Method and system for determining drone box location for landing and charging drones

Abstract

A method and system for determining the location of a drone box for landing and charging a drone, comprising: a drone box having a drone platform with multiple restricted boundaries divided into at least several sensor zones that are mechanically adjacent and electrically separated by insulated separators of insulating width, each sensor zone having identification coordinates, each drone having multiple ground interfaces, each with a unique address code, each ground interface having a charging terminal at a distal end, each charging terminal having an electrical polarity that can be switched in unison, the identification coordinates of an activated sensor zone being communicable to a second drone so that the second drone knows where it must not land on the drone box, and such communication allows third and subsequent drones to determine whether the identified drone box is suitable and available for landing.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] FIELD OF THEINVENTION The present invention relates generally to unmanned aerial vehicles known as drones, and particularly to autonomous aerial vehicles, and more particularly to landing and charging autonomous aerial vehicles or drones.

[0002] Drones, unmanned aerial vehicles, are becoming increasingly involved in the functioning of modern life. While early drones assisted takeoff and landing, they are rapidly advancing technologically in terms of managing the newer functions of self-management. Unmanned landing of unmanned aerial vehicles now plays a key role in autonomous and semi-autonomous devices. Such landings can be complicated in environments with weak or no navigation signals. Landing on a moving platform is an additional challenge. Precision landing paves the way for further activities such as charging the drone's battery, protected parking, and safety of the attachment from the environment and attacks.

[0003] KR1020170017517 discloses a smart drone house for charging and managing drones, and an operation method thereof, including the steps of: guiding at least one drone to land with a landing guidance system to allow the drone to land on a landing unit when the drone approaches a drone house that houses multiple drones; opening the door of the drone house and preparing the drone to land; closing the door of the drone house to store the drone after confirming that the drone has landed on the landing unit; storing the safety status, charging status, and flight record of the drone through real-time data communication and monitoring it in real time; checking the charging status of the drone through real-time monitoring and charging the drone with a wireless charging system installed in the landing unit; if the drone needs to fly, approving the flight after checking the safety status and changed status of the drone through real-time monitoring; preparing the drone to take off with the door of the drone house open; and closing the door of the drone house after confirming the takeoff of the drone.

[0004] WO / 2018 / 078588 discloses a drone charging station configured to receive at least one drone, the docking station comprising: an elongated docking shaft sized to engage at least one drone, the docking shaft having a drone inlet end and a drone outlet end opposite the drone inlet end; and a drone guide sled helically disposed along the elongated docking shaft, the drone guide sled configured to engage with a corresponding guiding area on one drone even without the drone guide sled, such that at least the drone can move along the drone guide sled from the drone inlet end to the drone outlet end.

[0005] KR1020190087910 discloses a drone charging station with multiple charging configurations for drones.

[0006] US20190102730 discloses technology to facilitate drone delivery and initial landing, particularly for home and commercial package delivery, and WO / 2018 / 227576 discloses terrain detection methods and systems, drone landing methods, and drones, but there is no disclosure regarding charging.

[0007] WO / 2019 / 125596A1 discloses a drone landing platform having at least one leg for elevating a landing surface, with charging capability and a retractable cover.

[0008] The myriad of possible UAV landing orientations, situations, and conditions creates additional challenges for landing and safely charging multiple drones, and this invention fills a significant technology gap.

[0009] (the purpose) The aim is to invent an unmanned aerial vehicle capable of precise self-landing without assistance.

[0010] Another object is to invent an unmanned aerial vehicle capable of making micro-corrections during self-landing.

[0011] Yet another object is to invent a landing station for unmanned aerial vehicles.

[0012] Yet another object is to devise a method of coordination between an unmanned aerial vehicle and a corresponding landing station.

[0013] Yet another object is to invent a system for landing an unmanned aerial vehicle on a corresponding landing station and charging it without assistance.

[0014] Yet another objective is to provide environmental and attack protection for the grounded unmanned aerial vehicle.

[0015] Yet another objective is to provide environmental and attack protection for the unmanned aerial vehicle while it is charged.

