Modular unmanned aerial vehicles
AssigneeInsitu, Inc.
InventorsBryan G. Munro, Danny R. Nalley, Joel M. Reiter, Harold A. Brown, Ovidiu C. Mihai
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Modular unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are disclosed. A disclosed example UAV includes a fuselage that extends along a longitudinal axis, a wing support frame extending from the fuselage and along a wingspan of the UAV. The wing support frame includes distal ends to support a releasably couplable wing, the releasably couplable wing to extend along the wingspan when coupled to the wing support frame, and a motor boom that extends parallel to the longitudinal axis, the motor boom to support a motor that is oriented to generate lift for the UAV.
Claims22
An aerial vehicle (AV) comprising:
- a fuselage that extends along a longitudinal axis;
- a removable portion of a wing;
- a motor boom extending from the wing, the motor boom extending along a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis, the motor boom rotatable about an axis of rotation extending along the direction to move forward, first and second motors positioned thereon, the first and second motors on opposing distal ends of the motor boom, the first motor positioned at a fore position of the wing, the second motor positioned at an aft position of the wing;
- and a wing support frame extending from the fuselage and partially defining a fixed portion of the wing, the wing support frame having distal ends to support:
- the removable portion of the wing, and the motor boom.
A method comprising:
- coupling a fuselage that extends along a longitudinal axis to a wing support frame, the wing support frame extending from the fuselage and along a wingspan of an aerial vehicle (AV), the wing support frame partially defining a fixed portion of a wing;
- and coupling a removable portion of the wing to a distal end of the wing support frame, the removable portion of the wing to be releasably coupled to the wing support frame at the distal end, the distal end to support a motor boom that extends along a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis, the motor boom positioned on the wing and rotatable about an axis of rotation parallel to the direction of forward flight, the motor boom supporting first and second motors on opposing distal ends thereof, the first motor positioned at a fore position of the wing, the second motor positioned at an aft position of the wing.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.