Unmanned aerial vehicle perching maneuver

• US 9,522,732 B1
• Filed: 01/27/2016
• Issued: 12/20/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Walt Froloff
• Original Assignee: Walt Froloff
• Inventors: Froloff, Walt
• Primary Examiner(s): Camby, Richard
• Application Number:
  US15/008,292
• Time in Patent Office: 328 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/14 with four distinct rotor axes, e.g. quadcopters
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/30 for imaging, photography or videography
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 60/00 Undercarriages
• 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

Abstract

A personal drone with much extended air time. A portable retractable-extendable clawed drone with automated perching function. Perching, landing on a target horizontal edge or a wire, a building trim, a lamp or sign, a shelf, almost any small horizontal edge with a little surface, for video streaming without using up power on hovering or flight, thus conserving power indefinitely. A veritable fly-on-the-wall multi-rotor drone having mechanical claws and automated perching function.

Claims

1. A multi-rotor craft with perching function using a claw mechanism coupled to the craft body comprising:

a craft housing containing electronics for controlling mechanical components for controlling a multi-rotor;

the electronics including a flight control system having a processor electronically coupled with supporting electronic components, array of rotors, sensor array, power source, at least one wireless receive-transmitter pair and at least one camera;

each rotor electrically connected to an electronic speed controller for controlling a propeller;

the electronic speed controllers translating commands from the processor for commandeering the rotor array in synchronous and specific rotor operations providing specific flight dynamics;

the controller reading instructions from a receiver for commandering the electronic speed controllers in directing synchronized rotor array operations configured for a programmed set of specific flight dynamics;

the controller translating instructions from the remote wireless transmitter with logic and data inputs from basic onboard instrumentation and sensor array;

the sensor array comprises a 3D accelerometer, 3D magnetometer, 3D gyro and range finder;

the receiver having a communication channel assigned for camera gimbal pitch angle control for remote user selected viewing;

an extendable mechanical claw slidably and pivotably coupled to the craft;

logic for identifying a 3D target horizontal edge from camera image processing of 2D images and user selection from the image;

logic for user selected target horizontal edge lock-on from the 2D image;

perching maneuver logic responsive to real-time range data from rangefinder for positioning and orienting the craft above the target horizontal edge;

perching maneuver logic using rangefinder data for approaching and positioning the multi-rotor craft from above and adjacent to the target horizontal edge corner vertical virtual surface for descending at a craft pitch angle within proximity to engage the craft claw with the horizontal edge surface;

whereby the engaged claw suspends the craft over the target edge in a manner providing a stable vantage position for the camera.

2. The multi-rotor craft with perching function as in claim 1, wherein the rangefinder sensor is chosen from a group of rangefinder sensors consisting of ultrasonic, RF, stereoscopic camera, laser, trigonometric based stadiometric or parallax and visual FVC.

3. The multi-rotor craft with perching function as in claim 1, wherein the sensor array applies sensor fusion for combining of sensory data or data derived from disparate sensors for resulting information with higher reliability and resolution than possible when these sensors are used individually.

4. The multi-rotor craft with perching function as in claim 1, further comprising controller input instructions from wireless video transmissions with the aid of basic onboard instrumentation and sensors including 3D accelerometer, 3D Magnetometer, 3D Gyro for remote FPV steering to the target horizontal edge.

5. The multi-rotor craft with perching function as in claim 1, further comprising two cameras, one for FPV flight visuals and data content recording and one for manual flight control.

6. The multi-rotor craft with perching function as in claim 1, further comprising pressure sensors on claws.

7. The multi-rotor craft with perching function as in claim 1, further comprising claws integrated with deployable-retractable landing gear extensions.

8. The multi-rotor craft with perching function as in claim 1, further comprising rotor boom claws in deployable-retractable recursive segments.

9. The multi-rotor craft with perching function as in claim 1, further comprising slidable anchor pivoting end to craft anchor handle and distal end claw hook.

10. A method for perching a multi-rotor craft using a claw mechanism coupled to the craft body comprising the steps of:

creating a craft housing containing electronics for electronically controlling a multi-rotor craft configuration;

providing the electronics with logic comprising a flight control system having a processor electronically coupled with supporting electronic components, array of rotors, sensor array, power source, at least one wireless receive-transmitter pair and at least one camera;

coupling electronic speed controllers for controlling each rotor with propeller;

reading instructions from a receiver for commandering the electronic speed controllers in directing synchronized rotor array operations configured for a programmed set of specific flight dynamics;

sensing 3D accelerometer, 3D magnetometer, 3D gyro and range finder sensor array signals;

sending the controller translating instructions from the remote wireless transmitter coupled with logic and data inputs from basic onboard instrumentation and sensor array signals;

sending translated instructions from the processor to the electronic speed controllers for commandeering the rotor array in concert generating specific rotor operations obtaining specific craft flight dynamics responsive to logic and sensor signals;

receiving a communication channel data assigned for camera gimbal pitch angle control for remote user selected viewing;

operating an extendable mechanical claw slidably and pivotably coupled to the craft;

identifying a 3D target horizontal edge from camera image processing of 2D images and user selection from the image;

user selecting target horizontal edge from the 2D image and logic using sensors and data for locking on to the physical location represented by the image target horizontal edge;

using the logic responsive to real-time range data from rangefinder for logic for positioning and orienting the craft above the target horizontal edge to perform a perching onto the physical target horizontal edge, and

using logic instructing controller to position craft to descend in a pitched angle for engaging the claw with the target horizontal edge responsive to rangefinder data for approaching and positioning the multi-rotor craft from above and adjacent to the target horizontal edge corner vertical virtual surface with craft descending at a pitch angle within proximity to engage at least one claw with the horizontal edge surface.

11. The method for perching a multi-rotor craft using a claw as in claim 10 further comprising the steps of selecting a rangefinder sensor from a group of sensors consisting essentially of ultrasonic, RF, stereoscopic camera, laser, trigonometric based stadiometric or parallax and visual FVC.

12. The method for perching a multi-rotor craft using a claw claw as in claim 10 further comprising the steps of selecting sensors from a sensor array using sensor fusion for combining of sensory data or data derived from disparate sensors for generating resulting information for logic and data.

13. The method for perching a multi-rotor craft using a claw claw as in claim 10 further comprising the steps of selecting receiving controller input instructions from wireless video transmissions with the aid of basic onboard instrumentation and sensors including 3D accelerometer, 3D Magnetometer, 3D Gyro for remote FPV steering to the target horizontal edge.

14. The method for perching a multi-rotor craft using a claw claw as in claim 10 further comprising the steps of using two cameras, one for FPV flight visuals and data content recording and one for manual flight control.

15. The method for perching a multi-rotor craft using a claw claw as in claim 10 further comprising the steps of coupling pressure sensors on claws to signal physical contact with the target edge.

16. The method for perching a multi-rotor craft using a claw claw as in claim 10 further comprising the steps of having claws integrated with deployable-retractable landing gear extensions.

17. The method for perching a multi-rotor craft using a claw claw as in claim 10 further comprising the steps of making rotor boom claws in deployable-retractable recursive segments joined flexibly.

18. The method for perching a multi-rotor craft using a claw claw as in claim 10 further comprising the steps of providing slidable anchor pivoting end to craft anchor handle and distal end claw hook.