[0016] Yet another objective is to initiate autonomous landing of the unmanned aerial vehicle based on the balance energy relative to the nearest corresponding landing station.

[0017] Yet another purpose is to charge the batteries of the drone(s) once they have landed.

[0018] Yet another objective is to manage the landing and charging of multiple drones. Summary of the Invention

[0019] The present invention is a system that includes one or more drone boxes and one or more drones, where the drone boxes and drones communicate with each other through a proprietary network or through GPS, WIFI, or commercially available networks.

[0020] Each drone box has a drone platform. The drone platform has a number of containment boundaries. The containment boundaries are created by optical, magnetic, or non-physical means such as sensing if any physical object is obstructing the line of sight radiation of the source transmitter and source receiver. The source transmitter and source receiver are positioned along the containment boundaries.

[0021] The drone platform is divided into several sensor zones that are mechanically contiguous and electrically separated by insulating separators of insulating width, and each sensor zone has an identifying coordinate.

[0022] The drone box has multiple platform covers, which can be automatically operated after meeting certain safety standards for multiple drones.

[0023] At least two mounting dispositions are provided at the bottom end of the drone box. Each mounting disposition is manually adjustable in the longitudinal direction and has at its free end a flexible cushion that allows for adjustment of the orientation relative to the surface of the disposition. The flexible cushions are pneumatic, i.e. vacuum assisted, and / or magnetic. The flexible cushions are removably secured to the surface of the disposition.

[0024] Each drone has multiple ground interfaces. The ground interfaces facilitate landing, parking, and / or charging of the corresponding drone. Each ground interface of each drone has a unique address code. Each ground interface has a charging terminal at a far end. Each charging terminal has a ganged electrical polarity, positive (+ve) or negative (-ve) or neutral (N). The ganged polarity is switched by a programmable controller on board the drone. Each landing drone has a default polarity of its two charging terminals, positive (+ve) and negative (-ve). The minimum dimensions of the charging terminals are such that the top surface of the drone platform is a horizontal plane such that a minimum contact area is ensured when the axis of the drone's ground interface and the intersection center of the adjacent sensor zones are exactly aligned.

[0025] During airborne flight, the drone verifies and registers the exact location of the drone platform in the nearby DroneBox by receiving its latitude and longitude from the Global Positioning System. In landing mode, the drone autopilots its trajectory from its own dynamic position to the latitude and longitude of the landing platform. The drone lands vertically within a diameter less than twice its own envelope diameter.

[0026] During its aerial flight, the drone locates and registers the exact location of a nearby dronebox landing platform by receiving its latitude and longitude from the Global Positioning System. During landing mode, the drone auto-steers its trajectory in real-time from its own dynamic location to the dynamically changing latitude and longitude of the moving drone platform, for example when mounted on a car.

[0027] When the drone lands on the drone box, an algorithm involving the unique address code of the ground interface and the identifying coordinates of the sensor zone determines whether the drone has landed safely with all restricted boundaries clear, or if the drone has not landed safely. If the drone has not landed safely, it will take off and attempt to land again. After a pre-set number of failures, several back-up actions are initiated, including prevention of platform cover movement and alarms / signals for manual intervention.

[0028] Once the first drone has safely landed, the sensor zones sense the positive (+ve) and negative (-ve) default polarity of the first drone's ground interface and activate the corresponding sensor zones with matching polarity to begin charging the drone's battery.

[0029] The identification coordinates of the activated sensor zone are communicated to the second drone so that the second drone knows where in the drone box it must not land. Such communication allows the third and subsequent drones to ascertain whether the identified drone box is suitable for landing and whether landing is possible.

[0030] Only sensor zones occupied by multiple drones will be activated for maximum safety and to avoid loss of charge.

[0031] In the event of a possible defect or localized fault, if any and all sensor zones fail to sense the default positive (+VE) and negative (-VE) polarity of the ground interface within a predefined time period, the drone will switch electrical polarity to the alternate charging terminal.

