Ground station with autonomous battery swapping device

A method of replacing a first battery of a UAV of a UAS comprising:

• supporting the UAV having the first battery on a landing pad of a landing pad assembly of the UAS, the landing pad defining a window;
• positioning a battery carousel including a plurality of battery stations, a first battery station of the plurality of battery stations supporting a second battery and a second battery station of the plurality of battery stations devoid of a battery and positioned beneath the window of the landing pad;
• moving the landing pad of the landing pad assembly from a deployed position towards a stowed position to position the first battery of the UAV into the second battery station;
• and
• securing the first battery of the UAV within the second battery station of the battery carousel with a first retention mechanism of the second battery station.

A UAS comprising:

• a ground station including:
• a landing pad assembly including a landing pad and an actuator assembly, the landing pad configured to support a UAV having a first battery and defining a window, the actuator assembly coupled to the landing pad and operable to move the landing pad between a deployed position and a stowed position;
• and
• a battery carousel positioned beneath the window of the landing pad and including a plurality of battery stations, the battery carousel movable to selectively position each of the plurality of battery stations beneath the window, each of the plurality of battery stations having a retention mechanism for securing a battery including the first battery to the respective battery station of the plurality of battery stations and for releasing a battery including the first battery from the respective battery station of the plurality of battery stations, wherein when the window is aligned with the first battery station of the plurality of battery stations, moving the landing pad from the deployed position to the stowed position moves the battery of the UAV into the first battery station of the plurality of battery stations to facilitate removal of the first battery from the UAV.