Drone and base station

Abstract

The base station may include a parking plate on which the drone lands. The base station may include a pusher that is slidable on the parking plate. The pusher may be configured to push the drone's legs to move the drone toward a reference position on the parking plate. The base station may include a gripper mounted by the parking plate. The gripper may detachably secure the drone's body in place relative to the reference position. The base station may include an alignment sensor that detects whether a marker on the drone is aligned with the reference position. The base station may also include a battery replacement system for replacing the drone's battery after the drone is secured.

Description

Technology Field

[0001] Cross-reference regarding related applications

[0002] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 525,563, filed July 7, 2023, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference. Background Technology

[0003] Inventory management at storage sites, such as warehouses, can be a complex and labor-intensive process. Inventory items are typically placed in designated locations to allow for easy scanning of barcodes for quick retrieval. However, in some cases, items may be misplaced, making them difficult to locate. Furthermore, misplaced items can occupy space reserved for incoming inventory, causing storage site personnel to spend time relocating items and tracking missing inventory. As such, the use of autonomous systems may be desirable to automate parts of the storage site management process. However, implementing autonomous systems presents the challenge of power management, which must be addressed effectively.

[0004] In some embodiments, the present disclosure relates to a base station for accommodating a drone comprising a body and a plurality of legs, wherein the base station comprises: a parking plate for landing the drone; a plurality of pushers slidable on the parking plate ― the plurality of pushers are configured to push the legs of the drone to move the drone toward a reference location on the parking plate ―; a gripper mounted by the parking plate ― the gripper is configured to removably secure the body of the drone in place relative to the reference location ―; and an alignment sensor mounted by the parking plate and positioned at the reference location ― the alignment sensor is configured to detect whether a marker on the drone is aligned with the reference location ―.

[0005] In some embodiments, the present disclosure relates to a method for receiving a drone at a base station, wherein the drone comprises a body and a plurality of legs, and the method comprises: receiving the drone on a parking plate of the base station; moving the drone toward a reference position on the parking plate by pushing a plurality of pushers slidable on the parking plate from an extended configuration to a retracted configuration to push the legs of the drone; detecting whether a marker on the drone is aligned with the reference position using an alignment sensor mounted on the parking plate and located at the reference position; and fixing the body of the drone in place with respect to the reference position using a gripper mounted on the parking plate.

[0006] In some embodiments, the present disclosure relates to a base station for performing a battery pack swap for a drone, wherein the base station comprises: a parking plate for receiving the drone; a gripper mounted by the parking plate ― the gripper is configured to hold the drone in place at a parking position of the parking plate ―; a plurality of chargers ― each charger includes a battery latch and a power port, wherein the battery latch is configured to mechanically hold a battery pack in place together with the charger, and the power port is configured to provide power to the battery pack being charged ―; and a battery pack carrier movable between the plurality of chargers and the parking position ― the battery pack carrier is configured to: remove a first battery pack from the drone and move the first battery pack to a first charger, and to mount a second battery pack from a second charger to the drone and install the second battery pack on the drone ―.

[0007] In some embodiments, the present disclosure relates to a system, wherein the system comprises: a drone carrying a first battery pack; and a base station for performing battery pack replacement for the drone, the base station comprising: a parking plate for receiving the drone; a gripper mounted by the parking plate ― the gripper is configured to hold the drone in place at a parking position of the parking plate ―; a plurality of chargers ― each charger comprises a battery latch and a power port, the battery latch is configured to mechanically hold the battery pack in place together with the charger, and the power port is configured to provide power to the battery pack being charged ―; and a battery pack carrier movable between the plurality of chargers and the parking position, the battery pack carrier is configured to: remove the first battery pack from the drone and move the first battery pack to the first charger, and load a second battery pack from a second charger onto the drone and install the second battery pack on the drone.

[0008] In some embodiments, the present disclosure relates to a method for performing a battery pack replacement for a drone equipped with a first battery pack, the method comprising: holding a second battery pack in place with a charger mounted by a base station using a battery latch; providing power to the second battery pack through a power port of the charger; receiving the drone on a parking plate of the base station; securing the drone in place at a parking position of the parking plate using a gripper mounted by the parking plate; removing the first battery pack from the drone using a battery pack carrier — the battery pack carrier is movable between the charger and the parking position —; loading from the charger to the drone using the battery pack carrier; and installing the second battery pack on the drone.

[0009] In some embodiments, the present disclosure relates to a base station for performing battery pack replacement for a drone, wherein the base station comprises: a frame configured to provide mechanical support to the base station; a parking plate mounted by the frame ― the parking plate comprises a landing surface configured to contact the drone when the drone lands, and a component-mounting surface facing the landing surface ―; a plurality of chargers mounted on the component-mounting surface of the parking plate; a battery pack carrier mounted on the component-mounting surface of the parking plate ― the battery pack carrier is movable to mount a battery pack connected to one of the chargers to the drone ― and a shutter on the parking plate ― the shutter is openable to provide access of the battery pack carrier from the component-mounting surface to the landing surface ―.

[0010] In some embodiments, the present disclosure relates to a system, wherein the system comprises: a drone carrying a battery pack; and a base station for performing battery pack replacement for said drone, wherein the base station comprises: a frame configured to provide mechanical support to said base station; a parking plate mounted by said frame ― said parking plate comprises a landing surface configured to contact said drone when said drone lands, and a component-mounting surface facing said landing surface ―; a plurality of chargers mounted on said component-mounting surface of said parking plate; a battery pack carrier mounted on said component-mounting surface of said parking plate ― said battery pack carrier is movable to load a battery pack connected to one of said chargers onto said drone ―; and a shutter on said parking plate ― said shutter is openable to provide access of said battery pack carrier from said component-mounting surface to said landing surface ―.

[0011] In some embodiments, the present disclosure relates to a base station for housing a drone, wherein the base station comprises: a cabinet comprising a parking plate and one or more walls forming an enclosure for one or more internal components of the base station—the parking plate being configured to house the drone—; a plurality of chargers mounted within the enclosure—each charger being configured to provide power to a battery pack being charged by the charger—; a temperature sensor mounted within the enclosure—the temperature sensor being configured to measure the temperature within the enclosure—; and a temperature controller configured to control the temperature within the enclosure to maintain the temperature of the plurality of battery packs being charged by the plurality of chargers within a temperature range.

[0012] In some embodiments, the present disclosure relates to a method for controlling the temperature of a drone battery pack, and the method comprises: a parking plate and a plurality of chargers mounted within an enclosure formed from one or more walls of a base station configured to accommodate a drone; providing power to a battery pack being charged in one of the chargers; measuring the temperature within the enclosure of the base station using a temperature sensor mounted within the enclosure; and controlling the temperature within the enclosure using a temperature controller to maintain the temperature of the plurality of battery packs charged in the plurality of chargers within a temperature range.

[0013] In some embodiments, the present disclosure relates to an aerial drone, wherein the aerial drone comprises: a drone body having a longitudinal housing for carrying a processing circuit and a battery — said longitudinal housing extending in a first direction —; a sensor rod mounted by the drone body and extending from the drone body in a second direction different from the first direction — said sensor rod having a sensor mounted at a distal end of the sensor rod —; and a propeller guard connected to the distal end of the sensor rod and at least partially supported by the sensor rod — said propeller guard forming part of the periphery of the aerial drone —.

[0014] In some embodiments, the present disclosure relates to a system, wherein the system comprises: a base station for performing a battery replacement operation; and an aerial drone, wherein the aerial drone comprises: a drone body having a longitudinal housing for carrying a processing circuit and a battery — said longitudinal housing extending in a first direction —; a sensor rod mounted by the drone body and extending from the drone body in a second direction different from the first direction — said sensor rod mounting a sensor at a distal end of the sensor rod —; and a propeller guard connected to the distal end of the sensor rod and at least partially supported by the sensor rod — said propeller guard forming part of the periphery of the aerial drone —.

[0015] In some embodiments, the present disclosure relates to an aerial drone, wherein the aerial drone comprises: a drone body for carrying a battery pack; a slide guide mounted by the drone body ― the slide guide is suspended from a surface of the drone body and creates a channel between the slide guide and the surface, and the battery pack is slidable along the channel ―; a slide-guide contact sensor mounted on a surface of the drone body ― the slide-guide contact sensor is configured to detect whether the battery pack is in contact with the surface ―; a connection port mounted by the drone body; and a port contact sensor mounted by the drone body ― the port contact sensor is configured to detect whether the battery pack has slid into the connection port ―.

[0016] In some embodiments, the present disclosure relates to a system, wherein the system comprises: a base station comprising a battery pack carrier; and an aerial drone, wherein the aerial drone comprises: a drone body for carrying a battery pack; a slide guide mounted by the drone body ― the slide guide is suspended from the surface of the drone body and creates a channel between the slide guide and the surface, and the battery pack is slidable along the channel ―; a slide-guide contact sensor mounted on the surface of the drone body ― the slide-guide contact sensor is configured to detect whether the battery pack is in contact with the surface ―; a connection port mounted by the drone body; and a port contact sensor mounted by the drone body ― the port contact sensor is configured to detect whether the battery pack has slid into the connection port ―.

[0017] In some embodiments, the present disclosure relates to a method for installing a battery pack comprising a plurality of tabs in an aerial drone, the method comprising: aligning the tabs of the battery pack in slots of a slide guide mounted by the drone body of the aerial drone ― the slide guide is suspended from the surface of the drone body of the aerial drone and creates a channel between the slide guide and the surface ―; pushing the battery pack toward the drone body of the aerial drone; detecting that the battery pack is in contact with the slide guide contact sensor by a slide guide contact sensor of the aerial drone; and sliding the battery pack toward a connection port through the channel. Brief explanation of the drawing

[0018] FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating the system environment of an exemplary storage site according to some embodiments. FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating the components of an exemplary robot and an exemplary base station according to some embodiments. FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating an exemplary process for managing inventory at a storage site according to some embodiments. FIG. 4 is a conceptual diagram of an exemplary layout of a storage site equipped with a robot according to some embodiments. FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating an exemplary exploration process of a robot (120) according to one embodiment. FIG. 6a is a front perspective view of an aerial drone according to some embodiments. FIG. 6b is a lower perspective view of an aerial drone illustrating a lower part of the aerial drone according to some embodiments. FIG. 7a is an exploded view illustrating frame components of an aerial drone according to some embodiments. FIG. 7b is an internal view of an upper housing illustrating how a sensor load according to some embodiment is mounted on the upper housing. FIG. 7c is an exploded view illustrating the connection between the bumper and the sensor housing according to some embodiments. FIG. 7d includes a separated view and an exploded view of a sensor housing according to some embodiments. FIG. 7e is a partial view of the front end of the upper housing according to some embodiments. Fig. 7f is an inversion of Fig. 7e showing the upper housing in a bottom view. FIG. 7g is an inverted view of the rear of the upper housing according to some embodiments. FIG. 7h is an exploded view of a propeller assembly according to some embodiments. FIGS. 7i and FIGS. 7j are exploded views of various components of a propeller assembly according to some embodiments. FIG. 7k is a perspective view illustrating internal components of an aerial drone mounted by a lower housing according to some embodiments. FIGS. 71 and FIGS. 7m are two enlarged views of a lower housing according to some embodiments. FIG. 8a is an enlarged perspective view of an inverted aerial drone showing the bottom of the drone with special emphasis on the battery attachment zone according to some embodiments. FIGS. 8B, FIGS. 8C, and FIGS. 8D illustrate different angles of the battery attachment zone of an aerial drone according to some embodiments. FIG. 8e is an exploded view of a slide-guide contact sensor according to some embodiments. FIG. 8f is an internal view of the processor and fan compartment according to some embodiments. FIG. 8g is a perspective view of a battery pack according to some embodiments. FIG. 8h is an internal view of a battery pack according to some embodiments. FIG. 9a is a first perspective view of a base station according to some embodiment. FIG. 9b is a second perspective view of a base station where a drone has landed according to some embodiment. FIG. 9c is an internal side view of a base station illustrating the configuration when a drone is parked and fixed to a base station according to some embodiments. FIG. 9d is a side interior view of a base station without a drone according to some embodiment, and provides a focus on one embodiment of the arrangement of components of the base station. FIG. 9e is an upper perspective view of a base station having a view of a parking plate without a drone, according to some embodiments. FIG. 9f is an upper perspective view of a base station having a view of a parking plate with a drone, according to some embodiment. FIG. 9g is a plan view of a base station focusing on the surface structure of a parking plate without a drone, according to some embodiments. FIG. 10a is an exploded view of a parking plate showing a pair of pushers in an extended position according to some embodiments. FIG. 10b is an exploded view of a parking plate showing a pair of pushers in a contracted position according to some embodiments. FIGS. 10c and FIGS. 10d are conceptual diagrams illustrating a drone being aligned through contraction by a pusher according to some embodiments. FIG. 11a illustrates a side view of a gripper on a parking plate moving from a flat configuration toward an upright configuration according to some embodiments. FIG. 11b illustrates a plan view of a gripper according to some embodiments. FIG. 11c shows a perspective view of a standing gripper according to some embodiments. FIG. 12a illustrates a gripper in an open position with two flaps lying flat. FIG. 12b illustrates a gripper in a closed position with two flaps standing upright. FIGS. 13a and FIGS. 13b are exploded views of a shutter according to some embodiments. FIGS. 14a and FIGS. 14b are conceptual diagrams illustrating a method in which a drone is secured by a gripper after rough alignment by a pusher, according to some embodiments. FIG. 15a is a lower perspective view of a parking plate of a base station according to some embodiment. FIG. 15b is a bottom view of the component-mounting surface of a parking plate according to some embodiments. FIG. 16a illustrates an exploded view of a battery pack carrier, some embodiments of a battery charging site, and a drone according to some embodiments. FIG. 16b is a partial and exploded view of a battery pack carrier intended to mount a battery pack according to some embodiments. FIGS. 17a, FIGS. 17b, and FIGS. 17c illustrate various perspective views of a battery charging site according to some embodiments. FIGS. 18a and FIGS. 18b are conceptual side views illustrating a method of removing a battery pack from a drone according to some embodiments. FIG. 19 illustrates a perspective view of an exemplary method for configuring a battery pack carrier according to some embodiments. FIG. 20 is a side view of an exemplary base station illustrating a battery pack carrier suspended on a parking plate according to some embodiments. FIG. 21 is a flowchart for a method of replacing a drone battery according to some embodiments. FIG. 22 is a block diagram illustrating the components of an exemplary computing machine according to some embodiments. The drawings illustrate various non-limiting embodiments for illustrative purposes only, and the detailed description explains them. Specific details for implementing the invention

[0019] The drawings and the following description relate only to preferred embodiments by way of example. A person skilled in the art will recognize alternative embodiments of the structures and methods disclosed herein as feasible alternatives that can be adopted without departing from the principles of the disclosed.

[0020] Now, reference is made to some embodiments illustrated in the attached drawings for details. It should be noted that similar or identical reference numbers may be used in the drawings at any time where feasible and may represent similar or identical functions. The drawings illustrate embodiments of the disclosed system (or method) for illustrative purposes only. Those skilled in the art will readily recognize from the following description that alternative embodiments of the structures and methods illustrated herein may be adopted without departing from the principles described herein.

[0021] The embodiment relates to a robot equipped with a replaceable battery pack and navigating a storage site, and a base station capable of reserving the battery pack for the robot. The base station may include a parking plate on which a drone lands. The base station may include a pusher that slides on the parking plate. The pusher may be configured to push the legs of the drone to move the drone toward a reference position on the parking plate. The base station may include a gripper mounted by the parking plate. The gripper may detachably secure the body of the drone in place relative to the reference position. The base station may include an alignment sensor that detects whether a marker on the drone is aligned with the reference position. The base station may also include a battery replacement system for replacing the drone's battery after the drone is secured.

[0022] System Overview

[0023] FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a system environment (100) of an exemplary robot-assisted or fully autonomous storage site according to some embodiments. In an exemplary manner, the system environment (100) includes a storage site (110), a robot (120), a base station (130), an inventory management system (140), a computing server (150), a data storage (160), and a user device (170). Entities and components within the system environment (100) communicate with each other via a network (180). In various embodiments, the system environment (100) may include different, fewer, or additional components. Also, although each component of the system environment (100) is described in the singular form, the system environment (100) may include one or more of each component. For example, the storage site (110) may include one or more robots (120) and one or more base stations (130). Each robot (120) may have a corresponding base station (130), or multiple robots (120) may share a base station (130).

[0024] A storage site (110) may be any suitable facility for storing, selling, or displaying inventory such as goods, merchandise, groceries, items, and collections. Exemplary storage sites (110) may include warehouses, stock sites, bookstores, shoe stores, outlets, other retail stores, libraries, museums, etc. A storage site (110) may include a number of structures of regular shapes. Structures of regular shapes may be structures, fixtures, equipment, furniture, frames, shells, racks, or other suitable objects within the storage site (110) having a regular shape or contour that can be easily identified, whether the object is permanent or temporary, fixed or movable, or whether it carries weight or not. Structures of regular shapes are often used in the storage site (110) for the storage of inventory. For example, racks (including metal racks, shells, frames, or other similar structures) are often used in warehouses for the storage of goods and merchandise. However, not all structures of regular shapes need to be used for inventory storage. A storage site (110) may include a specific layout that allows various items to be systematically arranged and stored. For example, in a warehouse, racks may be grouped by section and separated by aisles. Each rack may include multiple pallet locations that can be identified using row numbers and column numbers. The storage site may include high racks and low racks, which in some cases primarily store most of the inventory items near ground level.

[0025] The storage site (110) may include one or more robots (120) used to track inventory and manage inventory at the storage site (110). For ease of reference, even though more than one robot (120) may be used, the robot (120) may be referred to in the singular form. Additionally, in some embodiments, there may be one or more types of robots (120) at the storage site (110). For example, some robots (120) may specialize in scanning inventory at the storage site (110), while other robots (120) may specialize in moving items. The robots (120) may also be referred to as autonomous robots, inventory rotation aggregation robots, inventory counting robots, inventory detection robots, or inventory management robots. Inventory robots may be used to track inventory items, move inventory items, and perform other inventory management tasks. The degree of autonomy may vary from embodiment to embodiment. For example, in some embodiments, the robot (120) may be fully autonomous so that the robot (120) automatically performs assigned tasks. In other embodiments, the robot (120) may be semi-autonomous so that it can navigate the storage site (110) with minimal human command or control. In some embodiments, the robot (120) may be remotely controlled regardless of the degree of autonomy it has, or it may be switched to manual mode. The robot (120) may take various forms such as an aerial drone, a ground robot, a vehicle, a forklift, and a mobile pickup robot.

[0026] The base station (130) may be a device for the robot (120) to return to, and in the case of an aerial robot, to land. The base station (130) may include one or more return sites. The base station (130) may be used to replenish power to the robot (120). Various methods for replenishing power to the robot (120) may be used in different embodiments. For example, in some embodiments, the base station (130) functions as a battery replacement station to replace the robot (120)'s battery so that the robot (120) can quickly resume its mission when the robot arrives at the base station. The replaced battery may be charged wired or wirelessly at the base station (130). In other embodiments, the base station (130) functions as a charging station having one or more charging terminals to be connected to the charging terminal of the robot (120) to recharge the robot (120)'s battery. In another embodiment, the robot (120) can use fuel for power, and the base station (130) can replenish power to the robot (120) by filling the fuel tank.

[0027] The base station (130) may also function as a communication station for the robot (120). For example, in the case of a specific type of storage site (110), such as a warehouse, network communication range may not exist or may exist only at a specific location. The base station (130) may communicate with other components of the system environment (100) using wireless or wired communication channels, such as Wi-Fi or Ethernet cables. The robot (120) may communicate with the base station (130) when the robot (120) returns to the base station (130). The base station (130) may send inputs, such as commands, to the robot (120) and download data captured by the robot (120). In an embodiment where multiple robots (120) are used, the base station (130) may be equipped with a swarm control unit or algorithm for coordinating movement between the robots. The base station (130) and the robot (120) may communicate in any suitable manner, such as radio frequency (e.g., Wi-Fi), Bluetooth, near-field communication (NFC), or wired communication. In some embodiments, the robot (120) primarily communicates with the base station, but in other embodiments, the robot (120) may have the capability to communicate directly with other components of the system environment (100). In some embodiments, the base station (130) may serve as a wireless signal amplifier for the robot (120) to communicate directly with the network (180).

[0028] The inventory management system (140) may be a computing system operated by an administrator using the storage site (110) (e.g., a company owning the inventory, a warehouse management manager, a retailer selling the inventory). The inventory management system (140) may be a system used to manage inventory items. The inventory management system (140) may include a database that stores data regarding inventory items and associated information, such as quantities at the storage site (110), metadata tags, asset type tags, barcode labels, and location coordinates of the items. The inventory management system (140) may provide both front-end and back-end software for the administrator to access a central database and a point of reference for inventory, analyze data, generate reports, forecast future demand, and manage the location of inventory items so that items are placed correctly. The administrator may rely on the item coordinate data of the inventory management system (140) to ensure that items are placed correctly at the storage site (110) so that items can be easily retrieved from the storage location. This prevents misplaced items from occupying space reserved for incoming items and also reduces the time spent finding missing items during the outgoing process.

