Unmanned aerial vehicle landing interface
First Claim
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1. A system comprising:
- a ground station comprising a conically-shaped landing housing; and
an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) comprising;
a main body;
a plurality of struts which extend outward from the main body;
a plurality of rotors coupled to the main body; and
a landing base comprising;
a landing pad; and
a landing frame, the landing frame comprising;
one or more legs that extend diagonally upward and outward from the landing pad and extend outward beyond the main body and connect to the plurality of struts, wherein the landing base has a complimentary shape to the conically-shaped landing housing of the ground station such that when the UAV enters the conically-shaped landing housing of the ground station, contact between the one or more legs of the landing base, the landing pad, and the conically-shaped landing housing of the ground station causes the UAV to self-align within the conically-shaped landing housing of the ground station.
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Abstract
The present disclosure is directed toward systems and methods for autonomously landing an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). In particular, systems and methods described herein enable a UAV to land within and interface with a UAV ground station (UAVGS). In particular, one or more embodiments described herein include systems and methods that enable a UAV to conveniently interface with and land within a UAV ground station (UAVGS). For example, one or more embodiments include a UAV that includes a landing base and landing frame that interfaces with a landing housing of a UAVGS.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A system comprising:
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a ground station comprising a conically-shaped landing housing; and an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) comprising; a main body; a plurality of struts which extend outward from the main body; a plurality of rotors coupled to the main body; and a landing base comprising; a landing pad; and a landing frame, the landing frame comprising; one or more legs that extend diagonally upward and outward from the landing pad and extend outward beyond the main body and connect to the plurality of struts, wherein the landing base has a complimentary shape to the conically-shaped landing housing of the ground station such that when the UAV enters the conically-shaped landing housing of the ground station, contact between the one or more legs of the landing base, the landing pad, and the conically-shaped landing housing of the ground station causes the UAV to self-align within the conically-shaped landing housing of the ground station. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), comprising:
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a main body; a plurality of struts which extend outward from the main body; a plurality of rotors coupled to the main body; and a landing base, the landing base comprising; a landing pad positioned below the main body; and a landing frame connecting the main body to the landing pad via the plurality of struts, the landing frame comprising; one or more legs that extend diagonally upward and outward from the landing pad and extend outward beyond the main body and connect to the plurality of struts such that as the UAV enters a conically-shaped ground station, interaction between the one or more legs, the landing pad, and the conically-shaped landing housing of a ground station cause the UAV to self-align within the conically-shaped landing housing of the ground station. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method comprising:
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guiding an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) to a vertical space above a landing housing of an unmanned aerial vehicle ground station (UAVGS) wherein the UAV comprises; a main body; a plurality of struts extending outward from the main body; and a landing base comprising; a landing pad; and a landing frame; wherein the landing frame comprises; one or more legs that extend diagonally upward and outward from the landing pad, extend outward beyond the main body, and connect to the plurality of struts; lowering the UAV from the vertical space to within a landing housing of the UAVGS; and causing the landing base of the UAV to contact a landing housing of the UAVGS as the UAV lowers into the UAVGS such that when the UAV enters the landing housing of the UAVGS, contact between the one or more legs and the landing pad of the landing base of the UAV and the landing housing of the UAVGS causes the UAV to self-align within the landing housing of the UAVGS. - View Dependent Claims (17)
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Specification