AERIAL DRONE OPERATIONS SUPPORT BASE

• US 20170113815A1
• Filed: 10/21/2016
• Published: 04/27/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Droneovation, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Droneovation, Inc.
• Inventors: James, Todd A., Westerfield, Michael W., James, Bryan C.
• Granted Patent: US 11,091,275 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 1/12 for anchoring aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 1/222 for storing aircraft, e.g. in hangars
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 1/362 Installations for supplying conditioned air to parked aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/20 Remote controls
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/19 using electrically powered motors
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 70/90 Launching from or landing on platforms
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 80/25 for recharging batteries; for refuelling
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 80/70 in containers B64U80/60 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 80/82 Airborne vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 27/02 for simultaneous co-operation with two or more dissimilar counterparts
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 31/06 Intermediate parts for linking two coupling parts, e.g. adapter with a holder adapted for supporting apparatus to which its counterpart is attached H01R33/94
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 33/00 Coupling devices specially adapted for supporting apparatus and having one part acting as a holder providing support and electrical connection via a counterpart which is structurally associated with the apparatus, e.g. lamp holders; Separate parts thereof

Abstract

Exemplary drone operations support base embodiments disclosed herein may be used to shelter, repower and/or service drones associated therewith. A drone operations support base may include an enclosure with an entryway that permits drone ingress and egress with respect to the enclosure. Drone launching/landing, drone storage and drone power source repowering areas may be associated with a given drone base. A transfer device may be provided to move drones between the various drone base areas. The transfer device may also be adapted to transfer drone power sources between the drone repowering area and drones located elsewhere within the drone base for repowering of the power sources and of the drones.

Claims

1. A drone operations support base for supporting multiple drones, comprising:

a drone support platform;

a designated drone launching and landing area on the platform;

a designated drone storage area on the platform, the drone storage area being divisible into multiple drone storage spaces;

a mechanical transfer device having access to the drone launching and landing area and the drone storage area, the mechanical transfer device adapted for moving drones between said areas;

a computerized base control system for controlling base operations;

a flight control subsystem in communication with the base control system, the flight control subsystem adapted to manage drone takeoffs and landings; and

a logistics subsystem in communication with the base control system, the logistics subsystem adapted to maintain drone inventory, and to manage drone storage.

2. The drone operations support base of claim 1, wherein the drone support platform is located within an enclosure having an entryway with a cover that is selectively operable to open or close the entryway so as to permit or deny drone ingress and egress with respect to the enclosure.

3. The drone operations support base of claim 1, further comprising a designated drone power source repowering area on the platform.

4. The drone operations support base of claim 3, wherein:

the mechanical transfer device also has access to the drone power source repowering area;

the mechanical transfer device is adapted to transfer depleted drone power supplies to the drone power source repowering area for recharging; and

the mechanical transfer device is adapted to transfer recharged drone power supplies from the drone power source repowering area to drones located elsewhere on the drone support platform.

5. The drone operations support base of claim 1, wherein the mechanical transfer device is selected from the group consisting of a gantry crane equipped with an end effector and a multi-axis robotic arm equipped with an end effector.

6. The drone operations support base of claim 1, wherein the drone support platform is adapted to transfer electrical energy to drones supported thereon through conductive elements associated with the drones and in contact with the support platform.

7. The drone operations support base of claim 1, further comprising a drone retention feature selected from the group consisting of mechanical clamps and at least a portion of the drone support platform being magnetic and functional to attract opposite polarity magnetic elements or ferrous metal elements of drones supported thereon so as to releasably secure said drones to the platform.

8. The drone operations support base of claim 1, further comprising a machine vision subsystem in communication with at least the mechanical transfer device, the machine vision subsystem adapted to detect and analyze one or more identifying alignment marks associated with drones located on the drone support platform.

9. The drone operations support base of claim 8, further comprising a spatial alignment subsystem in communication with at least the machine vision subsystem and the mechanical transfer device, the spatial alignment subsystem adapted to receive data regarding an identifying alignment mark from the machine vision subsystem and to use said data to move the transfer device into proper alignment with the identifying alignment mark.

10. The drone operations support base of claim 9, wherein the machine vision subsystem and the spatial alignment subsystem are under the control of the computerized base control system.

11. The drone operations support base of claim 1, wherein the drone storage spaces are virtual storage spaces, the dimensions and arrangement of which may be dynamically defined and altered.