[0032] The charging arrangement protects the system against over-voltage, over-current, reverse polarity and leakage current. Once the drone has landed safely, it is protected by a platform cover. The drone cover can be sliding or openable. The drone cover can be integrated into the drone box or placed separately. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0033] [Figure 1A] This is a perspective view of the drone box on which the drone has landed. [Figure 1B] 1A and 1B are top and front views of line of sight radiation along a line source. [Diagram 2] A top view of the drone box with the drone landing in a dangerous location. [Diagram 3] 1A-1C show various views of the mounting arrangement. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a drone. [Figure 5A] FIG. 1 is a partial top view of a drone platform. [Figure 5B] FIG. 1 is a partial top view and a cross-sectional front view of a drone platform. [Figure 6] A top view of the drone box with the drone having landed in a safe location. [Figure 7] A top view of the drone box with the drone landing in a dangerous location. [Figure 8] A top view of a drone platform with multiple drones landing and charging. [Figure 9] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a drone box mounted on a mobile vehicle. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0034] Detailed Description of the Invention The present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which it is expressly understood that various terminology and details are used for the purpose of illustrating the inventive concept and should not be construed as limiting the invention in any way.

[0035] The present invention is a system including one or more drone boxes (100) and one or more drones (10). The drone boxes (100) and drones (10) communicate with each other through a proprietary network or a GPS, WIFI, or commercially available network.

[0036] Each drone box (100) has a drone platform (110). The drone platform (110) has a number of limiting boundaries (113). FIG. 1B, the limiting boundaries (113) are created by optical, magnetic, or non-physical means such as sensing whether any physical object is obstructing the line of sight radiation (122) of the source transmitter (120) and the source receiver (121). The source transmitter (121) and the source receiver (121) are located along the limiting boundaries (113). The drone platform (110) is divided into several sensor zones (111). The sensor zones (111) are mechanically continuous and electrically separated by insulating separators (114) of insulating width (115). Each sensor zone (111) has an identification coordinate.

[0037] 2, the drone box (100) has multiple platform covers (112). The platform covers (112) can be automatically operated after meeting certain safety standards for multiple drones (10).

[0038] 3, the drone box (100) is provided at its lower end with a number of mounting dispositions (130). Each mounting disposition (130) is manually adjustable in its longitudinal direction (131) and has at its free end (132) a flexible cushion (135) that allows for adjustment of its orientation relative to the surface of the disposition (150). The flexible cushion (135) may be pneumatic, i.e. vacuum assisted, and / or magnetic. The flexible cushion (135) is removably secured to the surface of the disposition (150).

[0039] In FIG. 4, each drone (10) has multiple ground interfaces (11). The ground interfaces (11) facilitate landing, parking, and / or charging of the corresponding drone (10). Each ground interface (11) of each drone (10) has a unique address code. Each ground interface (11) has a charging terminal (13) at a far end (12). Each charging terminal (13) has a coordinated electrical polarity, positive (+ve) or negative (-ve) or neutral (N). The coordinated polarity is switched by a programmable controller (15) on board the drone (10). Each landing drone (10) has a default polarity of its two charging terminals (13) that is positive (+ve) and negative (-ve). FIG. 5A , the minimum terminal dimension (15) of the charging terminal (13) is such that the top surface (117) of the drone platform (110) is a horizontal plane such that a minimum contact area (14) is ensured when the axis (16) of the ground interface (11) of the drone (10) precisely coincides with the intersection center (116) of the adjacent sensor zones (111).

[0040] During aerial flight, the drone (10) locates and registers the exact location of the drone platform (110) of the nearby drone box (100) by receiving its latitude and longitude from the Global Positioning System. In landing mode, the drone (10) autopilots its trajectory from its dynamic position to the latitude and longitude of the landing platform. The drone (10) lands vertically within a diameter less than twice its envelope diameter (20).

[0041] During the airborne flight, the drone (10) locates and registers the exact location of a nearby drone box landing platform by receiving its latitude and longitude from the Global Positioning System. During the landing mode, the drone (10) autopilots its trajectory in real time from its own dynamic location to the dynamically changing latitude and longitude of the moving drone platform (110A) when mounted on a car, for example, FIG. 9.

