# US 11,993,409 B2 · Vertical air vehicle takeoff and landing stabilization apparatuses, systems, and methods > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,993,409 B2 - Document ID: US11993409B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/588,477 - Filed: 2022-01-31 - Published: 2022-09-29 - Granted: 2024-05-28 - Earliest claimed: 2021-03-29 - Assignees: The Boeing Company - Applicants: The Boeing Company - Inventors: Wayne Richard Howe; Terrance Mason - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11993409B2 ## CPC - B64U 70/70: Launching or landing using catapults, tracks or rails (launching from storage containers B64U70/50) - B60L 53/00: Methods of charging batteries, specially adapted for electric vehicles; Charging stations or on-board charging equipment therefor; Exchange of energy storage elements in electric vehicles - B60L 53/16: Connectors, e.g. plugs or sockets, specially adapted for charging electric vehicles - B64U 30/299: Rotor guards (ducted or shrouded rotors B64U30/26; guards used as ground propulsion B64U60/60) - B64U 50/34: In-flight charging (photovoltaics B64U50/31) - B64U 50/37: Charging when not in flight - B64U 70/30: for capturing UAVs in flight by ground or sea-based arresting gear, e.g. by a cable or a net - B64U 70/50: Launching from storage containers, e.g. from submarine missile tubes - B64U 70/97: Means for guiding the UAV to a specific location on the platform, e.g. platform structures preventing landing off-centre - B64U 80/25: for recharging batteries; for refuelling - B60L 2200/10: Air crafts - B64U 10/14: with four distinct rotor axes, e.g. quadcopters - B64U 2101/64: for parcel delivery or retrieval - 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 ## Abstract Vertical takeoff and landing vehicles (VTOLs) of the type used for the point-to-point delivery and transport of payloads (e.g., packages, equipment, etc.) and personnel, are significantly stabilized at least during takeoff and landing with present aspects significantly ameliorating or significantly eliminating destabilizing effects, including ground effect, during VTOL takeoff and/or landing. VTOL performance is further improved through the use of increased lift pressure and battery charging during takeoff. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus for stabilizing takeoff and landing of a vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) vehicle, the apparatus comprising: at least one vertically-oriented support element, said at least one vertically-oriented support element comprising: a vertically-oriented support element first end, said vertically-oriented support element first end located proximate to a base; a vertically-oriented support element second end, said at least one vertically-oriented support element extending from the vertically-oriented support element first end to the vertically-oriented support element second end, said at least one vertically-oriented support element further comprising at least one first cooperating stabilizer element located proximate to the vertically-oriented support element second end; an enclosure comprising at least one moveable enclosure panel, said at least one moveable enclosure panel positioned proximate to the vertically-oriented support element first end, said enclosure further comprising an enclosure inner surface, said enclosure dimensioned to substantially surround the at least one vertically-oriented support element, said enclosure further dimensioned to completely surround the VTOL vehicle during at least one of VTOL vehicle takeoff and VTOL vehicle landing, said at least one moveable enclosure panel configured to open during the VTOL vehicle vertical takeoff and landing to mitigate ground effect turbulence within the apparatus; an electric charging element, said electric charging element in communication with a power supply, said electric charging element comprising at least one charging element charging contact, said at least one charging element charging contact in communication with at least one of a charging base, the at least one vertically-oriented support element, and the enclosure inner surface; and wherein the at least one first cooperating stabilizer element comprises at least one of a male attachment portion and a female attachment portion. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said vertically-oriented support element second end is located at a distance from the vertically-oriented support element first end, said distance ranging from about 4 ft. to about 100 ft. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one first cooperating stabilizer element is configured to extend outwardly from the at least one vertically-oriented support element. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one first cooperating stabilizer element comprises the male attachment portion dimensioned to receive a second cooperating stabilizer element, said second cooperating stabilizer element comprising a female attachment portion. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one first cooperating stabilizer element comprises the female attachment portion dimensioned to receive a second cooperating stabilizer portion, said second cooperating stabilizer element comprising a male attachment portion. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the female attachment portion comprises a slot, said slot located proximate to the vertically-oriented support element second end, said slot extending longitudinally along the length of the at least one vertically-oriented support element. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a guide, said guide in communication with the vertically-oriented support element second end, said guide further in communication with the at least one first cooperating stabilizer element, said guide comprising a guide inner surface. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a frame, said frame comprising: a plurality of vertically-oriented support elements, said plurality of vertically-oriented elements spaced at a distance from one another; at least one circumferential frame support, said at least one circumferential frame support in communication with one or more of the plurality of vertically-oriented support elements; and wherein said enclosure is dimensioned to substantially surround the frame. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the frame is configured to reside at a fixed location. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the frame is moveable to a plurality of locations. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the frame is configured to support at least one of the plurality of vertically-oriented support elements. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising the base, said base configured to support the frame. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the base is in communication with at least one of the plurality of vertically-oriented support elements. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a detector for detecting pressure within at least a localized region of the enclosure; a controller in communication with the detector; a drive mechanism in communication with the controller, said drive mechanism further in communication with the at least one moveable enclosure panel. ### Claim 15 (depends on 8) The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising: a guide, said guide in communication with the vertically-oriented support element second end of the plurality of vertically-oriented support elements, said guide further in communication with the at least one first cooperating stabilizer element, said guide comprising a guide inner surface, said guide inner surface further comprising at least one guide inner surface channel, said guide inner surface channel dimensioned to receive the second cooperating stabilizing element, said guide inner surface channel in communication with the at least one first cooperating stabilizer element. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a horizontally-disposed platform, said horizontally-disposed platform in communication with the at least one vertically-oriented support element, said horizontally-disposed platform comprising a rigid floor, said rigid floor comprising a mesh material, said mesh material comprising a mesh gauge selected to facilitate airflow through the rigid floor; a drive mechanism in communication with the horizontally-disposed platform; and wherein the drive mechanism is configured to raise and lower the horizontally-disposed platform. ### Claim 17 (depends on 8) The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising: a horizontally-disposed platform, said horizontally-disposed platform in communication with the at least one of the plurality of vertically-oriented support elements, said horizontally-disposed platform comprising a rigid floor, said rigid floor comprising a mesh material, said mesh material comprising a mesh gauge selected to facilitate airflow through the rigid floor; a drive mechanism in communication with the horizontally-disposed platform; and wherein the drive mechanism is configured to raise and lower the horizontally-disposed platform from a first position to a second position. ### Claim 18 An apparatus for assisting a vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) vehicle takeoff, the apparatus comprising: at least one vertically-oriented support element, said at least one vertically-oriented support element-having a vertically-oriented support element first end and a vertically-oriented support element second end, said vertically-oriented support element first end located proximate to a base, said vertically-oriented support element extending from the vertically-oriented support element first end to the vertically-oriented support element second end, said at least one vertically-oriented support element comprising a first cooperating stabilizer element, said first cooperating stabilizer element located proximate to the vertically-oriented support element second end; an enclosure, said enclosure comprising at least one moveable enclosure panel, said at least one moveable enclosure panel positioned proximate to the vertically-oriented support element first end, said enclosure dimensioned to substantially surround the at least one vertically-oriented support element, said enclosure comprising a conductive enclosure inner surface, said enclosure further dimensioned to completely surround the VTOL vehicle during at least one of VTOL vehicle takeoff and VTOL vehicle landing, said at least one moveable enclosure panel configured to open during the VTOL vehicle vertical takeoff and landing to mitigate ground effect turbulence within the apparatus; an electric charging element, said electric charging element in communication with a power supply, said electric charging element comprising at least one charging element charging contact, said at least one charging element charging contact in communication with at least one of a charging base, the at least one vertically-oriented support element, and the conductive enclosure inner surface; and a pressure detector; a controller in communication with the pressure detector; and a release mechanism in communication with the controller, said release mechanism configured to release the VTOL vehicle from a substantially stationary position within the enclosure. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The apparatus of claim 18, further comprising: a guide, said guide in communication with the vertically-oriented support element second end of the at least one vertically-oriented support element, said guide further in communication with the at least one first cooperating stabilizer element. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the guide further comprises: a guide inner surface, said guide inner surface further comprising at least one guide inner surface channel, said guide inner surface channel in communication with the first cooperating stabilizer element.