Unmanned aerial vehicle

• US 8,954,206 B2
• Filed: 02/14/2013
• Issued: 02/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Criado, Alfredo
• Primary Examiner(s): OLSZEWSKI, JOHN
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ghajargar, Mohsen
• Application Number:
  US13/767,735
• Publication Number:
  US 20140129056A1
• Time in Patent Office: 726 Days
• Field of Search: 701/5
• US Class Current: 701/4
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 19/00 Aircraft control not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 31/02 Gliders, e.g. sailplanes hang-gliders B64C31/028
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 31/024 with auxiliary power plant
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/25 Fixed-wing aircraft VTOL aircraft B64U10/20
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/13 using external fans or propellers
• 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: G05D 1/0005 with arrangements to save energy
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/105 specially adapted for unpowered flight, e.g. glider, parachuting, forced landing parachutes per se B64D17/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/50 On board measures aiming to increase energy efficiency

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) able to harvest energy from updrafts and a method of enhancing operation of an unmanned aerial vehicle. The unmanned aerial vehicle with a gliding capability comprises a generator arranged to be driven by a rotor, and a battery, wherein the unmanned aerial vehicle can operate in an energy harvesting mode in which the motion of the unmanned aerial vehicle drives the rotor to rotate, the rotor drives the generator, and the generator charges the battery. In the energy harvesting mode regenerative braking of the generator reduces the forward speed of the unmanned aerial vehicle to generate electricity and prevent the unmanned aerial vehicle from flying above a predetermined altitude.

Claims

1. A method of an unmanned aerial vehicle configured to glide within a geographic region, the unmanned aerial vehicle comprising a generator arranged to be driven by a rotor, the method comprising:

defining a maximum altitude threshold for the geographic region, above which the unmanned aerial vehicle is not permitted to be flown;

identifying a location of at least one identified updraft within the geographic region;

manoeuvring the unmanned aerial vehicle within the identified updraft; and

harvesting energy from motion of the unmanned aerial vehicle within the updraft by regenerative braking of the rotor to thereby maintain an altitude at or below the maximum altitude threshold;

wherein at least one of the defining, the identifying, and the maneuvering is via a flight management system controlling the unmanned aerial vehicle; and

wherein the unmanned aerial vehicle is maneuvered within the identified updraft with a bank angle that controls the altitude of the unmanned aerial vehicle.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein regenerative braking of the rotor controls the altitude of the unmanned aerial vehicle.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising manoeuvring the unmanned aerial vehicle to the identified updraft.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the generator is a motor arranged to drive the rotor, and the manoeuvring of the unmanned aerial vehicle to the identified updraft comprises driving the rotor with the motor to propel the unmanned aerial vehicle.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising manoeuvring the unmanned aerial vehicle along a looped track to maintain a position of the unmanned aerial vehicle within the identified updraft.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing the harvested energy in a battery.

7. An unmanned aerial vehicle configured to glide comprising:

a generator arranged to be driven by a rotor; and

a battery,

wherein;

the unmanned aerial vehicle can operate in an energy harvesting mode in which motion of the unmanned aerial vehicle drives the rotor to rotate, the rotor drives the generator, and the generator charges the battery;

and in the energy harvesting mode, regenerative braking of the generator reduces a forward speed of the unmanned aerial vehicle to generate electricity and prevent the unmanned aerial vehicle from flying above a predetermined altitude defined for a geographic region; and

in the energy harvesting mode, the unmanned aerial vehicle is maneuvered with a bank angle that controls the altitude of the unmanned aerial vehicle.

8. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 7, wherein, in the energy harvesting mode, the regenerative braking of the generator controls the altitude of the unmanned aerial vehicle.

9. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 7, comprising a second motor, wherein the unmanned aerial vehicle can operate in a powered mode,

in the powered mode the battery powers the second motor to propel the unmanned aerial vehicle.

10. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 7, wherein the generator is a motor arranged to drive the rotor to rotate to propel the unmanned aerial vehicle in a powered mode.

11. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 7, wherein the generator is a brushless motor.

12. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 7, further comprising module that identifies a location of one or more updrafts having upward velocity greater than a threshold value.

13. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 12, wherein the module that identifies the location of the one or more updrafts comprises a communication device arranged to receive air flow data indicative of the location of the one or more updrafts and to output data identifying the location of the updraft.