Drone air to ground transition system
OwnerChristopher Cade Spikes, Daniel Caleb Kumlerinventors
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) having a plurality of arms and a land/air drive assembly attached to each arm. The land/air drive assembly includes (i) a multi-speed motor assembly; (ii) a propeller having a first diameter and driven by the motor assembly at a first speed; and (iii) a ground drive wheel having a second diameter greater than the first diameter and driven by the motor assembly at a second speed slower than the first speed. A drive assembly orientation actuator is positioned between each arm and each drive assembly, wherein the orientation actuator is configured to, on command, rotate the drive assembly between a flight position and ground drive position approximately perpendicular to the flight position.
Claims20
An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) comprising:
- (a) a body with at least two extending arms;
- (b) a land/air drive assembly attached to each arm, each drive assembly including:
- (i) a multi-speed motor assembly;
- (ii) a propeller driven by the motor assembly at a first speed, the propeller having a first diameter;
- (iii) a ground drive wheel driven by the motor assembly at a second speed slower than the first speed, the ground drive wheel having a second diameter greater than the first diameter;
- and
- (c) a drive assembly orientation servo positioned between each arm and each drive assembly, wherein the orientation servo is configured to, on command, rotate the drive assembly between a flight position and a ground drive position approximately perpendicular to the flight position.
A method of operating an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), wherein the UAV comprises:
- (a) a body with at least two extending arms;
- (b) a land/air drive assembly attached to each arm, each drive assembly including:
- (i) a multi-speed motor assembly;
- (ii) a propeller driven by the motor assembly at a first speed, the propeller having a first diameter;
- (iii) a ground drive wheel driven by the motor assembly at a second speed slower than the first speed, the ground drive wheel having a second diameter greater than the first diameter;
- and
- (c) a drive assembly orientation actuator positioned between each arm and each drive assembly, wherein the orientation actuator is configured to, on command, rotate the drive assembly between a flight position and ground drive position approximately perpendicular to the flight position;
- wherein the method comprises the steps of:
- (d) flying the UAV to a landing location having a landing surface;
- (e) positioning the UAV to a height of less than 3 feet above the landing surface;
- (f) transitioning the orientation actuator to the ground drive position in less than two seconds;
- (g) whereby the UAV makes a substantially unpowered decent to the landing surface.
An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) comprising:
- (a) a body with at least two extending arms;
- (b) a land/air drive assembly attached to each arm, each drive assembly including:
- (i) a multi-speed motor assembly;
- (ii) a propeller driven by the motor assembly at a first speed, the propeller having a first diameter;
- (iii) a ground drive wheel driven by the motor assembly at a second speed slower than the first speed, the ground drive wheel having a second diameter greater than the first diameter;
- and
- (c) a drive assembly orientation actuator positioned between each arm and each drive assembly, wherein the orientation actuator is configured to, on command, rotate the drive assembly between a flight position and ground drive position approximately perpendicular to the flight position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.