Unmanned aerial vehicle base station

• US 8,511,606 B1
• Filed: 12/09/2009
• Issued: 08/20/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Lutke, Kevin Reed, Kutzmann, Aaron Jonathan
• Primary Examiner(s): Ellis, Christopher P
• Assistant Examiner(s): Badawi, Medhat
• Application Number:
  US12/634,146
• Time in Patent Office: 1,350 Days
• Field of Search: 244/58, 244/100.R, 244/110.R, 244/110.G, 244/117.R, 244/1.R, 244/190, 244/12.3, 244/53.R, 244/172.2, 244/172.9, 320/109, 320/108, 701/3, 701/13, 414/227, 191/10
• US Class Current: 244/58
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/028 Micro-sized aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/19 using electrically powered motors
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/34 In-flight charging photovoltaics B64U50/31
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/38 by wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 70/93 for use on a land or nautical vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 80/25 for recharging batteries; for refuelling
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 80/40 for two or more UAVs
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 80/70 in containers B64U80/60 takes precedence

Abstract

A method and apparatus comprising a platform, a battery system, a power generation system, a number of charging stations, and a controller. The platform is configured to house a number of unmanned aerial vehicles. The power generation system is connected to the battery system. The power generation system is configured to generate electrical energy from an environment in which the platform is located, and store the electrical energy in the battery system. The number of charging stations is connected to the battery system. The controller is connected to the battery system and is configured to receive sensor data from the number of unmanned aerial vehicles, generate information from the sensor data, and send the information to a remote location.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a platform configured to house a plurality of unmanned aerial vehicles;

a battery system;

a power generation system connected to the battery system, wherein the power generation system is configured to generate electrical energy from an environment in which the platform is located, and store the electrical energy in the battery system;

a number of charging stations connected to the battery system; and

a controller connected to the battery system and configured to receive sensor data from the plurality of unmanned aerial vehicles, generate information from the sensor data, and send the information to a remote location;

wherein the number of charging stations comprises at least one of a number of inductive coupling systems configured to generate a magnetic field that cause a current to flow in a coil in an unmanned aerial vehicle that charges a battery in the unmanned aerial vehicle and a number of electrical pads configured to make electrical contact with a pad on the unmanned aerial vehicle.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each charging station in the number of charging stations is configured to charge the plurality of unmanned aerial vehicles.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to process the sensor data to form the information.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sensor data is video data and wherein the controller selects a portion of the video data to form the information.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller stores the sensor data.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to program each of the plurality of unmanned aerial vehicles with a mission.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the power generation system comprises at least one of a solar power generation unit, an inductive power generation unit, a wind power generation unit, and a radioisotope thermoelectric generator.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

the plurality of unmanned aerial vehicles.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the platform has a bay configured to receive the plurality of unmanned aerial vehicles and wherein the number of charging stations is located in the bay.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 further comprising:

a movable cover system configured to move between an open position and a closed position, wherein the movable cover system covers the number of charging stations in the bay in the closed position.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

a sensor system associated with the platform.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the platform is configured to be associated with a structure selected from one of a set of power lines and a vehicle.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the platform, the battery system, the power generation system, the number of charging stations, and the controller form an unmanned aerial vehicle base station and further comprising:

a number of additional unmanned aerial vehicle base stations.

14. An apparatus comprising:

a platform configured to house a plurality of unmanned aerial vehicles;

a number of charging stations, wherein each charging station in the number of charging stations is configured to charge the plurality of unmanned aerial vehicles; and

a controller configured to receive sensor data from the plurality of unmanned aerial vehicles;

wherein the number of charging stations comprises at least one of a number of inductive coupling systems configured to generate a magnetic field that cause a current to flow in a coil in an unmanned aerial vehicle that charges a battery in the unmanned aerial vehicle and a number of electrical pads configured to make electrical contact with a pad on the unmanned aerial vehicle.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 further comprising:

a battery system connected to the number of charging stations and the controller; and

a power generation system connected to the battery system, wherein the power generation system is configured to generate electrical energy from an environment in which the platform is located, and store the electrical energy in the battery system.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the number of charging stations and the controller are connected to an external source power electrical energy.

17. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the controller is configured to generate information from the sensor data and send the information to a remote location.

18. The apparatus of claim 14 further comprising:

a liquid refueling system connected to the number of charging stations, wherein the liquid refueling system provides liquid fuel to the number of charging stations to charge the plurality of unmanned aerial vehicles.

19. The apparatus of claim 14 further comprising:

an energy storage device connected to the number of charging stations and selected from at least one of a battery system, a capacitor, a flywheel, and a compressed air device.