Post-type apparatus for containing and charging unmanned vertical take-off and landing aircraft and method of containing and charging unmanned vertical take-off and landing aircraft using the same

• US 9,862,285 B2
• Filed: 12/01/2014
• Issued: 01/09/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Korea Aerospace Research Institute
• Original Assignee: Korea Aerospace Research Institute
• Inventors: Lee, Sang-Cherl, Kim, Hae-Dong, Gong, Hyeon-Cheol, Choi, Gi-Hyuk, Hwang, In-Hee, Suk, Byong-Suk
• Primary Examiner(s): Dinh, Tien Q
• Assistant Examiner(s): RODRIGUEZ, VICENTE M
• Application Number:
  US14/556,296
• Publication Number:
  US 20160347192A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,135 Days
• Field of Search: 320115, 191 1 R, 191 124
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/10 Air crafts
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/30 Constructional details of charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 45/08 optical
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 1/00 Ground or aircraft-carrier-deck installations specially adapted for captive aircraft B64F3/00
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 1/005 Protective coverings for aircraft not in use
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 1/12 for anchoring aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 1/222 for storing aircraft, e.g. in hangars
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/10 Rotorcrafts
• 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 20/10 for stealth, e.g. reduction of cross-section detectable by radars
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/20 Rotors; Rotor supports
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/19 using electrically powered motors
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/31 generated by photovoltaics
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/34 In-flight charging photovoltaics B64U50/31
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 70/30 for capturing UAVs in flight by ground or sea-based arresting gear, e.g. by a cable or a net
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 80/70 in containers B64U80/60 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 8/086 with lighting device attached sideways of the standard, e.g. for roads and highways
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 33/00 Structural combinations of lighting devices with other articles, not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/103 : of streets or roads
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 : Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/50 : Photovoltaic [PV] energy
• 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

An apparatus and method for containing and charging an unmanned VTOL aircraft are disclosed. The apparatus for containing and charging an unmanned VTOL aircraft includes a post, an extended member, a cover, a fastening unit, and a charging unit. The post is placed on a ground. The extended member is connected to the post. The cover is provided on the extended member, and is configured to be opened or closed in order to contain and protect the unmanned VTOL aircraft. The fastening unit is provided in the cover, and is configured to fasten the unmanned VTOL aircraft. The charging unit is provided in the fastening unit, and is configured to charge the unmanned VTOL aircraft.

Claims

1. An apparatus for containing and charging an unmanned vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft, comprising:

a post placed on a ground;

an extended member connected to the post, the extended member having a first portion connected to the post and a second portion extending from the first portion in a downward direction toward the ground;

a cover opening towards the ground connected to the second portion of the extended member, and configured to be selectively opened and closed in order to contain and protect the unmanned VTOL aircraft;

a fastening unit provided inside the cover, and configured to fasten the unmanned VTOL aircraft; and

a charging unit provided in the fastening unit, and configured to charge the unmanned VTOL aircraft,

wherein the charging unit includes a reception hole which is open to face the ground, such that a pole of the unmanned aircraft VTOL aircraft is inserted into the reception hole while the unmanned VTOL aircraft moves in a direction to increase height from the ground.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a pattern configured to identify a post to which the unmanned VTOL aircraft belongs is formed on an outside of the cover, and the pattern is one of a light emitting diode (LED) pattern and an infrared (IR) pattern.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a communication unit configured to communicate with the unmanned VTOL aircraft; and

a status data monitoring unit provided in the charging unit, and configured to simultaneously perform charging and data exchange on the unmanned VTOL aircraft.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a LED lamp configured to normally function as a street light is mounted on a bottom of the cover.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a LED/IR illuminant is attached to the post in order to guide the unmanned VTOL aircraft.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cover comprises a plurality of portions, and each of the plurality of portions are rotated around a top of the cover and thus opened.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the charging unit further comprises electrodes connected to the pole and configured to charge the unmanned VTOL aircraft, and electrode driving springs configured to push the electrode toward the pole.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the electrodes and the electrode driving springs are disposed in each of a plurality of lateral holes that communicate with the reception hole.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein:

