Systems and methods for unmanned aerial painting applications

• US 9,776,200 B2
• Filed: 09/19/2014
• Issued: 10/03/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Luryto, LLC
• Original Assignee: Luryto, LLC
• Inventors: Busby, Luke Andrew, Iverson, Todd, McMaster, Ryan
• Primary Examiner(s): ISMAIL, MAHMOUD S
• Application Number:
  US14/491,780
• Publication Number:
  US 20160082460A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,110 Days
• Field of Search: 244 1711, 244 53 R, 340540, 35613903, 427 8, 701 2- 3
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 12/122 responsive to presence or shape of target B05B12/124 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 13/005 mounted on vehicles or designed to apply a liquid on a very large surface, e.g. on the road, on the surface of large containers
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 9/007 At least a part of the apparatus, e.g. a container, being provided with means, e.g. wheels, for allowing its displacement relative to the ground
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 9/0403 with pumps for liquids or other fluent material B05B9/043 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/13 Flying platforms
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/14 with four distinct rotor axes, e.g. quadcopters
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/00 UAVs specially adapted for particular uses or applications
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/28 for painting or marking
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/30 for imaging, photography or videography
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/64 for parcel delivery or retrieval
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/20 Remote controls

Abstract

Various embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to an Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) for applying a liquid to a surface. According to various embodiments, the UAS includes an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) including flight control mechanisms. The UAV is configured to receive first control signals and to adjust an operational configuration of the flight control mechanisms in response to the first control signals. The UAS further includes a delivery assembly coupled to the UAV, where the delivery assembly is configured to receive second control signals and to apply the liquid to the surface located proximately to the UAV in response to the second control signals. The UAS further includes a control unit coupled to the UAV and the delivery assembly, the control unit configured to transmit the first and second control signals to the UAV and the delivery assembly, respectively.

Claims

1. An Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) for applying a liquid to a surface, the UAS comprising:

an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) including a body, flight control mechanisms connected to the body, a boom extending radially outward from the body, and a bumper disposed on a distal end of the boom, the UAV configured to receive first control signals and to adjust an operational configuration of the flight control mechanisms in response to the first control signals;

a delivery assembly connected to the UAV, the delivery assembly configured to receive second control signals and to apply the liquid to the surface in response to the second control signals, the delivery assembly including;

a supply reservoir, the supply reservoir configured to hold the liquid and remain on the ground while the UAV is in flight,

a nozzle disposed on the distal end of the boom, the nozzle configured to apply the liquid to the surface, wherein the bumper is arranged to protect the nozzle if the bumper contacts the surface during flight,

a first pump coupled to the UAV, the first pump configured to supply the liquid to the nozzle,

a tether comprising a flexible tube connected between the supply reservoir and the first pump,

a second pump connected to the supply reservoir and the flexible tube, the second pump configured to force the liquid from the supply reservoir, through the flexible tube, and to the first pump; and

a control unit connected to the UAV, the control unit configured to transmit the first and second control signals to the UAV and the delivery assembly, respectively.

2. The UAS of claim 1, further comprising a ground-based control station, the ground-based control station comprising one selected from the group consisting of a laptop computer, a tablet, and a mobile phone.

3. The UAS of claim 1, the tether further comprising a power supply line.

4. The UAS of claim 3, further comprising a power supply configured to provide electrical power to the UAV and the delivery assembly via the power supply line.

5. The UAS of claim 1, wherein the UAV comprises a plurality of sensors, and wherein the system further comprises a plurality of reflectors affixed to the surface, wherein the sensors are configured to detect a position of the UAV relative to the reflectors and generate third signals associated with the position.

6. The UAS of claim 5, wherein the control unit is configured to determine the location of the UAV relative to the reflectors based at least in part on the third signals.

7. The UAS of claim 6, wherein the control unit is configured to fly the UAV along a predetermined flight path proximate to the surface to apply the liquid in a predetermined pattern.

