System for automatic takeoff and landing by interception of small UAVs

• US 9,505,493 B2
• Filed: 03/21/2014
• Issued: 11/29/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Brandon Borko
• Original Assignee: Brandon Borko
• Inventors: Borko, Brandon
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarcza, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pipala, Edward J
• Application Number:
  US14/222,158
• Publication Number:
  US 20150266575A1
• Time in Patent Office: 984 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 1/0297 adjustable to align with aircraft trajectory
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 1/06 using catapults
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 1/12 for anchoring aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 1/222 for storing aircraft, e.g. in hangars
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/10 Rotorcrafts
• 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 70/30 for capturing UAVs in flight by ground or sea-based arresting gear, e.g. by a cable or a net
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 70/80 Vertical take-off or landing, e.g. using rockets rotorcrafts B64U10/10; VTOL aircraft B64U10/20
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 80/00 Transport or storage specially adapted for UAVs
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 80/84 Waterborne vehicles

Abstract

A system for facilitating automated landing and takeoff of an autonomous or pilot controlled hovering air vehicle with a cooperative underbody at a stationary or mobile landing place and an automated storage system used in conjunction with the landing and takeoff mechanism that stores and services a plurality of UAVs is described. The system is primarily characterized in that the landing mechanism is settable with 6 axes in roll, pitch, yaw, and x, y and z and becomes aligned with and intercepts the air vehicle in flight and decelerates the vehicle with respect to vehicle'"'"'s inertial limits. The air vehicle and capture mechanism are provided with a transmitter and receiver to coordinate vehicle priority and distance and angles between landing mechanism and air vehicle. The landing and takeoff system has means of tracking the position and orientation of the UAV in real time. The landing mechanism will be substantially aligned to the base of the air vehicle. With small UAVs, their lifting capacity is limited. Reducing sensing and computation requirements by having the landing plate perform the precision adjustments for the landing operation allows for increased flight time and/or payload capacity.

Claims

1. A system to automatically land and launch an unmanned air vehicle (UAV), the system comprising:

a launch and capture mechanism (LCM) to launch and land a UAV, the LCM being movable among a plurality of axes to match a detected position and angle of the UAV; and

a storage mechanism to store and retrieve a UAV, the storage mechanism having a plurality of receptacles to store the UAV,

wherein the LCM and the storage mechanism are communicatively coupled to trigger handoff of the UAV between the LCM and the storage mechanism.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the LCM comprises a locking mechanism to mate with the UAV, the locking mechanism including engaging components to engage a leg of the UAV or a portion of a body of the UAV.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the controller is further configured to provide flight instructions to the UAV on scheduling when and where it can land and takeoff.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the storage mechanism further comprises:

a transport plate configured to move the UAV, upon handoff from the LCM, into one of the plurality of receptacles.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the transport plate is disposed between horizontal rails that move the transport plate in a horizontal direction and a vertical rail that moves the transport plate in a vertical direction.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the LCM launches and lands the UAV according to priority of a battery charge level, a maintenance level, a mounted payload, or a vehicle identifier.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the LCM comprises:

a robotic mechanism, the robotic mechanism being settable with a plurality of axes to align with and intercept the UAV while the UAV is in flight.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the LCM comprises a plurality of arms, the base of each arm comprising an electric motor to adjust the position of the corresponding arm when launching or capturing the UAV.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein the system interfaces with a planning controller that issues commands to launch and land UAVs according to a schedule.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

an electric motor; and

an inner ring,

wherein the electric motor is configured to rotate the inner ring to align the UAV with the storage mechanism.

11. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a controller configured to calculate and monitor the location of the UAV as it approaches the LCM.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the controller comprises:

one or more transducers, the one or more transducers detecting a relative position of the UAV as it approaches the LCM.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the controller comprises:

one or more absolute positioning systems such that the relative position between the LCM and UAV can be computed by subtracting the absolute position of the LCM and the absolute position of the UAV.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the controller is configured to communicate navigation data, including relative distance and angle between LCM and UAV or LCM location data to the UAV.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the LCM comprises a global navigation unit with GPS mounted to the LCM measuring the position as it moves around earth.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the LCM further comprises an inertia measurement unit mounted to the base of the LCM, the inertia measurement unit measuring abrupt movements of the LCM, and wherein a landing plate is moved in accordance with inertia measurement data from the inertia measurement unit.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the storage mechanism further comprises:

one or more telescoping rails that extend toward the LCM, the telescoping rails configured to lock and hold the UAV.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein the LCM moves a landed UAV to a handoff position suitable for mating with another robotic system so that the UAV can be removed from the LCM.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of receptacles comprises a data link to download mission instructions or flight data to the UAV while stored, or to download video and sensor data post flight.

20. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of receptacles comprises a power source that couples to the UAV when stored.

21. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of receptacles discharges or charges a UAV battery to manage longevity or lifecycle of the battery.

22. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of receptacles comprises a payload reloading mechanism to reset a spent UAV payload for a next mission.

23. The system of claim 1, wherein the LCM moves to match a detected velocity of the UAV.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the LCM moves to decelerate the UAV after the UAV lands on the LCM.

25. A method of capturing an unmanned air vehicle (UAV) that is in flight, the method comprising:

tracking a position and angle of the UAV as it approaches a launch and capture mechanism (LCM) to determine a travel path of the UAV;

calculating an intercept point for intercepting the UAV based on the travel path and velocity of the UAV;

aligning the LCM to match the tracked position and angle of the UAV;

aligning a locking mechanism of the LCM with a leg of the UAV or a portion of a body of the UAV as it approaches the LCM; and

capturing the UAV at the calculated intercept point.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

matching, by the LCM, the velocity of the UAV;

upon aligning the locking mechanism of the LCM with each leg of the UAV, engaging the locking mechanism;

decelerating the UAV.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising:

signaling, by the LCM, a storage mechanism to indicate that a UAV has been captured and is ready for storage, the signaling causing the storage mechanism to extend telescoping rails to accept the UAV from the LCM.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the storage mechanism is configured to move the UAV into an opening of the storage mechanism and to store the UAV into one of a plurality of storage receptacles in the storage mechanism.

29. The method of claim 27, further comprising:

rotating the locking mechanism to align the UAV for storage in the storage mechanism.