[0042] When the drone (10) lands on the drone box (100), an algorithm including the unique address code of the ground interface (11) and the identifying coordinates of the sensor zone (111) determines whether the drone (10) has landed safely with all restricted boundaries (113) clear, as shown in Figure 6, or whether the drone has not landed safely, as shown in Figure 7. If the drone (10) has not landed safely, it will take off and attempt to land again. After a pre-set number of failures, several back-up actions are initiated, including preventing the platform cover (112) from moving and alarms / signals for manual intervention.

[0043] Once the drone has safely landed, the ground interface (11) facilitates charging of the battery on board the drone (10) via the sensor zone (11).

[0044] FIG. 8, charging of the first drone 10-1 and the second drone 10-2 that have safely landed is described as follows, without limiting the invention of the specification.

[0045] Once the drone (10-1) has safely landed, the sensor zone (111) senses the positive (+ve) and negative (-ve) default polarity of the ground interface (11) of the first drone (10-1) and activates the corresponding sensor zone (111) with the matching polarity to begin charging the battery of the drone (10-1).

[0046] The coordinates of the activated sensor zone (119) identification are communicated to the second drone (10-2) so that the second drone (10-2) knows where not to land on the drone box. Such communication allows the third and subsequent drones (10-3, 10-4, ... 10-n) to ascertain whether the identified drone box (100) is suitable and capable of landing.

[0047] Only sensor zones (111) occupied by multiple drones (10-1, 10-2, ... 10-n) are activated to maximize safety and avoid loss of charge.

[0048] In the event of a defect or localized fault, if any and all sensor zones (111) fail to sense the default positive (+VE) and negative (-VE) polarity of the ground interface (11) within a predetermined time, the drone (10) switches electrical polarity to the alternate charging terminal (13).

[0049] The charging arrangement protects the system against over-voltage, over-current, reverse polarity and leakage current.

[0050] Once the drone (10) has safely landed, the drone (10) is protected by a platform cover (112).

[0051] The drone cover (112) is a sliding or openable type, and may be integrated into the drone box (100) or may be disposed separately.

Claims

1. A system of unmanned aerial vehicles including a plurality of unmanned aerial vehicles capable of vertical take-off and landing, communicating through a proprietary network or a GPS, WIFI, and / or a commercially available network, includes at least one drone box (100), each drone box (100) having: a drone platform (110) having a plurality of source transmitters (120) and corresponding source receivers (121), the source transmitters (120) transmitting magnetic / optical rays towards the corresponding source receivers and the corresponding source receivers (121) receiving the transmitted magnetic / optical rays, the magnetic / optical rays forming a plurality of limiting boundaries (113); the drone platform (110) is divided into a number of sensor zones (111) that are mechanically continuous and electrically separated by insulating separators (114) of insulating width (115), each sensor zone (111) having an identification coordinate; a levelled upper surface (117) of said drone platform (110); A plurality of platform covers (112); at least two mounting arrangements (130) provided at the lower end of the drone box (100), each mounting arrangement (130) being manually adjustable in a longitudinal direction (131) and having at its free end (132) a flexible cushion (135) that allows the arrangement to be adjusted in a direction corresponding to the surface (150) of the arrangement; The plurality of unmanned aerial vehicles are a plurality of drones (10), each of the plurality of drones (10) having a plurality of ground interfaces (11), each ground interface (11) of each of the plurality of drones (10) having a unique address code, each ground interface (11) having a charging terminal (13) at a far end (12), each charging terminal (13) having an electrical polarity that can be switched in unison, i.e., positive (+ve) or negative (-ve) or neutral (N); a terminal dimension (15) of the charging terminal (13) is a dimension that ensures a minimum electrical contact area (14) of the charging terminal (13) of the ground interface (11) so as to receive charging for a battery on board each of the plurality of drones (10) from the sensor zone (111) after a safe landing of each of the plurality of drones (10) when an axis (16) of each ground interface (11) of each of the plurality of drones (10) exactly coincides with an intersection center (116) of the adjacent sensor zone (111); The unmanned aerial vehicle system, characterized in that each of the multiple drones (10) verifies and registers the exact location of the drone platform (110) of the nearby drone box (100) during aerial flight by receiving its latitude and longitude from a global positioning system, each of the multiple drones (10) autopilots its trajectory from its dynamic position to the latitude and longitude of a landing platform, and each of the multiple drones (10) lands vertically within a diameter less than twice its envelope diameter (20).