[0029] The computing server (150) may be a server tasked with analyzing data provided by the robot (120) and providing commands for the robot (120) to perform various inventory recognition and management tasks. The robot (120) may be controlled by the computing server (150), a user device (170), or an inventory management system (140). For example, the computing server (150) may instruct the robot (120) to scan and capture photos of inventory stored at various locations on the storage site (110). Based on the data provided by the inventory management system (140) and the actual data captured by the robot (120), the computing server (150) may identify discrepancies in the two sets of data and determine whether any item should be flagged as misplaced, lost, damaged, or otherwise for various reasons. Next, the computing server (150) may instruct the robot (120) to resolve any potential problem, such as moving misplaced items to the correct location. In some embodiments, the computing server (150) may also generate a report of flagged items so that field personnel can manually correct the problem.

[0030] The computing server (150) may include one or more computing devices operating at different locations. For example, part of the computing server (150) may be a local server located at the storage site (110). Computing hardware, such as a processor, may be associated with a computer on the site or included in the base station (130). Another part of the computing server (150) may be a geographically distributed cloud server. The computing server (150) may function as a ground control station (GCS), provide data processing, and maintain end-user software that can be used on user devices (170). The GCS may be responsible for the control, monitoring, and maintenance of the robot (120). In some embodiments, the GCS is located on-site as part of the base station (130). The data processing pipeline and end-user software server may be located remotely or on-site.

[0031] The computing server (150) may maintain software applications for users to manage inventory, base stations (130), and robots (120). The computing server (150) and the inventory management system (140) may or may not be operated by the same entity. In some embodiments, the computing server (150) may be operated by an entity separate from the administrator of the storage site. For example, the computing server (150) may be operated by a robot service provider that supplies robots (120) and related systems to modernize and automate the storage site (110). The software applications provided by the computing server (150) may take various forms. In some embodiments, the software applications may be integrated with the inventory management system (140) or integrated as an add-on to it. In other embodiments, the software applications may be separate applications that supplement or replace the inventory management system (140). In some embodiments, the software application may be provided as software as a service (SaaS) to the manager of the storage site (110) by a robot service provider supplying the robot (120).

[0032] The data storage (160) includes one or more storage units, such as memory, that take the form of a non-transient and non-volatile computer storage medium to store various data that may be uploaded by the robot (120) and the inventory management system (140). For example, data stored in the data storage (160) may include photos, sensor data, and other data captured by the robot (120). Data may also include inventory data maintained by the inventory management system (140). A computer-readable storage medium is a medium that does not contain a transient medium, such as a radio signal or a carrier wave. The data storage (160) may take various forms. In some embodiments, the data storage (160) communicates with other components via a network (180). This type of data storage (160) may be a cloud storage server. Exemplary cloud storage service providers may include AWS, AZURE STORAGE, GOOGLE CLOUD STORAGE, etc. In another embodiment, instead of a cloud storage server, the data storage (160) is a storage device connected to and controlled by the computing server (150). For example, the data storage (160) may take the form of memory (e.g., hard drive, flash memory, disk, ROM, etc.) used by the computing server (150), such as a storage device in a storage server room operated by the computing server (150).

[0033] The user device (170) may be used by the manager of the storage site (110) to provide commands to the robot (120) and to manage the inventory of the storage site (110). For example, using the user device (170), the manager may provide work commands to the robot (120) so that the robot automatically completes the work. In one case, the manager may specify a range of specific target locations or storage locations for the robot (120) to scan. The manager may also specify specific items for the robot (120) to locate or verify placements. Examples of the user device (170) include a personal computer (PC), a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a tablet computer, a smartphone, a wearable electronic device such as a smartwatch, or any other suitable electronic device.

[0034] The user device (170) may include a user interface (175) that may take the form of a graphical user interface (GUI). A software application provided by the computing server (150) or the inventory management system (140) may be displayed as the user interface (175). The user interface (175) may take other forms. In some embodiments, the user interface (175) is part of a front-end software application that includes a GUI displayed on the user device (170). In one case, the front-end software application is a software application that can be downloaded and installed on the user device (170), for example, through the application store (e.g., App Store) of the user device (170). In another case, the user interface (175) takes the form of a web interface of the computing server (150) or the inventory management system (140) that allows a client to perform actions through a web browser. In another embodiment, the user interface (175) does not include graphic elements but communicates with the computing server (150) or inventory management system (140) through other suitable methods, such as a command window or application program interfaces (API).

[0035] Communication between the robot (120), base station (130), inventory management system (140), computing server (150), data storage (160), and user device (170) can be transmitted, for example, through the internet via a network (180). In some embodiments, the network (180) uses standard communication technologies and / or protocols. Thus, the network (180) may include links using technologies such as Ethernet, 802.11, Global Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX), 3G, 4G, LTE, 5G, digital subscriber line (DSL), asynchronous transfer mode (ATM), InfiniBand, PCI Express, etc. Likewise, networking protocols used in the network (180) may include multiprotocol label switching (MPLS), transmission control protocol / Internet protocol (TCP / IP), user datagram protocol (UDP), hypertext transport protocol (HTTP), simple mail transfer protocol (SMTP), file transfer protocol (FTP), etc. Data exchanged through the network (180) may be expressed using technologies and / or formats including hypertext markup language (HTML), extensible markup language (XML), etc.Additionally, all or part of the link may be encrypted using conventional encryption technologies such as secure sockets layer (SSL), transport layer security (TLS), virtual private networks (VPN), and Internet protocol security (IPsec). The network (180) also includes links and packet-switched networks such as the Internet. In some embodiments, two computing servers, such as a computing server (150) and an inventory management system (140), may communicate via APIs. For example, the computing server (150) may retrieve inventory data from the inventory management system (140) via APIs.

[0036] Exemplary robot and base station

[0037] FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating the components of an exemplary robot (120) and an exemplary base station (130) according to some embodiments. The robot (120) may include an image sensor (210), a processor (215), memory (220), a flight control unit (FCU) (225) including an inertia measurement unit (IMU) (230), a state estimator (235), a visual reference engine (240), a planner (250), a communication engine (255), an I / O interface (260), and a power supply (265). The functions of the robot (120) may be distributed among the various components in a manner different from that described below. In various embodiments, the robot (120) may include different, fewer, and / or additional components. Also, although each component of FIG. 2 is described in the singular form, components may exist in the plural. For example, the robot (120) may include one or more image sensors (210) and more than one processor (215).

[0038] The image sensor (210) captures images of the environment of the storage site for the purposes of navigation, localization, collision avoidance, object recognition and identification, and inventory recognition. The robot (120) may include one or more image sensors (210) and one or more types of such image sensors (210). For example, the robot (120) may include a digital camera that captures optical images of the environment for a state estimator (235). For example, data captured by the image sensor (210) may also be provided to a VIO unit (236) that may be included in the state estimator (235) for localization purposes, such as determining the position and orientation of the robot (120) in view of an inertial frame, such as a global frame having a known and fixed position. The robot (120) may also include a stereo camera comprising two or more lenses that enables the image sensor (210) to capture three-dimensional images through stereoscopic photography. For each image frame, the stereo camera can generate point cloud data containing pixel values ​​such as red, green, and blue (RGB) and depth information. Images captured by the stereo camera can be provided to a visual reference engine (240) for object recognition purposes. The image sensor (210) may also be other types of image sensors, such as a light detection and ranging (LIDAR) sensor, an infrared camera, and a 360-degree depth camera. The image sensor (210) may also capture photos of labels (e.g., barcodes) on items for inventory circulation aggregation purposes. In some embodiments, a single stereo camera may be used for various purposes. For example, the stereo camera may provide image data to the visual reference engine (240) for object recognition. The stereo camera may also be used to capture photos of labels (e.g., barcodes).In some embodiments, the robot (120) includes a rotary mount, such as a gimbal, that allows the image sensor (210) to rotate at different angles and stabilize the image captured by the image sensor (210). In some embodiments, the image sensor (210) may also capture data along a path for the purpose of mapping storage sites.

[0039] The robot (120) includes one or more processors (215) that store one or more instruction sets and one or more memories (220). When one or more instruction sets are executed by one or more processors, one or more processors perform a process implemented by one or more software engines. Various components of the robot (120), such as the FCU (225) and the state estimator (235), may be implemented as a combination of software and hardware (e.g., sensors). The robot (120) may use a single general-purpose processor to execute various software engines or separate, more specialized processors for different functions. In some embodiments, the robot (120) may use a general-purpose computer (e.g., CPU) capable of executing various instruction sets for various components (e.g., FCU (225), visual reference engine (240), state estimator (235), planner (250)). The general-purpose computer may run on a suitable operating system such as LINUX, ANDROID, etc. For example, in some embodiments, the robot (120) may be equipped with a smartphone containing an application used to control the robot. In other embodiments, the robot (120) includes multiple processors specialized for different functions. For example, some functional components such as the FCU (225), visual reference engine (240), state estimator (235), and planner (250) may be modularized, each including its own processor, memory, and instruction set. The robot (120) may include a central processor unit (CPU) to communicate with and coordinate each of the modularized components. Thus, depending on the embodiment, the robot (120) may include a single processor or multiple processors (215) to perform various tasks. The memory (220) may also store images and videos captured by the image sensor (210).Images may include images capturing the surrounding environment and images of inventory such as barcodes and labels.

[0040] The flight control unit (FCU) (225) may be a combination of software and hardware, such as an inertial measurement unit (IMU) (230) and other sensors, to control the movement of the robot (120). In the case of a ground robot (120), the flight control unit (225) may also be referred to as a microcontroller unit (MCU). The FCU (225) relies on information provided by other components to control the movement of the robot (120). For example, a planner (250) determines the path of the robot (120) from a starting point to a destination and provides commands to the FCU (225). Based on the commands, the FCU (225) generates electrical signals to various mechanical parts of the robot (120) (e.g., actuators, motors, engines, wheels) to coordinate the movement of the robot (120). The precision mechanical parts of the robot (120) may vary depending on the embodiment and type of the robot (120).

[0041] The IMU (230) may be part of the FCU (225) or an independent component. The IMU (230) may include one or more accelerometers, gyroscopes, and other suitable sensors to generate measurements of force, linear acceleration, and rotation of the robot (120). For example, an accelerometer measures the force applied to the robot (120) and detects linear acceleration. Multiple accelerometers work together to detect the acceleration of the robot (120) in three-dimensional space. For example, a first accelerometer detects acceleration in the x-direction, a second accelerometer detects acceleration in the y-direction, and a third accelerometer detects acceleration in the z-direction. A gyroscope detects the rotation and angular acceleration of the robot (120). Based on the measurements, the processor (215) can obtain an estimated position measurement of the robot (120) by integrating the translation and rotation data of the IMU (230) over time.

[0042] The state estimator (235) may correspond to a set of software instructions that can be stored in memory (220) and executed by the processor (215). The state estimator (235) may be used to generate positional information of the robot (120) and may include various sub-components for estimating the state of the robot (120). For example, in some embodiments, the state estimator (235) may include a visual-inertial odometry (VIO) unit (236) and a posture estimator (238). In other embodiments, other modules, sensors, and algorithms may also be used in the state estimator (235) to determine the position of the robot (120).

[0043] The VIO unit (236) receives image data from an image sensor (210) (e.g., a stereo camera) and receives measurements from an IMU (230) to generate positional information, such as the position and orientation of the robot (120). Positional data obtained from the double integral of acceleration measurements from the IMU (230) is often prone to drift errors. The VIO unit (236) can generate optical flow vectors representing the movement of edges, boundaries, and surfaces of objects in the environment captured by the image sensor (210) by extracting image feature points and tracking feature points in the image sequence. Various signal processing techniques, such as filtering (e.g., Wiener filter, Kalman filter, bandpass filter, particle filter) and optimization, and data / image conversion can be used to reduce various errors in determining positional information.

[0044] The altitude estimator (238) may be a combination of software and hardware used to determine the absolute altitude and relative altitude of the robot (120) (e.g., distance from an object placed on the ground). The altitude estimator (238) may include a downward distance measuring device capable of measuring the altitude relative to the ground for an object below the robot (120). The distance measuring device may include an IR (or any suitable signal) emitter and sensor that detects the round-trip time of IR reflected by the object. The altitude estimator (238) may receive data from a VIO unit (236) capable of estimating the absolute altitude of the robot (120), but usually receives it in a less accurate manner than the distance measuring device. The altitude estimator (238) may include a software algorithm for combining the data generated by the distance measuring device with the data generated by the VIO unit (236) when the robot (120) flies over various objects and stock placed on the ground or other horizontal levels. The data generated by the altitude estimator (238) may be used for collision avoidance and finding target locations. The elevation estimator (238) can set a global maximum elevation to prevent the robot (120) from hitting the ceiling. The elevation estimator (238) also provides information about how many rows are on the rack below the robot (120) so that the robot (120) can find a target location. The elevation data can be used in combination with the count of rows passed by the robot (120) to determine the vertical level of the robot (120).

[0045] The visual reference engine (240) may correspond to a set of software instructions stored in memory (220) that can be executed by the processor (215). The visual reference engine (240) may include various image processing algorithms and positioning algorithms to determine the current position of the robot (120), identify objects, edges, and surfaces in the environment near the robot (120), and determine the estimated distance and direction (e.g., yaw) of the robot (120) to the adjacent surface of the object. The visual reference engine (240) may receive pixel data and point cloud data of a series of images from the image sensor (210). The positioning information generated by the visual reference engine (240) may include the distance and yaw from the object and the center offset from the target point (e.g., the midpoint of the target object).

[0046] The visual reference engine (240) may include one or more algorithms and machine learning models to generate image segmentation from an image captured by an image sensor (210). Image segmentation may include one or more segments that separate the outline of a frame (e.g., a vertical or horizontal bar of a rack) or a structure of a regular shape appearing in the captured image from other objects and the environment. The algorithm used for image segmentation may include a convolutional neural network (CNN). When performing segmentation, other image segmentation algorithms such as edge detection algorithms (e.g., Canny operator, Laplacian operator, Sobel operator, Frewitt operator), corner detection algorithms, Hough transform, and other suitable feature detection algorithms may also be used.

[0047] The visual reference engine (240) also performs object recognition (e.g., object detection and further analysis) and maintains tracking of the relative movement of objects across a series of images. The visual reference engine (240) can track the number of structures of regular shape in the storage site (110) through which the robot (120) passes. For example, the visual reference engine (240) can identify a reference point (e.g., a center point) of the rack frame and determine whether the reference point passes through a specific location in the image across a series of images (e.g., whether the reference point passes through the center of the image). If so, the visual reference engine (240) increments the number of structures of regular shape through which the robot (120) has passed.

[0048] The robot (120) may use various components to generate various types of position information (including position information and position measurement information regarding adjacent objects). For example, in some embodiments, a state estimator (235) may process data from a VIO unit (236) and an elevation estimator (238) to provide position measurement information to a planner (250). A visual reference engine (240) may determine the current position by counting the number of structures of regular shape that the robot (120) has passed through. The visual reference engine (240) may generate position information regarding adjacent objects. For example, when the robot (120) reaches a target position on a rack, the visual reference engine (240) may reconstruct the surface of the rack using point cloud data and determine a more accurate yaw and distance between the robot (120) and the rack using depth data from the point cloud. The visual reference engine (240) may determine a center offset that may correspond to the distance between the robot (120) and the center of the target position (e.g., the midpoint of the target position on the rack). Using center offset information, the planner (250) controls the robot (120) to move to a target location and take a picture of the inventory at the target location. When the robot (120) changes direction (e.g., rotation, transition from horizontal movement to vertical movement, transition from vertical movement to horizontal movement, etc.), the center offset information can be used to determine the exact position of the robot (120) relative to the object.

[0049] The planner (250) may correspond to a set of software instructions stored in memory (220) that can be executed by the processor (215). The planner (250) may include various routing algorithms for planning the path of the robot (120) when the robot (120) moves from a first location (e.g., a starting location, the current location of the robot (120) after completing a previous journey) to a second location (e.g., a target destination). The robot (120) may receive input, such as user commands, to perform specific actions (e.g., scanning inventory, moving items, etc.) at specific locations. The planner (250) may include two types of paths corresponding to spot checks and range scans. In a spot check, the planner (250) may receive input containing the coordinates of one or more specific target locations. In response, the planner (250) plans a path for the robot (120) to move to the target location to perform the action. In a range scan, the input may include a range of coordinates corresponding to the range of the target location. In response, the planner (250) plans a path for the robot (120) to perform a full scan or operation over the range of the target location.

[0050] The planner (250) can plan the path of the robot (120) based on data provided by the visual reference engine (240) and data provided by the state estimator (235). For example, the visual reference engine (240) estimates the current position of the robot (120) by tracking the number of structures of regular shape in the storage site (110) that the robot (120) passes through. Based on the position information provided by the visual reference engine (240), the planner (250) can determine the path of the robot (120) and adjust the movement of the robot (120) as the robot (120) moves along the path.

[0051] The planner (250) may also include a fail-safe mechanism in case the movement of the robot (120) deviates from the plan. For example, if the planner (250) determines that the robot (120) has passed the target path and moved too far from the target path, the planner (250) may signal the FCU (225) to correct the path. If the error is not corrected after a timeout or within a reasonable distance, or if the planner (250) cannot accurately determine the current position, the planner (250) may instruct the FCU to land or stop the robot (120).

[0052] Relying on various location information, the planner (250) may include an algorithm for the purpose of collision avoidance. In some embodiments, the planner (250) plans the movement of the robot (120) based on distance information, yaw angle, and center offset information regarding adjacent objects and provides sufficient spacing between the robot (120) and adjacent objects. Alternatively, or additionally, the robot (120) may include one or more depth cameras, such as a set of 360-degree depth cameras, that generate distance data between the robot (120) and adjacent objects. The planner (250) uses location information from the depth cameras to perform collision avoidance.

[0053] The communication engine (255) and I / O interface (260) are communication components that enable the robot (120) to communicate with other components of the system environment (100). The robot (120) may use different communication protocols, wireless or wired, to communicate with external components such as the base station (130). Exemplary communication protocols may include Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC, USB, etc., to connect the robot (120) to the base station (130). The robot (120) may transmit various types of data, such as image data, flight logs, location data, inventory data, and robot status information. The robot (120) may also receive input from an external source to specify actions to be performed by the robot (120). Commands may be automatically generated by an administrator or manually generated. The communication engine (255) may include various communication protocols and standards for various communication processes, as well as algorithms for encoding, decoding, multiplexing, traffic control, data encryption, etc. The I / O interface (260) may include software and hardware components such as a hardware interface for communication, an antenna, etc.

[0054] The robot (120) also includes a power source (265) used to power various components and the movement of the robot (120). The power source (265) may be one or more batteries or fuel tanks. Exemplary batteries may include lithium-ion batteries, lithium polymer (LiPo) batteries, fuel cells, and other suitable battery types. The battery may be permanently placed inside or easily replaceable. For example, the battery may be detachable so that it can be replaced when the robot (120) returns to the base station (130).

[0055] Although FIG. 2 illustrates exemplary components that may vary, the robot (120) may include additional components. For example, some mechanical features and components of the robot (120) are not illustrated in FIG. 2. Depending on the type, the robot (120) may include various types of motors, actuators, robot arms, lifts, other movable components, and other sensors to perform various tasks.

[0056] Referring again to FIG. 2, an exemplary base station (130) includes a processor (270), memory (275), an I / O interface (280), and a reload unit (285). In various embodiments, the base station (130) may include different, fewer, and / or additional components.

[0057] The base station (130) includes one or more processors (270) and one or more memories (275) containing one or more sets of instructions that cause the processors (270) to perform various processes implemented as one or more software modules. The base station (130) may provide inputs and commands to the robots (120) to perform various inventory management tasks. The base station (130) may also include a set of instructions for performing swarm control among multiple robots (120). Swarm control may include task assignment, routing and planning, and coordination of movement between robots to avoid collisions. The base station (130) may function as a central control unit for coordinating the robots (120). The memory (275) may also include a set of instructions for performing analysis of data and images downloaded from the robots (120). The base station (130) may provide varying degrees of data processing, ranging from converting raw data formats to full data processing that generates useful information for inventory management. Alternatively, or additionally, the base station (130) may directly upload data downloaded from the robot (120) to a data repository such as a data repository (160). The base station (130) may also provide work, administration, and management commands to the robot (120). In some embodiments, the base station (130) may be remotely controlled by a user device (170), a computing server (150), or an inventory management system (140).

[0058] The base station (130) may also include various types of I / O interfaces (280) for communication with the robot (120) and communication with the Internet. The base station (130) may continuously communicate with the robot (120) using wireless protocols such as Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. In some embodiments, one or more components of the robot (120) of FIG. 2 may be located at the base station, and the base station may provide commands to the robot (120) for movement and navigation. Alternatively, or additionally, the base station (130) may also communicate with the robot (120) via short-range communication protocols such as NFC or wired connection when the robot (120) lands or stops at the base station (130). The base station (130) may be connected to a network (180) such as the Internet. The wireless network (e.g., LAN) of some storage sites (110) may not have sufficient communication range. The base station (130) can be connected to the network (180) via an Ethernet cable.

[0059] The refueling unit (285) includes components used to detect the power level of the robot (120) and to refuel the robot (120). Refueling may be performed by replacing the battery, recharging the battery, refilling the fuel tank, etc. In some embodiments, the base station (130) includes a mechanical actuator, such as a robot arm, to replace the battery of the robot (120). In other embodiments, the base station (130) may function as a charging station for the robot (120) via wired charging or inductive charging. For example, the base station (130) may include a landing or seating pad having an inductive coil underneath to wirelessly charge the robot (120) via an inductive coil within the robot. Other suitable methods for refueling the robot (120) are also possible.

[0060] Exemplary inventory management process

[0061] FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating an exemplary process for managing inventory at a storage site according to some embodiments. The process may be implemented by a computer, which may be a single operating unit in the conventional sense (e.g., a single personal computer) or a set of distributed computing devices that cooperate to execute a set of instructions (e.g., a virtual machine, a distributed computing system, cloud computing, etc.). Additionally, although the computer is described in the singular form, the computer performing the process of FIG. 3 may include one or more computers associated with a computing server (150), an inventory management system (140), a robot (120), a base station (130), or a user device (170).

[0062] According to some embodiments, the computer receives a configuration of the storage site (110) (step 310). The storage site (110) may be a warehouse, a retail store, or other suitable site. Configuration information of the storage site (110) may be uploaded to the robot (120) so that the robot can navigate through the storage site (110). The configuration information may include the total number of regular-shaped structures within the storage site (110) and dimension information of the regular-shaped structures. The provided configuration information may take the form of a computer-aided design (CAD) drawing or other types of file formats. The configuration may include the layout of the storage site (110), such as rack layouts and the placement of other regular-shaped structures. The layout may be a two-dimensional layout. The computer extracts the numbers of sections, aisles, and racks, and the numbers of rows and columns for each rack, from the CAD drawing by counting the corresponding numbers as shown in the CAD drawing. The computer may also extract the height and width of the cells of the rack from the CAD drawing or other sources. In some embodiments, the computer does not need to extract the exact distance between a given pair of racks, the width of each aisle, or the total length of the racks. Instead, the robot (120) may use a counting method performed by the planner (250) in combination with the visual reference engine (240) to navigate through the storage site (110) by measuring the dimensions of the aisles, racks, and cells from depth sensor data, or by counting the number of rows and columns passed by the robot (120). Thus, in some embodiments, the exact dimensions of the racks may not be required.

[0063] Some configuration information may be manually entered by the manager of the storage site (110). For example, the manager may provide the section number, the aisle and rack number of each section, and the cell size of the rack. The manager may also enter the row and column numbers of each rack.

[0064] Alternatively, or additionally, configuration information may be obtained through a mapping process, such as pre-flight mapping, or through a mapping process performed when the robot (120) performs inventory management tasks. For example, in the case of a storage site (110) newly implementing an automated management process, the manager may provide the size of the traversable space of the storage site so that one or more mapping robots can count the number of sections, aisles, rows, and columns of regular-shaped structures within the storage site (110). Again, in some embodiments, the mapping or configuration information does not require measuring the exact distance between racks or other structures within the storage site (110). Instead, the robot (120) may navigate the storage site (110) with only the approximate layout of the storage site (110) by counting regular-shaped structures along a path to identify target locations. The robot system may gradually perform mapping or estimation of the scale of various structures and locations as the robot (120) continues to perform various inventory management tasks.

[0065] The computer receives inventory management data from the storage site (110) for inventory management tasks (step 320). While certain inventory management data may be manually entered by a manager, other data may be downloaded from the inventory management system (140). The inventory management data may include scheduling and planning for inventory management tasks, such as the frequency of operations and time windows. For example, the management data may specify that each location of the racks in the storage site (110) must be scanned at predetermined intervals (e.g., daily), and that the inventory scanning process must be performed by the robot (120) in the evening after the storage site is closed. The data from the inventory management system (140) may provide information regarding the barcodes and labels of items, the exact coordinates of the inventory, and the racks and other storage spaces that must be empty for incoming inventory. The inventory management data may also include items that must be retrieved from the storage site (110) for each day (e.g., items on a purchase order to be shipped) so that the robot (120) can focus on those items.

[0066] The computer generates a plan to perform inventory management (step 330). For example, the computer can generate an automatic plan that includes various commands instructing the robot (120) to perform various scans. The commands may specify a range of locations that the robot (120) must scan or one or more specific locations that the robot (120) must go to. The computer can estimate the time for each scanning journey based on the available time for robot inventory management and design a plan for each operation interval. For example, at a specific storage site (110), robot inventory management is not performed during business hours.

[0067] The computer generates various commands to operate one or more robots (120) to navigate the storage site (110) according to plans and information derived from the configuration of the storage site (110) (step 340). The robots (120) can navigate the storage site (110) by at least visually recognizing structures of regular shape in the storage site and counting the number of structures of regular shape. In some embodiments, in addition to position measurement techniques such as VIO used, the robots (120) count the number of racks, rows, and columns they have passed to determine their current position along a path from a starting position to a target position without knowing the exact distance and direction traveled.

[0068] Scanning of inventory or other inventory management tasks can be performed autonomously by the robot (120). In some embodiments, the scanning task is initiated at a base station where the robot (120) receives input (step 342) including the coordinates of a target location or the range of a target location at the storage site (110). The robot (120) departs from the base station (130) (step 344). The robot (120) navigates through the storage site (110) by visually recognizing structures of regular shape (step 346). For example, the robot (120) tracks the number of structures of regular shape that the robot (120) passes through. The robot (120) performs rotation and translation based on the recognized structures of regular shape captured by the robot's image sensor (210). Upon reaching a target location, the robot (120) can align itself to a reference point (e.g., a center location) of the target location. At a target location, the robot (120) captures data at the target location (e.g., measurements, photos, etc.) which may include stock items, barcodes, and labels on the boxes of stock items (step 348). If the initial command before the robot (120) starts includes multiple target locations or a range of target locations, the robot (120) moves up, down, or sideways to the next location to continue the scanning operation and continues to the next target location.

[0069] Upon completion of the scanning journey, the robot (120) returns to the base station (130) by counting in reverse the number of regular-shaped structures that the robot (120) has passed through. The robot (120) may potentially recognize the structures that the robot has passed through as the robot (120) moves to the target location. Alternatively, the robot (120) may return to the base station (130) by reversing the path without any counting. The base station (130) re-powers the robot (120). For example, the base station (130) provides the next command to the robot (120) and replaces the robot (120)'s battery (step 352), allowing the robot (120) to quickly return to service for another scanning journey. The used battery can be recharged at the base station (130). The base station (130) may also download data and images captured by the robot (120) and upload the data and images to a data storage (160) for further processing. Alternatively, the robot (120) may include a wireless communication component for transmitting its data and images to the base station (130) or directly to a network (180).

[0070] The computer performs an analysis of the data and images captured by the robot (120) (step 360). For example, the computer can compare the barcode (including serial numbers) of the images captured by the robot (120) with the data stored in the inventory management system (140) to identify whether items are misplaced or missing at the storage site (110). The computer may also determine other conditions of the inventory. The computer may generate a report to be displayed on the user interface (175) so that a manager can take corrective action regarding misplaced or missing inventory. For example, a report may be generated daily so that personnel at the storage site (110) can manually locate and move misplaced items. Alternatively, or additionally, the computer may generate an automated plan for the robot (120) to move the misplaced inventory. The data and images captured by the robot (120) may also be used to verify the removal or arrival of inventory items.

[0071] Exemplary search process

[0072] FIG. 4 is a conceptual diagram of an exemplary layout of a storage site (110) equipped with a robot (120) according to some embodiments. FIG. 4 illustrates a two-dimensional layout of the storage site (110) along with an enlarged view of an exemplary rack shown in insert (405). The storage site (110) may be divided into different areas based on a structure of regular shape. In this example, the structure of regular shape is a rack (410). The storage site (110) may be divided by sections (415), aisles (420), rows (430), and columns (440). For example, a section (415) is a group of racks. Each aisle may have both sides of a rack. Each rack (410) may include one or more columns (440) and a number of rows (430). A storage unit of a rack (410) may be called a cell (450). Each cell (450) may carry one or more pallets (460). In this particular example, two pallets (460) are placed in each cell (450). The inventory of the storage site (110) is loaded onto the pallets (460). The division and nomenclature shown in FIG. 4 are used for illustrative purposes only. In other embodiments, the storage site (110) may be divided in different ways.

[0073] Each stock item of the storage site (110) may be located on a pallet (460). The target location of the stock item (e.g., pallet location) may be identified using a coordinate system. For example, an item placed on a pallet (460) may have an aisle number (A), a rack number (K), a row number (R), and a column number (C). For example, pallet location coordinates [A3, K1, R4, and C5] mean that the pallet (460) is located in the third aisle and in the rack (410) of the north rack. The location of the pallet (460) in the rack (410) is in the fourth row (counted from the ground) and the fifth column. In some cases, for example in a specific layout illustrated in FIG. 4, the aisle (420) may contain racks (410) on both sides. Additional coordinate information may be used to distinguish between the rack (410) on the north side of the aisle (420) and the rack (410) on the south side. Alternatively, the upper and lower sides of the rack may have different aisle numbers. For spot checking, a single coordinate may be provided to the robot (120) if only one spot is provided, or multiple coordinates may be provided if more than one spot is provided. For a range scan to check the range of the pallet (460), the robot (120) may be provided with a range of coordinates such as an aisle number, a rack number, a starting row, a starting column, an ending row, and an ending column. In some embodiments, the coordinates of the pallet position may be referred to in a different way. For example, in one case, the coordinate system may take the form of "aisle-rack-shelf-position". The shelf number may correspond to the row number, and the position number may correspond to the column number.

[0074] Referring to FIG. 5 in conjunction with FIG. 4, FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating an exemplary exploration process of a robot (120) according to some embodiments. The robot (120) receives a target location (474) of a storage site (110) (step 510). The target location (474) may be represented in a coordinate system as discussed above in relation to FIG. 4. The target location (474) may be received as an input command from a base station (130). The input command may include actions that the robot (120) must perform, such as taking a picture at the target location (474) to capture the barcode and label of a stock item. The robot (120) may rely on a VIO unit (236) and an elevation estimator (238) to generate location information. In one case, the starting location of the path is the base station (130). In some cases, the starting location of the path may be any location of the storage site (110). For example, the robot (120) may have recently completed a task and started another task without returning to the base station (130).

[0075] A processor of the robot (120), such as running a planner (250), controls the robot (120) along a path (470) to a target location (474) (step 520). The path (470) may be determined based on the coordinates of the target location (474). The robot (120) may rotate so that the image sensor (210) faces a structure of a regular shape (e.g., a rack). The movement of the robot (120) to the target location (474) may include moving into a specific passage, rotating to enter the passage, moving horizontally to a target column, moving vertically to a target row, and rotating at a right angle toward the target location (474) to capture a picture of a stock item on a pallet (460).

[0076] As the robot (120) moves to the target location (474), the robot (120) uses the image sensor (210) to capture images of the storage site (110) (step 530). The captured images may be a sequence of images. The robot (120) receives the images captured by the image sensor (210) as the robot (120) moves along the path (470) (step 540). The images may capture objects in the environment, including structures of regular shape such as racks. For example, the robot (120) may use algorithms within the visual reference engine (240) to visually recognize structures of regular shape.

[0077] The robot (120) analyzes an image captured by an image sensor (210) to determine the current position of the robot (120) in the path (470) by tracking the number of regular-shaped structures in the storage site that the robot (120) has passed (step 550). To identify the regular-shaped structures and to track the number of structures that the robot (120) has passed, the robot (120) may use various image processing and object recognition techniques, which will be discussed in further details with reference to FIG. 6a. Referring to the path (470) illustrated in FIG. 4, the robot (120), facing the rack (410), can move to a turning point (476). Since the robot (120) has passed two racks (410), it determines that it has arrived at the target passage. In response, the robot (120) rotates counterclockwise and enters the target passage while facing the target rack. The robot (120) counts the number of columns it has passed through until the robot (120) reaches the target column. Depending on the target row, the robot (120) may move vertically up or down to reach the target position. When it reaches the target position, the robot (120) performs an action specified by an input command, such as taking a picture of the inventory at the target position.

[0078] Exemplary Drone Overview

[0079] The design of the robot (120) can be created to meet specific needs. For example, obstacles are more likely to affect the lower hemisphere of the robot (120). During flight, the robot (120) may encounter movements beneath it that require realignment or some correction in the robot's flight path. Therefore, if the robot (120) has full lower hemisphere awareness, its maneuverability can be improved. The robot (120) may require additional landing gear capable of landing on various surfaces and under various impacts. Since the robot (120) may need to land in unexpected situations or very quickly, it is important for the robot (120) to have a replaceable and durable landing mechanism. Additionally, if the robot's propeller is not protected, the likelihood of the robot (120) colliding may increase. Therefore, the robot (120) can gain additional benefits by having a structure that protects the robot's propeller. Since the operator and packages are moved during the robot's flight, the storage site (110) has permanently moving components. The terrain of the robot (120) is constantly changing. Therefore, it is important that the robot (120) has a design that enables maximum environmental awareness and structural integrity. The embodiment described herein relates to an aerial robot capable of navigating a storage site (110) with a protected propeller, durable landing gear, and improved environmental awareness.

[0080] An aerial robot may be designed to be equipped with a propeller guard to prevent obstacles from impairing the robot's flight capability. The propeller guard may be configured so that the aerial robot remains aerodynamic without exposing the robot's propellers. To support the propeller guard, the aerial robot may be equipped with multiple rods. The rods may be configured to increase the rigidity of the propeller guard and to maintain the sensors on the robot (120) in a constant alignment or offset position. In some embodiments, the aerial robot may have a longitudinal body that accommodates the technical components of the robot. The longitudinal body may be equipped with sensor rods. In some embodiments, the sensor rods are configured to be approximately perpendicular to the longitudinal body to create four outer points for framing the robot's body. The four outer points may create a frame in which a set of propellers is located to protect the propellers from obstacles.

[0081] The robot may be equipped with propeller guards at each of the four outer points. In some embodiments, the propeller guards are circular bumpers that bulge out from each outer point. The bumpers create a safety margin for the propellers located within the four outer points. The safety margin is the space between the outer area of ​​the bumper and the location of the propellers. The safety margin can be configured so that if the robot flies toward an obstacle, the propellers are protected by the bumpers having a gap. In some embodiments, the bumpers may be made of plastic, metal, carbon, or other materials to deflect potential obstacles from the robot's flight path without damaging the robot's propellers. In some embodiments, the bumpers may be oriented at a certain angle to provide more specific and customized propeller protection to the robot. The bumpers may have different dimensions depending on the severity of the potential obstacles. For example, if the storage site (110) is outdoors, the bumpers may be thicker or taller to prevent insects, birds, and other potential obstacles from coming into contact with the robot's propellers.

[0082] In some embodiments, the robot's main housing houses a printed circuit board (PCB), sensors, a global positioning system (GPS), power, and other technical components. The main housing is designed to allow ventilation of each technical component while maintaining an aerodynamic structure with an inconspicuous profile. The main housing may be longitudinal. The main housing may be slender and elongated, providing an inconspicuous profile to the robot.

[0083] In some embodiments, the robot (120) includes a longitudinal housing that mounts a set of propellers. The robot may mount one or more motor rods perpendicular to the longitudinal housing. The propellers may cause vibrations that affect the quality of the sensors and cameras. Considering the motion of the propellers, the motor rods may be configured so that the propellers are not mounted directly to the longitudinal housing. The height of the propellers may be offset from the height of the main housing, which prevents the propellers from interfering with the cameras and sensors on the longitudinal housing.

[0084] The motor rod may be mounted at a different height from the sensor rod to prevent the propeller from interfering with the sensor on the sensor rod. For example, the longitudinal housing may have an upper body and a lower body. The motor rod is mounted by the lower body of the longitudinal housing, and the sensor rod is mounted by the upper body of the longitudinal housing, creating a vertical separation between the propeller and the sensor. In some embodiments, the longitudinal housing may have more than an upper and lower body. For example, the longitudinal housing may have a plurality of (e.g., 3, 4, 6, 10, 20, etc.) layers of housing, each mounting a different component.

[0085] To cope with potential sudden or abrasive landings, the robot (120) may be designed to have a replaceable leg for landing. In some embodiments, the leg may be mounted by a part of the drone that is less sensitive to shaking. For example, the leg may be mounted on the robot's motor rod rather than being mounted directly to the sensor. In some embodiments, the leg is replaceable. The leg may have a replaceable tip so that it can be easily removed and replaced when the tip wears out due to the robot's landing. The tip may be made of rubber or hard plastic material. The tip may allow the robot to absorb the impact of the landing.

[0086] Exemplary drone structure

[0087] FIG. 6a is a front perspective view of an aerial drone (600) according to some embodiment. FIG. 6b is a bottom perspective view of an aerial drone (600) showing the lower portion of the aerial drone (600) according to some embodiment. In FIG. 6b, the aerial drone (600) is upside down. The aerial drone (600) is an example of a robot (120), but in various embodiments, the robot (120) may take a form other than that of a flying vehicle. Various drawings of the aerial drone (600) may be described with directional descriptions such as vertical, longitudinal, and transverse directions. In some embodiments, longitudinal and transverse directions are not limited to specific directions and may simply mean two different directions. Thus, in some embodiments, the two directions may be described as a first direction and a second direction.

[0088] Likewise, various directional terms such as top, bottom, left, right, vertical, horizontal, longitudinal, and transverse are relative terms and may simply be referred to as the first direction, the second direction, etc. For example, in other embodiments not illustrated in the drawings, the upper housing and the lower housing simply refer to two divisions of the housing and may be referred to as the first housing portion and the second housing portion. The two housings may be positioned side by side. In various embodiments, various components may be divided into any other suitable divisions, such as top and bottom, left and right, specific quadrants, or other identifiable, symmetrical or non-symmetrical, regular or irregular regions.

[0089] An aerial drone (600) comprises a drone body characterized by having a housing (610). In some embodiments, the housing (610) mounts technical components, such as a processing board, a sensor, a heat sink, and other technical components, inside and on the surface of the housing (610). The drone body may have any shape and form. For example, the housing (610) illustrated in FIG. 6b is an elongated enclosure that generally defines the longitudinal body of the aerial drone (600). In some embodiments, the housing (610) may also be referred to as a longitudinal housing, but the fact that the housing is longitudinal does not mean that the housing extends in the front-to-back direction.

[0090] The drone body may include an upper housing (612) and a lower housing (614). To further illustrate the separation, the boundary between the upper housing (612) and the lower housing (614) is shown as a dashed line (616) in FIG. 6a. The upper housing (612) and the lower housing (614) are joined by one or more fasteners (such as screws) through one or more connection sites (618) located in the transverse direction. Fasteners (not shown) may penetrate the overlapping section of the upper housing (612) and the lower housing (614). In some embodiments, the two housing parts are separated by a plane, and the orientation of the connection sites (618) is parallel to the plane. For example, in a specific arrangement shown in FIG. 6a and FIG. 6b, the two housing parts are separated by a horizontal plane, and one or more connection sites (618) are positioned horizontally so that fasteners are inserted horizontally. The arrangement improves the mechanical strength of the housing (610).

[0091] The housing (610) includes a ventilation (632) for a technical component inside the housing (610). The ventilation (632) allows airflow into the housing (610). The ventilation (632) can regulate the temperature of the aerial drone (600). In some embodiments, the ventilation (632) may have a retractable cover that opens and closes to control the amount of airflow allowed into the housing (610).

[0092] As part of the mechanical structural support of the aerial drone (600), the sensor rod (630) is mounted by the housing (610). The sensor rod (630) may be a rigid mechanical structure extending laterally from the housing (610). The sensor rod (630) may be attached to the housing (610) in a shape perpendicular to the longitudinal body of the housing (610) or at any suitable angle. The sensor rod (630) may be an integral part of the housing (610) or may be mechanically mounted to the housing (610). In the embodiment illustrated in the drawing, the sensor rod (630) may take the form of a single rigid rod penetrating the housing (610). In some embodiments, the sensor rod (630) may be a pair of rods each extending in opposite directions from the housing (610). The distal end of the housing (610) and the distal end of the sensor rod (630) can create an external point (640) of the aerial drone (600) that defines an external mechanical support point. In some embodiments, the external point (640) forms a rigid four-corner frame. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 6b, the housing (610) and the sensor rod (630) divide the aerial drone (600) into quadrants. In other embodiments, the housing (610) and the sensor rod (630) can divide the aerial drone (600) into any number of identifiable regions that are symmetrical or asymmetrical, regular or non-regular. For example, in some embodiments, the aerial drone (600) may include more than two sensor rods (630) radiating from the housing (610) to divide the aerial drone (600) into more than four regions.

