Mechanisms for lowering a payload to the ground from a UAV

• US 9,346,547 B2
• Filed: 08/26/2013
• Issued: 05/24/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wing Aviation LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Patrick, William Graham, Burgess, James Ryan, Conrad, Andrew
• Primary Examiner(s): O'Hara, Brian M
• Application Number:
  US13/975,590
• Publication Number:
  US 20150158587A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,002 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 1/12 Releasing
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 1/22 Taking-up articles from earth's surface
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/14 with four distinct rotor axes, e.g. quadcopters
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/20 Vertical take-off and landing [VTOL] aircraft flying platforms B64U10/13; helicopters B64U10/17
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/60 for transporting passengers; for transporting goods other than weapons
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/67 the UAVs comprising tethers for lowering the goods
• 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 2201/104 using satellite radio beacon positioning systems, e.g. GPS
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/10 Wings
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/26 Ducted or shrouded rotors
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/14 ducted or shrouded
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 70/90 Launching from or landing on platforms

Abstract

Embodiments described herein may help to provide medical support via a fleet of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). An illustrative UAV may include a housing, a payload, a line-deployment mechanism coupled to the housing and a line, and a payload-release mechanism that couples the line to the payload, wherein the payload-release mechanism is configured to release the payload from the line. The UAV may further include a control system configured to determine that the UAV is located at or near a delivery location and responsively: operate the line-deployment mechanism according to a variable deployment-rate profile to lower the payload to or near to the ground, determine that the payload is touching or is within a threshold distance from the ground, and responsively operate the payload-release mechanism to release the payload from the line.

Claims

1. An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) comprising:

a housing;

a payload;

a line-deployment mechanism coupled to the housing and a line, wherein the line-deployment mechanism is controllable to vary a deployment rate of the line;

a payload-release mechanism that couples the line to the payload, wherein the payload-release mechanism is configured to release the payload from the line; and

a control system configured to determine that the UAV is hovering above a delivery location and responsively;

automatically operate the line-deployment mechanism according to a variable deployment-rate profile to lower the payload to or near to the delivery location, wherein the variable deployment-rate profile specifies for the payload to initially descend at a first rate and subsequently, during the descent, to decrease in speed from the first rate;

determine that the payload is touching or is within a threshold distance from the delivery location; and

responsively operate the payload-release mechanism to release the payload from the line.

2. The UAV of claim 1, wherein the line-deployment mechanism is operable to secure the line during a flight to a delivery location, such that the payload is held at or near the housing during the flight.

3. The UAV of claim 1, wherein the control system is further configured to determine a variable deployment-rate profile before operating the line-deployment mechanism to lower the payload to the ground.

4. The UAV of claim 1, wherein, before lowering the payload, the control system is configured to determine the variable deployment-rate profile based on at least one or more of (a) height, (b) wind, (c) environmental factors, and (d) payload characteristics.

5. The UAV of claim 1, wherein the variable deployment-rate profile specifies a one or more distances and a deployment rate corresponding to each of said one or more distances.

6. The UAV of claim 1, wherein the UAV further comprises a line-tension sensor, and wherein the control system is configured to:

determine a measure of tension on the line based on data from the line-tension sensor; and

determine that the payload is touching the ground based at least in part on determination that the measure of tension on the line is less than a threshold.

7. The UAV of claim 1, wherein the payload comprises at least one proximity sensor arranged on the payload so as to provide data that is indicative of a distance between the payload and the ground, and wherein the control system is configured to:

determine that the payload is touching the ground based at least in part on the data provided by the at least one proximity sensor.

8. The UAV of claim 1, wherein the control system is disposed within the housing.

9. The UAV of claim 1, wherein the control system is at least partially disposed within the payload.

10. The UAV of claim 1, wherein the payload includes or takes the form of a medical-support item.

11. The UAV of claim 1, wherein the line-deployment mechanism comprises a motorized braking system.

12. The UAV of claim 1, wherein the line-deployment mechanism comprises one or more friction pads.