Rotocraft

• US 8,590,828 B2
• Filed: 02/24/2010
• Issued: 11/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Marcus
• Original Assignee: Robert Marcus
• Inventors: Marcus, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Benjamin P
• Application Number:
  US12/712,094
• Publication Number:
  US 20110204188A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,371 Days
• Field of Search: 244/12.4, 244/17.23, 244/23.B, 244/54, 244/55, 244/56
• US Class Current: 244/17.23
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 19/00 Aircraft control not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 29/0058 with vertical jet
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 45/00 Aircraft indicators or protectors not otherwise provided for camouflage F41H3/00
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/13 Flying platforms
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/30 for imaging, photography or videography
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/20 Rotors; Rotor supports
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/15 using combustion exhausts other than turbojets or turbofans, e.g. using rockets, ramjets, scramjets or pulse-reactors
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/19 using electrically powered motors
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 70/80 Vertical take-off or landing, e.g. using rockets rotorcrafts B64U10/10; VTOL aircraft B64U10/20

Abstract

An aerial vehicle includes independently controlled horizontal thrusters and vertical lifters to provide design and operational simplicity while allowing precision flying with six degrees of freedom and use of mounted devices such as tools, sensors, and instruments. Each horizontal thruster and vertical lifter can be mounted as constant-pitch, fixed-axis rotors while still allowing for precise control of yaw, pitch, roll, horizontal movement, and vertical elevation. Gyroscopes and inclinometers can be used to further enhance flying precision. A controller manages thrust applied the horizontal thrusters and vertical lifters to compensate for forces and torques generated by the use of tools and other devices mounted to the aerial vehicle.

Claims

1. An aerial vehicle comprising:

a frame;

a plurality of horizontal thrusters attached to the frame, the plurality of horizontal thrusters configured to provide yaw rotation and horizontal translation of the aerial vehicle;

a plurality of vertical lifters attached to the frame;

a device attached to the frame, wherein the device comprises one or more items selected from the group consisting of a mechanical tool, a sensor, and a weapon; and

a controller attached to the frame and configured to control the plurality of horizontal thrusters and/or the plurality of vertical lifters, wherein the aerial vehicle is;

capable of maneuvering in all directions and axes by independently controlling the thrust applied by the plurality of horizontal thrusters and the plurality of vertical lifters, and

configured to open, using a mechanical claw, one or more items from the group consisting of an internal door, an external door, and a window.

2. The aerial vehicle of claim 1, wherein the aerial vehicle is capable of changing yaw, pitch, and roll independently from each other while maintaining the device on a target.

3. The aerial vehicle of claim 1, wherein a portion of the device is configured to move relative to the frame.

4. The aerial vehicle of claim 1, wherein the aerial vehicle is an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV).

5. The aerial vehicle of claim 1, wherein an external force is exerted by moving the device relative to the frame.

6. The aerial vehicle of claim 1, wherein an external torque is exerted by moving the device relative to the frame.

7. The aerial vehicle of claim 1, wherein the plurality of horizontal thrusters comprises two independently controlled horizontal thrusters, wherein the thrust applied by each of the independently controlled horizontal thrusters is varied by changing rotational speeds associated with each of the independently controlled horizontal thrusters.

8. The aerial vehicle of claim 7, further comprising a battery, wherein the aerial vehicle is configured to establish an electrical connection with a stationary external power source to recharge the battery while the aerial vehicle is under remote operation.

9. The aerial vehicle of claim 8, wherein the stationary external power source is a wall-mounted electrical outlet.

10. The aerial vehicle of claim 1 further comprising a gyroscope for controlling the plurality of vertical lifters.

11. The aerial vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a proximity sensor, wherein the controller is communicatively connected with the proximity sensor and the controller controls one or more of the vertical lifters from the plurality of vertical lifters and/or one or more of the horizontal thrusters from the plurality of horizontal thrusters to maintain substantially constant distance from an external object detected by the proximity sensor based on data received by the controller from the proximity sensor.

12. The aerial vehicle of claim 1, wherein the device comprises a mechanical claw that is substantially fixed in space with respect to the frame.

13. The aerial vehicle of claim 12, wherein the mechanical claw is configured to turn a door knob.

14. The aerial vehicle of claim 13, wherein the mechanical claw comprises a plurality of mechanical fingers and at least one mechanical finger is movable.