the pole comprises a plurality of rings that are disposed at predetermined intervals in a length direction of the pole; and

a latch unit disposed in one of the plurality of lateral holes is configured to stop a bottom of any one of the plurality of rings, thereby preventing the pole from being removed from the reception hole in a state in which the pole has been inserted into the reception hole.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an external fastening unit configured to fasten a side of the unmanned VTOL aircraft.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cover is opaque, and the apparatus further comprises a camera and a LED lamp attached to an outside of the cover.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cover is transparent.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a solar cell plate is installed on a top of the post, and charges the unmanned VTOL aircraft or powers a lamp for a street light.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein strip-shaped LED/IR illuminants are disposed on an outside of the post at intervals so that the unmanned VTOL aircraft determines a distance from the post via radar or IR sensor of the unmanned VTOL aircraft, thereby guiding the unmanned VTOL aircraft through fastening to perform charging day and night.

15. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the communication unit can receive at least one of a GPS signal, a DGPS signal, and a beacon signal for detecting location information of the unmanned VTOL aircraft.

16. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein status information and a video data from the unmanned VTOL aircraft are transmitted in real time via the communication unit.

17. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein an entrance of the reception hole is formed in a cone shape, and thus the fastening of the unmanned VTOL aircraft is facilitated by lift of the unmanned VTOL aircraft and a slope of the cone shape during the fastening of the unmanned VTOL aircraft.

18. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the fastening unit is further configured such that a target- and cross-shaped LED/IR light is lit in order to guide the unmanned VTOL aircraft.

19. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cover is further configured to be selectively opened and closed using any one of a method in which two opposite cover portions are selectively opened and closed and a method in which a plurality of cover portions is selectively opened and closed.

20. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the charging unit is further configured to simultaneously perform charging and data exchange.

27. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the cover includes an inner surface and an outer surface, and when the cover is closed, the inner surface faces an inner space surrounded by the cover and the outer surface faces an exterior; and

the cover comprises a plurality of portions, and each of the plurality of portions are rotated around a top of the cover, opening the cover from a bottom of the cover and exposing the inner surface of the cover to face the ground.

28. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the reception hole is open at a bottom of the charging unit that faces the ground, and the reception hole extends in a vertical upward direction from the bottom of the charging unit to a depth.

21. A method of containing and charging an unmanned VTOL aircraft at a post placed on a ground, the method comprising:

identifying an unmanned VTOL aircraft at a long distance and receiving location information of the unmanned VTOL aircraft by an apparatus for containing and charging an unmanned VTOL aircraft;

guiding the unmanned VTOL aircraft to a nearby location;

guiding the unmanned VTOL aircraft toward a cover through guidance of a LED/IR illuminant attached to the post;

opening the cover in order to contain the unmanned VTOL aircraft;

allowing the unmanned VTOL aircraft to approach a location below the cover to perform charging and fastening when the unmanned VTOL aircraft detects an IR/LED light on a bottom of the cover via a camera attached to an end of a pole of the unmanned VTOL aircraft;

fastening the unmanned VTOL aircraft to a fastening unit of the apparatus for containing and charging the unmanned VTOL aircraft; and

performing charging and data exchange with the unmanned VTOL aircraft in a state in which the unmanned VTOL aircraft has been fastened.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein guiding the unmanned VTOL aircraft to a nearby location comprises guiding the unmanned VTOL aircraft to the nearby location by transmitting location information of a return point to the unmanned VTOL aircraft using the LED/IR illuminant of the post.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein fastening the unmanned VTOL aircraft further comprises fastening the side of the unmanned VTOL aircraft using an external fastening unit.

24. The method of claim 21, further comprising charging the unmanned VTOL aircraft with power that is generated by a solar cell plate installed on a top of the post.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein identifying the unmanned VTOL aircraft comprises receiving at least one of a GPS signal, a DGPS signal and a Beacon signal, and determining location information of the unmanned VTOL aircraft using the signal.

26. The method of claim 21, wherein charging the unmanned VTOL aircraft comprises transmitting status data of the unmanned VTOL aircraft in real time.