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US 12,735,208 B2Granted
Unmanned aerial vehicle landing platform systems and methods
AssigneeFLIR Unmanned Aerial Systems ULC
InventorsJames Infanti, Albert Pegg
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Systems and methods related to unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) landing platforms are provided. In one example, a system includes a platform adapted for launching and/or landing a UAV. A plurality of folding elements are pivotably coupled to the support plate to move between closed and open positions, the closed position holding the UAV to the support plate, and the open position allowing the UAV to launch from and/or land on the support plate. One or more motors are configured to move at least one of the plurality of folding elements from the open position to the closed position to align the UAV on the support plate.
Claims20
A system comprising:
- a platform adapted for launching and/or landing an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), the platform comprising:
- a support plate adapted to support the UAV;
- a plurality of folding elements pivotably coupled to the support plate to move between closed and open positions, the closed position holding the UAV to the support plate, and the open position allowing the UAV to launch from and/or land on the support plate;
- and
- one or more folding element actuators configured to move at least one of the plurality of folding elements from the open position to the closed position to align the UAV on the support plate;
- and
- a logic device for controlling the one or more folding element actuators via signals to control movement of the folding elements, the logic device being configured, upon landing of the UAV, to:
- selectively activate a first set of one or more of the folding element actuators to fold up a first set of the folding elements and cause the UAV to move towards a center of the support plate along a first axis;
- and then
- selectively activate a second set of one or more of the folding element actuators to fold up a second set of one or more of the folding elements and cause the UAV to move towards the center of the support plate along a second axis transverse to the first axis.
7 more elements
A system comprising:
- a container;
- a platform adapted for launching and/or landing an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), the platform movable between a stowed position within the container and a deployed position, the platform comprising:
- a support plate adapted to support the UAV;
- a plurality of folding elements pivotably coupled to the support plate to move between closed and open positions, the closed position holding the UAV to the support plate, and the open position allowing the UAV to launch from and/or land on the support plate;
- one or more platform-moving actuators to move the platform between the stowed position and the deployed position;
- and
- one or more folding element actuators configured to move at least one of the plurality of folding elements from the open position to the closed position to align the UAV on the support plate before moving the platform into the stowed position.
4 more elements
A method comprising:
- receiving an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) on a platform, the platform comprising:
- a support plate adapted to support the UAV;
- a plurality of folding elements pivotably coupled to the support plate to move between closed and open positions, the closed position holding the UAV to the support plate, and the open position allowing the UAV to launch from and/or land on the support plate;
- and
- one or more folding element actuators configured to move at least one of the plurality of folding elements from the open position to the closed position;
- and
- aligning the UAV on the support plate by moving two or more of the plurality of folding elements from the open position to the closed position;
- wherein the aligning comprises controlling by a logic device movement of the folding elements via signals upon landing of the UAV to:
- selectively activate a first set of one or more of the folding element actuators to fold up a first set of the folding elements and cause the UAV to move towards a center of the support plate along a first axis;
- and then
- selectively activate a second set of one or more of the folding element actuators to fold up a second set of one or more of the folding elements and cause the UAV to move towards the center of the support plate along a second axis transverse to the first axis.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.