Suspended air vehicle system with thruster stabilization

Abstract

Reduced footprint while offering other benefits such as longer flight times and higher payload capacity than traditional drone products. The suspended aerial vehicle system includes an aerial vehicle having a thruster assembly and a support line attached to the aerial vehicle and capable of supporting at least a portion of the weight of the aerial vehicle. The support line may have an adjustable length that, when changed, may change the position of the aerial vehicle in coordination with variations in the thrust characteristics of the aerial vehicle. Other aspects are also described and claimed.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62 / 858,330, filed June 7, 2019, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference in its entirety herein.

[0002] One aspect of the present disclosure relates to an airborne vehicle, and more particularly to an airborne vehicle that coordinates support lines and thruster stabilization. Other aspects are also described. [Background technology]

[0003] Recent innovations in batteries and the miniaturization of complex electronics such as processors have greatly benefited avionics. One of the most expanding segments for both hobbyist and professional use is small unmanned aerial vehicles, commonly known as drones. This emerging technology is finding creative applications in a variety of fields, including photography, military, wildlife protection, and construction.

[0004] While future applications for drone technology are being developed and explored, there remain development challenges that need to be resolved. For example, the range a drone can travel continues to involve trade-offs between factors such as size, battery cost, and noise generation. These considerations are important in applications where drones may navigate dense urban environments or carry heavy loads over long distances, such as package delivery. These factors are particularly relevant when convincing regulators that the systems developed are viable and safe. Traditional solutions continue to focus on managing the compromises between range, size, and maneuverability. Summary of the Invention

[0005] One aspect of the present disclosure relates to an airborne vehicle with augmented thrust capability via connected support lines. A suspended airborne vehicle system with thruster stabilization provides a versatile solution to current challenges in the drone field, reducing footprint and offering other advantages such as longer flight times, higher payload capacity, etc., over traditional drone products.

[0006] In one embodiment, a support line is attached to a load point of the aerial vehicle. The support line may be configured to support the weight of the aerial vehicle and distribute the weight of the aerial vehicle to a "grounded" anchor point located outside the aerial vehicle. For example, the support line may be connected to a winch system that can wrap around the support line, thus increasing tension in the support line and potentially pulling the aerial vehicle towards the winch system.

[0007] The aerial vehicle may have a form of directional thrust generation, such as rotors. For example, the aerial vehicle may be in a "quadcopter" configuration. A controller may manipulate the position of the aerial vehicle through the coordinated action of a winch system that winds or pulls support lines and thrusters that vary the magnitude of force generated and the angle of the thrust generated relative to the support lines. This coordination allows the controller to optimize the energy output required to move the aerial vehicle or maintain its position, since thrust that may have been required to counteract gravity can be countered by the support lines. If less power is required from the thrusters, the thrusters and support structures, such as batteries, may be made smaller while the aerial vehicle maintains the same or greater capabilities in terms of flight time, payload, etc. Smaller thrusters and support structures in the aerial vehicle reduce the footprint and noise profile of the aerial vehicle and improve the maneuverability of the aerial vehicle.

[0008] Coordination between the winch system and the thrusters may provide other advantages. For example, the thrusters may be used to efficiently orient an aerial vehicle due to the ability of the support lines to bypass the need for thrusters to counter environmental forces such as gravity or wind loads. For example, the aerial vehicle may maintain a stationary position oriented perpendicular to the direction of gravity by maximizing tension in the support lines.

[0009] In one embodiment, the airborne vehicle may be connected to another vehicle by a support line. For example, the vehicle may be an airborne vehicle in a "mother ship" configuration, where the mother ship supports at least a portion of the weight of the airborne vehicle. The mother ship may have characteristics that enhance flight efficiency over long periods of time, thereby providing the system advantages of a larger airborne vehicle while maintaining the accessibility that a smaller airborne vehicle provides.

[0010] The system may be configured for a particular function, for example, the airborne vehicle may be capable of attaching payloads, cleaning remote surfaces, dismantling weapons, or any of a variety of functions made possible by the advantages provided by the system. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1] 1 illustrates an exemplary underslung air vehicle system with thruster stabilization. [Diagram 2] 1 illustrates an exemplary underslung air vehicle system having thruster stabilization connected to an exterior surface. [Diagram 3] 1 illustrates an exemplary configuration of an underslung air vehicle system with thruster stabilization. [Figure 4] 1 illustrates an exemplary configuration of an underslung air vehicle system with thruster stabilization relative to a stationary domain. [Diagram 5] 1 illustrates an exemplary configuration of a multiple underslung air vehicle system with thruster stabilization relative to a stationary domain. [Figure 6]1 illustrates an example configuration of a suspended aerial vehicle system with thruster stabilization, with the anchor point location fixed to a translatable system. [Figure 7] 1 illustrates the position of an underslung air vehicle system with thruster stabilization on an exemplary flight path. [Figure 8] 1 illustrates an exemplary configuration of a suspended air vehicle system with thruster stabilization, including a mother vessel. [Figure 9] 1 illustrates an example configuration of a suspended airborne vehicle system with thruster stabilization including multiple airborne vehicles connected to a mother ship. [Figure 10] 1 illustrates an exemplary underslung air vehicle system with thruster stabilization when the mother ship is in standby mode. [Figure 11] 1 illustrates an exemplary configuration of a multiple mother ship underslung air vehicle system with thruster stabilization. [Figure 12] FIG. 1 illustrates an example schematic diagram of electronic components of a suspended air vehicle system with thruster stabilization. [Figure 13] 1 illustrates an exemplary method of operating a suspended aerial vehicle system having thruster stabilization. [Figure 14] 1 illustrates an exemplary configuration of a thruster-stabilized underslung air vehicle system with payload attachment. [Figure 15] 1 illustrates an exemplary configuration of an underslung air vehicle system having thruster stabilization with specific functional utilization. [Figure 16] 1 illustrates an exemplary configuration of an underslung aerial vehicle system with thruster stabilization in a condition for cleaning a solar power array system. [Figure 17] 1 illustrates an exemplary method for payload movement in a suspended aerial vehicle system having thruster stabilization. [Figure 18] 1 illustrates an exemplary underslung air vehicle system with thruster stabilization during payload movement.

[0012] Some aspects of the disclosure herein are illustrated in the accompanying drawing figures by way of example, and not by way of limitation. In the figures, like references refer to like elements. It should be noted that references to "an" or "one" aspect in the present disclosure do not necessarily refer to the same aspect, but rather mean at least one. Also, for the sake of brevity and to reduce the total number of figures, a given figure may be used to describe features of more than one aspect of the present disclosure, and not all elements of the figure are required for a given aspect. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0013] Some aspects of the present disclosure will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Whenever the shape, relative position and other aspects of the described parts are not explicitly defined, the scope of the present invention is not limited to only the parts shown for illustrative purposes only. Also, although many details are described, it will be understood that some aspects of the disclosure can be implemented without these details. In other instances, well-known circuits, structures and techniques are not shown in detail so as not to obscure the understanding of this description.