8. The UAS of claim 6, wherein the control unit is configured to fly the UAV in a plurality of randomly determined directions proximate to the surface and to apply the liquid at predetermined positions along the randomly determined directions, such that over time the liquid is applied to the surface in a predetermined pattern.

9. The UAS of claim 1, the tether further comprising a magnetic quick-release configured to separate the tether from the UAV in the event of an emergency.

10. The UAS of claim 1, wherein the nozzle is disposed at a distal end of the boom, and wherein the nozzle, boom, and flight control mechanisms are disposed such that the nozzle is located further from a center of the body than the flight control mechanisms.

11. An Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) for applying a liquid to a surface, the UAS comprising:

an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) including rotors, a body, a boom coupled to the body, a bumper disposed at a distal end of the boom, and a plurality of sensors disposed at the distal end of the boom, the plurality of sensors configured to detect, to the nearest centimeter, a position of the sensors relative to the surface, the UAV configured to receive first control signals and to adjust an operational configuration of the rotors in response to the first control signals;

a liquid delivery assembly connected to the UAV, the liquid delivery assembly including a nozzle, the nozzle disposed at the distal end of the boom, the boom, rotors, and nozzle arranged such that the nozzle is disposed further away from the body than the rotors, the liquid delivery assembly configured to receive second control signals and to apply the liquid to the surface with the nozzle in response to the second control signals, and

a control unit configured to transmit the first control signals and the second control signals to the UAV and the liquid delivery assembly, respectively, the control unit configured to calculate a position of the nozzle relative to the surface based at least upon the position of the sensors relative to the surface, the control unit configured to automatically adjust the operational configuration of the rotors in response to the calculated position of the nozzle relative to the surface such that the UAV travels along a predetermined flight path adjacent to the surface and the nozzle is maintained at an optimum distance from the surface as the UAV travels along the predetermined flight path, wherein the optimum distance is less than thirty centimeters, and wherein the bumper is arranged to protect the nozzle and the sensors if the bumper contacts the surface during travel of the UAV along the predetermined flight path.

12. The UAS of claim 11, wherein, the liquid delivery assembly further comprises:

a supply reservoir, the supply reservoir configured to hold the liquid and remain on the ground while the UAV is in flight;

a first pump coupled to the UAV, the first pump configured to supply the liquid to the nozzle;

a tether comprising a flexible tube coupled between the supply reservoir and the first pump; and

a second pump coupled to the supply reservoir and the flexible tube, the second pump configured to force the liquid from the supply reservoir, through the flexible tube, and to the first pump.

13. The UAS of claim 11, wherein the delivery assembly comprises:

a cradle configured to hold an aerosol can, the aerosol can including a spring valve; and

an actuator configured to depress the spring valve of the aerosol can in response to one of the second control signals.

14. An Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), comprising:

a body;

a rotor coupled to the body, an operational configuration of the rotor responsive to a first control signal;

a boom coupled to the body;

a nozzle coupled to a distal end of the boom, an operational configuration of the nozzle responsive to a second control signal, the rotor, boom, and nozzle arranged such that the nozzle is disposed further away from the body than the rotor;

a bumper disposed at the distal end of the boom;

a sensor disposed at the distal end of the boom, the sensor configured to generate a detection signal associated with a distance between the sensor and a surface disposed proximate to the sensor;

a control unit configured to calculate a distance between the nozzle and the surface based at least upon the detection signal, the control unit configured to generate the first control signal based at least upon the distance between the nozzle and the surface to automatically adjust the operational configuration of the rotor such that the UAV travels along a predetermined flight path adjacent to the surface and the nozzle is maintained at an optimum distance from the surface as the UAV travels along the predetermined flight path, wherein the optimum distance is less than thirty centimeters, and wherein the bumper is arranged to protect the nozzle and the sensor if the bumper contacts the surface during travel of the UAV along the predetermined flight path.