12. A drone operations support base for supporting multiple drones, comprising:

an enclosure having a drone support floor;

an entryway in said enclosure for permitting drone ingress and egress;

a drone launching and landing area located within the enclosure;

a drone storage area located within the enclosure, the drone storage area being divisible into multiple drone storage spaces;

a drone power source repowering area located within the enclosure;

a mechanical transfer device having access to the drone launching and landing area, the drone storage area and the drone power source repowering area, the mechanical transfer device adapted to move drones between the launching and landing area and the storage area, to transfer depleted drone power supplies to the drone power source repowering area for recharging, and to transfer recharged drone power supplies from the drone power source repowering area to drones located elsewhere on the drone support platform;

a computerized base control system for controlling base operations;

a flight control subsystem in communication with the base control system, the flight control subsystem adapted to manage drone takeoffs and landings; and

a logistics subsystem in communication with the base control system, the logistics subsystem adapted to maintain drone inventory, and to manage drone storage.

13. The drone operations support base of claim 12, further comprising a cover that is selectively operable to open or close the entryway so as to permit or deny drone ingress and egress with respect to the enclosure.

14. The drone operations support base of claim 12, further comprising GPS functionality that permits the drone base to autonomously determine its geographic location.

15. The drone operations support base of claim 12, wherein at least a portion of the floor within the enclosure is adapted to transfer electrical energy to drones supported thereon through conductive elements associated with the drones and in contact with the floor.

16. The drone operations support base of claim 12, further comprising a drone retention feature selected from the group consisting of mechanical clamps and at least a portion of the floor within the enclosure being magnetic and functional to attract opposite polarity magnetic elements or ferrous metal elements of drones supported thereon so as to releasably secure said drones to the floor.

17. The drone operations support base of claim 12, further comprising:

a machine vision subsystem in communication with at least the mechanical transfer device, the machine vision subsystem adapted to detect and analyze one or more identifying alignment marks associated with drones or drone support equipment located on the drone support platform; and

a spatial alignment subsystem in communication with at least the machine vision subsystem and the mechanical transfer device, the spatial alignment subsystem adapted to receive data regarding an identifying alignment mark from the machine vision subsystem and to use said data to move the transfer device into proper alignment with the identifying alignment mark;

wherein the machine vision subsystem and the spatial alignment subsystem are under the control of the computerized base control system.

18. The drone operations support base of claim 12, wherein the drone storage spaces are virtual storage spaces, the dimensions and arrangement of which may be dynamically defined and altered.

19. A drone operations support base for supporting multiple drones, comprising:

an enclosure having side walls and a drone support floor;

an entryway in said enclosure for permitting drone ingress and egress;

a sliding roof panel that is selectively operable to open or close the entryway so as to permit or deny drone ingress and egress with respect to the enclosure;

a drone launching and landing area located within the enclosure;

a drone storage area located within the enclosure, the drone storage being divisible into multiple drone storage spaces;

a drone power source repowering area located within the enclosure;

a mechanical transfer device in the form of a translatable gantry crane equipped with an end effector and having access to the drone launching and landing area, the drone storage area and the drone power source repowering area, the gantry crane adapted to move drones between the launching and landing area and the storage area, to transfer depleted drone power supplies to the drone power source repowering area for recharging, and to transfer recharged drone power supplies from the drone power source repowering area to drones located elsewhere on the drone support platform;

a computerized base control system for controlling base operations;

a flight control subsystem in communication with the base control system, the flight control subsystem adapted to manage drone takeoffs and landings; and

a logistics subsystem in communication with the base control system, the logistics subsystem adapted to maintain drone inventory, and to manage drone storage.

20. The drone operations support base of claim 19, wherein:

at least a portion of the floor within the enclosure is adapted to transfer electrical energy to drones supported thereon through conductive elements associated with the drones and in contact with the floor;

a drone retention feature is provided, the drone retention feature selected from the group consisting of mechanical clamps and at least a portion of the floor within the enclosure being magnetic and functional to attract opposite polarity magnetic elements or ferrous metal elements of drones supported thereon so as to releasably secure said drones to the floor;

a machine vision subsystem is provided and is in communication with at least the mechanical transfer device, the machine vision subsystem adapted to detect and analyze one or more identifying alignment marks associated with drones located on the drone support platform; and

a spatial alignment subsystem is provided and is in communication with at least the machine vision subsystem and the mechanical transfer device, the spatial alignment subsystem adapted to receive data regarding an identifying alignment mark from the machine vision subsystem and to use said data to move the transfer device into proper alignment with the identifying alignment mark.

21. The drone operations support base of claim 19, wherein the drone storage spaces are virtual storage spaces, the dimensions and arrangement of which may be dynamically defined and altered.

22. The drone operations support base of claim 19, further comprising GPS functionality that permits the drone base to autonomously determine its geographic location and to transmit said geographic location to drones.