[0014] Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed, among other things, to a thruster-stabilized suspended aerial vehicle system. The thruster-stabilized suspended aerial vehicle system may include an aerial vehicle connected to a support line, which may be remotely secured to an anchor point. In an exemplary embodiment, the aerial vehicle system may include an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) attached to a support line connecting the UAV to an anchor point, whereby a first end of the support line is connected to the UAV. Although the present disclosure discusses applications in which the aerial vehicle does not have a human pilot on board, it is contemplated in aspects of the present disclosure that the aerial vehicle may have a pilot or human user on board without departing from the concepts of the present invention. The anchor point may include a winch system operable to change the length of the support line, i.e., the winch line, that is deployed. The anchor point to which the winch system is attached may vary depending on the application. For example, the anchor point may be a stable surface, such as the top of a building, or a movable surface, such as a second aerial vehicle.

[0015] Providing a UAV with vertical lifting power in the form of a winch system expands the desirable attributes of the UAV, making it an ideal solution for a wide range of applications, while solving some of the major deficiencies of UAVs. Winch systems allow for reduced energy consumption by the UAV, as the amount of thrust the UAV needs to generate to maintain a desired altitude is reduced or eliminated. The footprint of the UAV itself can also be reduced by reducing the dimensions of the thrusters required to generate sufficient lift, as well as by removing from the UAV components, such as the battery and controller, which are essential and can be connected via support lines. Additionally, because the UAV does not need to be fully self-supporting in the vertical direction, the thrust / power available in other axes (lateral and attitude control) is greatly increased.

[0016] Furthermore, the versatility of the system to provide various types of anchor points and UAV capabilities allows for many applications. For example, the winch system may allow the UAV to generate thrust in a non-traditional direction. If the UAV is actively suspended by the winch system, it may not be necessary for the UAV's thrusters to provide lift to maintain the height of the UAV. The thrusters may be used to provide force in a direction perpendicular to gravity. For example, if the UAV is used in an application to place stickers at designated placement points on the exterior windows of skyscrapers, the winch system may be fixed above the placement point. With the winch system supporting the UAV at a desired height, the UAV's thrusters may generate thrust directed toward the window sufficient to apply the sticker to the window. Furthermore, the winch system may dynamically adjust the length of the support line to allow the UAV to traverse in a plane perpendicular to gravity.

[0017] The UAV may be configured to perform services enabled by the UAV's ability to efficiently navigate confined airspace. For example, the UAV may be capable of delivering packages to balconies, potentially sound circumventing enclosures with protrusions and constrictions. This capability allows the UAV to make deliveries in dense, restrictive urban environments. Examples of packages delivered by such means may include consumer goods from warehouses, fulfillment centers, or waystations, such as books, clothing, or electronic items. Other examples may include point-to-point deliveries of food, medical equipment, and pharmaceuticals. These examples are non-limiting, and the UAV may be capable of picking up and delivering any cargo that fits within the expanded dimension and weight thresholds achievable by the system.

[0018] As used herein, the terms "unmanned aerial vehicle" and "UAV" refer to any autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicle capable of performing some function without a physically present human pilot. Examples of flight-related functions may include, but are not limited to, sensing its environment, operating in the air without requiring input from an operator, among others.

[0019] UAVs can be autonomous or semi-autonomous. For example, some functions may be controlled by a remote human operator, while other functions are performed autonomously. Additionally, UAVs may be configured to allow a remote operator to take over functions that would otherwise be controlled autonomously by the UAV. Additionally, a given type of functionality may be controlled remotely at one level of abstraction and performed autonomously at another level of abstraction. For example, a remote operator may control the high-level navigation decisions of the UAV, such as specifying that the UAV change location, while the UAV's navigation system autonomously controls more fine-grained navigation decisions such as route selection, obstacle avoidance, etc. Other examples are possible.

[0020] UAVs may take a variety of forms. For example, a UAV may take the form of a rotorcraft, such as a helicopter or multicopter, a fixed-wing aircraft, a jet aircraft, a ducted fan aircraft, a light air vehicle, such as an airship or piloted balloon, a tailsitter aircraft, a glider aircraft, and / or an ornithopter. Additionally, the terms "drone," "unmanned aerial vehicle system (UAVS)," or "unmanned aerial vehicle system (UAS)" may also be used to refer to a UAV.

[0021] FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary embodiment of a thruster-stabilized suspended aerial vehicle system, referred to herein as a suspended aerial vehicle system. The suspended aerial vehicle system may include a UAV 104 and a support line 107. In this illustration, the UAV 104 takes the form of a multicopter, which includes a thruster assembly 105 utilizing four rotors 109, although other examples with more than four rotors, fewer than four rotors, and combinations of rotors and actuators used to adjust rotor thrust for rotorcraft are possible. As previously discussed, it is contemplated that the UAV 104 may take the form of an aerial vehicle that does not rely on rotors for thrust generation, i.e., does not rely solely on rotors. For example, the UAV 104 may include directionally orientable thrusters. The thrusters may have tanks or hoses connected thereto that can supply the thrusters with a substance that is ejected from the thrusters to exert force. Some examples are gas-type thrusters, chemical propellants, and directional air blowers. It is also contemplated that the UAV 104 may utilize a combustion motor to provide thrust. Other examples of thrusters capable of generating directionally focused thrust are contemplated without departing from the concepts of the present invention. Thus, while the thruster assembly 105 illustrates one embodiment of the present disclosure, the terms "thruster" and "thrust engine" as used herein may refer to any form of directionally orientable thrust generating system known in the art.

[0022] The UAV 104 may have steering capabilities such that the pitch, roll, yaw, and / or altitude of the UAV 104 may be adjusted through various means. For example, the rotors 109 provide thrust and maneuverability to the UAV 104. More specifically, each rotor 109 includes blades 111 attached to a motor. With the rotors 109 so configured, the UAV 104 may take off and land vertically, maneuver in any direction, and / or hover. Additionally, the pitch of the blades 111 may be adjusted as a group and / or differentially, which may enable the UAV 104 to perform three-dimensional aerial maneuvers such as inverted hovering, continuous tail-down "tick-tocks," loops, loops with pirouettes, stall turns with pirouettes, knife edges, Immermans, slappers, and running inversions, among others. When the pitch of all the blades 111 are adjusted to perform such aerial maneuvers, this may be referred to as adjusting the "collective pitch" of the UAV 104. Additionally or alternatively, the UAV 104 may adjust the rotational speed of the rotors 109 collectively or differentially to maneuver. For example, by maintaining a constant speed of three rotors 109 and slowing down the speed of the fourth rotor, the UAV 104 may roll right, roll left, pitch forward, or pitch backward, depending on which rotor 109 is selected for slowing. Specifically, the UAV 104 may roll in the direction of the slowed rotor 109. As another example, all rotors 109 may accelerate or decelerate simultaneously to increase or decrease the altitude of the UAV 104, respectively. As yet another example, rotors 109 rotating in the same direction may accelerate or decelerate to cause the UAV 104 to yaw left or right. These are just a few examples of the various types of motions that may be accomplished by adjusting the RPM and / or the direction in which the rotors 109 are spinning, either separately or collectively. Similar maneuvers may be envisioned in embodiments that do not utilize rotors for thrust.

[0023] The UAV 104 may also include a housing 112. The housing 112 may include and / or connect to the rotors 109 and may carry other necessary or desired components, such as motors, control electronics such as an inertial measurement unit (IMU) and / or electronic speed controllers, batteries, other sensors, and / or payload, among other possibilities. The illustrated UAV 104 includes two housings 112, each configured to include two rotors 109, the housings 112 connected by an axle 117. However, it is contemplated that a single housing 112 may carry all rotors 109 of the UAV 104. Alternatively, three or more housings 112 may be used, each housing 112 carrying at least one rotor 109, and each housing 112 connected to form a portion of the UAV 104.

