Unmanned aerial vehicle and techniques for securing a payload to the UAV in a desired orientation
AssigneeWing Aviation LLC
InventorsTrevor Shannon, Andre Prager, Zhefei Li, Kyle Liske
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An unmanned aerial vehicle system is provided including an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) having a fuselage, a tether having a first end secured to a winch system positioned in the UAV and a second end secured to a payload coupling apparatus, a payload coupling apparatus receptacle positioned in the fuselage of the UAV, a payload having a handle, wherein the handle of the payload is positioned within a slot in the payload coupling apparatus. A method of securing a payload to a UAV is also provided.
Claims15
An unmanned aerial vehicle system comprising:
- an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) having a fuselage;
- a tether having a first end secured to a winch system positioned in the UAV and a second end secured to a payload coupling apparatus;
- a payload coupling apparatus receptacle positioned in the fuselage of the UAV;
- a payload having a handle directly connected to a top of the payload, wherein the handle of the payload is positionable within a slot in the payload coupling apparatus;
- and
- wherein the payload coupling apparatus comprises a housing;
- wherein the housing is attached to the second end of the tether;
- wherein a first cam and a second cam extend outwardly from an outer surface of the housing of the payload coupling apparatus, and wherein the first and second cams are adapted to engage mating cams positioned within the payload coupling apparatus receptacle positioned in the fuselage of the UAV to force rotation of the payload coupling apparatus and the handle of the payload into a desired position within the payload coupling apparatus receptacle positioned in the fuselage of the UAV.
An unmanned aerial vehicle system comprising:
- an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) having a fuselage;
- a tether having a first end secured to a winch system positioned in the UAV and a second end secured to a payload coupling apparatus;
- a payload coupling apparatus receptacle extending longitudinally positioned in the fuselage of the UAV;
- a payload having a handle directly connected to a top of the payload, wherein the handle of the payload is adapted to be secured to the payload coupling apparatus, wherein a first cam and a second cam extend outwardly from an outer surface of the payload coupling apparatus, and wherein the first and second cams are adapted to engage mating cams positioned within the payload coupling apparatus receptacle positioned in the fuselage of the UAV to force rotation of the payload coupling apparatus and the handle of the payload into a desired position within the payload coupling apparatus receptacle positioned in the fuselage of the UAV.
A method of securing a payload to an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), including:
- providing a tether having a first end secured to a winch system positioned in the UA V and a second end secured to a payload coupling apparatus;
- a payload coupling apparatus receptacle positioned in the fuselage of the UAV;
- a payload having a handle, wherein the handle of the payload is positioned within a slot in the payload coupling apparatus;
- wherein the payload coupling apparatus includes a first cam and a second carts that extend outwardly from an outer surface of the housing, and wherein the first and second cams are adapted to engage mating cams positioned within the payload coupling apparatus receptacle to force rotation of the housing into a desired position within the fuselage of the UAV;
- operating the winch system to raise the payload coupling apparatus and payload to the UAV, until the first and second cams are brought into engagement with the mating cams positioned within the payload coupling apparatus receptacle;
- and
- further operating the winch system to force rotation of the payload coupling apparatus into a desired position within the payload coupling apparatus receptacle.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.