Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) landing systems
AssigneeUnited Parcel Service of America, Inc.
InventorJulian Bell
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A landing system suitable for receiving an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) comprises an autonomous ground vehicle (AGV). A landing surface is disposed on the AGV, and the landing system comprises a loading channel suitable for passing an object delivered by the UAV through a first loading channel opening in the landing surface. The object passes within the loading channel through to a second loading channel opening at a bottom aspect of the AGV. In this way, a UAV can land on the landing surface, and the AGV positions the object in line with a target delivery location, where the object is delivered. Aspects of the landing system comprise an electromagnet or vacuum chamber for securing the UAV to the landing surface, thereby enhancing stability of the UAV during movement of the landing system.
Claims15
A landing system comprising:
- a landing surface;
- a plurality of landing gear receiving sites, wherein each landing gear receiving site of the plurality of landing gear receiving sites comprises an opening formed by the landing surface and a perimeter wall extending from a first landing gear receiving site end at the opening to a second landing gear receiving site end, and a first diameter of the perimeter wall at the first landing gear receiving site end is greater than a second diameter of the perimeter wall at the second landing gear receiving site end to accommodate a contact area of a landing gear that is conical;
- and
- a lock disposed within each landing gear receiving site of the plurality of landing gear receiving sites, wherein when the contact area of a landing gear is inserted into one of the plurality of landing gear receiving sites and pushes against the lock, the lock is configured such that (i) the contact area depresses and moves the lock from a first position through an opening of the perimeter wall to a second position to allow the contact area to move further into the one of the plurality of landing gear receiving sites and (ii) the lock is biased from the second position through the opening of the perimeter wall to the first position and into a groove of the contact area to lock the landing gear to the landing system once the contact area is inserted into the one of the plurality of landing gear receiving sites such that the groove is aligned with the opening of the perimeter wall.
A landing system comprising:
- a landing surface;
- a landing gear receiving site having an opening formed by the landing surface and a perimeter wall extending away from a perimeter edge of the opening, wherein the perimeter wall extends from a first landing gear receiving site end at the opening to a second landing gear receiving site end, and a first diameter of the perimeter wall at the first landing gear receiving site end is greater than a second diameter of the perimeter wall at the second landing gear receiving site end to accommodate a contact area of a landing gear that is conical;
- and
- a lock disposed within the landing gear receiving site, the lock movable between a first position and a second position, wherein when the contact area of the landing gear is inserted into the landing gear receiving site and pushes against the lock, the lock is configured such that (i) the contact area depresses and moves the lock from the first position through an opening of the perimeter wall to the second position to allow the contact area to move further into the landing gear receiving site and (ii) the lock is biased from the second position through the opening in the perimeter wall to the first position and into a groove of the contact area to lock the landing gear to the landing system once the contact area is inserted into the landing gear receiving site such that the groove is aligned with the opening in the perimeter wall.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.