Aerial system and vehicle for continuous operation

• US 9,527,392 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2014
• Issued: 12/27/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aurora Flight Sciences Corporation (The Boeing Co.)
• Original Assignee: Aurora Flight Sciences Corporation (The Boeing Co.)
• Inventors: Peverill, James, Freudberg, Benjamin, Cottrell, Dan, Woodworth, Adam, McKenna, Terrence
• Primary Examiner(s): BENEDIK, JUSTIN M
• Application Number:
  US14/213,450
• Publication Number:
  US 20160137311A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,019 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/10 Air crafts
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/14 Conductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/68 Off-site monitoring or control, e.g. remote control
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 25/68 Arrester hooks
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 47/04 the lighting devices being primarily intended to illuminate the way ahead
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 47/08 Arrangements of cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 1/029 using a cable or tether
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 1/362 Installations for supplying conditioned air to parked aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/25 Fixed-wing aircraft VTOL aircraft B64U10/20
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/30 for imaging, photography or videography
• 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 50/19 using electrically powered motors
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/34 In-flight charging photovoltaics B64U50/31
• 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: G05D 1/101 specially adapted for aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 : Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles

Abstract

An aerial vehicle system for gathering data may comprise a Waypoint Location, wherein the Waypoint Location comprises an arresting cable; a Ground Control Station, wherein the Ground Control Station comprises a charging cable; and an aerial vehicle, wherein the aerial vehicle comprises an onboard battery, a capturing hook and a sensor payload for generating surveillance data. The aerial vehicle may be configured to autonomously travel between the Waypoint Location and the Ground Control Station. The aerial vehicle may be configured to couple with the arresting cable via the capturing hook. The aerial vehicle may be configured to electronically couple with the charging cable via the capturing hook to facilitate charging the aerial vehicle'"'"'s onboard battery.

Claims

1. An aerial vehicle system for gathering data, the aerial vehicle system comprising:

a waypoint location, wherein the waypoint location comprises an arresting cable having a first set of two or more infrared reflectors positioned thereon;

a ground control station, wherein the ground control station comprises a charging cable having a second set of two or more infrared reflectors positioned thereon; and

an aerial vehicle,

wherein the aerial vehicle comprises an onboard battery, a capturing hook, a sensor payload for generating surveillance and a vision processor configured to calculate the centers of each of said first or second set of two or more infrared reflectors using an image thresholding technique;

wherein the aerial vehicle is configured to autonomously travel between the waypoint location and the ground control station;

wherein the aerial vehicle is configured to couple and decouple with the arresting cable via the capturing hook;

wherein the aerial vehicle is configured to perch from the charging cable via the capturing hook;

wherein the aerial vehicle is configured to electronically couple and decouple with the charging cable via the capturing hook to facilitate charging the aerial vehicle'"'"'s onboard battery.

2. The aerial vehicle system of claim 1, wherein the charging cable comprises a power conductor and ground line-conductors.

3. The aerial vehicle system of claim 1, wherein the aerial vehicle wirelessly communicates surveillance data with the ground control station while perched at the waypoint location.

4. The aerial vehicle system of claim 1, wherein the aerial vehicle wirelessly communicates surveillance data with the ground control station while traveling between the waypoint location and the ground control station.

5. The aerial vehicle system of claim 1, wherein the capturing hook comprises;

a first gate pivotally supported at a first end by a base portion and movable between (i) a closed position and (ii) an open position;

a first return spring biasing the first gate to the closed position;

a second gate pivotally supported at a first end by the base portion and movable between (i) a closed position and (ii) an open position;

a second return spring biasing the second gate to the closed position; and

a latch device comprising a movable locking part biased by a return spring to a locked position for locking of the second gate in the closed position.

6. The aerial vehicle system of claim 5, wherein the capturing hook releases the cable by unlatching the second gate and allowing the cable to pull it into the open position.

7. The aerial vehicle system of claim 5, wherein the capturing hook captures the cable by allowing it to push the first gate into the open position.