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US 12,195,212 B2Granted
Aerial tree harvesting system
AssigneeAirforestry AB
InventorJohan Nordkvist
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention relates to an unmanned aerial tree harvesting system comprising a remotely and/or autonomously controlled UAV, an autonomously and/or remotely controlled tree harvesting tool configured for holding and/or delimbing and/or cutting at least a portion of a tree trunk attached underneath the UAV via at least one cord, a means configured for detecting rotational motion and/or pendulum motion of the tree harvesting tool, means attached to the UAV configured for detecting trees from above, at least one remotely and/or autonomously controlled forcing means, attached to the tree harvesting tool, configured for at least damping detected pendulum motion of the tree harvesting tool.
Claims22
An unmanned aerial tree harvesting system comprising:
- a remotely or autonomously controlled Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV);
- an autonomously or remotely controlled tree harvesting tool configured for at least one of holding, delimbing or cutting at least a portion of a tree trunk, wherein said tree harvesting tool is attached underneath the UAV via at least one cord;
- a means configured for detecting at least one of rotational motion or pendulum motion of said tree harvesting tool;
- a base station configured for communication with said UAV;
- means attached to said UAV configured for detecting trees from above;
- and
- at least one remotely or autonomously controlled forcing means, attached to said tree harvesting tool, configured for at least one of damping detected pendulum motion of said tree harvesting tool, moving said tree harvesting tool in a predetermined horizontal direction, rotating said tree harvesting tool around a vertical direction, or damping detected rotational movement of said tree harvesting tool around a vertical direction,
- wherein:
- said forcing means is removably attached to said tree harvesting tool,
- said removably attached forcing means is at least one autonomously or remotely controlled minidrone, and
- said unmanned aerial system further comprises a remotely or autonomously controlled docking means for engaging or disengaging said tree harvesting tool with said minidrone.
8 more elements
A method for controlling a tree harvesting tool attached via at least one cord beneath a remotely or autonomously controlled Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) said method comprising the step of:
- damping at least one of pendulum motion or rotational movement of a tree harvesting tool or fine adjusting a position of said tree harvesting tool relative to a predetermined position by means of at least one remotely or autonomously controlled forcing means attached to said tree harvesting tool,
- wherein:
- said forcing means is removably attached to said tree harvesting tool,
- said removably attached forcing means is at least one autonomously or remotely controlled minidrone, and
- said tree harvesting tool is engaged or disengaged with said minidrone via a remotely or autonomously controlled docking means.
2 more elements
An aerial tree harvesting method comprising the steps of:
- providing a tree harvesting tool having delimbing means, attached beneath a primary Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) via at least one cord, at a predetermined distance above a tree to be harvested;
- at least one of adjusting a position of said tree harvesting tool or damping a pendulum or a rotational motion of said tree harvesting tool by a secondary UAV removably attached to said tree harvesting tool;
- releasing said tree harvesting tool from said UAV;
- and
- detaching said secondary UAV from said tree harvesting tool at a predetermined time period before or after said tree harvesting tool is released from said primary UAV for delimbing said tree to be harvested.
2 more elements
An unmanned aerial system comprising:
- a remotely or autonomously controlled Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV);
- an autonomously or remotely controlled holding tool configured for holding a payload, wherein said holding tool is attached underneath said UAV via at least one cord;
- a means configured for detecting at least one of rotational motion or pendulum motion of said holding tool;
- a base station configured for communication with said UAV;
- means attached to said UAV configured for detecting payload from above;
- and
- at least one remotely or autonomously controlled forcing means, attached to said holding tool, configured for at least one of damping detected pendulum motion of said holding tool, moving said holding tool in a predetermined horizontal direction, rotating said holding tool around a vertical direction, or damping detected rotational movement of said holding tool around a vertical direction,
- wherein:
- said forcing means is removably attached to said tree harvesting tool,
- said removably attached forcing means is at least one autonomously or remotely controlled minidrone, and
- said unmanned aerial system further comprises a remotely or autonomously controlled docking means for engaging or disengaging said tree harvesting tool with said minidrone.
8 more elements
An unmanned aerial tree harvesting system comprising:
- a remotely or autonomously controlled Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV);
- an autonomously or remotely controlled tree harvesting tool configured for at least one of holding, delimbing, or cutting at least a portion of a tree trunk, wherein said tree harvesting tool is attached underneath the UAV via at least one cord;
- a means configured for detecting at least one of rotational motion or pendulum motion of said tree harvesting tool;
- a base station configured for communication with said UAV;
- means attached to said UAV configured for detecting trees from above;
- and
- at least one remotely or autonomously controlled forcing means, attached to said tree harvesting tool, configured for at least one of damping detected pendulum motion of said tree harvesting tool, moving said tree harvesting tool in a predetermined horizontal direction, rotating said tree harvesting tool around a vertical direction, or damping detected rotational movement of said tree harvesting tool around a vertical direction,
- wherein:
- said forcing means is removably attached to said tree harvesting tool,
- said removably attached forcing means is at least one autonomously or remotely controlled minidrone, and
- said tree harvesting tool further comprises a platform configured for attaching said minidrone.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.