[0024] The axle 117 may permit independent rotation of each housing 112 connected to the axle 117, such that a first housing at the proximal end of the axle 117 may rotate in a first direction and a second housing at the distal end of the axle 117 may rotate in a second direction. Additionally, the axle 117 may allow the first housing to rotate in the same direction, but at a different degree or speed than the second housing is rotated. The axle 117 may also allow the first housing to remain in a static orientation while the second housing may rotate relative to the first housing. In some embodiments, the UAV 104 may utilize multiple axles 117. For example, the axles may be connected orthogonally, such that each axle can rotate independently of the other axles, such that a rotor connected to a first axle may maintain an independent orientation from a rotor connected to a second axle.

[0025] In a further aspect, the UAV 104 includes a rotor protector 122. Such a rotor protector 122 can serve multiple purposes, such as protecting the rotor 109 from damage, protecting the UAV 104 structure from damage, and protecting nearby objects from damage caused by the rotor 109. Additionally, the rotor protector 122 can function as a noise damper to reduce sounds caused by the high speed rotation of the rotor 109. It should be understood that embodiments that do not include the rotor protector 122 are also possible. Additionally, rotor protectors 122 of different shapes, dimensions, and functions are possible without departing from the scope of the present invention.

[0026] In a further aspect, the UAV 104 includes one or more communication systems. The communication systems may include one or more wireless interfaces and / or one or more wired interfaces that enable the UAV 104 to communicate over one or more networks. Such wireless interfaces may provide communication under one or more wireless communication protocols, such as Bluetooth, WiFi (e.g., IEEE 802.11 protocol), Long Term Evolution (LTE), WiMAX (e.g., IEEE 802.16 standard), Radio Frequency ID (RFID) protocols, Near Field Communication (NFC), and / or other wireless communication protocols. Such wired interfaces may include an Ethernet interface, a USB interface, or a similar interface that communicates to a wired network via electrical wire, twisted copper pair, coaxial cable, optical link, fiber optic link, or other physical connection.

[0027] In an exemplary embodiment, the UAV 104 may include a communication system that enables both short-range and long-range communications. For example, the UAV 104 may be configured for short-range communications using Bluetooth and long-range communications under a CDMA protocol. In such an embodiment, the UAV 104 may be configured to act as a "hotspot," that is, as a gateway or proxy between the remote support device and one or more data networks (such as a cellular network and / or the Internet). A UAV 104 so configured may facilitate data communications that the remote support device would otherwise be unable to perform on its own.

[0028] For example, the UAV 104 may provide a WiFi connection to the remote device and act as a proxy or gateway to a cellular service provider's data network to which the UAV 104 may connect, for example, pursuant to LTE or 5G protocols. The UAV 104 may also act as a proxy or gateway to networks that the remote device may not otherwise be able to access, such as advanced balloon networks, satellite networks, or a combination of these networks.

[0029] One embodiment is directed to a support line 107 that connects to the UAV 104. The support line 107 may be connected to the UAV 104 at a first end of the support line 107. The support line 107 may be formed from a variety of materials. For example, if the support line 107 is required to be flexible, the support line 107 may include high tensile strength polymer fibers, metal and / or synthetic cables, ropes, and other materials that exhibit sufficient strength and flexibility. In another embodiment, the support line 107 may be rigid, in which case the distance between the first end of the support line 107 and the second end of the support line 107 is substantially constant. In yet another embodiment, the support line 107 may include multiple rigid members, such as in a chain configuration or a telescoping rod configuration.

[0030] The support wire 107 may be connected to a point on the UAV 104 designed to distribute some or all of the weight of the UAV 104 to the support wire 107. For example, the support wire 107 may be directly connected to an element of the UAV 104, such as the axle 117 or the thruster assembly 105. The support wire 107 may include a snap link at a first end of the support wire 107, which may mate with a U-bolt connection that is attached to an element of the UAV 104. However, similar attachment means may be envisioned without departing from the concept of the present invention. Alternatively, the support wire 107 may be connected to a point on the UAV 104 or to a specially designed support wire attachment mechanism that is connected to another member or members that are connected to the UAV 104. The support wire 107 may be attached to the UAV 104 in a manner that allows a free rotational degree of freedom relative to the thruster assembly 105 while maintaining the ability to assume some or all of the gravity and inertial loads of the suspended aerial vehicle system. For example, as shown, the support wire 107 may be connected to a rolling bearing 138 on the axle 117 .

[0031] The support wire 107 may include a conduit connecting the UAV 104 to a source of power or data. For example, in an embodiment in which at least a portion of the power distribution system is not "on-board" the UAV 104, the conduit may transmit power to the UAV 104 from a power source located outside the UAV 104, such as at the second end of the support wire 107. In this case, the conduit may include an electrical cable connecting a battery at the second end of the support wire 107 to an on-board power distribution system on the UAV 104. It is contemplated that an energy storage unit may be located within the on-board power distribution system, in which case the power cable in the conduit may be used to charge an on-board energy storage device, such as a battery. In another example, the conduit may have a data transmission wire formed of a conductive material (e.g., for transmitting data-encoded electrical signals) and / or fiber optic lines (e.g., for transmitting data-encoded optical signals). A central controller and / or operator, which may be located at a second end of the support wire 107, may remotely control the operation of the UAV 104 by sending commands to the UAV 104, which may have an on-board processor, via the signal cable. Similarly, the UAV 104 may use the signal cable to transmit sensor data back to the central controller and / or operator.

[0032] 2 illustrates an aspect of this embodiment in which the second end of the support line 107 may be substantially connected to an anchor point 203 located on the exterior of the UAV 104. The anchor point 203 may be fixed to an exterior surface, such as a pillar or roof of a building, in which case the anchor point 203 cannot be independently repositioned relative to the exterior surface to which it is attached. The second end of the support line 107 may be attached to the anchor point 203. For example, the anchor point 203 may be a hook that is bolted to the exterior surface, while the second end of the support line 107 may be fixed to the hook.

[0033] The anchor point 203 may include a mechanical device that allows for varying the length or tension of the support line 107 between a first end of the support line 107 and a second end of the support line 107. An example of such a mechanical device is a winch system that may include a winch 207 for reeling (winding) or unreeling (unwinding) the support line 107 onto a spool when the spool is actuated by a motor. Examples include a snubbing winch, a wake skate winch, a glider winch, and an air winch. Although specific embodiments are provided, the term "winch system" may refer to any of a variety of systems and means for varying the length of the support line 107 that may be envisioned without departing from the concept of the present invention.

[0034] In embodiments in which anchor point 203 includes a winch system, winch 207 may be fixable. For example, the winch system may be permanently or temporarily attached to a surface near or on anchor point 203 by bolting the winch system to an exterior surface or by connecting the winch system to a pairing mechanism located on the exterior surface. If the suspended aerial vehicle system is used adjacent to a building, winch 207 may be mounted on or near the building. Winch 207 may also be connected to a movable support, such as a telescoping pole, allowing the location of anchor point 203 to be moved.