[0093] The aerial drone (600) may include several bumpers (660), also known as propeller guards. As illustrated in FIGS. 6a and 6b, the bumpers (660) may be mounted by the distal end of the longitudinal body (610) and the distal end of the sensor rod (630). For example, the bumpers (660) may connect an external point (640) of the body (610) to an external point (640) of the sensor rod (630). The bumpers (660) may be mounted by sensor housings (634) on both ends of the sensor rod (630). The bumpers (660) provide protection for the propeller (670). The bumpers (660) may also provide protection for the rest of the components of the aerial drone (600) that are coplanar with the bumpers (660). As illustrated, the bumper (660) may bulge out in a spherical shape from each outer point (640) of the robot to define the periphery of the aerial drone (600). The bumper (660) may bulge out so that there is a gap between the circumference of the propeller (670) and the bumper (660). Due to this gap, if the bumper (660) collides with an obstacle, the propeller (670) may not be affected. In some embodiments, the bumper (660) may have alternative shapes and dimensions to prevent potential obstacles in a given environment from affecting the propeller (670). For example, the bumper (660) may be thicker or taller to provide additional shielding for the propeller (670) and the housing (610). The bumper forms part of the periphery of the aerial drone.

[0094] In some embodiments, the housing (610) may have a set of motor rods (635). The motor rods (635) may have a home and key system for attaching to the housing (610). Each motor rod (635) has a motor mount (645). Each motor mount (645) has an engine for supplying power to the propeller (670). The motor rods (635) may have legs (615) and leg tips (625) for landing the aerial drone (600). The legs (615) and the propeller (670) may be in opposite directions. For example, the propeller (670) is mounted in one direction (e.g., from the top), and the legs (615) extend in the opposite direction (e.g., extending downward).

[0095] In some embodiments, two types of rods (sensor rod (630) and motor rod (635)) are attached to different parts of the housing (610) for the purpose of alignment and reduction of vibration. For example, in the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 6a and 6b, the motor rod (635) may be attached to the lower housing (614) of the aerial drone (600), while the sensor rod (630) is attached to the upper housing (612) of the aerial drone (600). The sensor rod (630) and the motor rod (635) may be at different horizontal levels. Since the propeller (670) is mounted on the motor rod (635) while the bumper (660) (propeller guard) is mounted through the sensor rod (630), the bumper (660) and the propeller (670) are aligned at the same horizontal level, as best illustrated in FIG. 6b. Additionally, since the motor rod (635) carrying the propeller (670) can cause vibration to the aerial drone (600) and the sensor mounted on the sensor rod (630) is sensitive to vibration, this mounting arrangement reduces the movement and vibration of the motor rod (635) affecting the sensor on the sensor rod (630).

[0096] In the lower perspective view of the aerial drone (600) shown in FIG. 6b, the lower housing (614) may include a battery loading zone for mounting a battery pack. The battery loading zone includes a battery connection port (665) and a battery attachment site (675). Details of the battery attachment system will be described below.

[0097] On the side of the housing (610), the aerial drone (600) may include a pair of gripper tabs (690) protruding from the left and right surfaces of the housing (610), respectively. The gripper tabs (690) may be complementary in shape to the gripper slots of the gripper of the base station (130) and may interact with the gripper. The gripper tabs (690) are used to align and secure the aerial drone (600) to the base station (130) upon landing. In some embodiments, the gripper tabs (690) are a pair of protrusions on the lower body of the aerial drone (600). The gripper tabs (690) may be mounted by the opposite side of the lower body of the aerial drone (600) so that the gripper tabs (690) can meet the gripper on the landing base. In some embodiments, the gripper tabs (690) may be one tab, two tabs, four tabs, five tabs, etc. to enable positioning of the aerial drone (600) upon landing.

[0098] Exemplary sensor placement

[0099] In some embodiments, the aerial drone (600) may perform various types of exploration and other tasks to be performed by the aerial drone (600). For example, the aerial drone (600) may include a plurality of depth sensors that may take the form of an RGB-D (Red, Green, Blue, and Depth) camera that generates RGB data and depth data. The aerial drone (600) may also include a tracking camera, a main camera for capturing images and performing storage site management tasks, and an inertial measurement unit (IMU).

[0100] FIGS. 8a and 8b illustrate an example of the arrangement of various sensors according to some embodiments. The arrangement and specific type of sensors are merely examples and may be replaced with equivalent sensors to achieve similar goals. Each sensor on the aerial drone (600) may be an image sensor, a proximity sensor, a temperature sensor, a motion sensor, a light sensor, a position sensor, or one or more of any additional sensors described in FIG. 2. Additionally, the various sensors conceptually illustrated in the drawings may be of the same type or different types.

[0101] In some embodiments, the aerial drone (600) may include a plurality of depth sensors (620) (collectively referred to as depth sensors (620), individually designated as 620A, 620B, etc.) that reduce the blind spots of the aerial drone (600). In some embodiments, the arrangement of the depth sensors (620) provides a 360-degree or nearly 360-degree field of view for the aerial drone (600) to navigate the environment. In an exemplary manner, the housing (610) may include depth sensors (620) at each of the four external points (640) of the aerial drone (600). In some embodiments, the aerial drone (600) may include a front depth sensor (620A) located at the front end of a longitudinal housing (610), two lateral depth sensors (620B) (left and right) mounted in a sensor housing (634) mounted at the distal end of a sensor rod (630), and a rear depth sensor (620C) (shown in FIG. 6b). The front depth sensor (620A) may provide readings for the front hemisphere of the environment, and the lateral depth sensors (620B) may provide readings for the lateral hemisphere of the environment, etc. The two lateral depth sensors (620B) may be located at the farthest end of the sensor rod (630) to include the field of view of the sensors. Generally, the depth sensors (620) have a horizontal field of view of about 90 degrees. The four sensors provide a horizontal 360-degree view for the aerial drone (600).

[0102] Vertically, the housing (610) may mount an upper depth sensor (620D) on the upper surface of the housing (610). The upper depth sensor (620D) may provide readings for the upper hemisphere of the environment. The upper depth sensor (620D) may be positioned so that other parts mounted by the housing (610) do not interfere with the field of view of the sensor. The lower housing (614) may include a raised portion (617) (extending from the bottom) having two inclined surfaces. Each inclined surface may mount a lower depth sensor (620E). Generally, the depth sensor (620) has a vertical field of view of about 60 degrees. In a storage site environment, obstacles are often located at the bottom of the aerial drone (600). This increases the field of view on the lower side of the lower depth sensor (620E) tilted at different angles. In other words, the sensor (620E) is mounted in an offset direction, enabling a wide field of view for the aerial drone (600) to track the area below. In some embodiments, instead of a single top depth sensor (620D), the upper housing (612) may also include a raised portion and a pair of top depth sensors (620D) in a similar arrangement to the bottom depth sensor (620E).

[0103] In some embodiments, since each of one or more external points (640) carries a sensor, the sensor on the sensor rod (630) and the sensor on the housing (610) can maintain a consistent offset. A consistent offset between the sensor on the sensor rod (630) and the sensor on the housing (610) can increase the reliability of calculations, environmental readings, and location recognition. In some embodiments, the sensor on the aerial drone (600) can be maintained in a rigid configuration together with the body (610) to enable accurate data collection. The sensor rod (630) can carry multiple sensors (620). The sensor rod (630) can carry one or more sensors (620) at each end. The sensor rod (630) can carry sensors (620) together with a sensor housing (634). The sensor housing (634) can be attached to the sensor rod (630) by fasteners (e.g., a single screw), adhesive, welding or soldering, a hook-and-loop shape, or a pressure fit.

[0104] In some embodiments, the aerial drone (600) may be equipped with other types of sensors to perform various storage site management tasks and navigation. For example, the aerial drone (600) may be equipped with a downward distance measuring device (624) in the lower housing (614). The distance measuring device (624) may transmit a laser signal downward to measure the distance from the ground to the drone (600). The aerial drone (600) may include a front tracking camera (626). Inside the housing (610) at or near the center of the aerial drone (600), an IMU (not shown in FIG. 6a or 6b) may be equipped to generate motion data for processor(s) mounted within the housing (610). The housing (610) may also be equipped with a gimbal (682) that mounts a main camera (680) which can be used to capture stock images and other images of the drone. In various embodiments, other types of sensors may be present in the aerial drone (600).

[0105] Installation of structures and components

[0106] FIG. 7a is an exploded view illustrating a frame component of an aerial drone (600) according to some embodiment. The main housing (610) is omitted in FIG. 7a. The frame component may include a sensor rod (630), a pair of sensor housings (634) mounted on two distal ends of the sensor rod (630), and a plurality of bumpers (660). The bumpers (660) are mounted by the sensor rod (630) through the sensor housings (634). The bumpers (660) may be mounted by a housing for the sensor (620). The bumpers (660) may be positioned to bulge outward from the aerial drone (600) and the sensor rod (630), as illustrated.

[0107] FIG. 7b is an internal view of the upper housing (612) illustrating how a sensor rod (630) is mounted to the upper housing (612) according to some embodiments. FIG. 7b illustrates how various attachment rods (sensor rod (630) and motor rod (635)) are firmly mounted to the housing (610) using an angle alignment system such as a groove and key system. Referring to FIG. 7b, the sensor rod (630) can be attached to the upper housing (612) at a rod attachment site (701). The sensor rod (630) passes through the upper housing (612) through a pair of holes (704) (one on each the left and right sides) having a diameter that matches the diameter of the rod. In some embodiments, the rod attachment site (701) includes a groove (702) for securing the sensor rod (630) to the upper housing (612). The groove (702) may include a set of fastener positions (703) that can secure the groove (702) to the housing (610). The rod attachment site (701) secures the sensor rod (630) to the housing (610) in a rigid manner. Although only the attachment site (701) for the sensor rod (630) is shown, each motor rod (635) can be mounted to the lower housing (614) with a similar system, and the mounting structure is not repeated.

[0108] FIG. 7c is an exploded view illustrating the connection between the bumper (660) and the sensor housing (634) according to some embodiments. FIG. 7d includes an exploded view and an exploded view of the sensor housing (634) according to some embodiments. The sensor housing (634) carries the sensor (620). The sensor housing (634) includes a heat sink (750) for the sensor (620). In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 7c and FIG. 7d, the heat sink (750) is positioned immediately behind the sensor (620) to maximize the amount of thermal energy offset by the heat sink (750). In some embodiments, the sensor housing (634) includes a bumper notch (730) complementary to the end of the bumper (660). The bumper notch may be designed to secure the end of the bumper (660). The sensor housing (634) may include a similar complementary holder (760) having a screw hole for the sensor rod (630). In the exemplary embodiment illustrated by FIGS. 7c and 7d, the fastener (710) can secure the upper portion of the sensor housing (634) to the lower portion of the sensor housing (634) through the connection site (770) of the bumper (660) (best illustrated in FIG. 7a). The fastener (710) is positioned to screw-connect the sensor housing (634) and the bumper (660) at the bumper fastener site (720). The sensor housing (634) may have both upper and lower bumper fastener sites (720). The bumper (660) can be secured through the bumper notch (730) and the fastener (710) inserted into the connection site (770).

[0109] The fastener (710) may be a screw or other type of fastener as described herein, and the bumper fastener site (720) may be a screw hole for the fastener (710) or other complementary attachment site. Similarly, the fastener (710) is positioned to be screwed into the sensor housing (634) at a complementary holder (760) for the sensor rod (630). In other embodiments, any other fastener or multiple fasteners as described herein may be used to secure the sensor housing (634) to the bumper (660). The sensor housing (634) may additionally include at least one tab (732) to align the upper portion of the housing with the lower portion.

[0110] FIG. 7e is a partial view of the front end of the upper housing (612) according to some embodiment. FIG. 7f is an inverted view of FIG. 7e showing the upper housing (612) from a bottom view. FIG. 7g is an inverted view of the rear of the upper housing (612) according to some embodiment. FIG. 7e, FIG. 7f, and FIG. 7g illustrate how various structural components can be connected according to some embodiment and some internal components of the aerial drone (600).

[0111] In some embodiments, the upper housing (612) may be connected to the lower housing (614) (not shown) via one or more attachment tabs (780) and connection sites (618). The upper housing (612) of the aerial drone (600) includes a plurality of attachment tabs (780) and connection sites (618). The tabs are designed to be fitted into complementary slots on the lower body of the aerial drone (600). Each attachment tab (780) includes a connection site (618) for a fastener to attach the upper body to the lower body. In some embodiments, the fastener is a single screw that secures the lower body to the upper body through the attachment tab (780). The attachment tab (780) prevents the upper body from moving in any direction from the lower body of the drone.

[0112] In some embodiments, each sensor (620) may be paired with a heat sink (750) attached to the sensor to prevent the sensor from overheating. To further promote heat dissipation, the upper housing (612) may further be provided with a vent (632) for cooling the sensor and internal components of the aerial drone (600).

[0113] Referring to FIG. 7g, the upper housing (612) may be equipped with a Global Positioning System (GPS) device (792). The GPS (792) may record coordinate readings when the aerial drone (600) is in flight. In some embodiments, the GPS (792) may record the coordinates of the aerial drone (600) at a given frequency (e.g., every 1 second, every 6 seconds, every 10 seconds, etc.). The upper body is equipped with an upper depth sensor (620D). The upper body may additionally be equipped with a heat sink (750) for the upper depth sensor (620D).

[0114] The upper body of the housing (610) includes a bumper notch (730) (best illustrated in FIG. 7g) and a bumper fastener site (720). The bumper fastener site may be complementary to the fastener. The structure may be identical or very similar to the bumper notch (730) and bumper fastener site (720) described in FIG. 7c.

[0115] FIG. 7h is an exploded view of a propeller assembly according to some embodiments. FIG. 7i and FIG. 7j are exploded views of various components of a propeller assembly according to some embodiments. FIG. 7h through FIG. 7j illustrate flight and landing components of an aerial drone (600) according to some embodiments. A motor rod (635) (not shown in FIG. 7h) is coupled to a motor mount (645). The motor mount (645) is mounted by a motor rod attachment site (740) that includes an opening having the same diameter as the motor rod (635). The motor rod attachment site (740) preferably has at least one fastener site (742) for fixing and alignment. A fastener, such as a single screw (747), can secure the motor mount (645) to the motor rod (635).

[0116] The aerial drone (600) includes durable landing gear that absorbs the impact of landing without causing damage to the drone. Each motor mount (645) carries a landing leg (615). The leg (615) may be attached to the motor mount (645) in a separate vertical plane from the motor (744) and propeller (670) to absorb the impact of landing without directly transmitting power to the motor (744). The leg (615) is joined to the motor mount (645) by fasteners (745). In some embodiments, such as the example shown in FIG. 7i, the leg is attached to the motor mount (645) by snap-in tabs so that the leg can be easily removed and replaced. In other embodiments, the leg may be fastened with screws, secured with brackets, glued, or other attachment mechanisms may be used. Each leg (615) is joined to a leg tip (625). The leg tip may be made of rubber, plastic, metal, carbon, or any material capable of cushioning the landing shock of the drone. As illustrated in FIG. 7i, the leg tip (625) may be secured by a snap-in tab (748). The leg tip (625) may be designed to be easily removable so that it can be replaced without replacing the entire leg (615) or motor mount (645). Since the leg (615) and the leg tip (625) come into direct contact with the surface every time the drone (600) lands, it is advantageous to make these parts replaceable and removable after accumulated wear over multiple landings.

[0117] As illustrated in FIGS. 7i and 7j, the motor mount (645) can mount a motor (744), a motor rod (635), a propeller (670), and a propeller cap (746). As illustrated in FIG. 7i, the motor mount (645) mounts a motor (744) coupled to a propeller (670). In some embodiments, the motor (744) is secured to the motor mount by four fasteners, such as screws. The fasteners are arranged circumferentially around the base of the motor (744), for example, at four fastener spots (743) on the motor mount (645). The fasteners can penetrate the lower and upper parts of the motor mount (645) as well as the motor (744), which enables stabilization of the position of the motor (744) within the motor mount (645).

[0118] FIG. 7k is a perspective view illustrating internal components of an aerial drone (600) mounted by a lower housing (614) according to some embodiments. FIG. 7l and FIG. 7m are two enlarged views of the lower housing (614) according to some embodiments. The lower housing (614) of the aerial drone (600) may be equipped with a processing circuit that may be referred to as a printed circuit board (PCB) (793). The PCB (793) may capture inputs from various sensors of the drone and may include one or more components described in FIG. 2. The PCB (793) may also receive flight commands for the aerial drone (600) from a remote operation server or include pre-programmed routines stored in the memory of the aerial drone (600). The PCB (793) may also monitor the charge level of the battery pack and the temperature of the battery pack. The lower body of the drone may include a complementary slot (795) for an attachment tab (780) of the upper housing (612) (as shown in FIG. 7e). The attachment tab (780) is inserted into the complementary slot (795), which can attach the upper body of the drone to the lower body of the drone in a fixed position through a fastener.

[0119] In some embodiments, the PCB (793) has at least one cooling fan (794) paired with a processor (not shown) below the cooling fan (794). The cooling fan (794) may be located below a vent (632) in the upper housing (612) of the aerial drone (600). The cooling fan (794) circulates cold air over the internal components of the aerial drone (600) to prevent the components from overheating. As illustrated in FIG. 7m, the aerial drone (600) may include at least one distance measuring device (624). The distance measuring device (624) is mounted on the lower body of the drone and may be secured by a screw or any other fastener. A laser is generated on the back of the distance measuring device (624), which is not shown, to measure the height of the drone (600).

[0120] Battery attachment system

[0121] FIG. 8a is an enlarged perspective view of an inverted aerial drone (600) showing the bottom of the drone with special emphasis on the battery attachment zone (655) according to some embodiments. FIG. 8b, FIG. 8c and FIG. 8d show different angles of the battery attachment zone (655) of the aerial drone (600) according to some embodiments. The battery attachment zone (655) may be recessed from other parts of the lower housing (614) to make space for a battery pack.

[0122] In some embodiments, adjacent to the battery attachment zone (655), there is a processor and fan compartment (802) containing a cooling fan (794) and a processor inside (shown in FIG. 7k). In some embodiments, the processor and fan compartment (802) may be located relatively centrally and may be the highest compartment of the housing (610). Accordingly, in some embodiments, the processor and fan compartment (802) may have a gripper tab (690) protruding from the side of the processor and fan compartment (802) so that the base station (130) can grasp the aerial drone (600) near the center of mass and at one of the strongest positions. For example, FIG. 8f is an interior view of the processor and fan compartment (802) according to some embodiments. The interior of the processor and fan compartment (802) may include a structural reinforcement (850). The structural reinforcement (850) enables the gripper of the base station (130) to firmly grip the housing (610) of the aerial drone (600). The gripper tab (690) may be made of rubber, metal, carbon, or any other solid material. The gripper tab (690) can help position and secure the aerial drone (600) upon landing.

[0123] The processor and fan section (802) may have a communication port (804). In some embodiments, the communication port (804) may be used for multiple purposes. In some cases, the communication port (804) may function as a detector for the base station to detect that the gripper has engaged with the gripper tab (690). In some cases, the communication port (804) provides charge to the battery pack connected via the battery connection port (665). The communication port (804) may transmit power from the base station (130) to the air drone (600) so that the air drone (600) can recharge the battery pack or continue to provide power to the air drone (600) while the air drone (600) undergoes a battery replacement. In some cases, the communication port (804) may also include a data transmission pin for the base station (130) to download data captured by the air drone (600) while the battery replacement operation is being performed.

[0124] The aerial drone (600) may benefit from having a replaceable battery pack that can be replaced when the aerial drone (600) lands at the base station (130). Referring to FIGS. 8b, 8c, and 8d, in some embodiments, the battery attachment zone (655) may include a port contact sensor (810), a slide guide (820), a slide-guide contact sensor (812), a battery latch (830), and a battery connection port (665). The battery attachment zone (655) causes the battery pack to be pushed toward the housing (610), thereby triggering the slide-guide contact sensor (812). The slide guide (820) provides mechanical support for the battery pack and guides the battery pack to slide longitudinally toward the battery connection port (665). The port contact sensor (810) detects the connection between the battery connection port (665) and the battery pack. The battery latch (830) may be equipped with a spring and latches the battery pack to prevent the battery pack from sliding away from the battery connection port (665). The detailed structure and mechanism of the battery installation are described below. In some embodiments, the slide-guide contact sensor (812) and the port contact sensor (810) are arranged at two different angles (e.g., vertical) to detect contact of the battery pack in two directions.

[0125] In some embodiments, the slide guide (820) may take the form of a bracket, such as a strong and rigid bracket. The slide guide (820) may also be referred to as a bracket. The bracket may be made of metal (including alloys), hard plastic, or other suitable material. The slide guide (820) may be formed to include a series of alternating slots (822) and ledges (826). The alternating distance may complement the tabs of the battery pack. In some embodiments, the slide guide (820) is suspended from the surface of the lower housing (614) of the aerial drone (600). Suspension does not necessarily mean that the slide guide (820) is below the housing (610). In some embodiments where the battery attachment zone (655) is not at the bottom of the housing (610), suspension may mean that the slide guide (820) is spaced apart from the housing (610). The suspension of the slide guide (820) creates a channel (824) between the housing (610) and the slide guide (820) (a small space between the slide guide (820) and the housing (610), best illustrated in FIG. 8d). The slide guide (820) may be mounted by the housing (610) with one or more fasteners. The fastener has a complementary fastener site (832) into which the fastener can be inserted to secure the slide guide to the lower body.

[0126] Referring to FIG. 8d, in some embodiments, to attach the battery pack, the battery pack can be pushed vertically toward the housing (610) when the tab of the battery pack is aligned with the slot (822) of the slide guide (820). At this step, the battery pack also presses the spring-loaded battery latch (830). The slide-guide contact sensor (812) detects that the battery pack is in contact with the surface of the lower housing (614) (e.g., at an appropriate height), and the aerial drone (600) transmits a signal to the base station (130) to indicate that the battery pack is at an appropriate height. The battery pack can slide horizontally toward the battery connection port (665) on the slide guide (820) away from the battery latch (830) toward the battery connection port (665) (indicated by the arrow (828) in FIG. 8d). The slide guide (820) locks the battery pack vertically through the matching of the ledge (826) and the tab of the battery pack. When the battery pack is pushed in sufficiently, the battery latch (830) is released to its original position to latch the battery pack and prevent the battery pack from sliding horizontally. The slide guide (820) is configured to prevent the battery pack from moving in a first direction (e.g., vertical), and the battery latch is configured to prevent the battery pack from moving in a second direction (e.g., horizontal).

[0127] Referring to FIG. 8c, the battery attachment system of the battery attachment zone (655) may include a port contact sensor (810) on one or both sides of the battery connection port (665). The port contact sensor (810) can detect whether the battery pack is sliding into the battery connection port (665). The port contact sensor (810) enables the flow of current from the charging port (804) to the battery connection port (665), thereby allowing the battery pack to supply power to the aerial drone (600) and be recharged while mounted on the drone. The port contact sensor (810) can provide additional stability to the connection between the battery connection port (665) and the battery pack.

[0128] FIG. 8e is an exploded view of a slide-guide contact sensor (812) illustrating one exemplary mechanism of the slide-guide contact sensor (812) according to some embodiments. In various embodiments, the slide-guide contact sensor (812) may use different types of sensors to detect contact between the battery pack and the sensor. For example, in some embodiments, the slide-guide contact sensor (812) may be a pressure sensor, a capacitance sensor, a force sensor, a proximity sensor, an infrared sensor, etc.

[0129] In some embodiments, the slide-guide contact sensor (812) includes a contact (840) that protrudes from the central region of the slide guide (820). When the battery pack is mounted at an appropriate height, the contact (840) is compressed. The contact (840) is mounted by a proximity spring (842). When compressed, the spring pushes the tab (844). When the spring (842) is released, the tab (844) is positioned between two circuit contacts (846). The circuit contacts (846) maintain a stable circuit connection with each other until the tab (844) is displaced to break the circuit. A broken circuit on the slide-guide contact sensor (812) indicates that the battery pack is positioned at an appropriate height to be mounted to the battery connection port (665).

[0130] Exemplary battery pack

[0131] FIG. 8g is a perspective view of a battery pack (860) according to some embodiment. FIG. 8h is an internal view of a battery pack (860) according to some embodiment. The battery pack (860) has a tab (864) complementary to a slot (822) on a slide guide (820) mounted by a drone. When the battery pack (860) is at an appropriate height, the upper surface of the battery pack compresses the slide-guide contact sensor (812). The battery pack has a battery port contact (862) that compresses the battery port contact sensor (810) when the battery pack slides into the battery connection port (665). The battery pack has a battery port connector (868) that complements the design of the battery connection port (665) for connection. The tab (864) can hold the battery pack (860) in a fixed position on the aerial drone (600) and support the weight of the battery pack (860). For example, when the battery pack (860) is connected to the battery connection port (665), the tab (864) is positioned on the ledge (826) of the slide guide (820). The ledge (826) supports at least a portion of the weight of the battery pack (860) by holding the tab (864). Additionally, or alternatively, the battery pack may include one or more walls (870) that function as hard stops for the battery pack in both vertical and horizontal directions.

[0132] As illustrated in FIG. 8h, the battery pack (860) includes a housing (866) that houses a set of battery cylinders (872) inside. The battery pack may be equipped with a temperature sensor (874) on one or more battery cylinders to monitor any heating of the battery. In some embodiments, the battery pack includes a PCB (876) for monitoring the available charge and temperature of the battery pack and communicating with other devices. The battery pack may include a set of external tabs (878) that are inserted by fingers of a battery pack carrier from a base station (130) for transport and automatic mounting of the battery pack.

[0133] In the embodiment illustrated in the drawing, the port contact sensor (810) and the slide-guide contact sensor (812) are shown as being mounted by an aerial drone (600), but in other embodiments, the sensors may be mounted by a battery pack (860).

[0134] Exemplary base station structure

[0135] FIG. 9a is a first perspective view of a base station (130) with a retractable cover (904) closed and a drone (900) floating above the base station (130), according to some embodiments. FIG. 9b is a second perspective view of a base station (130) with a drone (900) landed on the base station (130), according to some embodiments. The drone (900) is an example of an aerial drone (600) or a robot (120). FIG. 9c is an interior side view of the base station (130) illustrating the configuration when the drone (900) is parked and fixed on the base station (130), according to some embodiments. FIG. 9d is an interior side view of the base station (130) without the drone (900), according to some embodiments, and provides focus on one example of the arrangement of components of the base station (130). FIG. 9a through 9d are discussed in combination with each other.

[0136] In the various embodiments described in the drawings of the base station (130) below, the base station (130) may include different, fewer, or additional components. Additionally, although each component of the base station (130) is described in a singular form, the base station (130) may include one or more of each component.

[0137] In an exemplary manner, the base station (130) comprises a frame (902), one or more walls (906) supported by the frame (902), a cabinet (903) that may contain an enclosure volume defined by the various walls (906) of the base station (130), and a retractable cover (904). The frame (902) provides mechanical support to the walls (906) that define an enclosure (910) (best illustrated in FIG. 9c and 9d) for accommodating one or more internal components of the base station (130). The internal components may include a battery pack carrier (912), the structure of which will be described in detail below in FIG. 16a and 16b. In some embodiments, the base station (130) may include two or more compartments. For example, in the exemplary embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 9c and 9d, the base station (130) may include an upper compartment (907) and a lower compartment (909). The upper compartment (907) may provide a space for the drone (900) to park, while the lower compartment (909) may accommodate internal battery replacement and charging components and temperature control components, which will be described in detail below. In some embodiments, a cabinet (903) may refer to any space of the base station (130) and may include the upper compartment (907) and the lower compartment (909). In a specific exemplary arrangement illustrated in the drawings, the lower compartment (909) may correspond to an enclosure (910).

[0138] In this disclosure, directional terms such as top, bottom, left, right, longitudinal, and transverse are relative terms and may simply be referred to as the first direction, the second direction, etc. For example, in other embodiments not illustrated in the drawings, the upper section (907) may be located at the bottom and the lower section (909) may be located at the top, or the two sections may be located side by side. In various embodiments, the base station (130) may be divided into other suitable divisions, such as top and bottom, left and right, specific quadrants, or other identifiable, symmetrical or non-symmetric, regular or irregular regions.

[0139] The upper compartment (907) may include a space for parking one or more drones (900). In the specific embodiment illustrated, the drone (900) takes the form of an aerial drone so that the compartment (907) is located above the base station (130); however, in other embodiments where the robot (120) may take the form of a different type of vehicle, the compartment (907) may be located differently and may be referred to as a parking compartment. In the specific arrangement illustrated in FIGS. 9c and 9d, the upper compartment (907) may be provided with a retractable cover (904). In some embodiments, the upper compartment (907) is sized according to the wingspan of the drone (900) so that after landing, the drone (900) can fully enter the length and width of the upper compartment (907) and fit under the retractable cover (904). Although the drawings of the present disclosure illustrate a single drone base station configuration, in some embodiments, the base station (130) may accommodate more than one drone (900) at the same time, and the various components described herein may be repeated to service multiple drones. A retractable cover (904) may be used to protect the drone (900) from dust and other debris from the storage site. The retractable cover (904) may also protect the drone (900) from any leaks or spills within the storage site, as well as from any damage from people around the storage site. The upper compartment (907) includes a wall surrounding a landing spot for the drone, as well as a retractable cover (904) that can be rolled up and unrolled across the upper opening. The retractable cover (904) may be opened or closed and operated by a motor (not shown in the drawings). Alternatively, or additionally, the retractable cover (904) may take the form of a manually operated cover, a hinged cover that moves instead of being rolled, and a cover that folds back into sections.

[0140] The frame (902) is configured to provide mechanical support to a base station, such as a lower compartment (909). The frame (902) may include metal extrusions joined together at a 90-degree angle to form a rectangular frame. Walls (906) attached to the frame may form a cabinet (903). One of the walls (906) may be a parking plate (905) that divides the cabinet (903) into an upper compartment (907) and a lower compartment (909). In some embodiments, the lower compartment (909) is surrounded by the parking plate (905) and other side walls and may be referred to as an enclosure (910). One of the walls (906) may be a side door (911) pivotally mounted to the frame (902) and providing access to internal components housed in the enclosure (910).

[0141] In some embodiments, the frame (902) may be formed of any material that supports the weight of the base station and provides an enclosure as well as support for a landing spot for the drone. The frame (902) may include casters having integrated adjustable leveling pads that allow for easy repositioning within space and support the total weight of the base station (130). The enclosure (910) may be any shape that fits within the frame (902).

[0142] In some embodiments, the parking plate (905) may take the form of the upper cover of the enclosure (910). Depending on the arrangement in various embodiments, the parking plate (905) may be referred to as the upper plate, landing plate, or other appropriate designation, even though it is generally located under the retractable cover (904). The parking plate (905) and one or more additional walls (906) form an enclosure (910) for one or more internal components of the base station (130). The enclosure (910) may allow for a regulated environment for temperature and other battery control. In various embodiments, the enclosure (910) may or may not correspond to a lower compartment (909). For example, in some embodiments, the lower compartment (909) may include more than one enclosure (910) functioning as different temperature control zones.

[0143] The lower compartment (909) may include a battery pack carrier, various motors and sensors, and a computer and sensors that manage the operation of the battery management system. In some embodiments, the base station (130) includes a temperature sensor mounted within the enclosure (910) of the cabinet (903). The temperature sensor is configured to measure the temperature within the enclosure (910) of the cabinet (903). In some embodiments, the base station (130) includes a thermostat configured to regulate the temperature within the enclosure (910) of the cabinet (903) to maintain the temperature of the battery pack (860) being charged at the battery charging site (1510) within a temperature range. The thermostat may be an air flowr (e.g., a fan), a heat exchanger, a liquid cooling system, a heat sink, a heater, or a combination thereof.

[0144] Exemplary drone alignment mechanism

[0145] FIG. 9e is a top perspective view of a base station (130) having a drawing of a parking plate (905) without a drone (900) according to some embodiments. FIG. 9f is a top perspective view of a base station (130) having a drawing of a parking plate (905) with a drone (900) according to some embodiments. To better illustrate the various components, the perspective view of FIG. 9f is rotated 90 degrees relative to that of FIG. 9e. FIG. 9g is a top view of a base station (130) focusing on the surface structure of a parking plate (905) without a drone (900) according to some embodiments. FIG. 9e, FIG. 9f, and FIG. 9g are discussed together to describe specific structural components of the base station (130) that assist in the alignment of the drone (900) according to some embodiments.

[0146] The parking plate (905) has two surfaces facing each other. One of the surfaces is an upward surface which may be referred to as a landing surface (975) that can form part of the wall of the upper compartment (907). The other surface is a downward surface which may be referred to as a component-mounting surface and is not shown in FIG. 9e through 9g but will be shown later in FIG. 15a in this disclosure. The landing surface (975) is configured to receive and contact the aerial drone (900) when the aerial drone (900) lands. In the case of other versions of the robot (120) that may not be the aerial drone (900), the landing surface (975) may also be referred to as the parking surface or upper surface of the parking plate (905).

[0147] The base station (130) may include a different set of components that help the drone (900) be aligned and secured to the base station (130) so that the drone (900) is secured to a predetermined position and orientation where the charging port is connected and / or the battery pack is replaced. In an exemplary manner, the base station (130) may include one or more landing markers (923), one or more pushers (925), and a track (930), a gripper (935), and a shutter (940) on the parking plate (905). As discussed in further detail below, one or more landing markers (923) provide a target pattern and guide for a sensor mounted on the drone (900) to identify the base station (130) and land on the parking plate (905). Next, the pusher (925) may provide a rough alignment as a first round of alignment, pushing the drone (900) toward a reference point, such as the center of the parking plate (905) or where the alignment sensor (945) is located. The alignment sensor (945) may provide a fine alignment as a second round of alignment, detecting whether the drone (900) is in a target position. The gripper (935) may include a rigid grip to further align and secure the drone (900). The shutter (940) may create an opening that allows the drone (900) to communicate with a lower compartment (909), which may be a component loading compartment of the base station (130).

[0148] In some embodiments, the landing surface (975) of the parking plate (905) may include one or more landing markers (923) printed on the surface. The actual pattern of the landing markers (923) is not illustrated, and one or more landing markers (923) are conceptually illustrated as one or more rectangles in FIG. 9g. Each landing marker (923) may take the form of a custom pattern, such as a QR code, that allows the drone (900) to use its camera or other sensors to identify the base station (130) and begin landing. The positions of the one or more landing markers (923) illustrated in FIG. 9g are for illustrative purposes only. In some embodiments, the landing surface (975) may not include any landing markers (923), and the drone (900) and the base station (130) may rely on an alignment sensor (945) to perform both the landing motion and the precision alignment.

[0149] After the drone (900) has landed, the base station (130) may begin moving various alignment components to align the drone (900) to a desired position and orientation. In some embodiments, the drone (900) may communicate with a computer controlling the base station (130) that the drone (900) has landed. Alternatively or additionally, the base station (130) may have one or more sensors (not shown in the drawing), such as a weight sensor, to detect and / or confirm that the drone (900) has landed. In some embodiments, the alignment sensor (945) may have a landing envelope that determines whether the drone (900) has landed, as described below.

[0150] In some embodiments, the base station (130) includes a plurality of pushers (925) that are slidable on the parking plate (905). The pushers (925) may also be referred to as guides or centering guides. In some embodiments, using the various sensors discussed in FIG. 2, the drone (900) may have a landing accuracy within a specific range (e.g., within a range of 20 cm) from a reference position on the parking plate (905) (e.g., where the center or alignment sensor (945) is located). The pushers (925) are configured to push the leg (615) of the drone (900) to move the aerial drone (900) toward a reference position (965) on the parking plate (905). Each pusher (925) has a leg notch (950) that is sized and formed to be compatible with the leg (615). For example, the leg notch (950) may be a curvature configured to accommodate the leg (615). Each pusher (925) is configured to slide within a track (930) on a parking plate (905). In some embodiments, the pusher (925) is located on the opposite side of the parking plate (905), so that the pusher (925) retracts toward the middle of the parking plate (905) to push the drone (900) toward a reference position (965). The pusher (925) can push the drone (900) toward a parking position above the reference position (965) so as to be aligned with the gripper (935) and other elements of the base station (130).

[0151] The parking plate (905) may include one or more alignment sensors (945) that check the alignment of the drone (900) at a reference position (965). In the specific arrangement illustrated in FIG. 9g, a single alignment sensor (945) configuration is illustrated, but in other embodiments, there may be multiple alignment sensors, such as aligning a specific part of the body of the drone (900) and another aligning the leg (615) of the drone (900). Referring to FIG. 9g, the alignment sensor (945) may be located between the flaps (937) of the gripper (935), but in various embodiments, it may be located in a different position relative to the marker of the drone (900). The alignment sensor (945) can detect the position of the drone (900), such as whether the target part of the drone (900) is aligned with the reference position (965). The alignment sensor (945) is configured to detect the alignment of the drone (900) by detecting an identifiable part of the drone or a marker carried by the drone (900). The alignment sensor (945) can confirm that the drone (900) is hovering and preparing to land on the parking plate (905), that the drone (900) has landed on the parking plate (905), or that the drone (900) is in a proper alignment state with the parking plate (905).

[0152] The alignment sensor (945) may have various forms. In some embodiments, the alignment sensor is a fisheye camera that locates one or more designated markers on the underside of the drone (900) to determine the position of the drone relative to the alignment sensor (945). The markers on the drone (900) may be QR codes printed on the body of the drone that are visible as markers. Based on the field of view of the alignment sensor (945), a landing envelope may be defined to define an acceptable range for landing. If the marker is within the landing envelope, the alignment sensor (945) may provide a signal indicating that the drone (900) has landed. The alignment sensor (945) may continue to monitor the position of the marker throughout the alignment process to determine precise alignment, such as by digitally processing the size of the marker and the position of the marker relative to the landing envelope. In some cases, the drone (900) may land in a manner that deviates from the intended position, so that the marker is outside the landing envelope. In such cases, the alignment sensor (945) may provide a signal that is converted into a warning signal to communicate to the drone (900) to perform a re-landing. Continuous monitoring by the alignment sensor (945) may provide feedback on the entire landing and alignment process. In some embodiments, the raising of the flap (937) may be controlled by the alignment sensor (945) when the alignment sensor (945) detects that the marker of the drone (900) is within the tolerance range of the alignment position. In some embodiments, the alignment sensor (945) may be a camera that captures a specific marking of the drone. In some embodiments, the alignment sensor (945) may be an infrared sensor or any electromagnetic transceiver that emits a light that can be reflected by a reflective part of the drone (900) (e.g., a small reflective part of the drone (900) for alignment). In some embodiments, the alignment sensor (945) may be a mechanical sensor that detects contact between the base station (130) and the drone (900).In some embodiments, the drone (900) has a drone alignment sensor for detecting a designated marker or feature on the landing surface (975) of the parking plate (905). The designated marker on the parking plate (905), like those on the drone (900), may include a reflective part as well as a marker such as a QR code or other pattern, depending on the characteristics of the alignment sensor (945).

[0153] The reference position (965) may be a predetermined desired position aligned with a specific part of the drone (900), such as a position where a marker is printed on the drone (900). In some embodiments, the reference position (965) is also the position of the alignment sensor (945) in the example of FIG. 9g, but in other embodiments, the reference position (965) may vary. In some embodiments, the reference position (965) may also be the center of the parking plate (905). However, in other embodiments, such as having a larger base station (130) capable of accommodating two or more drones, there may be two or more reference positions (965) for each drone to be parked.

[0154] In some embodiments, the gripper (935) may include a pair of flaps (937). Each flap (937) may first be placed flat on the parking plate (905) and may pivot from the parking plate (905) to an upright position (shown in FIG. 9e) to firmly secure the drone (900) in place. In some embodiments, the gripper (935) is configured to detachably secure the body of the aerial drone (900) in place relative to a reference position (965). In some embodiments, the movement of the gripper (935) may be triggered by an alignment signal from the alignment sensor (945), although other triggers may also be possible. In some embodiments, the alignment accuracy of the gripper (935) may place the drone (900) within a small range (e.g., 1 mm) of a specified position and alignment. The gripper (935) is configured to hold the drone (900) in place at a parking position on a parking plate (905) on a reference position (965). The gripper (935) may include a sensor that confirms that the drone (900) is held in place by the gripper (935). Details of the gripper (935) are discussed in more detail in FIGS. 11a through 11c.

[0155] The parking plate (905) may include a shutter (940) that can be opened to provide access to an internal component (e.g., a battery pack carrier) of the lower compartment (909). The shutter (940) includes an access door that opens and closes. The shutter (940) protects the enclosure (910) within the cabinet (903) from any dust, particles, and air that may have been washed down into the enclosure due to air turbulence. The shutter (940) may be opened at any time after the drone (900) has landed. For example, the shutter (940) may be opened after the gripper (935) confirms that the drone (900) has been grasped. The shutter (940) is additionally illustrated in FIGS. 13a and FIGS. 13b.

[0156] FIG. 10a is a separated drawing of a parking plate (905) showing a pair of pushers (925) in an extended position according to some embodiments. FIG. 10b is a separated drawing of a parking plate (905) showing a pair of pushers (925) in a retracted position according to some embodiments. FIG. 10c and FIG. 10d are conceptual diagrams showing a drone (900) being aligned by the pushers (925) through retraction according to some embodiments. As an example, FIG. 10c is a perspective view of a landing surface (975) in which the drone (900) is landing and the pushers (925) are aligning the drone (900) according to some embodiments. As another example, FIG. 10d is a perspective view of a landing surface (975) having a drone (900) aligned by the pushers (925) and the leg notch (950) according to some embodiments. FIGS. 10a through 10d are discussed together with FIG. 9g to illustrate an exemplary mechanism of the pusher (925). For simplicity, the leg notch (950) of the pusher (925) is not shown in FIGS. 10a and 10b, but is shown in FIG. 9g, 10c, and 10d.

[0157] The pushers (925) may have different forms in various embodiments. For example, in the specific embodiments illustrated in FIG. 10a and FIG. 10b, each pusher (925) may slide within a track (930) on the parking plate (905). The track (930) may fix the direction of movement of the pushers (925). In some embodiments, a group of pushers (925) is located on opposite sides of the parking plate (905) so that the pushers (925) meet in the middle of the parking plate (905), as can be seen in the embodiment of FIG. 10b. In some embodiments, the pushers (925) may be guided by the track (930) and move in a symmetric and synchronized manner. The track (930) may take the form of a channel that creates an empty slot on the parking plate (905), so that the rigid part of the pusher (925) used to push the drone (900) is placed on the landing surface (975), while the movable part of the pusher (925), such as a motor and gear (not shown), is located within the enclosure (910) of the base station (130). In other embodiments not shown in the drawings, the track (930) may take the form of a recessed guide, a monorail, a rail, or any suitable path. In some embodiments, the pusher (925) may slide on the landing surface (975) without a track. Additionally, although the track (930) is shown in FIG. 10a and FIG. 10b as two pairs of parallel and straight tracks on opposite edges of the parking plate (905), in different embodiments, the track (930) may take the form of a straight or curved, parallel or radial, symmetric, or any various shapes and forms.

[0158] In some embodiments, the pushers (925) may work together to progressively narrow the parking area of ​​the drone (900) to achieve a first stage of alignment. For example, a group of pushers (925) may move from an extended configuration, where the pushers (925) are far apart from each other, to a contracted configuration to push the drone (900) toward a desired reference position when the drone (900) first lands. The pushers (925) may push the drone (900) to a parking position so as to be aligned with the gripper (935) and other elements of the base station (130). The gripper (935) is configured to hold the drone (900) in place at the parking position of the parking plate (905).

[0159] Various types of pushers (925) may be used as a rough alignment mechanism in different embodiments. For example, in some embodiments, the pusher (925) may be a mechanical arm extending from the wall of the base station (130) and may push the drone (900). Alternatively, or additionally, the pusher (925) may include any magnetic mechanism that pushes a specific part of the drone (900).

[0160] In some embodiments, each pusher (925) may take the form of an elongated bumper configured to sweep the leg of the drone (900) toward a desired position. Although the pusher (925) is illustrated as pushing the leg of the drone, in various embodiments, one or more pushers (925) may also be shaped and configured to push other parts of the drone. As best illustrated in FIG. 9g, the elongated bumper may include an inclined area (955), an orthogonal area (960) perpendicular to the direction of movement (990) of the pusher (925), and a leg notch (950) between the inclined area (955) and the orthogonal area (960). The inclined area (955) sweeps the leg of the drone (900) toward the notch (950). The orthogonal area (960) facilitates the parallel movement of the leg. The leg notch (950) holds the leg of the drone (900) in place relative to the pusher (925), allowing the leg to continue moving in a direction parallel to the movement of the pusher (925). In some embodiments, the elongated bumper may include two inclined regions (955) both inclined toward the leg notch (950). In some embodiments, the distance between the two leg notches (950) may generally be equal to the distance between the two legs (615) of the drone (900). In the retractable configuration shown in FIG. 10b, the distance between the two orthogonal regions (960) may also generally be equal to the distance between the two legs (615) of the drone (900) in the transverse direction.

[0161] After the drone (900) arrives at the parking plate (905), the drone (900) may not be aligned. For example, in FIG. 10c, the drone (900) may land approximately at the center of the parking plate (905) but may be at a certain angle relative to the parking plate (905). As a group of pushers (925) retracts toward the leg (615) of the drone (900), one or more pushers (925) begin to come into contact with the leg. The inclined area (955) pushes the leg (615) so that when the pusher (925) is fully pushed along the track (930), the only way the drone (900) can enter the space of the pusher (925) is that the leg (615) of the drone (900) fits into the leg notch (950). The position formed by the leg notch (950) and the leg (615) means that the drone (900) is aligned with a designated parking spot on the parking plate (905).

[0162] FIGS. 11a, 11b, and 11c illustrate various drawings of a gripper (935), a shutter (940), and an alignment sensor (945) according to some embodiments. FIG. 11a illustrates a side view of a gripper (935) on a parking plate (905) moving from a flat configuration toward an upright configuration, as well as an enlarged view of an alignment sensor (945) appearing on the back of the parking plate (905). FIG. 11b illustrates a top view of the gripper (935). FIG. 11c illustrates a perspective view of the upright gripper (935).

[0163] The gripper (935) may include a shaped component complementary to a corresponding part on the drone so that two components are combined to secure the drone (900). In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 11a, FIG. 11b and FIG. 11b, the shaped component is in the form of a drone grip slot (1110) located on each flap (937), which, once the drone (900) is aligned, combines with the drone gripper tab (690) to secure the drone (900).

[0164] The gripper gear and motor (as shown in FIG. 12a and FIG. 12b and further discussed) actuate the gripper to pivot from a first position where the two flaps are laid flat along the landing surface (975) to a second position where the two components are perpendicular to the landing surface (975). When the two flaps are in the second position, the drone grip slot (1110) engages with the drone gripper tab (690) to fully secure the drone.

[0165] In the illustrated embodiment, the drone grip slot (1110) is elliptical in shape as a cutout in the gripper (935). In another embodiment, the drone grip slot (1110) may be an alternative shape as long as the drone grip slot (1110) corresponds to and engages with the drone gripper tab (690) on the drone (900). The engagement may be complementary, or the drone grip slot (1110) may be slightly larger than the drone gripper tab (690). In another embodiment, the drone (900) may include a recess that engages with a tab of complementary size and shape on the gripper (935). The engagement through the drone grip slot (1110) and the drone gripper tab (690) of the gripper (935) and the drone (900) secures the drone (900) from forces that would interfere with alignment, because the characteristics of the slot and tab secure the drone (900) against forces pushing it side-to-side, up-down, or even rotationally. In another alternative embodiment, the drone grip slot (1110) may be configured to connect and join with other parts of the drone (900). In the illustrated embodiment, the gripper (935) is pivotable, and each component pivots upward from the landing surface (975). A flap (937) pivoting upward from the parking plate (905) ensures that the gripper (935) centers the drone (900) and secures the drone (900) against rotational force, thereby keeping the drone (900) aligned at a specific position above the reference position (965). The gripper (935) secures the drone (900) against upward rotational or translational force that may occur as insertion and removal forces as part of a battery replacement operation (further discussed in FIG. 18a and FIG. 18b). For example, during a battery replacement operation, the drone (900) may tend to rotate in a direction parallel to the landing surface (975). The pivot mechanism provides a strong force for this rotational movement, because the movement angle of the pivot gripper (935) is orthogonal to the attempted rotational movement of the drone (900).

[0166] Alternatively, or additionally, the gripper (935) may move via another mechanism, such as following a track, so that complementary components come together to join and secure the drone (900). Such alternative embodiments include other pieces to ensure that the drone (900) is secured against rotational force. In the illustrated embodiment, after the pusher (925) pushes and aligns the drone (900) to a reference position (965), the gripper (935) pivots to secure the drone (900). In an alternative embodiment, the gripper (935) may operate simultaneously with the pusher (925) or be coupled as part of the pusher (925).

[0167] FIGS. 11a, FIGS. 11b, and FIGS. 11c also illustrate an exemplary structural shape of the shutter (940). The portion of the shutter (940) that creates an opening in the parking plate (905) has an inwardly inclined beveled edge such that there is a wider opening on the landing surface (975) of the parking plate (905) and a smaller opening on the component-mounting surface (1520) of the parking plate (905). The beveled edge helps to further protect the enclosure (910) within the cabinet (903).

[0168] FIGS. 12a and FIGS. 12b are exploded views of a gripper (935) in a flat position and an upright position, respectively, according to some embodiments. To illustrate the opening and closing of the gripper (935), FIGS. 12a and FIGS. 12b illustrate the gripper (935) in the open and closed stages, respectively, according to some embodiments. As illustrated in FIGS. 12a and FIGS. 12b, the gripper (935) includes a drone grip slot (1110), a gripper motor (1220), a gripper gear (1222), and a detection port (1224). FIG. 12a illustrates the gripper (935) in an open position with two flaps (937) lying flat. FIG. 12b illustrates the gripper (935) in a closed position with two flaps (937) standing upright. The two flaps (937) may be made of a rigid material, such as high-density plastic or alloy, so that the flaps (937) provide sufficient mechanical strength to resist rotation or other movement of the drone (900) during battery replacement operations. The flaps (937) are driven by a gripper motor (1220) and a gripper gear (1222). In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 12a and FIG. 12b, the gripper motor (1220) is a servo stepper motor, and the gripper gear (1222) is a worm gear drive and a bevel gear. The use of a worm gear protects the gripper (935) from any force that may attempt to spread the two flaps of the gripper (935) and further ensures that the gripper (935) secures the drone (900). In this embodiment, one worm gear drives two sets of bevel gears, which are one set of bevel gears for each flap pivoting to form a gripper (935). Thus, two flaps (937) can pivot simultaneously in a synchronized manner. Alternatively, or additionally, the gripper motor (1220) may include other forms of motors, and the gripper gear (1222) may be different gears to produce different movements depending on the embodiment.

[0169] Each flap (937) may include a detection port (1224) that determines whether the gripper (935) is successfully coupled with the drone (900). When the gripper (935) is in a closed position and the drone (900) is secured, the detection port (1224) contacts the circuit of the drone (900) to complete the electrical circuit, thereby generating a signal that the detection port (1224) is connected. Depending on the additional function of the detection port (1224), the detection port (1224) may be referred to as a battery hot-swap port, a charging port, a data transmission port, etc. The detection port (1224) may include various pins (not shown) for other purposes such as detection, power transmission, data transmission, etc. For example, in some embodiments, in addition to detecting whether the gripper (935) successfully engages with the drone (900), the detection port (1224) may also power the drone (900) to continuously power the drone (900) throughout the battery replacement process. This enables additional functions, such as replacing the battery while the drone is downloading or transmitting data, because the drone remains powered on throughout the replacement process. In some embodiments, two detection ports (1224) may have opposite polarities. For example, one detection port (1224) may be positively charged and the other detection port (1224) may be negatively charged, so that the pair of detection ports (1224) together generate a charge and current to charge the drone (900).

[0170] FIGS. 13a and FIGS. 13b are separated drawings of a shutter (940) according to some embodiments. FIGS. 13a and FIGS. 13b illustrate a shutter panel (1310) in an open position and a closed position, respectively. The shutter (940) includes a shutter motor (1320) and a shutter sensor (1340). In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 13a and FIGS. 13b, the shutter motor (1320) includes a step servo motor and a belt drive that operate the shutter independently along a track maintained parallel to the parking plate (905). The shutter sensor (1340) determines where the shutter panel (1310) is in its operation. In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 13a and FIGS. 13b, the shutter sensor (1340) includes a front limit, a rear limit, and a home sensor. In another embodiment, the shutter (940) may include a shutter panel (1310) that pivots at one point instead of sliding parallel to the parking plate (905).

[0171] FIGS. 14a and 14b are conceptual diagrams illustrating how a drone (900) is secured by a gripper (935) after rough alignment by a pusher (925) according to some embodiments. As an example, FIG. 14a illustrates a perspective view of a drone on a parking plate (905) in which the gripper (935) pivots and secures the drone (900) according to some embodiments. The drone (900) has a pair of drone gripper tabs (690) protruding from the body of the drone (900). In some embodiments, below the drone gripper tabs (690), there may be a connecting pin (not shown) on the body of the drone (900) to be connected to a detection port (1224). FIG. 14b illustrates another view of the drone (900) on the parking plate (905) with the gripper (935) in a closed position and the drone (900) secured. In this configuration, the pusher (925) is pushed into a retracted position so that the leg (615) of the drone (900) is held in place by the leg notch (950) of the pusher (925). The drone grip slot (1110) is coupled to the drone gripper tab (690) of the drone (900) in a complementary manner. The shutter (940) opens into the interior of the base station (130) so that the battery pack (860) can be detached and replaced by an operating component from the interior of the base station (130) through the shutter (940). The operating component will be discussed further below. The arrow (1420) illustrates the potential movement of the drone (900) during the battery replacement operation. Both the leg notch (950) of the gripper (935) and the drone grip slot (1110) provide restraints on the potential movement.

[0172] Exemplary base station internal components

[0173] FIG. 15a is a bottom perspective view of a parking plate (905) of a base station (130) according to some embodiment. As discussed above, the parking plate (905) includes two surfaces facing each other. The upper surface is a landing surface (975) extensively illustrated in FIG. 9g. The lower surface is a component-mounting surface (1520) forming the ceiling of the lower compartment (909) of the base station (130). FIG. 15b is a bottom view of the component-mounting surface (1520) of the parking plate (905) according to some embodiment. Various components, including a series of battery charging sites (1510), a gripper motor (1220), a shutter panel (1310), a shutter motor (1320), and a pusher motor (1540), may be mounted on the component-mounting surface (1520). In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 15a, there are six battery charging sites (1510) aligned linearly to form a series. The battery charging site (1510) may simply be referred to as a charger. Each battery charging site (1510) allows a battery pack, not shown in FIG. 15a or FIG. 15b, to be removablely attached to the battery charging site (1510) and charged thereon. Other components may also be mounted and suspended from the component-mounting surface (1520) of the parking plate (905). For example, in some embodiments, a battery pack carrier (912) may be mounted and suspended from the component-mounting surface (1520). The mounting of the battery pack carrier (912) is not shown in FIG. 15a or FIG. 15b but is shown in other drawings such as FIG. 20.

[0174] The various components illustrated in FIGS. 15a and 15b are shown mounted on the same parking plate (905). The advantages of this arrangement will be discussed in further detail below. In some embodiments, various internal components may be mounted on one or more frames (902) or other structural components such as walls (906). For example, in some embodiments, the battery charging site (1510) may be mounted at a location attached to the frame (902).

[0175] FIG. 16a illustrates a separated view of a battery pack carrier (912), a partial example of a battery charging site (1510), and a drone (900) according to some embodiments. In FIG. 16a, mounting structures such as a parking plate (905) or any frame (902) are not illustrated. The battery pack carrier (912) is a robotic arm attached to other parts of the base station (130), such as the frame (902) and / or the component-mounting surface (1520) (as illustrated in FIG. 20 and FIG. 21). To perform battery sway for the drone (900), the battery pack carrier (912) is movable between the battery charging site (1510) and the shutter (940), which is conceptually illustrated by a dashed box in FIG. 16a. In some embodiments, after the drone (900) is landed and secured by the pusher (925) and the gripper (935), the shutter (940) is opened, and the arm portion (1660) of the battery pack carrier (912) moves through the shutter (940) to reach the battery pack (860) currently loaded by the drone (900). At the base station (130), not all sites in the series of battery charging sites (1510) are loaded and charging the battery pack (860). For example, in FIG. 16a, two of the right battery charging sites (1510) are each shown as charging the battery pack (860). The left battery charging site (1510) closest to the drone (900) is empty. The battery pack carrier (912) can move the arm portion (1660) that loads the battery pack (860) taken from the drone (900) to the empty battery charging site (1510). Next, the battery pack carrier (912) moves to another battery charging site (1510), reloads the newly charged battery pack (860) onto the shutter (940), and can install the battery pack (860) onto the drone (900). After the battery sway, the drone (900) can take off and perform various storage site missions as discussed above.

[0176] The battery pack carrier (912) may be movable in three dimensions, such as the lateral direction (e.g., the direction in which the series of battery charging sites (1510) are aligned), the longitudinal direction, and the vertical direction. In some embodiments, the shutter (940), the drone (900) that landed with the used battery pack (860), and the battery charging sites (1510) may be aligned longitudinally so that the battery pack carrier (912) moves only in the lateral direction over a smaller range. The battery pack carrier (912) may include sensors for detecting a forward limit, a rear limit, and a home position along each axis of movement. In some embodiments, the sensors are moving photo sensors.

[0177] Three-dimensional movement of the battery pack carrier (912) can be achieved by one or more types of actuating and moving components, such as motors, tracks, mechanical arms, pivot hinges, rotary joints, etc. For example, in the example illustrated in FIG. 16a, the battery pack carrier (912) moves along tracks and rods to move along each axis. Each robot arm track may be mounted on another track positioned at a 90-degree angle to add an additional axis of motion. Alternatively, or additionally, one or more movements in dimensions may be achieved using a robot arm paired with one or more pivot hinges and / or one or more rotary joints. In FIG. 16a, the battery pack carrier (912) may include a transverse track (1662), a longitudinal track (1664), and a vertical track (1666). The transverse track (1662) may be largely parallel to the alignment of the battery charging site (1510). The lateral track (1662) can provide the maximum range of movement compared to other axes.

[0178] In the example illustrated in FIG. 16a, one of the tracks may provide primary mechanical support to the majority of the components of the battery pack carrier (912). For example, the transverse track (1662) may support the remainder of the components of the battery pack carrier (912). In some embodiments, the transverse track (1662) may be mounted to the bottom of the base station (130), one or more frames (902) and / or other rigid structural components of the base station (130). In some embodiments, to further secure the battery pack carrier (912), there may be multiple mounting points for the transverse track (1662). In the embodiment described later in FIG. 20, the transverse track (1662) (and battery pack carrier (912)) may be mounted to the parking plate (905) so that the battery pack carrier (912) is suspended from the component-mounting surface (1520) of the parking plate (905).

[0179] FIG. 16b is a partial and exploded view of a battery pack carrier (912) intended to carry a battery pack (860) according to some embodiments. An end effector is mounted on the end of the arm portion (1660) of the battery pack carrier (912) to hold the battery pack (860) during pickup, placement, and transfer. The end effector is equipped with a sensor for battery detection and battery latch detection, as discussed in more detail below. In some embodiments, the end effector may include a battery latch prong (1620) that engages with and complements a battery latch slot (1630) on the battery pack (860). Four battery latch prongs (1620), two on each side, secure the battery pack (860) to the end effector as the battery pack carrier (912) moves. Alternatively, or additionally, the battery pack carrier (912) may include a sliding system or rail system for moving the battery pack (860) to the shutter (940), as well as setting the battery pack (860) in and out of the battery charging site (1510).

[0180] To mount a battery pack (860), the battery pack carrier (912) includes a battery detection switch (1640) and a battery lock-latch switch (1650). In some embodiments, the battery detection switch (1640) is a touch switch. In some embodiments, the battery lock-latch switch (1650) is a touch switch. The battery detection switch (1640) detects whether a battery is present on the arm portion (1660). The battery lock-latch switch (1650) confirms that the battery pack (860) is secured and latched to keep the battery pack in place and connect it to the drone. The movement of the battery pack (860) is controlled by a computer control system housed in the enclosure (910) of the cabinet (903). The battery pack carrier (912) detects the presence of a battery using a battery presence switch (1640), and then retrieves the battery pack (860) from the battery charging port (1510) by securing the battery with a battery lock-latch on the drone.

[0181] FIGS. 17a, FIGS. 17b and FIGS. 17c illustrate various perspective views of a battery charging port (1510) according to some embodiments. FIG. 17b is a partial rear view of the battery charging port (1510), and FIG. 17c is an inverted view of the battery charging port (1510) according to some embodiments. The battery charging port (1510) includes a battery lock-latch (1710), a power port (1720), a touch switch (1730), and a bracket (1735) which may be referred to as a slide guide and has the same structure as the slide guide (820).

[0182] The battery lock-latch (1710) and the bracket (1735) can work together to mechanically secure the battery pack (860). For example, the bracket (1735) can be suspended from the surface of the battery charging site (1510) to create a channel (e.g., a rail space) into which the battery pack (860) slides. In this way, the bracket (1735) can hold the battery pack (860) in place vertically. The battery lock-latch (1710) can be configured to mechanically hold the battery pack (860) in place longitudinally on the battery charging site (1510). The battery lock-latch (1710) may be a spring-loaded switch for clipping the battery pack (860) in place. The protrusion of the battery lock-latch (1710) is mechanically latched to the battery pack (860). For example, in the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 17c, the battery lock-latch is a rounded portion that is pressed into the battery charging site (1510) and pops out to prevent the battery pack (860) from sliding outward in the longitudinal direction. In some embodiments, the rigid frame of the battery latch switch (1650) illustrated in FIG. 16b may function as an actuator for pressing the battery latch (1710).

[0183] The power port (1720) is configured to provide power to the battery pack (860) to charge the battery pack (860). After the battery pack (860) is secured within the battery charging port (1510), the power port (1720) provides a charge with an 18-volt charging capacity through the battery charging port (1510). Each battery charging site (1510) is configured to provide power to the battery pack (860) being charged.

[0184] The battery charging port (1510) includes a battery plug-in touch switch (1740) that provides a signal indicating whether the battery is in place and plugged in. The battery charging port (1510) may also include a top contact sensor (1730) that detects when the battery comes into contact with the battery charging port (1510) (note that FIG. 17c is inverted), which indicates that the battery pack (860) is ready to slide into the power port (1720), which is vertically supported by the bracket (1735), and be secured in place by the battery lock-latch (1710).

[0185] The power plug connector (1770) and power monitoring connector (1780) connect the battery charging site (1510) to electronic devices and other systems within the enclosure (910) that monitor and operate the subsystem of the base station (130).

[0186] In some embodiments, each battery charging site (1510) at the base station (130) has a structure identical or very similar to the battery site of the aerial drone (600). The mechanism and structure of the way the battery pack (860) is secured to the battery charging site (1510) is identical to the structure and discussion of the battery attachment zone (655) of the aerial drone (600) in FIGS. 8a through 8e.

[0187] The battery pack carrier (912) moves the used battery pack (860) from the drone (900) to set the used battery pack (860) at the battery charging site (1510) and rotates to remove the newly charged battery pack (860) from another battery charging site (1510). When the battery pack (860) is set at the battery charging site (1510), the battery is moved vertically until the top contact sensor (1730) engages by contact with the battery pack (860). Thus, the battery pack (860) can be slid longitudinally with the bracket (1735) until the battery plugged-in sensor (1730) engages. In the fully connected longitudinal position, the battery latch (1710) springs back up to secure the battery pack (860) in place. When the battery pack (860) is in position and fixed, the power port (1720) engages to supply power to and charge the battery pack (860).

[0188] The battery pack (860) is removed from the charger in reverse order through the same operation. The battery latch (1710) is pressed first, and the battery pack (860) slides longitudinally away from the power port (1720). At the appropriate longitudinal position, the top contact sensor (1730) may indicate that the battery pack (860) has slid sufficiently far from the power port (1720) and is in the correct position to be separated from the bracket (1735). When rotated, the arm portion (1660) moves downward, and the battery pack (860) is mounted away from the battery charging site (1510).

[0189] FIGS. 18a and 18b are conceptual side views illustrating a method of removing a battery pack (860) from a drone (900) according to some embodiments. FIGS. 18a and 18b illustrate a battery pack carrier (912) that carries the battery pack (860) during the process of exchanging the battery pack (860). The battery pack carrier (912) is configured to remove the first battery pack (860) from the drone (900) and move the first battery pack (860) to a first battery charging site (1510). The battery pack carrier (912) is configured to carry the second battery pack (860) from the second battery charging site (1510) to the drone (900) and to install the second battery pack (860) on the drone (900). FIG. 18a illustrates a battery pack (860) in motion sliding along a metal rail to be pushed against a metal rail of a drone (900), to come into contact with a sensor of the drone that detects the presence of the battery pack (860), and to come into contact with a battery plug of the drone that detects that the battery pack (860) is plugged in. FIG. 18b illustrates a battery pack carrier (912) passing through a shutter (940) to carry the battery pack (860) further away from the drone (900) and toward one of the battery charging sites (1510) (not shown in FIG. 18a or FIG. 18b).

[0190] FIG. 19 illustrates a perspective view of an exemplary manner for configuring a battery pack carrier (912) according to some embodiments. FIG. 19 illustrates, according to some embodiments, a frame (902), a parking plate (905), and a battery pack carrier (912) mounted on the frame (902). The battery pack carrier (912) is movable along three independent axes. The battery pack carrier (912) may be mounted on the frame (902). For example, a transverse track (1662) is firmly mounted on the frame (902). The transverse track (1662) may carry a longitudinal track (1664), and the longitudinal track (1664) may rotate to carry a vertical track (1666), thereby allowing three-dimensional movement of the arm portion (1660).

[0191] FIG. 19 also illustrates an internal temperature control system for a base station (130) according to some embodiments. The base station (130) has a cabinet (903) comprising a parking plate (905) forming an enclosure (910) and one or more walls (906) (not shown in FIG. 19). A plurality of battery charging sites (1510) (chargers) are accommodated within the enclosure (910). The battery charging sites (1510) are configured to provide power to a battery pack being charged by the charger. A temperature sensor (1910) may be mounted within the enclosure at an appropriate location to measure the temperature within the enclosure (910). The temperature sensor (1910) may be located near the battery charging sites (1510) so that the temperature of the battery pack (860) can be measured more accurately. The base station (130) may also include a temperature controller (1920), cooling components such as an air flowr taking the form of a fan, a heat sink as a temperature reservoir, a heater to raise the temperature, or a combination of various temperature control components. The temperature controller (1920) may be configured to control the temperature within the enclosure (910) to maintain the temperature of a plurality of battery packs being charged in the charger within a temperature range. For example, the temperature controller (1920) may be controlled by a processor (which may be located in a computer at the base station (130) or storage site) to be switched on and off based on the temperature measured by a temperature sensor (1910).

[0192] In some embodiments, the base station (130) may include a computer, such as a processor and memory, used to control and automate the various tasks discussed in this disclosure. The computer may also download data from the drone (900) to the base station (130). Components of the computer may be further described in FIG. 22 and are not depicted in any drawing as being mounted in the enclosure (910).

[0193] FIG. 20 is a side view of an exemplary base station (130) illustrating a battery pack carrier (912) suspended from a parking plate (905) according to some embodiments. FIG. 20 illustrates that the parking plate (905) includes an upper surface which may be referred to as a landing surface (975) and a lower surface which may be referred to as a component-mounting surface (1520). The transverse track (1662) of the battery pack carrier (912) is mounted from the component-mounting surface (1520), and the remainder of the components of the battery pack carrier (912), including a longitudinal track (1664), a vertical track (1666), and an arm portion (1660), are suspended from the transverse track (1662). In this embodiment, the battery charging site (1510) is also mounted and suspended from the component-mounting surface (1520) of the parking plate (905), but is not illustrated in this particular drawing for the example of the battery pack carrier (912). By mounting the battery pack carrier (912) in the same plane as the battery charging site (1510) and drone alignment components such as the pusher (925) and gripper (935), the design minimizes the opportunity for the battery pack carrier (912) to move the components of the base station (130) out of alignment or to apply force, because the components for battery replacement and the components for drone alignment are mounted on the same structural component (parking plate (905)). In some situations, the battery pack carrier (912) generates force by placing the battery pack (860) on the drone (900). The force can push the drone or the parking plate (905) and increase the possibility of misalignment. By mounting the battery pack carrier (912) on the same parking plate (905) where the drone (900) is parked, when such force occurs, the battery pack carrier (912) remains aligned with the rest of the components mounted by the parking plate (905).

[0194] FIG. 21 is a flowchart for a method of replacing a drone battery according to some embodiments. Other embodiments may include more, fewer, or different steps than those shown in FIG. 21, and the steps may be performed in a different order than shown in FIG. 21. These drone alignment and battery sway steps may be performed automatically by a base station (130). In some embodiments, each of these steps may be performed automatically by a computing system that controls the components of the base station (130) without human intervention.

[0195] The drone (900) lands on the landing surface (975) of the parking plate (905) (step 2110). An alignment sensor (945) tracks the movement of the drone (900) as it approaches and lands on the parking plate (905). A pusher (925) slides along the track (930) to align the drone (900) by pushing it toward a reference position (965) (step 2120). A gripper (935) grasps the drone (900) and secures the drone (900) to the reference position (965), which is a designated location, while ensuring a constant flow of power during battery replacement through the detection port (1224) (step 2130). A shutter (940) opens (step 2140) to allow the battery pack carrier (912) to approach the drone (900). The battery pack carrier (912) moves to latch onto the battery pack (860), retrieves the battery pack (860) from the drone (900) (step 2150), transfers the battery pack (860) to an open battery charging site (1510) (step 2160), retrieves the charged battery pack (860) from another battery charging site (1510) (step 2170), and places the new charged battery pack (860) onto the drone (900) (step 2180). The battery pack carrier (912) moves back into the enclosure (910). The shutter (940) is closed and the gripper (935) is released.

[0196] Computing machine architecture

[0197] FIG. 22 is a block diagram illustrating the components of an exemplary computing machine capable of reading instructions from a computer-readable medium and executing them on a processor (or controller). The computer described herein may include a single computing machine shown in FIG. 22, a virtual machine, a distributed computing system including multiple nodes of the computing machine shown in FIG. 22, or other suitable arrangements of computing devices.

[0198] In an exemplary manner, FIG. 22 illustrates a schematic representation of a computing machine, which is an exemplary form of a computer system (2200) on which instructions (2224) (e.g., software, program code, or machine code) that may be stored on a computer-readable medium may be executed to cause the machine to perform one or more of the processes discussed herein. In some embodiments, the computing machine may operate as a standalone device or be connected to other machines (e.g., networked). In a networked deployment, the machine may operate as a server machine or client machine in a server-client network environment, or as a peer machine in a peer-to-peer (or distributed) network environment.

[0199] The structure of the computing machine described in FIG. 22 may correspond to any software, hardware, or combined component shown in FIG. 1, including but not limited to an inventory management system (140), a computing server (150), a data storage (160), a user device (170), and various engines, modules, interfaces, terminals, and machines. FIG. 22 illustrates various hardware and software elements, but each component described in FIG. 1 may include additional or fewer elements.

[0200] In the manner of example, a computing machine may be a personal computer (PC), tablet PC, set-top box (STB), personal digital assistant (PDA), cellular phone, smartphone, web appliance, network router, Internet of Things (IoT) device, switch or bridge, or any machine capable of executing a command (2224) that specifies an action to be performed by said machine. Additionally, although only a single machine is illustrated, the term “machine” is also considered to include a set of any machines that execute a command (2224) individually or jointly to perform one or more of the methodologies discussed herein.

[0201] An exemplary computer system (2200) includes one or more processors (typically, processors (2202)) (e.g., a central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), a digital signal processor (DSP), one or more application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), one or more radio frequency integrated circuits (RFICs), or any combination thereof) configured to communicate with each other via a bus (2208), main memory (2204), and non-volatile memory (2206). The computer system (2200) may further include a graphic display unit (2210) (e.g., a plasma display panel (PDP), a liquid crystal display (LCD), a projector, or a cathode ray tube (CRT)). The computer system (2200) may also include an alphanumeric input device (2212) (e.g., keyboard), a cursor control device (2214) (e.g., mouse, trackball, joystick, motion sensor, or other pointing device)), a storage unit (2216), a signal generating device (2218) (e.g., speaker), and a network interface device (2220), which are configured to communicate via a bus (2208).

[0202] The storage unit (2216) includes a computer-readable medium (2222) in which a command (2224) implementing any one or more of the methodologies or functions described herein is stored. The command (2224) may reside entirely or at least partially in main memory (2204) or in a processor (2202) (e.g., in the processor's cache memory) during its execution by the computer system (2200), and the main memory (2204) and the processor (2202) also constitute a computer-readable medium. The command (2224) may be transmitted or received over a network (2226) via a network interface device (2220).

[0203] Although the computer-readable medium (2222) is depicted as a single medium in exemplary embodiments, the term “computer-readable medium” should be considered to include a single medium or multiple media (e.g., a centralized or distributed database, or associated caches and servers) capable of storing instructions (e.g., instructions (2224)). The computer-readable medium may include any medium capable of storing instructions (e.g., instructions (2224)) for execution by a machine and enabling the machine to perform one or more of the methodologies disclosed herein. The computer-readable medium may include, but is not limited to, data storage in the form of solid-state memory, optical media, and magnetic media. The computer-readable medium does not include transient media such as signals or carrier waves.

[0204] Exemplary Examples

[0205] Example 1. A base station for accommodating a drone comprising a body and a plurality of legs,

[0206] A parking plate for the above-mentioned drone to land on;

[0207] A plurality of pushers slidable on the parking plate — the plurality of pushers are configured to push the legs of the drone to move the drone toward a reference location on the parking plate —;

[0208] A gripper mounted by the above parking plate — the gripper is configured to secure the body of the drone in place so as to be removable with respect to the above reference position —; and

[0209] A base station comprising an alignment sensor mounted by the above-mentioned parking plate and positioned at the above-mentioned reference position — the alignment sensor is configured to detect whether a marker on the drone is aligned with the above-mentioned reference position —

[0210] Example 2. The base station of Example 1, wherein the gripper includes two flaps, and each flap is configured to pivot from the parking plate to an upright position.

[0211] Example 3. The base station of Example 1, wherein the gripper includes a drone grip slot complementary to a tab protruding from the drone.

[0212] Example 4. The base station of Example 1, wherein the marker on the drone is a QR code or another pattern configured to stand out as the marker.

[0213] Example 5. In Example 1, the marker on the drone is a base station, which is an identifiable component of the drone.

[0214] Example 6. The base station of Example 1, wherein each of the plurality of pushers has a plurality of leg notches configured to accommodate the legs of the drone.

[0215] Example 7. A base station in Example 1, wherein the plurality of pushers are configured to move along a set of tracks.

[0216] Example 8. The base station of Example 1, wherein at least one of the pushers is an elongated bumper comprising an inclined area, an orthogonal area, and a leg notch between the inclined area and the orthogonal area.

[0217] Example 9. A base station according to Example 1, further comprising a battery pack carrier configured to replace a battery pack mounted by the drone.

[0218] Example 10. The plurality of pushers in Example 1, a base station movable between an expanded configuration and a contracted configuration that moves the drone toward the reference position.

[0219] Example 11. A base station in Example 1, wherein the parking plate forms the ceiling of the bottom compartment of the base station.

[0220] Example 12. The base station of Example 11, wherein the lower compartment is equipped with one or more battery charging sites and a battery pack carrier.

[0221] Example 13. A base station according to Example 12, wherein the lower compartment further comprises a temperature controller configured to control the temperature range of the lower compartment.

[0222] Example 14. The base station of Example 1, wherein the gripper includes a detection port configured to detect whether the drone is secured by the gripper.

[0223] Example 15. The base station of Example 14, wherein the detection port further comprises a data transmission pin configured to download data from the drone to the base station.

[0224] Example 16. The base station of Example 1, wherein the gripper is configured to fix the body of the drone after the alignment sensor detects that a marker on the drone is aligned with the reference position.

[0225] Example 17. A method for accommodating a drone at a base station, wherein the drone comprises a body and a plurality of legs, the method comprising:

[0226] A step of accommodating the drone on a parking plate of the base station;

[0227] A step of moving the drone toward a reference position on the parking plate by pushing a plurality of pushers slidable on the parking plate from an extended configuration to a retracted configuration to push the leg of the drone;

[0228] A step of detecting whether a marker on the drone is aligned with the reference position using an alignment sensor mounted by the parking plate and located at the reference position; and

[0229] A method comprising the step of fixing the body of the drone in place relative to the reference position using a gripper mounted on the parking plate.

[0230] Example 18. The method of Example 17, wherein the step of fixing the body of the drone using the gripper includes the step of pivoting from a flat configuration to an upright configuration.

[0231] Example 19. The method of Example 17, further comprising the step of replacing the battery pack of the drone after the drone is secured by the gripper.

[0232] Example 20. The method of Example 17, wherein the gripper includes a detection port configured to detect whether the drone is secured to the gripper, and the detection port further includes a data transmission pin configured to download data from the drone to the base station.

[0233] Example 21. A base station for performing a battery pack swap for a drone,

[0234] A parking plate for accommodating the above-mentioned drone;

[0235] A gripper mounted by the above parking plate — the gripper is configured to secure the drone in place at the parking position of the above parking plate —;

[0236] A plurality of chargers — each charger includes a battery latch and a power port, wherein the battery latch is configured to mechanically hold a battery pack in place together with the charger, and the power port is configured to provide power to the battery pack being charged —; and

[0237] A battery pack carrier movable between the plurality of chargers and the parking positions — the battery pack carrier is:

[0238] To remove the first battery pack from the drone and move the first battery pack to the first charger, and

[0239] A second battery pack is loaded from the second charger to the drone, and the second battery pack is installed on the drone.

[0240] A base station comprising ―

[0241] Example 22. In Example 21, installing the second battery pack is:

[0242] Pushing the second battery pack upward toward the bracket; and

[0243] A base station comprising sliding the second battery pack along the rail space created by the bracket.

[0244] Example 23. The base station of Example 21, wherein the gripper includes a drone grip slot configured complementarily to a part of the drone to secure the drone.

[0245] Example 24. The base station of Example 21, wherein the gripper includes two flaps, each flap configured to pivot from a parking plate to an upright position.

[0246] Example 25. The base station of Example 21, wherein the gripper includes a charging port configured to provide power to the drone while battery pack replacement is performed.

[0247] Example 26. The base station of Example 21, wherein each charger further comprises a vertical sensor for determining that the battery pack has come into contact with a bracket, and a horizontal sensor for determining that the battery pack has slid into a position to be charged.

[0248] Example 27. The base station of Example 21, wherein the parking plate further comprises a shutter configured to open to provide access to the drone from the battery pack carrier.

[0249] Example 28. The base station of Example 21, wherein the base station further comprises a retractable cover for protecting the drone.

[0250] Example 29. In Example 21, the battery pack carrier is a base station movable along three axes.

[0251] Example 30. In Example 21, a plurality of chargers are mounted on the lower surface of a parking plate, forming a base station.

[0252] Example 31. The base station of Example 21, wherein the battery pack carrier comprises a track mounted on a parking plate.

[0253] Example 32. The base station of Example 21, wherein the battery pack carrier comprises a battery latch prong configured to engage with a battery latch slot on the first battery pack.

[0254] Example 33. In a system,

[0255] A drone equipped with a first battery pack; and

[0256] It includes a base station for performing battery pack replacement for the above-mentioned drone, and

[0257] The above base station is:

[0258] A parking plate for accommodating the above-mentioned drone;

[0259] A gripper mounted by the above parking plate — the gripper is configured to secure the drone in place at the parking position of the above parking plate —;

[0260] A plurality of chargers — each charger includes a battery latch and a power port, wherein the battery latch is configured to mechanically hold a battery pack in place together with the charger, and the power port is configured to provide power to a battery pack being charged —; and

[0261] It includes a battery pack carrier movable between the plurality of chargers and the parking position,

[0262] The above battery pack carrier is:

[0263] To remove the first battery pack from the drone and move the first battery pack to the first charger, and

[0264] A second battery pack is loaded from a second charger onto the drone, and the second battery pack is installed on the drone.

[0265] A system that is configured.

[0266] Example 34. The system of Example 33, wherein the drone comprises a battery carrier configured to carry a battery pack.

[0267] Example 35. A system in which, in Example 34, the battery carrier of the drone and one of the plurality of chargers mounted by the base station have the same mechanical structure.

[0268] Example 36. The system of Example 33, wherein the drone comprises a first data transmission port configured to contact a second data transmission port mounted on the gripper.

[0269] Example 37. The system of Example 33, further comprising a second drone configured to use the base station for battery replacement.

[0270] Example 38. The system of Example 33, wherein the base station further comprises a temperature controller configured to control the temperature range of a plurality of battery packs mounted by the plurality of chargers.

[0271] Example 39. A method for performing battery pack replacement for a drone equipped with a first battery pack, wherein

[0272] A step of holding the second battery pack in place with a charger mounted by the base station using a battery latch;

[0273] A step of providing power to the second battery pack through the power port of the charger;

[0274] A step of accommodating the drone on the parking plate of the base station;

[0275] A step of fixing the drone in place at the parking position of the parking plate using a gripper mounted on the parking plate;

[0276] A step of removing the first battery pack from the drone using a battery pack carrier — the battery pack carrier is movable between the charger and the parking position —;

[0277] A step of loading from the charger to the drone using the battery pack carrier; and

[0278] A method comprising the step of installing the second battery pack on the drone.

[0279] Example 40. In Example 39, the step of installing the second battery pack on the drone is:

[0280] The step of pushing the second battery pack upward toward the bracket; and

[0281] A method comprising the step of sliding the second battery pack along the rail space created by the bracket.

[0282] Example 41. A base station for performing battery pack replacement for a drone,

[0283] A frame configured to provide mechanical support to the base station;

[0284] A parking plate mounted by the above frame — the parking plate comprises a landing surface configured to contact the drone when the drone lands, and a component-mounting surface facing the landing surface —;

[0285] A plurality of chargers mounted on the component-mounting surface of the above parking plate;

[0286] A battery pack carrier mounted on the component-mounting surface of the above parking plate — the battery pack carrier is movable to mount a battery pack connected to one of the chargers to the drone —; and

[0287] A base station comprising a shutter on the parking plate—the shutter is openable to provide access of the battery pack carrier from the component-mounting surface to the landing surface.

[0288] Example 42. The base station of Example 41, wherein the component-mounting surface forms the ceiling of the lower compartment of the base station, and the plurality of chargers and the battery pack carriers are mounted inside the lower compartment.

[0289] Example 43. The base station of Example 41, wherein each charger includes a vertical sensor for determining that the battery pack has come into contact with a bracket, and a horizontal sensor for determining that the battery pack has slid into a position to be charged.

[0290] Example 44. In Example 41, the battery pack carrier comprises a robot arm, forming a base station.

[0291] Example 45. The base station of Example 41, wherein each charger includes a battery latch and a power port, the battery latch is configured to mechanically hold a battery pack in place with the charger, and the power port is configured to provide power to the battery pack being charged.

[0292] Example 46. In Example 41, the battery pack carrier is:

[0293] By pushing the battery pack up toward the bracket; and

[0294] By sliding the battery pack along the rail space created by the bracket above

[0295] A base station configured to install a battery pack on the above-mentioned drone.

[0296] Example 47. The battery pack carrier of Example 41 comprises a transverse track, a longitudinal track and a vertical track, and one of the tracks is mounted on a component-mounting surface of the parking plate, a base station.

[0297] Example 48. In Example 41, the battery pack carrier is a base station movable along three axes.

