Apparatus and method of charging and housing of unmanned vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft

• US 9,701,425 B2
• Filed: 12/13/2013
• Issued: 07/11/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Korea Aerospace Research Institute
• Original Assignee: Korea Aerospace Research Institute
• Inventors: Lee, Sang Cherl, Rew, Dong Young, Sim, Eun Sup, Cho, Dong Hyun, Moon, Sang Man, Han, Sang Hyuck, Moon, Sung Tae, Kim, Jeong Hoon, Kim, Hae Dong, Kim, In Kyu, Choi, Gi Hyuk, Suk, Jin Young, Kim, Jin-Won, No, Tae Soo, Gong, Hyeon Cheol, Kim, Min Ki, Kim, Jong Chul
• Primary Examiner(s): OH, HARRY Y
• Application Number:
  US14/384,382
• Publication Number:
  US 20160009413A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,306 Days
• Field of Search: 701 16
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 1/007 Helicopter portable landing pads
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 1/222 for storing aircraft, e.g. in hangars
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 1/362 Installations for supplying conditioned air to parked aircraft
• 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 2201/104 using satellite radio beacon positioning systems, e.g. GPS
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/19 using electrically powered motors
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/31 generated by photovoltaics
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/37 Charging when not in flight
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 70/90 Launching from or landing on platforms
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 80/86 Land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 6/44 for storing aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/042 specially adapted for aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0013 with a ground station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0069 specially adapted for an unmanned aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/025 Navigation or guidance aids radar or analogous systems specially adapted for landing purposes G01S13/913

Abstract

An apparatus and method of charging and housing of an unmanned vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft is disclosed. The apparatus can accommodate an aircraft, and the apparatus includes a landing platform on which the aircraft lands, a housing portion to monitor state data by housing or charging the aircraft, and a sensor to assist in landing of the aircraft by allowing the aircraft to communicate with the apparatus. The apparatus enhances operational efficiency by reducing a travel time of the aircraft.

Claims

1. An apparatus for charging and housing of an aircraft, the apparatus comprising:

a landing platform to be provided at a side of the apparatus, and on which the aircraft lands;

a housing portion to monitor state data of the aircraft, and to house and charge the aircraft; and

a sensor to assist in landing of the aircraft by allowing the aircraft to communicate with the apparatus, wherein the sensor comprises an antenna and a component, wherein the component is configured to use light, is provided inside the antenna, is configured to move vertically to an upper portion of the antenna when in use for creating information associated with landing by implementing a three-dimensional (3D) map of a surrounding neighborhood, and is configured to move down to be inserted into a lower portion of the antenna when not in use.

2. The apparatus of claim 1,

wherein the antenna is a phase array antenna,

wherein the component is a Lidar, and

wherein the sensor further comprises at least one of:

an infrared (IR) ray sensor, a vision sensor, a sonar sensor, a beacon signal, a global positioning system (GPS) device or a differential global positioning system (DGPS) device, and light emitting diode (LED)/IR array lamps.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sensor to assist in landing of the aircraft by allowing the aircraft to communicate with the apparatus comprises a communication device,

wherein the communication device comprises at least one of:

an omni-antenna or a reflector antenna for satellite communication, a phase array antenna to trace a flight path of the aircraft, and a DGPS device.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein LED array lamps and IR array lamps are provided at a side of the landing platform

wherein the LED array lamps and the IR array lamps are configured to enable an automatic landing of the aircraft, and

wherein the LED array lamps are lamp is configured to generate a pattern during a daytime, and the IR array lamps are configured to generate a pattern during a nighttime, as necessary.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is configured to accommodate a plurality of aircrafts and move the plurality of aircrafts,

wherein the apparatus comprises:

an upper landing platform to be disposed on a top portion of the apparatus, and provided with a phase array radar or a Lidar;

a lateral landing platform to be disposed at a side portion of the apparatus, and provided with a landing zone; and

a rear landing platform to be disposed at a rear portion of the apparatus, and provided with a landing zone,

wherein the lateral landing platform or the rear landing platform is configured to open and close, and when the lateral landing platform or the rear landing platform is folded, the aircraft accommodated in the landing platform is housed and charged inside the apparatus.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the landing zone further comprises:

a fixer to be mechanically bonded to the aircraft.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising:

a latch in the fixer to be inserted and bonded to the aircraft.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising a power supply disposed in an outer peripheral portion of the landing zone,

wherein the latch is bonded to the aircraft, and

wherein the landing zone is configured to simultaneously perform power supplying or monitoring of the state data.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

an axis at a side of the apparatus,

wherein a leftward and rightward horizontal movement of the landing platform is centered on the axis to open outward horizontally to the apparatus.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a plurality of landing platforms is disposed vertically at differing positions, and opens outwardly in a form of a drawer.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, comprising:

a tower in which a plurality of aircraft is disposed;

a plurality of landing platforms configured to open horizontally;

a bridge to open the landing platforms externally to the tower;

a robotic arm disposed at a side of the tower and inside the apparatus to move the aircraft to the housing portion; and

an elevator provided in the tower to horizontally or vertically move the robotic arm.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising:

a maintenance room in the tower for a user to directly maintain the aircraft, or perform repairs in an occurrence of an anomaly in the aircraft.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the robotic arm further comprises at least one of a socket or a grab connector to connect the aircraft to the housing portion, and

the robotic arm is configured to move the aircraft to the housing portion.

14. A method of charging and housing of an aircraft, the method comprising:

identifying, using an apparatus for charging and housing of an aircraft, the aircraft and receiving information associated with a location of the aircraft;

guiding the aircraft towards a direction of the apparatus;

opening of a landing platform provided in the apparatus;

landing of the aircraft on the landing platform; and

housing and charging the aircraft and monitoring state data of the aircraft,

wherein the guiding the aircraft or the landing of the aircraft uses a sensor that comprises a phase array antenna and a Lidar, wherein the Lidar is configured to move with respect to the antenna, and

wherein the landing of the aircraft on the landing platform, or the guiding of the aircraft towards the direction of the apparatus further comprises use of at least one of;

a vision sensor, a sonar sensor, a beacon signal, light emitting diode (LED)/infrared (IR) array lamps, an omni-antenna, a reflector antenna, and a global positioning system (GPS) device or a differential global positioning system (DGPS) device.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the landing of the aircraft on the landing platform comprises:

calculating an optimal route based on collision avoidance amongst a plurality of aircrafts until the aircraft lands on the landing platform, and transmitting an access route to the aircraft.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the identifying of the aircraft and receiving the information associated with the location of the aircraft, and the guiding of the aircraft towards the direction of the apparatus comprises:

using the aircraft location information in determining a landing route using a GPS or a DGPS device provided inside the aircraft, and

using the aircraft location information in active controlling of the aircraft and determining the landing route by receiving information associated with altitude data from an inertial measurement unit (IMU) or attitude data and a heading angle received from an attitude heading reference system (AHRS).

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the landing of the aircraft on the landing platform comprises:

landing of the aircraft when the landing platform is disposed parallel to a ground, and

wherein the aircraft is configured to take off when the landing platform is disposed parallel to the ground.

18. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the Lidar is provided inside the phase array antenna, and is configured to vertically move to an upper portion of the phase array antenna when in use to be used for creating information associated with landing by implementing a three-dimensional (3D) map of a surrounding neighborhood, and is configured to move down to be inserted into a lower portion of the phase array antenna when not in use.

19. An apparatus for charging and housing of an aircraft, the apparatus comprising:

a landing platform to be provided at a side of the apparatus, and on which the aircraft lands;

a housing portion to monitor state data of the aircraft, and to house and charge the aircraft; and

a sensor to assist in landing of the aircraft by allowing the aircraft to communicate with the apparatus, wherein the sensor comprises a phase array antenna and a Lidar, wherein the Lidar is configured to move with respect to the phase array antenna,

wherein the sensor further comprises at least one of;

an infrared (IR) ray sensor, a vision sensor, a sonar sensor, a beacon signal, a global positioning system (GPS) device or a differential global positioning system (DGPS) device, and light emitting diode (LED)/IR array lamps.