UAV having hermetically sealed modularized compartments and fluid drain ports

• US 9,365,088 B2
• Filed: 12/28/2012
• Issued: 06/14/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aerovironment
• Original Assignee: Aerovironment
• Inventors: Belik, Pavel, Szarek, Thomas, Torres, Gabriel E., Fraye, Vernon P.
• Primary Examiner(s): BENEDIK, JUSTIN M
• Application Number:
  US13/730,825
• Publication Number:
  US 20130256464A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,264 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60F 5/00 Other convertible vehicles, i.e. vehicles capable of travelling in or on different media vehicles having alternatively-usable runners and wheels B62B13/18; cycles convertible into other types of land vehicles B62K13/00; aircraft B64; flying-boats or seaplanes B64C
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 25/52 Skis or runners
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 35/008 Amphibious sea planes
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 9/00 Equipment for handling freight; Equipment for facilitating passenger embarkation or the like emergency equipment B64D17/00, B64D19/00, B64D25/00; structures integral with fuselage to facilitate loading, fuselage floors specially adapted for freight, steps mounted on and retractable within aircraft B64C; ground installations B64F
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/25 Fixed-wing aircraft VTOL aircraft B64U10/20
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/70 Convertible aircraft, e.g. convertible into land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 20/40 Modular UAVs
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 20/60 UAVs characterised by the material
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/19 using electrically powered motors

Abstract

In one possible embodiment, an amphibious unmanned aerial vehicle is provided, which includes a fuselage comprised of a buoyant material. Separators within the fuselage form separate compartments within the fuselage. Mounts associated with the compartments for securing waterproof aircraft components within the fuselage. The compartments each have drainage openings in the fuselage extending from the interior of the fuselage to the exterior of the fuselage.

Claims

1. An amphibious unmanned aerial vehicle comprising:

a) a fuselage constructed of a buoyant material;

b) separators within the fuselage forming separate battery, payload, and avionics compartments within the fuselage, the compartments comprising;

(1) the battery compartment comprising a drainage channel comprising at least one weep hole through the fuselage;

(2) the payload compartment comprising an open bottom; and

(3) the avionics compartment comprising a drainage channel comprising at least one weep hole through the fuselage; and

c) mounting surfaces within the battery, payload, and avionics compartments for mounting a battery module, a payload module, and an avionics module within the fuselage.

2. The amphibious unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 1 further comprising drainage openings extending through the separators within the fuselage.

3. The amphibious unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 1, wherein the battery compartment is located forward of the payload compartment, the avionics compartment is located to the rear of the payload compartment, and the payload compartment is located between the battery compartment and the avionics compartment.

4. The amphibious unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 3 further comprising at least one skid pad on a bottom of the fuselage.

5. The amphibious unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 3, wherein the payload compartment is centrally located in the fuselage.

6. The amphibious unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 1 further comprising at least one skid pad on a bottom of the fuselage.

7. The amphibious unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 1, wherein the payload compartment is centrally located in the fuselage.

8. The amphibious unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 1 further comprising securing mechanisms associated with the compartments to secure the battery module, the payload module, and the avionics module within the battery compartment, the payload compartment, and the avionics compartment, respectively.

9. The amphibious unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 1, wherein at least some of the mounting surfaces within the compartments comprise integrated connectors for electrically connecting a corresponding aircraft component upon mounting of the corresponding aircraft component within a respective compartment.

10. The amphibious unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 9, wherein the battery compartment comprises a surface mount connector flush with the mounting surface within the battery compartment.

11. The amphibious unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 9, wherein the payload compartment comprises a surface mount connector flush with the mounting surface of the payload compartment.

12. The amphibious unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 1, wherein the payload compartment comprises an open bottom.

13. The amphibious unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 12, wherein there is substantially no fuselage wall below the payload compartment.

14. The amphibious unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 13, wherein the fuselage is constructed of buoyant material such that the unmanned aerial vehicle is buoyant despite the at least one weep hole in through the fuselage in the battery compartment, the at least one weep hole in through the fuselage in avionics compartment, and the open bottom of the payload compartment.

15. The amphibious unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 13, wherein the avionics compartment comprising a heat sink opening.

16. The amphibious unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 15, wherein the fuselage is constructed of buoyant material such that the fuselage floats when the fuselage is loaded with a battery, a payload, and avionics electronics.

17. The amphibious unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 1, wherein the avionics compartment comprising a heat sink opening.

18. The amphibious unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 1, wherein the fuselage comprises an exterior channel in a side of the fuselage, extending rearward along the side wall of the fuselage from outside the avionics compartment to a tail section of the amphibious unmanned aerial vehicle.

19. An amphibious unmanned aerial vehicle comprising:

a) a fuselage constructed of a buoyant material;

b) separators within the fuselage forming separate battery, payload, and avionics compartments within the fuselage, the compartments comprising;

(1) the battery compartment comprising a drainage channel comprising at least one weep hole through the fuselage;

(2) the payload compartment comprising an open bottom; and

(3) the avionics compartment comprising a drainage channel comprising at least one weep hole through the fuselage;

c) mounting surfaces within the battery, payload, and avionics compartments for mounting a battery module, a payload module, and an avionics module within the fuselage; and

d) wherein the opening in the payload compartment is sized so as to allow deployment of a camera from the avionics compartment.

20. An amphibious unmanned aerial vehicle comprising:

a) a fuselage constructed of a buoyant material;

b) separators within the fuselage forming separate battery, payload, and avionics compartments within the fuselage, the compartments comprising;

(1) the battery compartment comprising a drainage channel comprising at least one weep hole through the fuselage;

(2) the payload compartment comprising an open bottom; and

(3) the avionics compartment comprising a drainage channel comprising at least one weep hole through the fuselage;

c) mounting surfaces within the battery, payload, and avionics compartments for mounting a battery module, a payload module, and an avionics module within the fuselage; and

d) wherein the fuselage is constructed of a buoyant material so that the fuselage floats when the fuselage is loaded with a battery, a payload, and avionics electronics.