US 12,504,770 B2 · Method and system for decelerating and redirecting an airborne platform

Abstract

The present invention provides a method for decelerating and redirecting an airborne platform, comprising the steps of retaining a flexible airfoil in non-deployed form in controllably releasable secured relation with each corresponding rotor arm of a multi-rotor drone; and upon detecting rate of descent of said drone in a first direction to be greater than a predetermined value, triggering release of one or more of said retained airfoils from said corresponding rotor arm and causing each of said released airfoils to be circumferentially displaced from a first rotor arm to a second rotor arm of said drone to occlude an adjacent inter-arm region, wherein each of said circumferentially displaced airfoils generates a sufficient value of localized lift that causes said descending drone to change its direction of descent from said first direction to a second direction.

Claims17

Dependent claims

A method for decelerating and redirecting an airborne platform, comprising the steps of:

a) retaining a flexible airfoil in non-deployed form in controllably releasable secured relation with each corresponding arm of a circular platform;
and
b) upon detecting sensory data that is indicative of uncontrollable flight conditions, triggering release of one or more of said retained airfoils from said corresponding arm and causing each of said released airfoils to be circumferentially displaced from a first arm to a second arm of said platform to occlude an adjacent inter-arm region,
wherein each of said circumferentially displaced airfoils generates a sufficient value of localized lift that causes said platform which is descending to change its direction of descent from a first direction to a second direction.

1 more element

A decelerating system for use in conjunction with an airborne platform, comprising:

a) a plurality of airfoils;
b) an airfoil retainer for maintaining each of said airfoils in non-deployed form with respect to a corresponding radially extending arm of said platform;
c) a securing element for controllably and releasably securing said airfoil to a corresponding platform arm;
d) a displacement initiator for circumferentially displacing one or more of said airfoils, after being released from said retainer, from a first platform arm to a second platform arm to occlude an adjacent inter-arm region;
and
e) a motor for driving said displacement initiator.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method and system for decelerating and redirecting an airborne platform

Life of this patent

Method and system for decelerating and redirecting an airborne platform

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims17