Landing and Payload Loading Structures

• US 20180141682A1
• Filed: 11/22/2016
• Published: 05/24/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wing Aviation LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: X Development LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Blake, Jesse, Schmalzried, Jim, Shannon, Trevor, Simonian, Michael, Klepp, Sindre, Benson, Stephen, Woodworth, Adam
• Granted Patent: US 10,604,252 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/20 Vertical take-off and landing [VTOL] aircraft flying platforms B64U10/13; helicopters B64U10/17
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/60 for transporting passengers; for transporting goods other than weapons
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/64 for parcel delivery or retrieval
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/67 the UAVs comprising tethers for lowering the goods
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/38 by wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/39 Battery swapping
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 70/00 Launching, take-off or landing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 70/93 for use on a land or nautical vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 70/95 Means for guiding the landing UAV towards the platform, e.g. lighting means
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 70/97 Means for guiding the UAV to a specific location on the platform, e.g. platform structures preventing landing off-centre
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 80/25 for recharging batteries; for refuelling
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 80/86 Land vehicles

Abstract

An example UAV landing structure includes a landing platform for a UAV, a cavity within the landing platform, and a track that runs along the landing platform and at least a part of the cavity. The UAV may include a winch system that includes a tether that may be coupled to a payload. Furthermore, the cavity may be aligned over a predetermined target location. The cavity may be sized to allow the winch system to pass a tethered payload through the cavity. The track may guide the UAV to a docked position over the cavity as the UAV moves along the landing platform. When the UAV is in the docked position, a payload may be loaded to or unloaded from the UAV through the cavity.

Claims

1. A landing structure comprising:

a landing platform for an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), wherein the UAV comprises a winch system comprising a tether coupleable to a payload;

a cavity within the landing platform, wherein the cavity is aligned over a predetermined target location and is sized to allow the winch system to pass a tethered payload through the cavity; and

a track that runs along the landing platform and along at least a portion of the cavity such that the track guides the UAV to a docked position in which the tether is positioned over the cavity, such that the tether can raise or lower a payload through the cavity.

2. The landing structure of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one stop block near the cavity, wherein the at least one stop block prevents the UAV from traveling beyond the cavity.

3. The landing structure of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one stop block near the cavity, wherein the at least one stop block prevents the UAV from traveling vertically.

4. The landing structure of claim 1, wherein the track comprises:

a straight portion of raised track along the landing platform;

a tapered portion of raised track, wherein the tapered portion of track begins at the straight portion of track and tapers out to edges of the cavity; and

a cavity portion of raised track, wherein the cavity portion of track runs alongside at least part of the cavity.

5. The landing structure of claim 1, wherein the track comprises:

a slot in the landing platform, wherein the UAV comprises a boom with a first landing pad and a second landing pad, wherein the first landing pad and the second landing pad each have a pin that extends beyond the pad, such that when the UAV moves along the landing platform the pin in the first landing pad will engage the slot, then the second pin will engage the slot so as the UAV continues to move along the landing platform the UAV will follow a path of the slot to the docked position over the cavity.

6. The landing structure of claim 1, further comprising:

a vertical support structure coupled to the bottom of the landing platform, wherein the vertical support structure comprises a payload platform located below the cavity.

7. The landing structure of claim 6, wherein the payload platform comprises an elevator platform that travels between a ground level and a loading level, wherein the payload is secured to the UAV at the loading level and is loaded or unloaded by a user at the ground level.

8. The landing structure of claim 1, wherein the tether is coupled to a payload coupling apparatus at a first end and the winch system at a second end.

9. The landing structure of claim 1, wherein the landing platform is attached to an exterior wall of a building.

10. The landing structure of claim 1, wherein the landing platform is integrated into an awning attached to a building.

11. The landing structure of claim 1, wherein the landing platform is attached to another vehicle.

12. The landing structure of claim 1, wherein the cavity is large enough for at least two UAVs positioned over the cavity at a same time.

13. The landing structure of claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of mechanical restraints that maintain the UAV in the docked position over the cavity of the landing platform.

14. The landing structure of claim 1, wherein the landing platform is located a buffer distance away from human interaction.

15. The landing structure of claim 1, wherein the landing platform is located a buffer distance above an average human height.

16. The landing structure of claim 15, wherein the buffer distance is at least five feet.

17. A system comprising:

a winch system for an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), wherein the winch system comprises a tether coupleable to a payload; and

a landing platform comprising;

a cavity that is aligned over a predetermined target location and is sized to allow the winch system to pass a tethered payload through the cavity; and

a track that runs along the landing platform and along at least a portion of the cavity such that the track guides the UAV to a docked position in which the tether is positioned over the cavity, such that the tether can raise or lower a payload through the cavity.

18. The system of claim 17, further comprising:

a control system configured to;

instruct the UAV to apply a forward thrust such that landing gear of the UAV contacts the track; and

instruct the UAV to continue to apply the forward thrust until the UAV reaches the docked position.

19. the system of claim 17, further comprising:

a control system configured to;

determine if the UAV has reached the docked position; and

based on the determination that the UAV has reached the docked position, activate the winch system to lower the tether through the cavity.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the control system is further configured to:

determine that the tether has coupled to the payload or that the tether has decoupled from the payload; and

based on the determination that the tether has coupled to the payload or that the tether has decoupled from the payload, activate the winch system to raise the tether through the cavity.

21. The system of claim 17, further comprising:

a vertical support structure coupled to the bottom of the landing platform; and

a payload platform movably coupled to the vertical support structure such that the payload platform travels vertically between a ground level and a loading level, wherein the payload platform is located below the cavity of the platform, and wherein the payload is secured to the UAV at the loading level and is loaded or unloaded by a user at the ground level.

22. The system of claim 17, further comprising:

at least one stop block, wherein the at least one stop block prevents the UAV from traveling beyond the cavity.

23. The system of claim 17, wherein the track comprises:

a straight portion of raised track along the landing platform;

a tapered portion of raised track, wherein the tapered portion of track begins at the straight portion of track and tapers out to edges of the cavity; and

a cavity portion of raised track, wherein the cavity portion of track runs alongside at least part of the cavity.

24. The system of claim 17, wherein the track comprises:

at least one conveyor belt.

25. The system of claim 17, wherein the landing platform further comprises:

a navigational aid, wherein the navigational aid is configured to transmit a signal to the UAV.

26. The system of claim 17, wherein the landing platform is coupled to an exterior wall of a building.

27. The system of claim 17, wherein the landing platform is located a buffer distance away from human interaction.

28. A method comprising:

landing, by an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), on a landing platform, wherein the UAV comprises a winch system comprising a tether coupleable to a payload;

engaging, by the UAV, a track that runs along the landing platform and along at least a portion of a cavity of the landing platform, wherein the cavity is aligned over a predetermined target location and is sized to allow the winch system to pass a tethered payload through the cavity;

guiding the UAV along the track to a docked position in which the tether is positioned over the cavity; and

loading or unloading, by the tether, a payload to or from the UAV through the cavity when the UAV is in the docked position.

29. The method of claim 28, further comprising:

lowering, by the winch system, a payload coupling apparatus to secure the payload, wherein the payload coupling apparatus is coupled to a first end of the tether and the winch system is coupled to a second end of the tether.