[0035] FIG. 3A illustrates an embodiment including an underslung aerial vehicle system having multiple support lines 107. The UAV 104 may have attachment points for two or more support lines 107. When two or more support lines are attached to the UAV 104, the support lines may be manipulated independently or in concert. For example, a first support line may be attached to a first end of the UAV 104 and a second support line may be attached to a second end of the UAV 104. The first end of the UAV 104 may be counterbalanced by the second end of the UAV 104. For example, if it is desired to tilt the UAV 104 such that the height of the first end is different from the height of the second end to orient the UAV 104 parallel to the direction of gravity, the length of the first support line may be changed in concert with the length of the second support line to achieve the desired manipulation to adjust the altitude of the first end of the UAV 104 by either lowering or raising the first end of the UAV 104. Meanwhile, the second support line may be substantially stationary to maintain the height of the second end of the UAV 104 relative to the first end of the UAV 104. Three support lines attached to the UAV 104 may achieve greater control over the orientation of the UAV 104. It is contemplated that multiple support lines, each connected to one or more UAVs, may be connected to a single anchor point, as in FIG. 3B. It is contemplated that all of the support lines may be operated by a single winch system.

[0036] FIG. 3C illustrates an example where the winch 306 may be located at a first end of the support line 107 such that the winch 306 is "on-board" the UAV 104. Additionally, in an embodiment where there are multiple winch systems utilized, it is contemplated that there may be a first winch 306 located at or near a first end of the support line 107 and a second winch 307 located at or near a second end of the support line 107. In one example, the first winch 306 may perform "finer" or more sensitive length corrections compared to the second winch 307, which may perform coarser adjustments of the length of the support line 107. Additional configurations of winch systems and support lines may be contemplated without departing from the concept of the present invention.

[0037] In one aspect, the anchor point 203 may be temporary, changeable, or may be established during operation of the suspended aerial vehicle system, such as by a grappling hook. FIG. 4A shows the anchor point 203 located on a stationary area. In FIG. 4B, the anchor point 203 is located on a transport 404 that is movable along a single axis relative to the stationary area. For example, the transport 404 may be a track-based transport system that can move the anchor point 203 to a predetermined location. In FIG. 4C, the anchor point 203 is located on a transport 404 that is translatable across multiple axes relative to the stationary area. For example, the transport 404 may be a vehicle that can traverse a two- or three-dimensional concourse and move the suspended aerial vehicle system anywhere within the range of the vehicle. In another example, the transport 404 may be a motion stage, such as a gantry system. As shown in FIG. 5, multiple transport units 404 may be used within the vicinity of a stationary region such that each of the transport units 404 may access portions of the same workload, and each of the suspended aerial vehicle systems may have any one of the configurations described in FIGS. 4A-C.

[0038] 6 illustrates another embodiment of the present disclosure in which the anchor point 203 may be fixedly connected to a system capable of translating the position of the anchor point 203. The system illustrated is a crane 602 that may reposition the anchor point 203 by combining a rotating base 603 with a telescoping arm 607. The rotating base 603 may rotate the telescoping arm 607 to any orientation up to 360 degrees, but the rotation of the rotating base 603 may be limited within that range, thereby giving the rotating base 603 less freedom to rotate. The telescoping arm 607 may have an adjustable length such that the anchor point 203 may translate closer to the rotating base 603 when its length is decreased and farther from the rotating base 603 when the length of the telescoping arm 607 is increased.

[0039] In an embodiment where the support wire 107 is connected to a winch system, the movement of the UAV 104 can be adjusted in up to six degrees of freedom by changing the length of the support wire 107 and changing the thrust characteristics of the thrusters. As seen in FIG. 7, the possible configurations of the UAV 104 can be defined by an "envelope", which is defined as the volume of a sphere that encloses the winch system such that the end of the support wire 107 is the furthest from the UAV 104. The end of the support wire 107 that can be connected to the winch or anchor point 203 is the center of the sphere, and the radius of the sphere is the length of the support wire 107. The outer boundary of the sphere is the furthest that the support wire 107 can extend in all directions. In general, changing the length of the support wire 107 can affect the vertical position of the UAV 104 within the envelope. For example, when the winch system is at position A, the winch system may retract more of the support line 107 into the spool, which may act to move the UAV 104 toward the height of position B relative to the anchor point 203. When the UAV 104 is at position B, the winch system may retract more of the support line from the spool, which may move the UAV 104 toward position A. In this manner, by increasing or decreasing the amount of support line actively being used to support the weight of the UAV 104, the distance between the winch system and the UAV 104 may be increased or decreased, allowing the position of the UAV 104 to be manipulated along the vertical axis. The length of the support line 107 actively being used to support the weight of the UAV 104 may be adjusted by other means, such as by using a linear actuator to vary the length of the support line 107.

[0040] Similarly, the thrust characteristics of the thrusters may be adjusted to move the UAV 104 within the envelope. For example, to move the UAV 104 from position A toward position C, the thrusters may be oriented to generate thrust to the right, propelling the UAV 104 toward the left.

[0041] FIG. 7 also illustrates how the suspended aerial vehicle system may achieve positioning of the UAV 104 within the envelope for varying lengths of the support wire 107 coordinated with changing thrust characteristics generated by thrusters mounted on the UAV 104, where the possible positions of the UAV 104 within the envelope include substantially all points within the three-dimensional space within the envelope. In one aspect, it may be desirable for the UAV 104 to move from a first position to a second position within the envelope. The suspended aerial vehicle system may direct the winch system to reel in or unreel in lengths of the support wire 107. Meanwhile, the suspended aerial vehicle system may simultaneously and / or contemporaneously direct the thrusters to generate thrust in a direction and magnitude relative to the UAV 104 to coordinately move the UAV 104 to a desired location. When the UAV 104 moves from position A to position B, the length of the support wire 107 will be decreased to pull the UAV 104 upwards, while the thrusters will generate thrust to push the UAV 104 to the right, allowing the UAV 104 to move substantially diagonally upwards and to the right, orienting the UAV 104. When the UAV 104 is located from position A to position C, the length of the support wire 107 will need to be extended, while the thrusters will generate thrust to push the UAV 104 to the left, allowing the UAV 104 to move substantially horizontally, allowing the UAV 104 to move substantially horizontally, orienting the UAV 104.

[0042] This coordination between thruster magnitude and lift direction and support line 107 length and angle, combined with the availability of variable thrust in non-vertical axes due to the load capacity of support line 107, allows for precise positioning. For example, coordinated manipulation of support line 107 length and thruster orientation allows UAV 104 to translate in a horizontal plane without changing its vertical position. This allows the underslung aerial vehicle system to position UAV 104 in a specified location relative to the winch system position at some or all points during flight, such as navigating a narrow entry window. The thrusters of UAV 104 may adjust the orientation of UAV 104 to an angle relative to nadir, while the length of support line 107 may be adjusted to maintain support line 107 at an optimal or desired angle relative to nadir as UAV 104 approaches the entry window.

[0043] FIG. 8 illustrates an embodiment of the present disclosure in which the anchor point 203 is located on a vehicle. The vehicle may be any of a variety of land, sea, air, and multi-mode vehicles. In the illustrated example, the vehicle may be an airborne vehicle 808, referred to herein as a "mother ship." Here, the mother ship 808 is large enough to support some or all of the weight of the UAV 104 when the mother ship 808 is in transit. The mother ship 808 may be a pure fixed-wing aircraft, a rotorcraft, or any other aircraft capable of achieving flight. The illustrated mother ship 808 is a hybrid / transitional aircraft having both fixed-wing aircraft-specific lifting surfaces 811 and propellers 813, and rotorcraft-specific thrusters 816. The illustrated mother ship 808 configuration advantageously provides fixed-wing aircraft long-range cruise with rotorcraft hovering and precise positioning capabilities. The mother ship 808 may also have rotorcraft-compatible vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) capabilities.

[0044] In this illustration, the anchor point 203 is located on the underside of the mother ship 808, although other locations of the anchor point 203 are possible. When the UAV 104 is "parked", i.e., not flying, the UAV 104 may be securely attached to the mother ship 808. The mother ship 808 may have a dock (not shown) where the UAV 104 resides when not flying. The dock may be internal (so that the UAV 104 is essentially stored within the mother ship 808), external (so that the UAV 104 is attached to the exterior of the mother ship 808), or a combination of both. The dock may have clips that hold the UAV 104 securely in place. The dock may release the UAV 104 when the UAV 104 is ready for flight, thereby allowing the UAV 104 to depart from the mother ship 808. The length of the support line 107 may be extended by a winch system, thereby lowering the UAV 104 from the mother ship. Once the UAV 104 departs the mother ship 808, the thrusters of the UAV 104 may be activated to direct the UAV 104 to fly, either alone or in coordination with a winch system. When the UAV 104 has finished flying and is ready to park, the UAV 104 may return to the mother ship 808 and be docked.

[0045] Figure 9 illustrates how the underslung aerial vehicle system may achieve precise positioning of the UAV 104 relative to the mother ship 808 within the envelope through changes in the length of the support line 107 coordinated with changes in the characteristics of the thrust generated by thrusters mounted on the UAV 104 in a manner similar to that shown in Figure 7. Through coordination of the winch system and thrusters, the UAV 104 may be repositioned from position A to position B relative to the mother ship via any of a variety of possible trajectories.

[0046] The precise positioning of the UAV 104 as described herein, enabled by the underslung aerial vehicle system, may allow the UAV 104 to maintain a stationary position while the mother ship 808 changes position during the flight pattern. For example, FIG. 10 illustrates a mother ship 808 that may have a flight pattern consisting of a circular holding pattern while the UAV 104 maintains a substantially stationary position relative to a fixed reference point, such as a reference plane on the ground. Coordinated changes in the thrust engine and winch system may allow the UAV 104 to be repositioned relative to the mother ship 808. For example, if the mother ship 808 is taken as a fixed reference point for the UAV 104, and thus the movement of the mother ship 808 relative to the ground is ignored, the UAV 104 may appear to circle below the mother ship 808 in a manner similar to the holding pattern shown in the figure. This illustrates that the UAV 104 may continuously adjust the thrust vector of the thrust engines while the winch system continuously adjusts the length of the support line 107 to maintain a desired position relative to a fixed point. This process of continuously adjusting the position or vector of UAV 104 can occur while the mother vessel 808 is moving, for example, such that both UAV 104 and mother vessel 808 are counter-rotating. Thus, UAV 104 can acquire any position within the envelope while it is moving as the mother vessel 808 moves without requiring a change in the flight pattern of the mother vessel 808. The maximum circumference of the holding pattern that the mother vessel 808 can maintain while the UAV 104 maintains a stationary position relative to a fixed reference point can be defined by the maximum length of the support line 107.

[0047] FIG. 11 illustrates an embodiment of the present disclosure in which a single UAV 104 may be connected to multiple mother ships. In this figure, the UAV 104 is supported by a first mother ship 808a and a second mother ship 808b via a first support line 808a and a second support line 808b, respectively. Each of the support lines 808a and 808b may be operated by a single winch system or multiple winch systems. The length of the first support line 808a and the second support line 808b may be adjusted in coordination with the thruster system of the UAV 104 during operation of the underslung aerial vehicle system and in coordination with the flight patterns of the first mother ship 808a and the second mother ship 808b. The UAV 104 may be capable of attaining substantially any position within the envelope of each of the mother ships 808a and the mother ships 808b.

[0048] FIG. 12 shows a block diagram of a control system that may coordinate the operation of the support wires 107 and thrust engines 1207 to place the UAV 104 at a desired position and / or orientation within the envelope. The system controller may include a controller 1203 that receives various command inputs, such as a desired position of the UAV 104. The controller 1203 may determine necessary adjustments that need to be made to the length of the support wires 107 via the winch actuation 1212 and the thrust engines 1207 to move the UAV 104 from an initial position to a desired position. The controller 1203 may direct individual thrusters or thruster assemblies within the thrust engines 1207 to generate thrust in a desired direction and magnitude to obtain any position and orientation of the UAV 104. As a result, the first thruster or second thruster assembly may have a first direction and / or a first magnitude, and the second thruster or second thruster assembly may have a second direction and / or a second magnitude. It is also contemplated that the orientation of the thrust generated by the thrust engines 1207 relative to the UAV 104 may be static. The orientation of the UAV 104 may be changed by varying the thrust generated by individual thrusters on the UAV 104 as well as by varying the tension through the support lines 107, or by a combination of spooling the support lines 107 and varying the thrust. Reducing or increasing the tension in the support lines 107 may also serve other purposes. For example, if the UAV 104 is traveling a complex route, there may not be a direct line of sight between the UAV 104 and the anchor point. In this case, the UAV 104 may require more "slack" in the support lines 107, and therefore the controller 1203 may decrease the tension in the support lines 107.

[0049] In an embodiment in which the underslung aerial vehicle system includes a mother vessel 808, the thrust engines 1207 may include thrusters mounted on the mother vessel 808. The system controller 1203 may then coordinate control of the UAV 104 and the thrusters mounted on the mother vessel 808. Thus, the system controller 1203 may coordinate the operation of the mother vessel thrust and the UAV 104 thrust, as well as the change in the length of the support line 107. It will be appreciated that when the system controller 1203 is coordinating the variation of the length of the support line 107, the thrust attributes of the mother vessel 808, and the thrust attributes of the UAV 104, such coordination may also include leaving the length of the support line 107, the thrust attributes of the mother vessel 808, and the thrust attributes of the UAV 104 unchanged if the system controller 1203 determines that it is desirable to leave the combination of these attributes unchanged, and further includes scenarios in which it is desirable to have zero thrust generated from at least one of the UAV 104 and the mother vessel 808. For example, system controller 1203 may dynamically manipulate the length of support line 107 in response to changes in the position of UAV 104 to maintain tension on support line 107 and prevent jerking of UAV 104. Simultaneously or in parallel, system controller 1203 may dynamically manipulate thrust conditions of the mother vessel and / or UAV 104 to obtain a desired position and orientation of UAV 104.

