Unmanned aerial vehicle physical metrics acquisition
First Claim
1. A system configured to determine distribution of weight associated with unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), the system comprising:
- an array of load cells aligned adjacent to one another to create a load cell grid, each of the load cells outputting a signal representative of a force exerted against each load cell, each of the load cells each having a unique identifier associated with a position of each load cell in the load cell grid; and
a central processor configured to;
receive the signal and the unique identifier from at least some of the load cells;
determine that a first UAV is in contact with a first subset of the load cells;
determine a first type of the first UAV based at least in part on known footprints associated with the first UAV and the signal associated with each of the first subset of the load cells;
calculate a first total weight of the first UAV based on the signal associated with each of the first subset of the load cells; and
calculate a first center of mass of the first UAV based at least in part on the signal, the first type of the first UAV, and the unique identifier associated with each of the first subset of the load cells.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A weight distribution associated with an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) may be determined prior to dispatch of the UAV and/or after the UAV returns from operation (e.g., a flight). In some embodiments, one or more UAVs may be placed on or proximate to a physical metrics acquisition (PMA) device. The PMA device may include a grid or array of load cells may be used to determine a distribution of weight of the UAV at three or more points associated with the UAV. The distribution of weight may be used generate analytics, which may include a total weight of a vehicle, a center of mass of the vehicle (in two or more dimensions), power requirements of the UAV for a given flight task (e.g., how much battery power the UAV requires, etc.), and/or other analytics. In various embodiments, the PMA device may perform moment of inertia tests for the UAV.
42 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A system configured to determine distribution of weight associated with unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), the system comprising:
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an array of load cells aligned adjacent to one another to create a load cell grid, each of the load cells outputting a signal representative of a force exerted against each load cell, each of the load cells each having a unique identifier associated with a position of each load cell in the load cell grid; and a central processor configured to; receive the signal and the unique identifier from at least some of the load cells; determine that a first UAV is in contact with a first subset of the load cells; determine a first type of the first UAV based at least in part on known footprints associated with the first UAV and the signal associated with each of the first subset of the load cells; calculate a first total weight of the first UAV based on the signal associated with each of the first subset of the load cells; and calculate a first center of mass of the first UAV based at least in part on the signal, the first type of the first UAV, and the unique identifier associated with each of the first subset of the load cells. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A system comprising:
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a load cell grid including a plurality of load cells that form an array, each of the load cells configured to output a signal representative of a force exerted against the load cell by an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) resting on the array; and a central processor configured to; receive signals from at least a subset of the plurality of load cells of the array; determine a type of the UAV based at least in part on known footprints associated with the UAV, the signals, and known locations associated with load cells contacting the UAV; and calculate a center of mass of the UAV based at least in part on the signals and the known locations associated with the load cells contacting the UAV. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method comprising:
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receiving an assignment for an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) to perform a delivery of an item; placing the UAV upon an array of load cells in a load cell grid; receiving signals from a subset of load cells of the array that are in contact with the UAV, the signals including, for each load cell, at least a signal that is associated with a weight; associating the signals with the UAV; determining a type of the UAV based at least in part on known footprints associated with the UAV, the signals, and locations associated with the load cells; converting each signal into a weight associated with each of the load cells; calculating a center of mass based at least in part on the weight associated with each of the load cells and the locations associated with the load cells; and transmitting the type of the UAV and the center of mass to at least one of the UAV or another system that interfaces with the UAV. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification