Unmanned aerial vehicle locking landing pad
AssigneeTeledyne FLIR Detection, Inc.
InventorsElliott Forrest Leslie, Annan Michael Mozeika
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
This specification describes systems for unmanned aerial vehicle carrying and deployment. In some examples, an unmanned vehicle includes a drive system and a chassis. The chassis includes a platform for carrying an unmanned aerial vehicle and a retainer configured to secure the unmanned aerial vehicle to the platform while the drive system drives the unmanned vehicle. The clamping system includes at least a first rotating bar and a protrusion from the first rotating bar.
Claims20
A method for securing an unmanned aerial vehicle to an unmanned vehicle, the method comprising:
- securing the unmanned aerial vehicle to a platform on a chassis of the unmanned vehicle as the unmanned aerial vehicle stands in a landing zone of the platform, the securing being performed by at least:
- a first servo motor rotating a first rotating bar at a first end of the first rotating bar and causing a protrusion of the first rotating bar to contact the unmanned aerial vehicle and press downward on a skid bar of the unmanned aerial vehicle with sufficient force to impede the unmanned aerial vehicle from sliding off the platform when the unmanned vehicle is in motion;
- and
- a second servo motor rotating a second rotating bar at a first end of the second rotating bar and causing a protrusion of the second rotating bar to contact a second skid bar of the unmanned aerial vehicle;
- wherein the platform comprises a first side and a second side opposite the first side, and the landing zone comprises a first side on the first side of the platform and a second side on the second side of the platform;
- wherein the first rotating bar is located on the first side of the platform and the second rotating bar is located on the second side of the platform;
- wherein the first rotating bar and the second rotating bar both extend in a longitudinal direction along the entire first and second sides of the landing zone, and the first rotating bar and the second rotating bar are oriented substantially in parallel to each other;
- and
- the method further comprises driving a drive system of the unmanned vehicle while securing the unmanned aerial vehicle to the platform.
An unmanned vehicle comprising:
- a drive system;
- and
- a chassis comprising:
- a platform configured to carry an unmanned aerial vehicle;
- and
- a retainer configured to secure the unmanned aerial vehicle to the platform while the drive system drives the unmanned vehicle, wherein the retainer comprises at least a first rotating bar and a protrusion from the first rotating bar;
- wherein the unmanned vehicle further comprises:
- a sensor system;
- and
- a control system configured for:
- receiving a locking signal transmitted by the unmanned aerial vehicle when the unmanned aerial vehicle lands on the platform, and, in response to receiving the locking signal, controlling the retainer to secure the unmanned aerial vehicle to the platform by at least rotating the first rotating bar;
- driving the drive system and executing a mapping routine for mapping an area using sensor signals received from the sensor system;
- determining that a surface within the area is to be mapped by the unmanned aerial vehicle;
- and
- controlling the retainer to release the unmanned aerial vehicle by at least rotating the first rotating bar and transmitting a deployment signal to the unmanned aerial vehicle, causing the unmanned aerial vehicle to map the surface to be mapped by the unmanned aerial vehicle.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.