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US 12,583,623 B1Granted
Ground station with autonomous battery swapping device
AssigneeStarling, Inc.
InventorsOmri Dayan, Noy Kahalani, Kavin Gustafson, Ido Gur
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A ground station of a UAS for an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) includes a landing pad assembly and a carousel assembly that allow for passive removal and replacement of a battery from and to a UAV. The UAS can include a battery replacement system that uses the mechanical movement of a landing pad of the ground station to control movement of a battery door of the landing pad assembly.
Claims19
A ground station for an unmanned aerial system (UAS) comprising:
- a landing pad assembly including a landing pad and an actuator assembly, the landing pad defining a window, the actuator assembly coupled to the landing pad and actuable to move the landing pad between a deployed position and a stowed position;
- and
- a battery door mechanism including a battery door and a linkage assembly coupling the battery door to the landing pad, the linkage assembly coupled to the landing pad and to the battery door, wherein movement of the landing pad from the deployed position to the stowed position moves the battery door from a closed position to an open position;
- wherein the linkage assembly includes a landing pad support that is secured to the landing pad and defines an opening that is aligned with the window, and a door support that is movably supported on the landing pad support, the battery door secured to the door support.
1 more element
A UAS comprising:
- a UAV configured to receive a battery;
- and
- a ground station including:
- a landing pad assembly including a landing pad and an actuator assembly, the landing pad defining a window, the actuator assembly coupled to the landing pad and actuable to move the landing pad between a deployed position and a stowed position,
- a battery door movable between a closed position and an open position to open and close the window;
- and
- a battery carousel positioned beneath the window of the landing pad and including a plurality of battery stations, each of the plurality of battery stations having a retention mechanism for securing the battery to the battery station and for releasing the battery from the battery station, wherein movement of the landing pad from the deployed position to the stowed position moves the battery of the UAV into one of the plurality of battery stations to facilitate removal of the battery from the UAV.
4 more elements
A ground station for an unmanned aerial vehicle system (UAS) comprising:
- a landing pad assembly including a landing pad and an actuator assembly, the actuator assembly coupled to the landing pad and actuable to move the landing pad between a deployed position and a stowed position, the landing pad defining a window;
- and
- a battery door mechanism including a battery door, a landing pad support, a door support, and a rack, the battery door secured to door support, the landing pad support secured to the landing pad and the door support movably supported on the landing pad support between a first position in which the battery door is received within the window and a second position in which the battery door uncovers the window, the rack having a first portion coupled to the landing pad support and a second portion coupled to the door support such that movement of the landing pad from the deployed position towards the stowed position moves the battery door from the first position towards the second position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.