[0050] The system controller 1203 may receive feedback ("sensor data") from the sensors 1216. The sensor data may serve any of several purposes, such as optimizing the total energy output by the underslung aerial vehicle system and performing closed-loop control while positioning the UAV 104. For example, the sensor data may enable the controller 1203 to calculate the optimal lift direction and magnitude that can be generated by the thrust engines 1207 relative to the lift direction and magnitude generated by the support wires 107 as a function of the length of support wires 107 used and / or the relative orientation of the support wires 107 and / or the UAV 104. The sensors 1216 may measure attributes of the UAV 104 and the support wires 107, such as tension in the support wires 107 and measurements of the force profile and inertia of the UAV 104. The sensors 1216 may measure flight attributes of the mother ship 808. Sensor feedback from the mother ship 808 and the UAV 104 may be used during operation of the underslung aerial vehicle system to coordinate the respective flight of the mother ship 808 and the UAV 104 while they are connected by the support line 107. It is contemplated that these attributes may be indirectly measured or estimated. The system controller 1203 may use various inputs to determine the optimal support line 107 angle, as well as the thrust angle and magnitude. For example, the underslung aerial vehicle system may include a wind sensor that calculates the direction and magnitude of wind gusts. The system controller 1203 may instruct the thrust engines 1207 to generate reverse thrust to substantially counteract the effect of wind on the position of the UAV 104. The support line 107 may carry most of the vertical load of the UAV 104 to enable the thrust engines 1207 to generate lateral thrust for wind gust loads. The sensors 1216 may provide other data related to the operation of the system that may be used by the controller 1203 to direct the winch actuators 1212 and the thrust engines 1207. For example, optical sensors may be used to determine whether the flight path is clear of obstacles and, if so, what alternative flight paths are possible.The sensor 1216 may be embodied as a single sensor or multiple sensors and may measure attributes related to the operation of the system while located within, adjacent to, or remote from the system.

[0051] 13 shows a flow chart of the operation of the underslung aerial vehicle system when repositioning the UAV 104 from an initial position to a desired position. In step 1306, the controller 1203 may determine a flight path for moving the UAV 104 from the initial position to the desired position. The controller 1203 may receive the desired position as an input. The controller 1203 may also receive or determine the initial position of the UAV 104. Determining the flight path may include determining an optimal length of the support line 104 and an optimal thrust angle and magnitude.

[0052] The controller 1203 may instruct the support lines 107 to adjust in step 1307, while the controller 1203 may instruct the thrust engines 1207 to adjust the length of the support lines 107 and the thrust engines 1207 in a coordinated manner in step 1309. This may be related to the actuation of the thrusters in step 1315 and the actuation of the support lines in 1312, which may also occur in a coordinated manner.

[0053] In step 1319, the controller 1203 may determine when the UAV 104 has reached the desired position and may instruct the support wires 107 and thrust engines 1207 to adjust to maintain the position of the UAV 104. However, the controller 1203 may exit the loop. The adjustments to the support wires 107 and thrust engines 1207 may be made based on time, that is, the controller 1203 may determine the optimal length of the support wires 107 and the optimal angle and size of the thrusters at some or substantially all points along the flight path, such as to ensure a smooth flight experience or to navigate a complex flight path.

[0054] Step 1331 illustrates how the controller 1203 may receive feedback from the sensors 1216, etc. The controller 1203 may determine the optimal length of the support wire 107, thrust angle and magnitude in "real-time." That is, the controller 1203 may use feedback from the system periodically or continuously to optimize the operation of the underslung aerial vehicle system in a coordinated manner. For example, the controller 1203 may use data from the sensors 1216 to determine optimal flight when the UAV 104 is in transit. In step 1335, the controller 1203 may utilize feedback from the sensors 1216 to continuously adjust the length of the support wire 107 and the thrust angle and magnitude until the controller 1203 determines that the UAV 104 has reached the desired position.

[0055] Other types of feedback may be received during step 1331 and utilized by the controller 1203 while directing the operation of the underslung aerial vehicle system. Feedback may be received from any number of wired or wireless sources with which the controller 1203 can communicate, such as a command center, a second drone, and a transceiver. For example, the controller 1203 may receive weather data that may affect the flight path of the underslung aerial vehicle system. The controller 1203 may utilize the weather data in developing a new flight path.

[0056] FIG. 13 further includes steps for operation of the underslung aerial vehicle system including the mother ship 808, as shown in optional step 1301. The controller 1203 may receive as an input a desired position of the UAV 104. Step 1302 shows the controller may determine an approach position of the mother ship 808, the approach position being a position of the mother ship 808 that allows the UAV 104 to reach the desired position when the UAV 104 is deployed. The controller 1203 may determine a flight path of the mother ship 808 in step 1303 to move the mother ship 808 from an initial position of the mother ship 808 to the approach position. The controller 1203 may also receive or determine an initial position of the mother ship 808. Determining the flight path of the mother ship 808 may include determining an optimized path between the initial position and the approach position of the mother ship 808. The optimized route may balance travel speed, flight time, use of long-range and short-range flight devices, obstacles, energy efficiency, desired approach angles, and other factors that affect the flight of the mother ship. The controller 1203 may instruct the mother ship 808 to hover or turn when the mother ship 808 reaches a substantially approach position. The controller 1203 may then instruct the UAV 104 to deploy from the mother ship 808, as shown in step 1304. The UAV 104 may also be deployed from the mother ship 808 at any time during the passage of the mother ship 808. Once deployed, the UAV 104 may arrive at the desired location using the methods outlined herein.

[0057] Various aspects of the process outlined in Figure 13 may be performed by one or more human users. For example, a teleoperator may determine the route of the mother vessel and coordinate the flight of the mother vessel, such as by remotely operating the mother vessel. Similarly, a teleoperator may control the deployment of the UAV 104 and the flight of the UAV 104 to operate a winch system.

[0058] The system controller 1203 may be embodied, at least in part, as one or more embedded or general-purpose processors, computers, processing units, or computing devices having memory. The system controller 1203 may also be embodied in part as various functional and / or logical (e.g., computer readable instructions, code, devices, circuits, processing circuits, etc.) elements that are implemented or operated to carry out aspects of the embodiments described herein. The system controller 1203 may be mounted and secured within or connected to any member of the underslung aerial vehicle system. Additionally, the system controller 1203 may be located remotely from the system or may otherwise be in direct or indirect communication with the system.

[0059] The system controller 1203 may include a processor, memory, storage devices, and input / output (I / O) devices. Some or all of the components may be interconnected via a system bus. The processor may be single-threaded or multi-threaded and may have one or more cores. The processor may execute instructions, such as instructions stored in the memory and / or storage devices. Information may be sent or received using one or more of the I / O devices.

[0060] The memory may store information and may be a computer-readable medium such as a volatile or non-volatile memory. The storage device may provide storage for a computer system and may be a computer-readable medium. In various embodiments, the storage device may be one or more of a flash memory device, a hard disk device, an optical disk device, a tape device, or any other type of storage device.

[0061] The I / O devices may provide input and output operations to the computer system. The I / O devices may include a keyboard, a pointing device, and / or a microphone. The I / O devices may further include a display unit for displaying a graphical user interface, a speaker, and / or a printer. The external data may be stored in one or more accessible external databases.

[0062] The features of the embodiments described herein may be implemented in digital electronic circuitry, and / or in computer hardware, firmware, software, and / or combinations thereof. The features of the embodiments may be implemented in a computer program product tangibly embodied in an information carrier, such as a machine-readable storage device, and / or in a propagated signal for execution by a programmable processor. The embodiments of the method steps may be effected by a programmable processor executing a program of instructions to perform the functions of the described implementations by operating on input data and generating output.

[0063] The features of the present embodiments described herein may be implemented in one or more computer programs executable on a programmable system including at least one programmable processor coupled to receive data and / or instructions from a data storage system and to transmit data and / or instructions, at least one input device, and at least one output device. A computer program may include a set of instructions that can be used directly or indirectly in a computer to perform a particular activity or bring about a particular result. A computer program may be written in any type of programming language, including compiled or interpreted languages, and may be deployed in any form, including as a stand-alone program or as a module, component, subroutine, or other unit suitable for use in a computing environment.

