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Ground-based mobile maintenance facilities for unmanned aerial vehicles

  • US 9,718,564 B1
  • Filed: 03/16/2017
  • Issued: 08/01/2017
  • Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2017
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A mobile system comprising:

  • a locomotive;

    a first well car, wherein the first well car is coupled to the locomotive;

    a first intermodal maintenance vehicle disposed on the first well car, wherein the first intermodal maintenance vehicle comprises a plurality of batteries, at least one robotic arm and at least one system for launching an aerial vehicle or retrieving the aerial vehicle within a compartment of the first intermodal maintenance vehicle;

    at least one computer system in communication with at least the locomotive, the first intermodal maintenance vehicle and a first aerial vehicle, wherein the at least one computer system is configured to execute a method comprising;

    causing the locomotive and the first well car to travel in a predetermined direction on a first set of rails;

    determining that a power level of a first battery aboard the first aerial vehicle is below a predetermined threshold at a first time, wherein the locomotive and the first well car are traveling in the predetermined direction on the first set of rails at the first time;

    determining a position of the first aerial vehicle;

    determining a rendezvous point for the first aerial vehicle and the first intermodal maintenance vehicle on the first set of rails based at least in part on at least one of the position of the first aerial vehicle or the power level;

    determining a first course and a first speed for the first aerial vehicle based at least in part on the power level and the rendezvous point;

    causing the first aerial vehicle to travel to the rendezvous point at the first course and the first speed;

    causing the locomotive and the first well car to travel to the rendezvous point at a second speed on the first set of rails;

    retrieving the first aerial vehicle within the compartment of the first intermodal maintenance vehicle by the at least one system while the locomotive is in motion on the first set of rails;

    removing the first battery from the first aerial vehicle within the compartment of the first intermodal maintenance vehicle by the at least one robotic arm; and

    installing a second battery into the first aerial vehicle within the compartment of the first intermodal maintenance vehicle by the at least one robotic arm.

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