Modular arms on a rotor-based remote vehicle

• US 9,926,077 B2
• Filed: 06/23/2016
• Issued: 03/27/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Uavpatent Corporation
• Original Assignee: Teal Drones, Inc. (Red Cat Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Matus, George Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Trivedi, Atul
• Application Number:
  US15/190,928
• Publication Number:
  US 20170015418A1
• Time in Patent Office: 642 Days
• Field of Search: 701 3
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 2211/00 Modular constructions of airplanes or helicopters
• 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 20/50 Foldable or collapsible UAVs with frangible components B64U20/30
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 20/83 Electronic components structurally integrated with aircraft elements, e.g. circuit boards carrying loads
• 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 2201/20 Remote controls
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/20 Rotors; Rotor supports
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/19 using electrically powered motors

Abstract

A rotor-based remote flying vehicle platform includes a vehicle body. The vehicle body includes a processing unit that receives positional sensor data and provides flight controls based upon the received positional sensor data. The vehicle body also includes a first frame connection interface that is configured to interface with a plurality of different arm types. The first frame connection interface comprises a physical connection and an electronic connection. Additionally, the rotor-based remote flying vehicle platform includes a first arm, of a rotor-based remote flying vehicle platform, that is selectively connectable to the vehicle body through the first frame connection interface. The first arm comprises a first arm connection interface that is selectively connectable to the first frame connection interface. Additionally, the first arm comprises a first motor mounted to the first arm.

Claims

1. A rotor-based remote flying vehicle platform comprising:

a vehicle body, wherein the vehicle body comprises;

a processing unit that receives positional sensor data and provides flight controls based upon the received positional sensor data, and

a first frame connection interface that is configured to interface with a plurality of different arm types, wherein the first frame connection interface comprises a physical connection and an electronic connection;

a first arm that is selectively connectable to the vehicle body through the first frame connection interface, wherein the first arm comprises;

a first arm connection interface that is selectively connectable to the first frame connection interface, and

a first motor mounted to the first arm; and

an alternate arm that is selectively connectable to the vehicle body, wherein the alternate arm comprises an alternate arm connection interface that is selectively connectable to the first frame connection interface, and wherein the alternate arm comprises an alternate motor that is different type of motor than the first motor.

2. The rotor-based remote flying vehicle platform as recited in claim 1, wherein the alternate arm comprises a different length than the first arm.

3. The rotor-based remote flying vehicle platform as recited in claim 1, wherein the alternate arm comprises a different material than the first arm.

4. The rotor-based remote flying vehicle platform as recited in claim 1, wherein the alternate arm comprises a sensor module that is not present within the first arm.

5. The rotor-based remote flying vehicle platform as recited in claim 1, wherein the electronic connection comprises a power connection portion for providing power to the first motor.

6. The rotor-based remote flying vehicle platform as recited in claim 1, wherein the electronic connection comprises a motor-control connection portion for communicating control signals to a motor or motor controller.

7. The rotor-based remote flying vehicle platform as recited in claim 1, wherein the electronic connection comprises a sensor connection portion for communicating with a sensor disposed on the first arm.

8. The rotor-based remote flying vehicle platform as recited in claim 1, further comprising a second arm with an associated second motor, a third arm with an associated third motor, and a fourth arm with an associated fourth motor, wherein each of the first arm, second arm, third arm, and fourth arm are selectively replaceable with a different type of arm.

9. A rotor-based remote flying vehicle platform comprising:

a first arm that is selectively connectable to a vehicle body through a first frame connection interface, wherein the first arm comprises;

a first arm connection interface that is configured to physically attach to the first frame connection interface and to electronically communicate through the first frame connection interface,

a first motor mounted to the first arm, and

a first identification component that communicates first identification information relating to the first motor to a processing unit associated with the vehicle body.

10. The rotor-based remote flying vehicle platform as recited in claim 9, further comprising:

the vehicle body, wherein the vehicle body comprises;

the processing unit that receives positional sensor data and provides flight controls based upon the received positional sensor data, and

the first frame connection interface that is configured to interface with a plurality of different arm types, wherein the first frame connection interface comprises a physical connection and an electronic connection.

11. The rotor-based remote flying vehicle platform as recited in claim 9, wherein the first identification information also comprises information that corresponds to a length of the first arm.

12. The rotor-based remote flying vehicle platform as recited in claim 9, wherein the first identification information also comprises information that describes a type of motor of the first motor.

13. The rotor-based remote flying vehicle platform as recited in claim 9, wherein the first identification information also comprises information that corresponds with a type of material of the first arm.

14. The rotor-based remote flying vehicle platform as recited in claim 9, wherein the first arm comprises a sensor.

15. The rotor-based remote flying vehicle platform as recited in claim 14, wherein the first identification information also comprises information that relates to the sensor.

16. The rotor-based remote flying vehicle platform as recited in claim 9, further comprising a second arm with an associated second motor, a third arm with an associated third motor, and a fourth arm with an associated fourth motor, wherein each of the first arm, second arm, third arm, and fourth arm are selectively replaceable with a different type of arm.

17. The rotor-based remote flying vehicle platform as recited in claim 9, further comprising:

an alternate arm that is selectively connectable to the vehicle body through the first frame connection interface, wherein the alternate arm comprises;

an alternate arm connection interface that is configured to physically attach to the first frame connection interface and to electronically communicate through the first frame connection interface,

an alternate motor mounted to the alternate arm, wherein the alternate motor is a different type of motor than the first motor, and

an alternate identification component that communicates alternate identification information relating to the alternate motor to the processing unit associated with the vehicle body.

18. A method for customizing a rotor-based remote flying vehicle platform comprising:

receiving, at a processing unit associated with a vehicle body, a first indication that a first arm has been removed from a first frame connection interface;

receiving, at the processing unit associated with the vehicle body, a second indication that a second arm has been connected to the first frame connection interface, wherein the second indication comprises;

data describing one or more operating characteristics of a second motor mounted to the second arm, wherein the second motor is a different type of motor than the first motor and is associated with different operating characteristics; and

communicating a command from the processing unit to the second motor, wherein one or more aspects of the command are determined by the data.