[0064] Processors suitable for executing a program of instructions may include, for example, both general purpose and special purpose processors, and / or the sole processor or one of multiple processors of any type of computer. Typically, a processor may receive instructions and / or data from a read-only memory (ROM), or a random access memory (RAM), or both. Such a computer may include a processor for executing instructions and one or more memories for storing instructions and / or data.

[0065] In general, a computer may include one or more mass storage devices for storing data files, or may be operatively connected to communicate with the mass storage devices. Such devices include magnetic disks, such as internal hard disks, and / or removable disks, magneto-optical disks, and / or optical disks. Storage devices suitable for embodying computer program instructions and / or data may include semiconductor memory devices, such as EPROM, EEPROM, and flash memory devices, magnetic disks, such as internal hard disks and removable disks, magneto-optical disks, and any form of non-volatile memory, such as CD-ROM and DVD-ROM disks. The processor and memory may be supplemented or incorporated by one or more ASICs (application-specific integrated circuits).

[0066] To provide for interaction with a user, features of the present embodiment may be implemented on a computer having a display device, such as an LCD (liquid crystal display) monitor, for displaying information to a user. The computer may further include a keyboard, a pointing device, such as a mouse or trackball, and / or a touch screen by which a user can provide input to the computer.

[0067] Features of the present embodiment may be implemented in a computer system including back-end components such as a data server, and / or including middleware components such as an application server or an Internet server, and / or including front-end components such as a client computer including a graphical user interface (GUI) and / or an Internet browser, or any combination thereof. The components of the system may be interconnected by any form or medium of digital data communication, such as a communications network. Examples of communications networks may include, for example, a LAN (Local Area Network), a WAN (Wide Area Network), and / or the computers and networks forming the Internet.

[0068] The computing system may include clients and servers. The clients and servers may be remote from each other and may interact through a network as described herein. The relationship of client and server may arise by virtue of computer programs running on the respective computers and having a client-server relationship to each other.

[0069] 14 illustrates an aspect of the disclosure in which the UAV 104 includes a payload attachment mechanism 1426 that allows the UAV 104 to connect with a payload. In the illustrated embodiment, the payload attachment mechanism 1426 includes a platform 1428 that may be secured to the payload. The payload attachment mechanism 1426 may include a bracket 1433, such as a rotation bearing or flexure, that may be attached to the platform 1428 such that the axle 117 may be secured within the bracket 1433 and substantially connected to the platform 1428. The bracket 1433 may allow the axle 117 to rotate in a single axis or multiple axes relative to the platform 1428.

[0070] The platform 1428 may include means for gripping the payload and then releasing the payload at a designated location based on a signal or other release indicator. For example, a user may clip the payload to the platform 1428 with a clasp (not shown) included in or connected to the platform 1428. The clasp may release the payload when the UAV 104 arrives at the delivery point. Other forms of gripping the payload are possible. For example, the platform 1428 may include means for non-contact attachment, such as a magnetic attachment system.

[0071] The platform 1428 may utilize an attachment system in which clasps on the platform 1428 may interface with interfaces on the payload. The attachment system may be operated remotely; that is, the pilot may determine when the UAV 104 has arrived at the delivery point and instruct the UAV 104 to retract the clasps so that the payload is separated from the UAV 104 and placed at the delivery point. The attachment system may operate autonomously or without human intervention. For example, the UAV 104 may determine that the UAV 104 is at the delivery point, such as from GPS positioning or machine vision, and release the clasp on the payload and leave it at the delivery point. Similarly, the UAV 104 may be used to retrieve a payload by sending the UAV 104 to a specified location, where the platform 1428 may be able to protect the payload. In one aspect, the platform 1428 may include a housing such that the payload may be secured within the housing prior to flight.

[0072] The platform 1428 may be connected to the axle 117 of the UAV 104, which may allow the platform 1428 to rotate independently of the UAV 104. In one aspect of the present disclosure, the payload attachment mechanism 1426 may further include a means for achieving additional rotational, positional, and / or translational degrees of freedom of the payload. For example, the payload attachment mechanism 1426 may include a gimbal mechanism 1436 connecting the platform 1428 to the payload. Also, the gimbal mechanism 1436 may be a slider mechanism. The additional degrees of freedom of the payload relative to the platform 1428 may be achieved passively or actively. The payload attachment mechanism 1426 may include a means for connecting the platform 1428 and the UAV 104 such that the platform 1428 and the UAV 104 are not in direct contact with each other. For example, a second support line can connect the platform 1428 and the UAV 104, such that, for example, the platform 1428 can be suspended independent of the orientation of the UAV 104. In this illustration, a gimbal between the UAV 104 and the payload allows the payload to be aligned independently from the net thrust vector of the assembly, thereby allowing precise positioning of the payload such that it can maintain a neutral orientation while the UAV 104 is tilted.

[0073] In one aspect of the disclosure, the suspended aerial vehicle system may be equipped for specific functional utilization. The UAV 104 may be attached to a functional module designed to enable the suspended aerial vehicle system to engage in a specific task or range of tasks. For example, it may be desirable to use the suspended aerial vehicle system to perform cleaning in difficult to access locations, such as high-rise windows, wind turbine blades, and solar panels. In this case, as illustrated by FIG. 15, the module may include software, firmware, and / or hardware that may enable the suspended aerial vehicle system to access and perform the cleaning. For example, the cleaning module may include cleaning hardware such as a soap reservoir, a water reservoir, and a squeegee, or other cleaning tools such as a pressure washer mechanism. The cleaning module may also include mechanisms that allow the UAV 104 to maintain contact with the surface, such as selectively activated suction cups. The UAV 104 may be brought to the appropriate height of the surface desired to be cleaned through the coordination of the support wires 107 and thrusters during operation. It may be desirable to utilize an anchor point 203 that is above the desired cleaning location, such as near the top of a building. In the illustrated example, the anchor point 203 is fixed to an extended pole that is located at the top of a building. The UAV 104 can direct its thrusters to generate forces in a direction that allows the UAV 104 to contact the surface with the window washing module while the support line supports the required amount of the weight of the UAV 104. The underslung aerial vehicle system can perform the tasks required to operate the washing module to leave the surface in a clean state.

[0074] Another example of a functional module could be a demolition and disposal module, which may include tools used by explosives removal robots, such as machine vision enabled cameras, actuating arms, bomb neutralization means, etc. The UAV 104 may descend on a suspected device and determine whether the device constitutes a threat, and if so, neutralize the suspected device.

[0075] In some embodiments, the UAV 104 may not include a platform. Functional modules may be directly connected to other elements of the UAV 104 such that the UAV 104 may be designed for a specific function rather than having a means to provide interchangeable functionality. For example, in a configuration where the underslung aerial vehicle system is configured to combat a fire, the UAV 104 may have a direct and / or permanent connection to a fire hose.

