CONVERTIBLE UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLE

• US 20160244160A1
• Filed: 08/07/2014
• Published: 08/25/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: FourthWing Sensors, LLC
• Original Assignee: FourthWing Sensors, LLC
• Inventors: Rudin, Adem, Colten, Todd Michael, Gibson, Christopher Scott, Nelson, Ryan
• Application Number:
  US14/454,200
• Publication Number:
  US 20160244160A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60F 5/02 convertible into aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 2211/00 Modular constructions of airplanes or helicopters
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/14 with four distinct rotor axes, e.g. quadcopters
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/30 for imaging, photography or videography
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/35 for science, e.g. meteorology
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/10 autonomous, i.e. by navigating independently from ground or air stations, e.g. by using inertial navigation systems [INS]
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/20 Remote controls
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/10 Wings
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/20 Rotors; Rotor supports
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/19 using electrically powered motors

Abstract

In one example, an unmanned aerial vehicle includes a fuselage and a lift assembly. The lift assembly is selected from a plurality of lift assemblies, each of the plurality of lift assemblies having a different flight modality. The fuselage includes a mounting portion configured to mount with any of the plurality of lift assemblies.

Claims

1. An unmanned aerial vehicle comprising:

a fuselage; and

a lift assembly selected from a plurality of lift assemblies, each of the plurality of lift assemblies having a different flight modality;

wherein the fuselage comprises a mounting portion configured to mount with any of the plurality of lift assemblies.

2. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 1, wherein the plurality of lift assemblies comprises a fixed wing lift assembly.

3. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 1, wherein the plurality of lift assemblies comprises a rotor lift assembly.

4. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 1, further comprising an electrical interface, the electrical interface comprising:

a first electrical component disposed at the fuselage, the first electrical component having a first electrical contact portion; and

a second electrical component disposed at the lift assembly, the second electrical component having a second electrical contact portion configured to interface with the first electrical contact portion.

5. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 4, wherein the electrical interface is configured to identify the flight modality of the lift assembly.

6. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 4,

wherein the first electrical contact portion comprises one or more electrical pads;

and

wherein the second electrical contact portion comprises one or more electrical pins.

7. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 6, wherein at least one of the one or more electrical pins of the second electrical contact portion comprises a retractable electrical pin.

8. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 4, wherein the electrical interface further comprises:

a plurality of alignment posts; and

a plurality of bores, each of the plurality of bores configured to receive one of the plurality of alignment posts;

wherein the plurality of alignment posts and the plurality of bores are disposed to align the first electrical contact portion and the second electrical contact portion when the plurality of alignment posts are inserted into the plurality of bores.

9. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 8,

wherein the plurality of alignment posts are disposed at the lift assembly;

and

wherein the plurality of bores are disposed at the fuselage.

10. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 1, wherein the mounting portion comprises a first attachment mechanism and a second attachment mechanism, each of the first and second attachment mechanisms configured to secure the lift assembly to the fuselage.

11. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 10,

wherein the first attachment mechanism comprises a female mating component disposed at the mounting portion of the fuselage;

and

wherein the lift assembly comprises a male mating component configured to mate with the female mating component.

12. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 11, wherein the female mating component comprises an arcuate recess.

13. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 1, further comprising:

a controller disposed at the fuselage, wherein the controller is electrically coupled to the electrical interface.

14. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 13, further comprising:

at least one sensor configured to sense data corresponding to flight conditions of the unmanned aerial vehicle;

wherein the controller is communicatively coupled to the at least one sensor.

15. An unmanned aerial vehicle comprising:

a fuselage comprising a mounting portion configured to mount with any of a plurality of lift assemblies, each of the plurality of lift assemblies having a different flight modality and one or more flight control surfaces corresponding to the respective flight modality;

an electrical interface configured to;

electrically connect the fuselage and any of the plurality of lift assemblies; and

identify the flight modality of an electrically connected one of the plurality of lift assemblies; and

a controller coupled to the electrical interface and configured to;

determine the flight modality of the electrically connected one of the plurality of lift assemblies based on the electrical interface; and

provide control signals, based on the determined flight modality, to the flight control surfaces of the electrically connected one of the plurality of lift assemblies.

16. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 15, wherein the plurality of lift assemblies comprises:

a fixed wing lift assembly; and

a multi-rotor lift assembly.

17. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 15, wherein the controller comprises an autopilot configured to autonomously control flight of the unmanned aerial vehicle.

18. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 15, wherein the controller is configured to provide control signals to the flight control surfaces of the electrically connected one of the plurality of lift assemblies by at least being configured to select one or more parameters of a flight control law based on the determined flight modality.

19. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 15, wherein the controller is configured to provide control signals to the flight control surfaces of the electrically connected one of the plurality of lift assemblies by at least being configured to select one or more flight control laws based on the determined flight modality.

20. An unmanned aerial vehicle comprising:

an elongate body portion;

a lift assembly connected to the elongate body portion via an attachment mechanism, the lift assembly selected from a plurality of lift assemblies, each having a different flight modality;

wherein the attachment mechanism is configured to connect the elongate body portion to any of the plurality of lift assemblies.

21. An unmanned aerial vehicle system comprising:

a fixed wing lift assembly;

a rotor lift assembly; and

a fuselage having a mounting portion configured to mount with each of the fixed wing lift assembly and the rotor lift assembly via a common attachment mechanism.

22. The unmanned aerial vehicle system of claim 21, further comprising:

a controller disposed at the fuselage; and

an electrical interface configured to connect the controller and each of the fixed wing lift wing assembly and the rotor lift assembly;

wherein the controller is configured to;

identify which of the fixed wing lift assembly and the rotor lift assembly is connected via the electrical interface; and

provide flight control of the unmanned aerial vehicle based on the identified one of the fixed wing lift assembly and the rotor lift assembly.