has switched from operating in the first flight mode to operating in a second flight mode; and

in response to determining that the UAV has switched from operating in the first flight mode to operating in the second flight mode, causing the UAV to continue drawing power from the first power source at the first power level and to draw power from the second power source at a second power level, wherein the UAV consumes power at a higher rate during the second flight mode than during the first flight mode, and wherein the power draw from the second power source at the second power level begins upon determining that the UAV has switched to operating in the second flight mode.