[0076] FIG. 16 illustrates an example in which an airborne vehicle system is configured to clean and / or maintain a photovoltaic array (PV) system. A mother vessel 808 may arrive near the PV system and enter a waiting pattern. Alternatively, if the underslung aerial vehicle system does not have a mother vessel 808 mounted thereon, such as when the anchor point 203 is fixed to a stationary area, the underslung aerial vehicle system may have a fixed anchor point 203 disposed above the PV system. A UAV 104 may be deployed to a first PV panel. The UAV 104 may include a functional module for cleaning the PV system, such as a functional module similar to the window cleaning module described. Once the UAV 104 has finished sufficiently cleaning the first PV panel, the UAV 104 may move to a second PV panel and begin cleaning the second PV panel. This process may continue until the PV array system is sufficiently cleaned. A single mother vessel or anchor point 203 may be attached to multiple UAVs, such that each UAV of the multiple UAVs may be engaged in cleaning the PV array system. This has the effect of increasing the efficiency of cleaning while at the same time reducing the total time required for cleaning.

[0077] In one aspect of the disclosure, a suspended platform may be utilized for the delivery of the payload, as shown in FIG. 17. The payload may be attached to the UAV 104. The payload may be secured by a platform 1428, which may be manually or autonomously generated. The payload may be attached to the UAV 104 at a launch point. The launch point may be pre-determined, such as a warehouse or a logistics relay point. The payload may be attached to the UAV 104 on the ground while the UAV 104 is docked to the mother ship 808. When the mother ship 808 is airborne with the payload, the mother ship 808 may cruise on a route that includes a drop-off point, as shown in FIG. 17A.

[0078] 17B shows that when the mother ship 808 is near the drop-off point, the mother ship 808 may deploy the UAV 104. This may include the mother ship 808 transitioning from a flight mode to a hovering mode. As shown in FIG. 17C, the UAV 104 may fly to the drop-off point using the process outlined above and disengage from the payload, leaving the payload behind at the drop-off point. The UAV 104 may be recalled back to the mother ship 808.

[0079] This process can be used in reverse, where a system is sent to retrieve a payload from a collection point, as shown in Figures 17D through F. Similarly, the system can be used to retrieve a payload from a collection point and deliver it to a drop-off point.

[0080] The ability of the UAV 104 to navigate confined spaces while delivering a payload is illustrated in FIG. 18. In this example, the underslung aerial vehicle system can deliver payloads to or retrieve payloads from balconies that may be partially or substantially enclosed by overhangs or the like. The underslung aerial vehicle system, through its ability to deliver and retrieve payloads from confined spaces, may similarly access specific payload sites and payload storage devices such as parcel lockers. The payload sites and payload storage devices may be any or all of the characteristics associated with automated, manual, stationary, and mobile systems.

[0081] It should be understood that the foregoing examples of functionality provided herein are not intended to be limiting, and UAV 104 may be configured to provide other types of functionality without departing from the scope of the present invention.

[0082] While specific embodiments have been described and shown in the accompanying drawings, it will be understood that these are merely illustrative of the broad invention and are not limiting, and since various other modifications may occur to those skilled in the art, the invention is not limited to the specific constructions and arrangements shown and described.

Claims

1. 1. An airborne vehicle system, comprising: a mother vessel, the mother vessel being a rotorcraft capable of generating thrust via a non-ducted rotor to enable vertical takeoff and landing; an airborne vehicle, the airborne vehicle being a rotorcraft, such that the airborne vehicle generates thrust via a non-ducted rotor; a winch system disposed between the mother ship and the airborne vehicle, the winch system having a support line and configured to operate to adjust a length of the support line; a controller configured to detect wind conditions on the aerial vehicle and implement a response to the wind configured to at least partially counteract forces generated by the wind conditions; The response to the wind is adjusting a magnitude of lift of the rotor of the airborne vehicle, where adjusting the magnitude of lift of the rotor of the airborne vehicle comprises directing the rotor of the airborne vehicle to generate a non-vertical thrust; adjusting the length of the support wire, where adjusting the length of the support wire includes directing the winch system to carry at least a portion of a vertical load of the aerial vehicle by winding the support wire to coordinate tension in the support wire. Airborne vehicle system.

2. The airborne vehicle system of claim 1 , wherein the mother ship has both (i) a lifting surface and a propeller characteristic of a fixed-wing aircraft, and (ii) a rotor characteristic of a rotary-wing aircraft.

3. The airborne vehicle system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to coordinate variable thrust availability in the non-vertical axis with support line angle and support line length.

4. The airborne vehicle system of claim 1 , wherein the mother ship supports the weight of the airborne vehicle via the support line.

5. 2. The aerial vehicle system of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to adjust a magnitude of lift of the rotor of the aerial vehicle or the length of the support wires to position the aerial vehicle at any point within an envelope, the envelope being a sphere surrounding the winch system at a maximum length of the support wires.

6. The airborne vehicle system of claim 1 , further comprising a second airborne vehicle physically connected to said mother ship.

7. The airborne vehicle system of claim 1 , wherein the position maintained by the airborne vehicle is stationary relative to a fixed reference point.

8. The airborne vehicle system of claim 7 , wherein the fixed reference point is located on the mother ship.

9. 9. The airborne vehicle system of claim 8, wherein the controller is further configured to vary a characteristic of the thrust generated by the rotor of the airborne vehicle, vary the length of the support line, and manage a flight pattern of the mother vessel.

10. 1. A system for controlling an airborne vehicle system, comprising: receiving information regarding wind conditions for an airborne vehicle, the airborne vehicle being a rotorcraft that generates thrust via a rotor of the airborne vehicle; determining a response of the airborne vehicle to wind; determining an adjustment that needs to be made to a length of the support wire attached to the aerial vehicle to carry at least a portion of the vertical load of the aerial vehicle on the support wire; determining adjustments that need to be made to the rotor of the airborne vehicle to generate non-vertical thrust; and controlling the support wire and the rotor of the aerial vehicle to counter at least a portion of the effect of the wind conditions on a position of the aerial vehicle; 1. A system for controlling an airborne vehicle system, comprising: a controller configured to:

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the response to wind is determined continuously.

12. 11. The system of claim 10, wherein the controller is further configured to manipulate a magnitude of lift of the rotor of the aerial vehicle and the length of the support wires to position the aerial vehicle at any point within an envelope, the envelope being a sphere that encloses a mechanical device usable to manipulate the support wires at a maximum length of the support wires.

13. The system of claim 10 , wherein the airborne vehicle is connected to a mother ship via the support line.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the mother ship is a rotorcraft capable of generating thrust to enable vertical takeoff and landing.

15. 1. A method for controlling an airborne vehicle system, comprising: receiving information regarding wind conditions for an airborne vehicle, the airborne vehicle being a rotorcraft that generates thrust via a rotor of the airborne vehicle; determining a response of the airborne vehicle to wind; determining an adjustment that needs to be made to a length of the support wire attached to the aerial vehicle to carry at least a portion of the vertical load of the aerial vehicle on the support wire; determining adjustments that need to be made to the rotor of the airborne vehicle to generate non-vertical thrust; and controlling the support wire and the rotor of the aerial vehicle to counter at least a portion of the effect of the wind conditions on a position of the aerial vehicle; 23. A method for controlling an airborne vehicle system, comprising:

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising continuously determining the response to wind.

17. 16. The method of claim 15, further comprising manipulating a magnitude of lift of the rotor of the aerial vehicle and the length of the support wires to position the aerial vehicle at any point within an envelope, the envelope being a sphere that encloses a mechanical device usable to manipulate the support wires at a maximum length of the support wires.

18. The method of claim 15 , wherein the airborne vehicle is connected to a mother ship via the support line.

19. 20. The method of claim 18, wherein the mother ship is a rotorcraft capable of generating thrust to enable vertical takeoff and landing.

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