# US 11,708,160 B2 · Unmanned aerial vehicle with protective outer cage > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,708,160 B2 - Document ID: US11708160B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/643,848 - Filed: 2018-09-04 - Published: 2021-03-04 - Granted: 2023-07-25 - Earliest claimed: 2017-09-05 - Assignees: Flyability SA - Applicants: Flyability SA - Inventors: Adrien Briod; Arnaud Garnier; Ludovic Daler; Alexandre Pabouctsidis - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11708160B2 ## CPC - B64U 50/13: using external fans or propellers - B60L 50/60: using power supplied by batteries (in combination with fuel cells B60L50/75) - B64D 47/02: Arrangements or adaptations of signal or lighting devices - B64U 10/14: with four distinct rotor axes, e.g. quadcopters - B64U 30/24: Coaxial rotors - B64U 30/297: Tilting rotors - B64U 30/299: Rotor guards (ducted or shrouded rotors B64U30/26; guards used as ground propulsion B64U60/60) - B64U 50/30: Supply or distribution of electrical power - B60L 2200/10: Air crafts - B64U 2101/31: for surveillance - B64U 2201/20: Remote controls - Y02T 10/70: Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries - B64U: UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES [UAV]; EQUIPMENT THEREFOR - B60L: PROPULSION OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (arrangements or mounting of electrical propulsion units or of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion in vehicles B60K1/00, B60K6/20; arrangements or mounting of electrical gearing in vehicles B60K17/12, B60K17/14; preventing wheel slip by reducing power in rail vehicles B61C15/08; dynamo-electric machines H02K; control or regulation of electric motors H02P); SUPPLYING ELECTRIC POWER FOR AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (electric coupling devices combined with mechanical couplings of vehicles B60D1/64; electric heating for vehicles B60H1/00); ELECTRODYNAMIC BRAKE SYSTEMS FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL (control or regulation of electric motors H02P); MAGNETIC SUSPENSION OR LEVITATION FOR VEHICLES; MONITORING OPERATING VARIABLES OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; ELECTRIC SAFETY DEVICES FOR ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES - B64D: EQUIPMENT FOR FITTING IN OR TO AIRCRAFT; FLIGHT SUITS; PARACHUTES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF POWER PLANTS OR PROPULSION TRANSMISSIONS IN AIRCRAFT - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION ## Abstract Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) including an inner frame, an inner flight propulsion system mounted on the inner frame, an outer frame, a gimbal system comprising at least two rotational couplings coupling the inner propulsion system to the outer frame, a control system, a power source, and an outer frame actuation system configured to actively orient the outer frame with respect to the inner frame. ## Claims ### Claim 1 Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) comprising: an inner frame, an inner flight propulsion system mounted on the inner frame, an outer frame forming an outer protective cage that surrounds and protects the inner flight propulsion system, the outer frame having a camera or other sensors for measuring flight parameters and measuring position with respect to external objects, a gimbal system comprising a gimbal frame and at least two rotational couplings with orthogonal axes coupling the inner propulsion system to the outer frame, a control system including a wireless communication system for communicating with an external controller for a) remote control of the UAV, b) transmitting data from the camera, and c) transmitting data from the other sensors, a power source, and an outer frame actuation system, wherein the control system and the outer frame actuation system are configured to actively orient the outer frame around at least two axes respect to the inner frame to orient the outer frame according to a shape of an environment or the external objects, wherein the outer frame actuation system comprises an outer air propulsion system fixed to the outer frame or to the gimbal frame, the inner flight propulsion system configured to enable the UAV to hover and fly without thrust from the outer propulsion system, and wherein the control system and the outer frame actuation system are configured to actively orient the outer frame around the at least two axes with respect to the inner frame to move into a desired orientation such that the camera or other sensors are oriented in a certain direction or keep in a stable orientation with respect to the external objects. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) UAV according to claim 1, wherein the outer air propulsion system comprises a plurality of propulsion units comprising propellers or turbines driven by motors controlled by the control system to govern the orientation of the outer frame with respect to the inner frame. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) UAV according to claim 2, wherein the propulsion units that are positioned proximate but offset laterally from a gimbal axis coupled rotationally to the outer frame. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) UAV according to claim 2, wherein at least one of the propulsion units is reversible and controllable to generate forward or reverse thrust. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) UAV according to claim 2, wherein the outer frame propulsion units are tilted so as generate thrust in a direction forming an acute angle with the vertical direction during stable flight, configured to control orientation of the outer frame around a Yaw axis. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) UAV according to claim 1, wherein the outer air propulsion system comprises propulsion units fixed to a frame of the gimbal system, the frame coupled to the outer frame via one of said rotational couplings. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) UAV according to claim 1, wherein the outer air propulsion system comprises at least two propulsion units, at least one propulsion unit mounted proximate each rotational coupling connecting the outer frame to the gimbal frame. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) UAV according to claim 1, wherein the outer air propulsion system is configured to generate lift in conjunction with the inner propulsion system for the flight of the UAV. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) UAV according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said rotational couplings connecting the outer frame to a gimbal frame further comprises a clutch configured to block rotation of the outer frame with the gimbal frame and to allow decoupling of the outer frame from the gimbal frame. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) UAV according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said rotational couplings further comprises an electrical rotary actuator to actively orient the inner frame relative to the outer frame. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) UAV according to claim 10 wherein the inner propulsion system has a single propulsion unit. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) UAV according to claim 1 wherein the inner propulsion system comprises a plurality of propulsion units. ### Claim 13 Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) comprising: an inner frame, an inner flight propulsion system mounted on the inner frame, an outer frame forming an outer protective cage that surrounds and protects the inner flight propulsion system, the outer frame having a camera or other sensors for measuring flight parameters and measuring position with respect to external objects, a gimbal system comprising a gimbal frame and at least two rotational couplings with orthogonal axes coupling the inner propulsion system to the outer frame, a control system, including a wireless communication system for communicating with an external controller for a) remote control of the UAV, b) transmitting data from the camera, and c) transmitting data from the other sensors, a power source, and an outer frame actuation system, wherein the control system and the outer frame actuation system are configured to actively orient the outer frame with respect to the inner frame to orient the outer frame according to a shape of an environment or the external objects, wherein the outer frame actuation system comprises an electrical rotary actuator mounted on one or more rotational couplings coupling the outer frame to the gimbal frame of the gimbal system, and a clutch to allow decoupling of the outer frame from the gimbal frame, and wherein the control system and the outer frame actuation system are configured to actively orient the outer frame around at least two axes with respect to the inner frame to move into a desired orientation such that the camera or other sensors are oriented in a certain direction or keep in a stable orientation with respect to the external objects. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) UAV according to claim 13 wherein the clutch is electronically activated. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) UAV according to claim 13 wherein at least one rotational coupling comprises a torque sensor to sense a collision event. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) UAV according to claim 13 wherein the clutch is passive and configured to slip when a certain amplitude of torque is exceeded. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) UAV according to claim 1, wherein the outer propulsion system is mounted inside the outer protective cage formed by the outer frame. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) UAV according to claim 1, wherein components of the UAV are mounted at opposite ends of a long axis A, said components including any one or more of a surveillance system, a functional system, sensors, lighting, elements of the control system, elements of the power source. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) UAV according to claim 1, further comprising a surveillance system comprising any one or more of camera, a distance sensor, a lighting system, mounted to the outer frame. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) UAV according to claim 1, further comprising a functional system comprising any one or more of a robotic gripper or object manipulator, an electromagnet, a sensing probe, a fluid dispenser, a sample collector, is mounted to the outer frame. ### Claim 21 (depends on 1) UAV according to claim 1, wherein the gimbal system comprises a rotation joint, the inner frame comprising a beam coupled rotationally to the rotation joint forming a first of said forming said two rotational couplings, a second beam coupled rotationally to the rotation joint forming a second of said two rotational couplings, the second beam constituting part of the outer frame or part of the gimbal system. ### Claim 22 (depends on 1) UAV according to claim 1, wherein the inner frame beam extends uninterrupted through the rotation joint and the second beam extends uninterrupted through the rotation joint. ### Claim 23 (depends on 1) UAV according to claim 1, wherein the power source comprises a battery, and the outer frame comprise a battery mounting frame with an adjustable battery mounting position on an opposite side of a rotation coupling from a functional system or payload to change the position of the battery along the battery mounting beam and thus adjust the center of mass of the outer frame. ### Claim 24 (depends on 1) UAV according to claim 1, wherein the outer frame has the camera and other sensors for measuring flight parameters and measuring position with respect to external objects, wherein the control system and the outer frame actuation system are configured to actively orient the outer frame around the at least two axes with respect to the inner frame to move into a desired orientation such that the camera and other sensors are oriented in a certain direction or keep in a stable orientation with respect to the external objects, and wherein the control system and the outer frame actuation system are also configured to actively orient the outer frame around the at least two axes with respect to the inner frame to navigate the UAV according to a shape of an environment and the external objects. ### Claim 25 (depends on 1) UAV according to claim 1, wherein the control system and the outer frame actuation system are configured to actively orient the outer frame around the at least two axes with respect to the inner frame in case of a collision with the external object and whenever fee rotation of the outer frame relative to the inner frame is desired. ### Claim 26 (depends on 13) UAV according to claim 13, wherein the outer frame has the camera and other sensors for measuring flight parameters and measuring position with respect to external objects, wherein the control system and the outer frame actuation system are configured to actively orient the outer frame around the at least two axes with respect to the inner frame to move into a desired orientation such that the camera and other sensors are oriented in a certain direction or keep in a stable orientation with respect to the external objects, and wherein the control system and the outer frame actuation system are also configured to actively orient the outer frame around the at least two axes with respect to the inner frame to navigate the UAV according to a shape of an environment and the external objects. ### Claim 27 (depends on 13) UAV according to claim 13, wherein the control system and the outer frame actuation system are configured to actively orient the outer frame around the at least two axes with respect to the inner frame in case of a collision with the external object and whenever fee rotation of the outer frame relative to the inner frame is desired.