Modular personal transportation system
AssigneeKitty Hawk Corporation
InventorsSebastian Thrun, Damon Vander Lind
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A vertical landing of an aircraft is performed using the first battery where the aircraft is unoccupied when the vertical landing is performed, the unoccupied aircraft includes the first battery, and the unoccupied aircraft excludes a second, removable battery. In response to detecting that the second, removable battery is detachably coupled to the aircraft, a power source for the aircraft is switched from the first battery to the second, removable battery. After switching the switch power source, a vertical takeoff of the aircraft is performed using the second, removable battery, wherein the aircraft is occupied when the vertical takeoff is performed.
Claims20
A system, comprising:
- a first battery;
- and
- a controller which is configured to:
- perform a vertical landing of an aircraft using a second, removable battery, wherein:
- the aircraft is occupied by a passenger when the vertical landing is performed;
- and
- the second, removable battery is detachably coupled to the occupied aircraft;
- detect the second, removable battery being decoupled from the aircraft;
- in response to detecting the second, removable battery being decoupled from the aircraft, switch a power source for the aircraft from the second, removable battery to the first battery, wherein the first battery has a smaller capacity than the second, removable battery and corresponds to a smaller load than the occupied aircraft;
- and
- after switching the power source, perform a vertical takeoff of the aircraft using the first battery, wherein:
- the aircraft is unoccupied when the vertical takeoff is performed;
- the unoccupied aircraft includes the first battery;
- and
- the unoccupied aircraft excludes the second, removable battery.
A method, comprising:
- performing a vertical landing of an aircraft, wherein:
- the aircraft is occupied by a passenger when the vertical landing is performed;
- and
- the occupied aircraft includes a first battery and a second, removable battery;
- and
- detecting the second, removable battery being decoupled from the aircraft;
- in response to detecting the second, removable battery being decoupled from the aircraft, switching a power source for the aircraft from the second, removable battery to the first battery, wherein the first battery has a smaller capacity than the second, removable battery and corresponds to a smaller load than the occupied aircraft;
- and
- after switching the power source, performing a vertical takeoff of the aircraft using the first battery, wherein the aircraft is unoccupied by a passenger when the vertical takeoff is performed.
A computer program product embodied in a non-transitory computer readable storage medium and comprising computer instructions for:
- performing a vertical landing of an aircraft, wherein:
- the aircraft is occupied by a passenger when the vertical landing is performed;
- and
- the occupied aircraft includes a first battery and a second, removable battery;
- and
- detecting the second, removable battery being decoupled from the aircraft;
- in response to detecting the second, removable battery being decoupled from the aircraft, switching a power source for the aircraft from the second, removable battery to the first battery, wherein the first battery has a smaller capacity than the second, removable battery and corresponds to a smaller load than the occupied aircraft;
- and
- after switching the power source, performing a vertical takeoff of the aircraft using the first battery, wherein the aircraft is unoccupied by a passenger when the vertical takeoff is performed.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.