SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR DEPLOYMENT AND OPERATION OF VERTICAL TAKE-OFF AND LANDING (VTOL) UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES

• US 20170225802A1
• Filed: 10/13/2015
• Published: 08/10/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/2014
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Seacorp LLC
• Original Assignee: Systems Engineering Associates Corporation
• Inventors: Lussier, David A., Delisle, Andrew, Charpentier, Brian
• Application Number:
  US15/518,966
• Publication Number:
  US 20170225802A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/36 by positioning the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 35/50 Vessels or floating structures for aircraft aircraft carriers B63G11/00; flying-boat hulls, other flotation means for aircraft B64
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 1/00 Ground or aircraft-carrier-deck installations
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 1/007 Helicopter portable landing pads
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 1/22 for handling aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 1/222 for storing aircraft, e.g. in hangars
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/10 Rotorcrafts
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/13 Flying platforms
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/14 with four distinct rotor axes, e.g. quadcopters
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/20 Vertical take-off and landing [VTOL] aircraft flying platforms B64U10/13; helicopters B64U10/17
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/25 Fixed-wing aircraft VTOL aircraft B64U10/20
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/30 for imaging, photography or videography
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/31 for surveillance
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/20 Remote controls
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/21 Rotary wings
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/19 using electrically powered motors
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/35 by wireless transmission, e.g. by induction
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 70/00 Launching, take-off or landing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 70/90 Launching from or landing on platforms
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 80/70 in containers B64U80/60 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 80/82 : Airborne vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 80/86 : Land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 12/003 : Access covers or locks therefor
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 12/18 : movable or with movable sections, e.g. rotatable or telescopic
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/03 : Cooperating elements; Interaction or communication between different cooperating elements or between cooperating elements and receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2300/28 : The renewable source being wind energy
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2300/40 : wherein a plurality of decentralised, dispersed or local energy generation technologies are operated simultaneously
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/35 : with light sensitive cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/727 : Offshore wind turbines
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/76 : Power conversion electric or electronic aspects
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 : Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 : Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 : Electric charging stations

Abstract

An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) system provides for UAV deployment and remote, unattended operation with reduced logistics requirements. The system includes a launcher that can include one or more containers, or hangars, configured to house vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) UAVs. The system can further include a VTOL UAV orientation and charging module configured to mechanically position a UAV within a container and facilitate electrical mating and charging of a battery in the UAV. These operations, and others, can be performed by remote command that can initiate a series of pre-programmed steps. The UAV system can further include a power generation and storage subsystem, a security subsystem, a command and control subsystem and a communications subsystem. Command, control and communications can be provided between a remote station and the UAV.

Claims

1. An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) system, comprising:

a launcher, comprising;

one or more containers, each container configured to house one or more UAVs, each container comprising an orientation and charging module configured to mechanically position the UAV within the hangar and facilitate electrical mating and charging of a battery in the UAV;

and

a power generation and storage subsystem comprising at least one of a photovoltaic cell, a portable generator, and a wind turbine for supplying power to the UAV system.

2. The UAV system of claim 1, wherein the UAV is a VTOL UAV.

3. The UAV system of claim 1, wherein the UAV is a multi-rotor helicopter.

4. The UAV system of claim 3, wherein the multi-rotor helicopter is a quad-rotor helicopter.

5. The UAV system of claim 1, wherein the UAV is a hybrid VTOL/fixed-wing UAV.

6. The UAV system of claim 1, further comprising a security subsystem configured to permit remote monitoring an area around the UAV system.

7. The UAV system of claim 1, wherein the launcher is mounted on a fixed support structure.

8. The UAV system of claim 1, wherein the launcher is mounted on a mobile support structure.

9. The UAV system of claim 1, wherein the launcher is mounted on a waterborne vessel.

10. The UAV system of claim 1, further comprising a command and control subsystem and a communications subsystem configured to allow manual UAV launch by a remote operator.

11. The UAV system of claim 1, further comprising a command and control subsystem and a communications subsystem configured to allow automatic UAV launch in response to a signal from a remote sensor.

12. A method of operating an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) system, comprising:

choosing a suitable UAV in a suitable container based on preselected readiness criteria of the UAV and container;

positioning the UAV below a retractable roof;

retracting the retractable roof; and

launching the UAV in a generally vertical direction.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

positioning the suitable container from a stowed position to a deploy/retrieve position.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

positioning the UAV such that it is disconnected from a mating connector.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein preselected readiness criteria of the UAV and container includes at least one of charge state of a UAV battery and location of the container.

16. A method of operating an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) system, comprising:

retracting a retractable roof over a container;

hovering a UAV over the container using at least one of a GPS navigation system and a video camera; and

recovering the UAV into the container.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

positioning the UAV such that it is connected to a mating connector.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

positioning the container from a deploy/retrieve position to a stowed position.