Insect-like micro air vehicle having perching, energy scavenging, crawling, and offensive payload capabilities

• US 8,167,234 B1
• Filed: 03/21/2010
• Issued: 05/01/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Michael Moore
• Original Assignee: Michael Moore
• Inventors: Moore, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Collins, Timothy D
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hawk, Steven
• Application Number:
  US12/728,271
• Time in Patent Office: 772 Days
• Field of Search: 244/1.R, 244/17.23, 244/17.25, 244/17.27, 244/22, 244/11
• US Class Current: 244/17.25
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 37/00 Convertible aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/80 UAVs characterised by their small size, e.g. micro air vehicles [MAV]
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/10 for generating power to be supplied to a remote station, e.g. UAVs with solar panels
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/31 for surveillance
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/297 Tilting rotors
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/31 generated by photovoltaics
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/37 Charging when not in flight
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 60/50 with landing legs
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 60/70 Movable wings, rotor supports or shrouds acting as ground-engaging elements

Abstract

A micro air vehicle (MAV) comprises features that emulate insect-like topology and flight, including a dangling three part body (100a, 100b, 100c), wing-like dual side rotors (107, 107a) positioned to either side on rotor arms (103) providing tilt and teeter motions to vector thrust and allow crawling along improved surfaces, and elevators (101) that approximate the center of gravity and center of pressure control employed by insects via the inertial reaction and aerodynamic influence of a repositionable abdomen. Control, sensing, surveillance, and payload elements (114), (401), (402), (403), (404), (405), and (407) enable transmission of surveillance and engagement of an emerging target. Left and right perch hangers and grapples (112, 112a) allow perching on various structures, and energy storage (504) and (505) combined with power line (500) and solar (502) energy scavenging circuitry allow extended loiter and mission duration by replenishing onboard energy supplies.

Claims

1. An insect-like micro air vehicle (MAV) and supporting mission apparatus, comprising:

a central, dangling, three part body comprised of upper, middle and lower sections;

left and right rotor tilt actuators positioned on either side of the body, capable of independent or coordinated motion;

left and right rotor arms extending from and capable of being positioned by the rotor tilt actuators;

left and right rotor teeter actuators attached to the left and right rotor arms, capable of independent or coordinated motion;

left and right propulsion motors, capable of independent or coordinated operation, attached to and capable of being positioned by the left and right teeter actuators;

left and right propulsion motor controllers and regenerators, connected to the left and right propulsion motors, capable of independent or coordinated operation;

left and right rotors having a plurality of fixed or adjustable blades and a circumferential rim, shroud, or other similar circumferential features capable of serving as a wheel contact surface, attached to and driven in the same or opposing directions by the left and right propulsion motors;

left and right elevator actuators, attached to either side of the body, capable of independent or coordinated motion;

left and right elevators, having conformal solar panels and winglets, attached to and capable of being positioned by the left and right elevator actuators;

left and right perch hangers capable of coordinated or independent motion, attached to the body or rotor arms, having the ability to be positioned by the tilt actuators;

left and right perch hanger grapples of a plurality of designs, attached to the perch hangers, individually capable of mechanically and electrically engaging various perches, individually capable of motion relative to the perch hangers;

a plurality of landing tail skids, repositionable whips, antennas, and electromagnetic energy scavenging nodes;

microprocessor based circuitry for implementing control of vectored thrust and body position and reaction, stabilization for flight and perching, and management of surveillance, energy scavenging, and energy replenishment;

control and stabilization sensors and circuitry;

GPS and navigational circuitry and devices;

audio and video sensors, circuitry, transmitters, and surveillance relaying devices;

an expellable, offensive payload;

spark gap or solid state power line and electromagnetic energy scavenging circuitry and devices;

corona based virtual ground circuitry and devices;

solar energy scavenging circuitry and devices;

long term energy storage that is capable of being replenished through energy scavenging capabilities;

integrated strengthening features, including rings and cooling fins, deliberately visible and capable of deception and camouflage in order to mimic a power distribution apparatus;

and

a single or plurality of operator possessed and manipulated control transmitters and surveillance receivers, not carried onboard the MAV.

2. The micro air vehicle of claim 1 wherein the long term energy storage is a fuel cell or other hydrocarbon based energy storage device.

3. The micro air vehicle of claim 1 wherein the propulsion motors use or consume a hydrocarbon based fuel.

4. The micro air vehicle of claim 1 wherein energy scavenging capabilities include capture of heat energy employing solid state thermoelectric devices.

5. The micro air vehicle of claim 1 wherein a plurality of smaller, specially shaped solar cells are carried on different areas of the vehicle.

6. The micro air vehicle of claim 1, having control and communication capacity to operate in concert as a member of a plurality (swarm) of micro air vehicles in addition to direct manipulation by an operator.