Unmanned aerial vehicle, charging station, and automatic charging system for unmanned aerial vehicle including the same

• US 9,630,517 B2
• Filed: 03/11/2015
• Issued: 04/25/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Defense Agency For Technology And Quality
• Original Assignee: Defense Agency For Technology And Quality
• Inventors: Lee, Ki Young, Kang, Ki Jung
• Primary Examiner(s): Williams, Arun
• Application Number:
  US14/644,260
• Publication Number:
  US 20160200207A1
• Time in Patent Office: 776 Days
• Field of Search: 320109
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/30 Constructional details of charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 2025/325 specially adapted for helicopters
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 25/32 characterised by elements which contact the ground or similar surface arrester hooks B64C25/68
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/104 using satellite radio beacon positioning systems, e.g. GPS
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/37 Charging when not in flight
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 60/50 with landing legs
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 80/25 for recharging batteries; for refuelling
• 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

Abstract

Disclosed are an unmanned aerial vehicle, a charging station, and an automatic charging system for an unmanned aerial vehicle including the same. The unmanned aerial vehicle includes: a main body which includes a plurality of rotors, and is capable of flying and vertical taking off and landing by the rotors; a battery which is mounted in the main body for supplying power and is chargeable; a landing gear which includes a first charging terminal and a second charging terminal having different polarities and electrically connected to the battery, and is provided at a lower part of the main body; and a controller configured to control the main body.

Claims

1. An unmanned aerial vehicle, comprising:

a main body which includes a plurality of rotors, and is capable of flying and vertical taking off and landing by the rotors;

a battery which is mounted in the main body for supplying power and is chargeable;

a landing gear which includes a first charging terminal and a second charging terminal having different polarities and electrically connected to the battery, and is provided at a lower part of the main body; and

a controller configured to control the main body,

wherein one or more charging terminals are provided to be accommodated inside the landing gear or protrude to the outside of the landing gear by a driving unit,

wherein the first charging terminal is provided on a bottom surface of the landing gear, and the second charging terminal is provided to be accommodated inside the landing gear or protrude to the outside of the landing gear,

wherein the landing gear is provided with a push switch, and

when the landing gear is in contact with a charging station, the controller controls the driving unit so that the second charging terminal protrudes to the outside of the landing gear.

2. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 1, wherein when the landing gear is separated from the charging station, the controller controls the driving unit so that the second charging terminal is accommodated inside the landing gear.

3. A system for automatically charging an unmanned aerial vehicle, comprising:

an unmanned aerial vehicle; and

a charging station configured to charge the unmanned aerial vehicle,

wherein the unmanned aerial vehicle includes;

a main body which includes a plurality of rotors, and is capable of flying and vertical taking off and landing by the rotors;

a battery which is mounted in the main body for supplying power and is chargeable;

a landing gear which includes a first charging terminal and a second charging terminal having different polarities and electrically connected to the battery, and is provided at a lower part of the main body; and

a controller configured to control the main body, and

the charging station includes;

a first plate, on which the landing gear of the unmanned aerial vehicle is seated, and which is to be electrically connected with the first charging terminal;

a second plate, which is spaced apart from the first plate at a predetermined interval, and is to be electrically connected with the second charging terminal of the unmanned aerial vehicle passing through the first plate; and

a micom configured to supply power to each of the plates while the unmanned aerial vehicle is charged,

wherein one or more charging terminals are provided to be accommodated inside the landing gear or protrude to the outside of the landing gear by a driving unit,

wherein the first charging terminal is provided on a bottom surface of the landing gear, and the second charging terminal is provided to be accommodated inside the landing gear or protrude to the outside of the landing gear,

wherein the landing gear is provided with a push switch, and

when the landing gear is in contact with a charging station, the controller controls the driving unit so that the second charging terminal protrudes to the outside of the landing gear.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein when a voltage of the battery is equal to or smaller than a predetermined voltage, the controller controls the unmanned aerial vehicle to be returned to the charging station.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the controller vertically lands the unmanned aerial vehicle to the charging station based on at least one element of position information about the charging station and image information about the charging station.