15. The aerial vehicle of claim 14, wherein at least one mechanical finger in the plurality comprises a roller.

16. The aerial vehicle of claim 14, wherein the only movement that the mechanical claw is configured to make relative to the frame is to move the at least one movable mechanical finger to open and close the mechanical claw.

17. The aerial vehicle of claim 16, wherein the controller is configured to:

control the vertical lifters to cause the aerial vehicle to rotate about a wrist axis substantially centered between the mechanical fingers when the mechanical claw is used to grasp a doorknob of a door, thereby rotating the doorknob and unlatching the door; and

control the horizontal thrusters to cause the aerial vehicle to move in a direction substantially parallel to the wrist axis while the aerial vehicle is rotated about the wrist axis and while the door is unlatched.

18. The aerial vehicle of claim 12, wherein the only movements that the mechanical claw is configured to make relative to the frame is to move the at least one movable mechanical finger to open and close the mechanical claw and to rotate the mechanical fingers of the mechanical claw about a wrist axis substantially centered between the mechanical fingers.

19. The aerial vehicle of claim 1, wherein the device comprises a mechanical claw and wherein the mechanical claw is configured to move in and out relative to the frame and to turn relative to the frame.

20. The aerial vehicle of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to control one or more vertical lifters of the plurality of vertical lifters and one or more horizontal thrusters of the plurality of horizontal thrusters to counterbalance forces and torques exerted in the aerial vehicle during operation of the mechanical tool, sensor, or weapon.

21. The aerial vehicle of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to:

receive data collected from sensors mounted to the frame of the aerial vehicle,

receive instructions over a wireless interface to operate the device attached to the frame; and

independently control power levels applied to each of the plurality of vertical lifters and each of the plurality of horizontal thrusters to compensate for feedback resulting from operating the device.

22. The aerial vehicle of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to:

receive data collected from sensors mounted to the frame;

receive instructions over a wireless interface to guide the aerial vehicle; and

combine the data collected from the sensors and the instructions received over the wireless interface to independently control power levels applied to each of the plurality of vertical lifters and each of the plurality of horizontal thrusters to control a flying path of the aerial vehicle.

23. The aerial vehicle of claim 1, wherein the plurality of horizontal thrusters includes at least two horizontal thrusters that are offset from one another in a horizontal direction and that generate force in substantially parallel directions.

24. An aerial vehicle comprising:

a frame;

a plurality of horizontal thrusters attached to the frame, the plurality of horizontal thrusters configured to induce yaw rotation and horizontal translation of the aerial vehicle;

a plurality of vertical lifters attached to the frame;

a device attached to the frame, wherein the device comprises one or more items selected from the group consisting of a mechanical tool, a sensor, and a weapon; and

a controller attached to the frame and configured to control the plurality of horizontal thrusters and the plurality of vertical lifters, wherein the aerial vehicle is configured to;

maneuver in all directions and axes by independently controlling the thrust applied by the plurality of horizontal thrusters and the plurality of vertical lifters,

ram through one or more of the items in the group consisting of an external door of a building, an internal door of the building, and a window of the building using a spring-loaded punch tool or a pneumatic punch tool,

remain operational after ramming through the one or more items in the group consisting of the external door of the building, the internal door of the building, and the window of the building, and

enter the building through a doorframe or a window frame, and

wherein the aerial vehicle is sized to permit the aerial vehicle to navigate within the building.

25. An aerial vehicle comprising:

a frame;

a plurality of horizontal thrusters attached to the frame, the plurality of horizontal thrusters configured to provide yaw rotation and horizontal translation of the aerial vehicle;

a plurality of vertical lifters attached to the frame;

a device attached to the frame, wherein the device comprises one or more items selected from the group consisting of a mechanical tool, a sensor, and a weapon; and

a controller attached to the frame and configured to control the plurality of horizontal thrusters and/or the plurality of vertical lifters, wherein the aerial vehicle is;

capable of maneuvering in all directions and axes by independently controlling the thrust applied by the plurality of horizontal thrusters and the plurality of vertical lifters, and

capable of;

opening one or more items from the group consisting of an internal door, an external door, and a window using a mechanical claw attachable to the aerial vehicle, and

ramming through one or more items from the group consisting of an internal door, an external door, and a window using a punch tool also attachable to the aerial vehicle.