2. The unmanned aerial vehicle system of claim 1 , wherein the compliant cushion is air / vacuum assisted.

3. The unmanned aerial vehicle system of claim 1 , wherein the flexible cushion is magnetic.

4. The unmanned aerial vehicle system of claim 1 , wherein the platform cover (112) is automatically operable after meeting a predetermined safety standard for the plurality of drones (10).

5. The unmanned aerial vehicle system of claim 1 , wherein the coordinated switching of electrical polarities is switched by a programmable controller (15) located in each of the plurality of drones (10).

6. An unmanned aerial vehicle system as described in claim 1, wherein each of the multiple drones (10) has a default polarity of positive (+ve) and negative (-ve) on its two charging terminals (13).

7. 2. The unmanned aerial vehicle system of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of drones (10) verifies and registers the exact location of a nearby drone box landing platform by receiving its latitude and longitude from a Global Positioning System during aerial flight, and each of the plurality of drones (10) automatically steers its trajectory in real time from its own dynamic location to the dynamically changing latitude and longitude of the moving drone platform (110A).

8. 2. The unmanned aerial vehicle system of claim 1, wherein each of the multiple drones (10) lands on the drone box (100) while verifying that all limiting boundaries (113) are clear and a safe landing is achieved using an algorithm that includes the unique address code of the ground interface (11) and the identification coordinates of the sensor zone (111).

9. 2. The unmanned aerial vehicle system of claim 1, wherein if the drone lands in an unsafe condition, each of the multiple drones (10) takes off and attempts another landing in the event of an unclear limit boundary (113) causing an unsafe landing.

10. The unmanned aerial vehicle system of claim 1 , further comprising: a platform cover (112) that prevents the platform cover (112) from closing and initiates an alarm / signal for manual intervention if a preset number of attempts fail.

11. 2. The unmanned aerial vehicle system of claim 1, wherein the sensor zone (111) senses positive (+ve) and negative (-ve) default polarity of the ground interface (11) of a first drone (10-1) of the plurality of drones (10) and activates a corresponding sensor zone (111) with a matching polarity to initiate charging of a battery of the first drone (10-1) of the plurality of drones (10).

12. An unmanned aerial vehicle system as described in claim 11, wherein the first drone (10-1) of the plurality of drones (10) activates a specific sensor zone (119), and identification coordinates of the activated specific sensor zone (119) can be communicated to a second drone (10-2), so that the second drone (10-2) of the plurality of drones (10) can know locations in the drone box where it must not land, and such communication enables third and subsequent drones (10-3, 10-4, ... 10-n) of the plurality of drones (10) to confirm whether the identified drone box (100) is suitable for landing and available.

13. An unmanned aerial vehicle system as described in claim 1, wherein only the sensor zone (111) occupied by the multiple drones (10) is activated.

14. 2. The unmanned aerial vehicle system of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of drones (10) switches the electrical polarity to another charging terminal (13) at a predetermined time if any and all of the sensor zones (111) cannot sense the positive (+ve) and / or the negative (-ve) or default polarity of the ground interface (11) of each of the plurality of drones (10) landing.

15. The unmanned aerial vehicle system of claim 1 , wherein the drone box (100) has a charging arrangement that protects against over-voltage, over-current, reverse polarity and leakage current.

16. An unmanned aerial vehicle system as described in claim 1, wherein the platform cover (112) is slidable or openable / closable.

17. An unmanned aerial vehicle system as described in claim 1, wherein the platform cover (112) is integrated into the drone box (100) or is located separately.

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