Unmanned aerial vehicle and operations thereof

• US 9,221,537 B2
• Filed: 11/05/2014
• Issued: 12/29/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: SZ DJI Technology Co., Ltd. (d/b/a DJI) (iFlight Technology Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: SZ DJI Technology Co., Ltd. (d/b/a DJI) (iFlight Technology Company Limited)
• Inventors: Wang, Tao, Zhao, Tao, Chen, Shaojie, Ou, Zhigang
• Primary Examiner(s): O'Hara, Brian M
• Assistant Examiner(s): KREINER, MICHAEL B
• Application Number:
  US14/534,127
• Publication Number:
  US 20150069174A1
• Time in Patent Office: 419 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 27/12 Helicopters A63H27/04 takes precedence; Flying tops
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 2025/325 specially adapted for helicopters
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 25/06 fixed
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 25/32 characterised by elements which contact the ground or similar surface arrester hooks B64C25/68
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 27/00 Rotorcraft; Rotors peculiar thereto
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 27/54 Mechanisms for controlling blade adjustment or movement relative to rotor head, e.g. lag-lead movement
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 31/14 Transmitting means between initiating means and power plants
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 43/00 Arrangements or adaptations of instruments arrangements of cameras B64D47/08; aeronautical measuring instruments per se G01C
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/10 Rotorcrafts
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/13 Flying platforms
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/14 with four distinct rotor axes, e.g. quadcopters
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 20/80 Arrangement of on-board electronics, e.g. avionics systems or wiring
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/00 UAVs specially adapted for particular uses or applications
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/20 for use as communications relays, e.g. high-altitude platforms
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/30 for imaging, photography or videography
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/60 for transporting passengers; for transporting goods other than weapons
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/00 UAVs characterised by their flight controls
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/10 autonomous, i.e. by navigating independently from ground or air stations, e.g. by using inertial navigation systems [INS]
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/20 Remote controls
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/20 Rotors; Rotor supports
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/291 : Detachable rotors or rotor supports
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/293 : Foldable or collapsible rotors or rotor supports
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/19 : using electrically powered motors
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 60/50 : with landing legs
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 80/00 : Transport or storage specially adapted for UAVs
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/0047 : Housings or packaging of magnetic sensors packaging of semiconductor devices H01L23/00; Holders
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 3/16 : specially adapted for use from aircraft G01V3/165 - G01V3/175 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/00 : Control of position, course, altitude or attitude of land, water, air or space vehicles, e.g. using automatic pilots drive control systems specially adapted for autonomous road vehicles B60W60/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49117 : Conductor or circuit manufacturing

Abstract

The present invention provides methods and apparatus for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) with improved reliability. According to one aspect of the invention, interference experienced by onboard sensors from onboard electrical components is reduced. According to another aspect of the invention, user-configuration or assembly of electrical components is minimized to reduce user errors.

Claims

1. A kit for assembling a multi-rotor unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), comprising:

(a) one or more electrical components adapted to control operation of the UAV and selected from the group consisting of a power source, a flight control module, an inertial measurement unit (IMU), and a GPS receiver; and

(b) instructions comprising information for a user of said UAV to assemble component(s) of (a) with a magnetometer, such that when the UAV is assembled, the assembled UAV is characterized in that it comprises;

a housing forming a central body of the UAV and comprising an outer surface and an inner surface that forms a cavity, the one or more electric components being disposed inside the cavity of the central body, wherein the magnetometer is secured onto an extension member at a position sufficiently distal from the housing to effect a reduction of interference from said one or more electrical components disposed within the cavity of the central body, and wherein said extension member is a landing stand configured to bear weight of the UAV when the UAV is not airborne.

2. The kit of claim 1, wherein the extension member is attached to the outer surface of the housing and extending away from the cavity.

3. The kit of claim 1, wherein the landing stand includes a substantially vertical portion and the magnetometer is secured to the substantially vertical portion.

4. The kit of claim 3, wherein the landing stand to which the magnetometer is secured extends downward from the housing.

5. The kit of claim 1, wherein the magnetometer is a compass.

6. The kit of claim 1, wherein the minimum distance between the magnetometer and the one or more electrical components is at least about 3 cm.

7. The kit of claim 1, wherein the UAV comprises a plurality of rotor blades.

8. The kit of claim 1, wherein at least one of the electrical components is pre-configured by a manufacturer of the UAV, and wherein the at least one of the electrical components forms an electric unit necessary and sufficient for controlling operation of said UAV.

9. The kit of claim 1, wherein the one or more electrical components include an inertial measurement unit (IMU) or GPS receiver.

10. The kit of claim 9, wherein the one or more electrical components include a GPS receiver.

11. The kit of claim 10, wherein the magnetometer is at least 3 cm away from the GPS receiver.

12. The kit of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises an upper housing member and a lower housing member that are removably coupled to form the cavity.

13. The kit of claim 1, wherein the central body is connected to one or more branch housing members, wherein the central body forms a central cavity, and wherein the one or more branch housing members form one or more branch cavities.

14. The kit of claim 13, wherein the assembled UAV further comprises one or more additional electrical components, wherein at least one of the one or more additional electrical components is located inside one of the one or more branch cavities.

15. The kit of claim 14, wherein the at least one additional electrical component located inside one of the one or more branch cavities includes an electronic speed control (ESC) module or an actuator.

16. A method of assembling a multi-rotor unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), comprising:

forming a central body of the UAV using a housing comprising an outer surface and an inner surface, wherein the inner surface forms a cavity configured to contain one or more electrical components disposed inside the cavity;

disposing the one or more electrical components inside the cavity of the central body, wherein the one or more electrical components are adapted to control operation of the UAV and are selected from the group consisting of a power source, a flight control module, an inertial measurement unit (IMU) and a GPS receiver; and

securing a magnetometer onto an extension member, at a position sufficiently distal from the housing to effect a reduction of interference from said one or more electrical components disposed within the cavity of the central body, wherein said extension member is a landing stand configured to bear weight of the UAV when the UAV is not airborne.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising attaching the extension member to the outer surface of the housing such that the extension member extends away from the cavity.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the landing stand includes a substantially vertical portion and the magnetometer is secured to the substantially vertical portion.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the landing stand to which the magnetometer is secured extends downward from the housing.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the magnetometer is a compass.

21. The method of claim 16, wherein the minimum distance between the magnetometer and the one or more electrical components is at least about 3 cm.

22. The method of claim 16, wherein the UAV comprises a plurality of rotor blades.

23. The method of claim 16, wherein at least one of the electrical components is pre-configured by a manufacturer of the UAV, and wherein the at least one of the electrical components forms an electric unit necessary and sufficient for controlling operation of said UAV.

24. The method of claim 16, wherein the one or more electrical components include an inertial measurement unit (IMU) or GPS receiver.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the one or more electrical components include a GPS receiver.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the magnetometer is at least 3 cm away from the GPS receiver.

27. The method of claim 16, wherein the housing comprises an upper housing member and a lower housing member that are removably coupled to form the cavity.

28. The method of claim 16, wherein the central body is connected to one or more branch housing members, wherein the central body forms a central cavity, and wherein the one or more branch housing members forms one or more branch cavities.

29. The method of claim 28, further comprising one or more additional electrical components, wherein at least one of the one or more additional electrical components is located inside one of the one or more branch cavities.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the at least one additional electrical component located inside one of the one or more branch cavities includes an electronic speed control (ESC) module or an actuator.