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US 11,142,316 B2Granted
Control of drone-load system method, system, and apparatus
AssigneeVita Inclinata Technologies, Inc.
InventorsDerek Sikora, Logan Goodrich, Caleb B. Carr
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Disclosed are systems, apparatuses, and methods to enhance control of a drone-load system, including through drone thrusters or load thrusters.
Claims17
A control system for a drone-load system to influence at least one of a position, orientation, or motion of the drone-load system, comprising:
- the drone-load system, wherein the drone-load system comprises a drone, a load, and a load thruster;
- wherein the drone comprises a drone thruster, wherein the load is secured to the drone, and wherein the load thruster has a horizontal orientation;
- a sensor suite, and a computer processor and memory, wherein the memory comprises a control module which, when executed by the computer processor, is to determine at least one of a position, orientation, or motion of the drone-load system based on a sensor data from the sensor suite and is to control the drone thruster to influence the position, orientation, and motion of the drone-load system;
- wherein to determine the position, orientation, and motion of the drone-load system based on a sensor data from the sensor suite, the control module is to estimate and predict a state or parameter of the drone-load system based on the sensor data, wherein to estimate and predict the state or parameter of the drone-load system based on the sensor data comprises to combine the sensor data from the sensor suite in a non-linear filter according to a system model with feedback from at least one of a functional mode or command state of the control module, a thrust and orientation mapping, or a fan and hoist mapping.
1 more element
A computer implemented method to influence at least one of a position, orientation, or motion of a drone-load system, comprising:
- a drone-load system comprising a drone, a load, a load thruster, and a computer processor and memory, wherein the drone comprises a drone thruster, wherein the load thruster has a horizontal orientation;
- and wherein the memory comprises instructions for a control module;
- executing by the computer processor the instructions for the control module and thereby
- obtaining a sensor data from a sensor suite;
- determining at least one of a position, orientation, or motion of the drone-load system based on the sensor data from the sensor suite;
- and
- controlling the drone thruster to influence at least one of the position, orientation, or motion of the drone-load system;
- wherein determining at least one of the position, orientation, or motion of the drone-load system based on a sensor data from the sensor suite comprises estimating and predicting a state or parameter of the drone-load system based on the sensor data and wherein estimating and predicting the state or parameter of the drone-load system based on the sensor data comprises combining the sensor data from the sensor suite in a non-linear filter according to a system model with feedback from at least one of a functional mode or command state of the control module, a thrust and orientation mapping, or a fan and hoist mapping.
5 more elements
An apparatus to influence at least one of a position, orientation, or motion of a drone-load system, comprising:
- means for a drone-load system, wherein the drone-load system comprises a drone, a load, and a load thruster, wherein the drone comprises means for a drone thruster and wherein the load thruster has a horizontal orientation;
- means to obtain a sensor data from a sensor suite, determine at least one of a position, orientation, or motion of the drone-load system based on the sensor data from the sensor suite, and control the drone thruster to influence at least one of the position, orientation, or motion of the drone-load system;
- wherein means to determine at least one of the position, orientation, or motion of the drone-load system based on a sensor data from the sensor suite comprises means to estimate and predict a state or parameter of the drone-load system based on the sensor data and wherein means to estimate and predict the state or parameter of the drone-load system based on the sensor data comprises means to combine the sensor data from the sensor suite in a non-linear filter according to a system model with feedback from at least one of a functional mode or command state of the control module, a thrust and orientation mapping, or a fan and hoist mapping.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.