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US 2017/0136840 A1Published application
Multiple environment unmanned vehicle
AssigneeSandia Corporation
InventorsClinton G. Hobart, 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.
Claims24
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 attached 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
- wherein at least one of the two or more mobility attachments cover at least one other of the two or more mobility attachments and is separable from the one other of the two or more mobility attachments by a separation system.
3 more elements
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 attached 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
- wherein at least one of the two or more mobility attachments cover at least one other of the two or more mobility attachments and is separable from the one other of the two or more mobility attachments by a separation system;
- and
- a command center comprising a user interface in communication with the multiple environment unmanned vehicle.
6 more elements
A method of operating a multiple environment unmanned vehicle, comprising:
- providing the multiple environment unmanned vehicle, wherein the multiple environment unmanned vehicle comprises two or more mobility attachments selected from a group consisting of an aerial configuration kit, an aquatic configuration kit and a land configuration kit;
- launching the multiple environment unmanned vehicle in a single mobility configuration selected from a group consisting of an aerial configuration, a land configuration and an aquatic configuration;
- and
- reconfiguring the multiple environment unmanned vehicle during a mission to a mobility configuration different than the launch configuration and selected from a group consisting of an aerial configuration, a land configuration and an aquatic configuration;
- and
- wherein the reconfiguring is performed by the multiple environment unmanned vehicle detaching a mobility attachment.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.