Multiple environment unmanned vehicle
AssigneeSandia Corporation
InventorsClinton G. Hobbart, William D. Morse, Robert James Bickerstaff
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A MEUV that is able to navigate aerial, aquatic, and terrestrial environments through the use of different mission mobility attachments is disclosed. The attachments allow the MEUV to be deployed from the air or through the water prior to any terrestrial navigation. The mobility attachments can be removed or detached by and from the vehicle during a mission.
Claims21
A multiple environment unmanned vehicle, comprising:
- a central platform comprising a control unit, drive system, power supply and a payload;
- and
- two or more mobility attachments connected to the central platform;
- wherein the two or more mobility attachments are selected from a group consisting of an aerial configuration kit, an aquatic configuration kit, and a land configuration kit.
The vehicle of claim 7, wherein the one or more motors provides power to the two or more mobility attachments.
A multiple environment unmanned vehicle system, comprising:
- a multiple environment unmanned vehicle, comprising:
- a central platform comprising a control unit, drive system, power supply and a payload;
- and
- two or more mobility attachments connected to the central platform;
- wherein the two or more mobility attachments are selected from a group consisting of an aerial configuration kit, an aquatic configuration kit, and a land configuration kit;
- and
- a command center comprising a user interface.
A method of operating a multiple environment unmanned vehicle, comprising:
- launching the multiple environment unmanned vehicle in a configuration selected from a group consisting of an aerial configuration and an aquatic configuration;
- and
- reconfiguring the multiple environment unmanned vehicle during a mission, wherein the reconfiguring is selected from a group consisting of aerial to aquatic, aerial to land and aquatic to land.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.