Swappable avionics for unmanned aerial vehicle

• US 10,583,922 B1
• Filed: 12/20/2016
• Issued: 03/10/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Boyes, Craig, Gentry, Nicholas Kristofer, Robb, Walker Chamberlain
• Primary Examiner(s): Brown, Claude J
• Application Number:
  US15/385,669
• Time in Patent Office: 1,176 Days
• Field of Search: 244 1711
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 1/22 Other structures integral with fuselages to facilitate loading , e.g. cargo bays, cranes
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 2211/00 Modular constructions of airplanes or helicopters
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 27/08 with two or more rotors
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 2013/0614 with subsystems for cooling avionics
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 2045/0065 Black boxes, devices automatically broadcasting distress signals
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 2045/0085 Devices for aircraft health monitoring, e.g. monitoring flutter or vibration
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 43/00 Arrangements or adaptations of instruments arrangements of cameras B64D47/08; aeronautical measuring instruments per se G01C
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 43/02 for indicating aircraft speed or stalling conditions
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 45/00 Aircraft indicators or protectors not otherwise provided for camouflage F41H3/00
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 47/02 Arrangements or adaptations of signal or lighting devices
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 47/08 Arrangements of cameras
• 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 20/80 Arrangement of on-board electronics, e.g. avionics systems or wiring
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/60 for transporting passengers; for transporting goods other than weapons
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/20 Rotors; Rotor supports
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/13 using external fans or propellers
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/39 Battery swapping

Abstract

A configurable unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) may include swappable avionics that may be selectable for use with other UAV components to build a customized UAV just prior to deployment of the UAV that is configured to deliver a package to a destination. Various factors may be involved in the selection of the avionics, such as an availability of different avionics, payload requirements (size, weight, etc.), environmental conditions along an anticipated route of flight, a region of use of the UAV, compatibility, a distance of the flight, power considerations, security considerations, and/or other factors. The avionics may include various hardware and/or software which may provide control output (e.g., data, power, and/or mechanical) to other components and/or systems, including a propulsion system. Coupling devices may selectively couple the avionics to other components of the UAV, such as to a battery, a cargo bay or package, and/or to a propulsion system.

Claims

1. An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) comprising:

a propulsion system comprising;

a propulsion frame;

a plurality of propulsion units coupled to the propulsion frame, each propulsion unit of the plurality of propulsion units including a rotor, a speed controller, and a motor; and

a propulsion port to provide at least one of power or control data to the plurality of propulsion units;

a detachable avionics system comprising;

an avionics frame;

a housing to enclose avionics components within the avionics frame;

a propulsion coupling feature to selectively couple to the propulsion system, the propulsion coupling feature to toggle between a first position that engages the propulsion system and a second position that is free from engaging the propulsion system;

an avionics port including at least a data port and a power port, the avionics port to couple to the propulsion port of the propulsion system to provide the at least one of the power or the control data;

a battery coupled to at least one of the detachable avionics system or the propulsion system, the battery to provide power to the avionics port;

a cargo bay that includes a door and that is coupled to at least one of the detachable avionics system or the propulsion system, the cargo bay configured to transport and selectively release packages from the UAV; and

control logic to selectively open the door to deposit the packages from the cargo bay at specific locations during a flight to be traversed by the UAV.

2. The UAV as recited in claim 1, wherein the avionics components comprise:

an attitude control device;

a navigation control device;

a computer vision device;

a health monitoring device;

a radio; and

a data logging device.

3. The UAV as recited in claim 1, wherein the propulsion system includes a cavity, and wherein the avionics system couples within the cavity of the propulsion system, and wherein the avionics port couples to the propulsion port of the propulsion system when the avionics system is seated in the cavity of the propulsion system.

4. The UAV as recited in claim 1, wherein the avionics system includes a cargo bay coupling feature to selectively couple the cargo bay to the avionics system, and wherein the avionics system controls operation of the cargo bay via at least one of a data connection, a power connection, or a mechanical connection.

5. The UAV as recited in claim 1, wherein the housing includes a plurality of fins coupled to an exterior of the housing and an aperture through the avionics system to remove heat from an interior of the housing.

6. An avionics device comprising:

a frame;

a housing, the housing at least partially enclosing interior avionics components within the frame;

a plurality of fins coupled to an exterior of the housing to dissipate heat from an interior of the housing;

a first coupling feature to selectively couple the avionics device to a propulsion system to form an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV); and

a first data interface configured to couple to at least a corresponding second data interface of the propulsion system,

wherein the housing forms a fuselage of the UAV after assembly of the UAV.

7. The avionics device as recited in claim 6, wherein the interior avionics components include at least a data logging device to store data collected during performance of a flight plan by the UAV, and wherein the first data interface is configured to output the data from the logging device.

8. The avionics device as recited in claim 6, further comprising a second coupling feature to selectively couple to a package, the second coupling feature configured to be actuated by the avionics device to uncouple the package at or above a delivery destination.

9. The avionics device as recited in claim 6, further comprising at least one external sensor coupled to the avionics device to capture environmental data, the at least one external sensor including at least one of a pitot tube or a camera.

10. The avionics device as recited in claim 6, wherein the internal avionics components include a temperature sensor to monitor internal temperature of the avionics device.

11. The avionics device as recited in claim 6, further comprising an aperture that projects at least partially within a volume of the avionics device to dissipate heat from the avionics device.

12. The avionics device as recited in claim 6, wherein the frame is configured as an airframe to support the propulsion system comprising multiple propulsion units.

13. The avionics device as recited in claim 6, further comprising a black box data recorder to log at least some flight data during operation of the UAV, the black box data recorder located inside of the housing and including a protective layer that at least partially surrounds the black box data recorder.

14. The avionics device as recited in claim 6, further comprising a locking mechanism to lock the first coupling to secure the propulsion system to the avionics device, and to unlock, in response to a key or data signal, to enable decoupling of the avionics device from the propulsion system.

15. The avionics device as recited in claim 6, further comprising:

a cargo bay that includes a door; and

control logic to selectively open the door to deposit one or more items from the cargo bay at one or more specific locations during a flight to be traversed by the UAV.

16. A system comprising:

a propulsion component comprising;

a plurality of propulsion units, individual propulsion units of the plurality of propulsion units including a rotor and a motor; and

a propulsion port to provide at least one of power or control data to the plurality of propulsion units;

a detachable avionics device comprising;

a frame;

a housing to at least partially enclose avionics components within the frame;

a propulsion coupling feature to selectively couple to the propulsion component; and

an avionics port including at least a data port and a power port, the avionics port to couple to the propulsion port of the propulsion component to provide the at least one of the power or the control data; and

a battery coupled to at least one of the detachable avionics device or the propulsion component, the battery to provide power to the avionics port,

wherein the propulsion component and the detachable avionics device form an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and the housing forms a fuselage of the UAV after assembly of the UAV.

17. The system as recited in claim 16, wherein the propulsion coupling feature is configured to toggle between a first position that engages the propulsion component and a second position that is free from engaging the propulsion component.

18. The system as recited in claim 16, wherein the avionics device includes at least one of a radio specified for communications in a predetermined region or an image sensor configured to record imagery in certain environmental conditions.

19. The system as recited in claim 16, wherein the avionics device includes a cargo bay that includes a door, the avionics device including control logic to selectively open the door to deposit items from the cargo bay at specific locations during a flight.

20. The system as recited in claim 16, further comprising a container coupler to couple an item for delivery to the avionics device, the avionics device configured to selectively decouple the container coupler to deposit the item at or above a delivery destination.