[0298] Example 49. The base station of Example 41, wherein the base station further comprises a gripper configured to securely and removablely secure the drone, and the gripper further comprises a power port for supplying power to the drone while the battery pack carrier replaces the battery pack.

[0299] Example 50. The base station of Example 49, wherein the gripper further comprises a drone grip slot configured complementarily to a part of the drone to secure the drone.

[0300] Example 51. In Example 41, the plurality of chargers are mounted on the flip side of the landing surface where the drone lands, forming a base station.

[0301] Example 52. In Example 41, the battery pack carrier is a base station movable between the plurality of chargers and the shutter.

[0302] Example 53. In Example 41, the plurality of chargers are arranged linearly in a base station.

[0303] Example 54. The base station of Example 41, wherein the walls mounted by the frame and the parking plate define an enclosure for the plurality of chargers, and the base station includes a thermostat for controlling the temperature range of the enclosure.

[0304] Example 55. In a system,

[0305] A drone equipped with a battery pack; and

[0306] It includes a base station for performing battery pack replacement for the above-mentioned drone, and

[0307] The above base station is:

[0308] A frame configured to provide mechanical support to the base station;

[0309] A parking plate mounted by the above frame — the parking plate comprises a landing surface configured to contact the drone when the drone lands, and a component-mounting surface facing the landing surface —;

[0310] A plurality of chargers mounted on the component-mounting surface of the above parking plate;

[0311] A battery pack carrier mounted on the component-mounting surface of the above parking plate — the battery pack carrier is movable to mount a battery pack connected to one of the chargers to the drone —; and

[0312] A system comprising a shutter on the parking plate—the shutter is openable to provide access of the battery pack carrier from the component-mounting surface to the landing surface.

[0313] Example 56. A system according to Example 55, wherein the component-mounting surface forms the ceiling of the lower compartment of the base station, and the plurality of chargers and the battery pack carriers are mounted inside the lower compartment.

[0314] Example 57. The system of Example 55, wherein each charger comprises a vertical sensor for determining that the battery pack has come into contact with a bracket, and a horizontal sensor for determining that the battery pack has slid into a position to be charged.

[0315] Example 58. The system of Example 55, wherein each charger comprises a battery latch and a power port, the battery latch is configured to mechanically hold a battery pack in place with the charger, and the power port is configured to provide power to the battery pack being charged.

[0316] Example 59. In Example 55, the battery pack carrier is:

[0317] By pushing the above battery pack upward toward the bracket; and

[0318] By sliding the battery pack along the rail space created by the bracket above

[0319] A system configured to install a battery pack on the above-mentioned drone.

[0320] Example 60. A system according to Example 55, wherein the plurality of chargers are mounted on the back side of the landing surface where the drone lands.

[0321] Example 61. In a base station for accommodating a drone,

[0322] A cabinet comprising a parking plate and one or more walls forming an enclosure for one or more internal components of the base station — the parking plate is configured to accommodate the drone —;

[0323] A plurality of chargers mounted within the above-mentioned enclosure — each charger is configured to provide power to a battery pack charged by the charger —;

[0324] A temperature sensor mounted within the above-mentioned enclosure — the temperature sensor is configured to measure the temperature within the above-mentioned enclosure —; and

[0325] A base station comprising a temperature controller configured to regulate the temperature within the enclosure to maintain the temperature of a plurality of battery packs charged by the plurality of chargers within a temperature range.

[0326] Example 62. The base station of Example 61, wherein each charger further comprises a vertical sensor for determining that the battery pack has come into contact with a bracket, and a horizontal sensor for determining that the battery pack has slid into a position to be charged.

[0327] Example 63. The base station of Example 61, further comprising a battery pack carrier mounted within an enclosure, wherein the battery pack carrier is configured to mount a battery pack on a drone.

[0328] Example 64. In Example 61, the base station, wherein the temperature controller is an air flowr.

[0329] Example 65. The base station of Example 61, wherein the base station comprises a battery pack carrier configured to exchange battery packs between the plurality of chargers and the drone.

[0330] Example 66. The base station of Example 61, wherein each charger includes a battery latch and a power port, the battery latch is configured to mechanically hold the battery pack in place together with the charger, and the power port is configured to provide power to the battery pack being charged.

[0331] Example 67. The parking plate of Example 61 further comprises a shutter configured to protect an enclosure, and the shutter is openable to provide access to a plurality of chargers, for a base station.

[0332] Example 68. The base station of Example 61, wherein the parking plate comprises a landing surface and a component-mounting surface facing the landing surface, and the component-mounting surface faces the enclosure.

[0333] Example 69. In Example 68, the plurality of chargers are a base station mounted on the component-mounting surface.

[0334] Example 70. In Example 61, the base station, wherein the temperature controller includes a cooling component and a heating component.

[0335] Example 71. A method for controlling the temperature of a drone battery pack,

[0336] A step of sealing a plurality of chargers mounted within an enclosure formed from one or more walls of a base station configured to accommodate a parking plate and a drone;

[0337] A step of providing power to a battery pack being charged in one of the above chargers;

[0338] A step of measuring the temperature inside the enclosure of the base station using a temperature sensor mounted inside the enclosure; and

[0339] A method comprising the step of controlling the temperature within the enclosure using a temperature controller to maintain the temperature of a plurality of battery packs charged in the plurality of chargers within a temperature range.

[0340] Example 72. The method of Example 71, wherein each charger further comprises a vertical sensor for determining whether the battery pack has come into contact with a bracket, and a horizontal sensor for determining whether the battery pack has slid into a position to be charged.

[0341] Example 73. The method of Example 71, further comprising the step of performing a battery replacement for the drone.

[0342] Example 74. Method of Example 71, wherein the temperature controller is an air flowr.

[0343] Example 75. The method of Example 71, wherein the base station comprises a battery pack carrier configured to exchange battery packs between the plurality of chargers and the drone.

[0344] Example 76. The method of Example 71, wherein each charger comprises a battery latch and a power port, the battery latch is configured to mechanically hold a battery pack in place with the charger, and the power port is configured to provide power to the battery pack being charged.

[0345] Example 77. The method of Example 71, wherein the parking plate further comprises a shutter configured to protect the enclosure, and the shutter is openable to provide access to a plurality of chargers.

[0346] Example 78. The method of Example 71, wherein the parking plate comprises a landing surface and a component-mounting surface facing the landing surface, and the component-mounting surface faces the enclosure.

[0347] Example 79. The method of Example 78, wherein the plurality of chargers are mounted on the component-mounting surface.

[0348] Example 80. The method of Example 71, wherein the temperature controller comprises a cooling component and a heating component.

[0349] Example 81. In an aerial drone,

[0350] A drone body having a longitudinal housing for mounting a processing circuit and a battery — said longitudinal housing extends in a first direction —;

[0351] A sensor rod mounted by the above-mentioned drone body and extending from the above-mentioned drone body in a second direction different from the above-mentioned first direction — the sensor rod has a sensor mounted at its distal end —; and

[0352] An aerial drone comprising a propeller guard connected to the distal end of the sensor rod and supported at least partially by the sensor rod — said propeller guard forming part of the periphery of the aerial drone.

[0353] Example 82. An aerial drone according to Example 81, wherein the drone body and the sensor load are vertical and create a plurality of external points on the periphery of the aerial drone.

[0354] Example 83. An aerial drone according to Example 82, wherein a depth sensor is mounted at each of a plurality of external points of the aerial drone.

[0355] Example 84. An aerial drone according to Example 81, further comprising a plurality of lower depth sensors mounted by the longitudinal housing, wherein at least one of the lower depth sensors is arranged in an inclined configuration.

[0356] Example 85. An aerial drone according to Example 81, further comprising a gimbal mounted by one end of the longitudinal housing, wherein the gimbal is configured to support a camera.

[0357] Example 86. An aerial drone according to Example 81, wherein the sensor rod is equipped with two sensors, one at each end of the sensor rod.

[0358] Example 87. An aerial drone according to Example 81, further comprising one or more motor rods mounted by the drone body, each motor rod configured to mount a propeller.

[0359] Example 88. An aerial drone according to Example 87, wherein the longitudinal housing comprises a first housing portion and a second housing portion, the sensor rod is connected to the first housing portion and the motor rod is connected to the second housing portion.

[0360] Example 89. An aerial drone according to Example 87, further comprising a landing leg mounted by one of the motor rods, wherein the landing leg is attached to a leg tip to absorb the impact of landing.

[0361] Example 90. An aerial drone according to Example 81, further comprising one or more gripper tabs mounted by the drone body, wherein the gripper tabs are configured to interact with a base station to align the drone.

[0362] Example 91. An aerial drone according to Example 90, further comprising a communication port configured to provide detection of whether one or more gripper tabs are gripped by a gripper of a base station.

[0363] Example 92. An aerial drone according to Example 91, wherein the communication port is additionally configured to transmit power to the aerial drone and transmit data from the aerial drone to a base station.

[0364] Example 93. An aerial drone according to Example 81, wherein the propeller guard is connected to one end of the sensor rod and the longitudinal housing.

[0365] Example 94. The aerial drone of Example 93, wherein the propeller guard bulges out from the end of the sensor rod and the longitudinal housing support.

[0366] Example 95. An aerial drone according to Example 81, wherein the longitudinal housing comprises a first housing portion and a second housing portion divided by a plane, and the two housing portions are connected through a plurality of connection sites parallel to the plane.

[0367] Example 96. In Example 81, one or more sensors coupled to the lower surface of the drone body; and

[0368] An aerial drone comprising one or more sensors additionally coupled to the upper surface of the above-mentioned drone body.

[0369] Example 97. An aerial drone according to Example 95, wherein for each sensor, a heat sink mounted by said sensor is additionally included.

[0370] Example 98. In a system,

[0371] A base station for performing battery replacement work; and

[0372] Includes aerial drones,

[0373] The above aerial drone is:

[0374] A drone body having a longitudinal housing for mounting a processing circuit and a battery — said longitudinal housing extends in a first direction —;

[0375] A sensor rod mounted by the above-mentioned drone body and extending from the above-mentioned drone body in a second direction different from the above-mentioned first direction — the sensor rod has a sensor mounted at the distal end of the sensor rod —; and

[0376] A system comprising a propeller guard connected to the distal end of the sensor rod and supported at least partially by the sensor rod — said propeller guard forming part of the periphery of the aerial drone.

[0377] Example 99. The system of Example 98, wherein the base station includes a gripper, and the drone includes one or more gripper tabs mounted by the drone body, and the gripper tabs are configured to interact with the base station to align the drone.

[0378] Example 100. The system of Example 99, further comprising a communication port configured to provide detection of whether one or more gripper tabs are gripped by the gripper of the base station of the aerial drone.

[0379] Example 101. In an aerial drone,

[0380] Drone body for mounting a battery pack;

[0381] A slide guide mounted by the above-mentioned drone body — the slide guide is suspended from the surface of the above-mentioned drone body and creates a channel between the slide guide and the surface, and the battery pack is slidable along the channel —;

[0382] A slide-guide contact sensor mounted on the surface of the above-mentioned drone body — the slide-guide contact sensor is configured to detect whether the battery pack is in contact with the surface —;

[0383] A connection port mounted by the above-mentioned drone body; and

[0384] An aerial drone comprising a port contact sensor mounted by the drone body — the port contact sensor is configured to detect whether the battery pack has slid into the connection port —.

[0385] Example 102. An aerial drone in Example 101, wherein the slide-guide contact sensor comprises a proximity spring configured to push a pin and interrupt the circuit in response to compression by the battery pack.

[0386] Example 103. An aerial drone according to Example 101, further comprising a communication port configured to transmit power to the aerial drone and download data from the aerial drone.

[0387] Example 104. An aerial drone in Example 101, wherein the slide-guide contact sensor and the port contact sensor are arranged at two different angles to detect contact of the battery pack in two directions.

[0388] Example 105. An aerial drone in Example 101, wherein the slide guide is a bracket made of metal or plastic.

[0389] Example 106. An aerial drone in Example 101, wherein the slide guide is shaped to include a series of alternating slots and ledges.

[0390] Example 107. An aerial drone according to Example 106, wherein the battery pack comprises a tab complementary to the slot of the slide guide.

[0391] Example 108. An aerial drone according to Example 107, wherein the ledge is configured to support at least a portion of the weight of the battery pack by holding the tab of the battery pack when the battery pack is connected to the connection port.

[0392] Example 109. An aerial drone according to Example 101, wherein the battery pack includes a temperature sensor mounted inside the housing of the battery pack, and the temperature sensor is configured to monitor the temperature of the battery pack.

[0393] Example 110. An aerial drone according to Example 101, wherein the battery pack comprises a PCB board configured to monitor the charge level of the battery pack.

[0394] Example 111. An aerial drone according to Example 101, further comprising a spring-equipped battery latch.

[0395] Example 112. An aerial drone according to Example 111, wherein the slide guide is configured to prevent the battery pack from moving in a first direction and the battery latch is configured to prevent the battery pack from moving in a second direction.

[0396] Example 113. In a system,

[0397] A base station including a battery pack carrier; and

[0398] Including aerial drones,

[0399] The above aerial drone is:

[0400] Drone body for mounting a battery pack;

[0401] A slide guide mounted by the above-mentioned drone body — the slide guide is suspended from the surface of the above-mentioned drone body and creates a channel between the slide guide and the surface, and the battery pack is slidable along the channel —;

[0402] A slide-guide contact sensor mounted on the surface of the above-mentioned drone body — the slide-guide contact sensor is configured to detect whether the battery pack is in contact with the surface —;

[0403] A connection port mounted by the above-mentioned drone body; and

[0404] A system comprising a port contact sensor mounted by the drone body — the port contact sensor is configured to detect whether the battery pack has slid into the connection port —.

[0405] Example 114. In Example 113, the battery pack carrier is configured to perform a battery replacement operation, and

[0406] The above battery replacement task is:

[0407] Moving the above battery pack toward the slide-guide contact sensor;

[0408] Sliding the battery pack through the channel; and

[0409] A system comprising connecting the above battery pack to the above connection port.

[0410] Example 115. The system of Example 113, wherein the aerial drone further comprises a spring-loaded battery latch, the slide guide is configured to prevent the battery pack from moving in a first direction, and the battery latch is configured to prevent the battery pack from moving in a second direction.

[0411] Example 116. The system of Example 113, wherein the aerial drone comprises a communication port configured to transmit power to the aerial drone and download data from the aerial drone to a base station.

[0412] Example 117. A method for installing a battery pack comprising a plurality of tabs on an aerial drone, wherein

[0413] A step of aligning the tab of the battery pack in a slot of a slide guide mounted by the drone body of the aerial drone — the slide guide is suspended from the surface of the drone body of the aerial drone and creates a channel between the slide guide and the surface —;

[0414] A step of pushing the battery pack toward the drone body of the above-mentioned aerial drone;

[0415] A step of detecting that the battery pack is in contact with the slide-guide contact sensor by means of the slide-guide contact sensor of the aerial drone; and

[0416] A method comprising the step of sliding the battery pack toward the connection port through the channel.

[0417] Example 118. The method of Example 117, further comprising the step of locking the battery pack in place with the connection port using a battery latch.

[0418] Example 119. The method of Example 118, wherein the slide guide is configured to prevent the battery pack from moving in a first direction, and the battery latch is configured to prevent the battery pack from moving in a second direction.

[0419] Example 120. The method of Example 117, wherein the slide guide is shaped to include a series of alternating slots and ledges, and when the battery pack is connected to the connection port, the ledge is configured to support at least a portion of the weight of the battery pack by holding the tab of the battery pack.

[0420] In various embodiments, the features described above may be combined with other embodiments not explicitly mentioned in this combination. For example, Example 21 may be combined with Example 1, even though it is explicitly mentioned as a combined feature of Example 20.

[0421] Additional configuration considerations

[0422] Specific embodiments are described herein as comprising logic or a number of components, engines, modules, or mechanisms. An engine may consist of any one software module (e.g., code implemented on a computer-readable medium) or a hardware module. A hardware engine is a type unit capable of performing a specific task and may be configured or arranged in a specific manner. In exemplary embodiments, one or more computer systems (e.g., standalone, client, or server computer systems) or one or more hardware engines of a computer system (e.g., a processor or a group of processors) may be composed of hardware engines that operate to perform the specific tasks described herein by software (e.g., an application or part of an application).

[0423] In various embodiments, the hardware engine may be implemented mechanically or electronically. For example, the hardware engine may include dedicated circuitry or logic permanently configured to perform specific tasks (e.g., as a special-purpose processor such as a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) or Application-Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC). The hardware engine may also include programmable logic or circuitry temporarily configured by software to perform specific tasks (e.g., contained within a general-purpose processor or other programmable processor). It is understood that the decision to implement the hardware engine mechanically, in dedicated, permanently configured circuitry, or in temporarily configured circuitry (e.g., configured by software) may be influenced by cost and time considerations.

[0424] Various tasks of the exemplary method described herein may be performed at least partially by one or more processors, e.g., processor (2202), which are configured temporarily (e.g., by software) or permanently to perform the relevant tasks. Whether configured temporarily or permanently, such processors may constitute a processor-implemented engine that operates to perform one or more tasks or functions. The engine mentioned herein may include a processor-implemented engine in some exemplary embodiments.

[0425] The performance of a specific task may reside within a single machine as well as be deployed across multiple machines and distributed among one or more processors. In some exemplary embodiments, one or more processors or processor implementation modules may be located in a single geographic location (e.g., a home environment, an office environment, or within a server farm). In other exemplary embodiments, one or more processors or processor implementation modules may be distributed across multiple geographic locations.

[0426] Upon reading these disclosures, those skilled in the art will understand the structural and functional designs of additional alternatives for similar systems or processes through the principles disclosed herein. Accordingly, while specific embodiments and applications have been illustrated and described, it should be understood that the disclosed embodiments are not limited to the specific configurations and components disclosed herein. Various modifications, changes, and variations that will be apparent to those skilled in the art may be made to the arrangement, operation, and details of the methods and apparatus disclosed herein without departing from the spirit and scope defined in the appended claims.

[0427] Features, embodiments, and variations illustrated in other drawings, such as FIGS. 1 through 22, may be combined to produce a specific embodiment, even if there is no explicit statement in the present disclosure regarding a combination of such features.

Claims

Claim 1 A base station for accommodating a drone comprising a body and a plurality of legs, the base station comprising: a parking plate for landing the drone; a plurality of pushers slidable on the parking plate ― the plurality of pushers are configured to push the legs of the drone to move the drone toward a reference location on the parking plate ―; a gripper mounted by the parking plate ― the gripper is configured to removably secure the body of the drone in place relative to the reference location ―; and an alignment sensor mounted by the parking plate and positioned at the reference location ― the alignment sensor is configured to detect whether a marker on the drone is aligned with the reference location ―. Claim 2 In claim 1, the gripper comprises two flaps, and each flap is configured to pivot from the parking plate to an upright position, forming a base station. Claim 3 In claim 1, the gripper is a base station comprising a drone grip slot complementary to a tab protruding from the drone. Claim 4 In claim 1, the marker on the drone is a QR code or another pattern configured to stand out as the marker, a base station. Claim 5 In claim 1, the marker on the drone is a base station that is an identifiable component of the drone. Claim 6 In claim 1, each of the plurality of pushers is a base station having a plurality of leg notches configured to accommodate the legs of a drone. Claim 7 In claim 1, the plurality of pushers are configured to move along a set of tracks in a base station. Claim 8 In claim 1, at least one of the pushers is a base station that is an elongated bumper comprising an inclined area, an orthogonal area, and a leg notch between the inclined area and the orthogonal area. Claim 9 A base station according to claim 1, further comprising a battery pack carrier configured to replace a battery pack mounted by the drone. Claim 10 In claim 1, the plurality of pushers is a base station movable between an expanded configuration and a contracted configuration that moves the drone toward the reference position. Claim 11 In claim 1, the parking plate is a base station that forms the ceiling of the bottom compartment of the base station. Claim 12 In claim 11, the lower compartment is a base station equipped with one or more battery charging sites and battery pack carriers. Claim 13 In claim 12, the base station further equipped with a temperature controller configured to regulate the temperature range of the lower compartment. Claim 14 In claim 1, the gripper is a base station comprising a detection port configured to detect whether the drone is secured by the gripper. Claim 15 In claim 14, the detection port further comprises a base station configured to download data from the drone to the base station. Claim 16 In claim 1, the gripper is a base station configured to fix the body of the drone after the alignment sensor detects that a marker on the drone is aligned with the reference position. Claim 17 A method for receiving a drone at a base station, wherein the drone comprises a body and a plurality of legs, the method comprising: receiving the drone on a parking plate of the base station; moving the drone toward a reference position on the parking plate by pushing a plurality of pushers slidable on the parking plate from an extended configuration to a retracted configuration to push the legs of the drone; detecting whether a marker on the drone is aligned with the reference position using an alignment sensor mounted on the parking plate and located at the reference position; and fixing the body of the drone in place relative to the reference position using a gripper mounted on the parking plate. Claim 18 In claim 17, the step of fixing the body of the drone using the gripper includes the step of pivoting from a flat configuration to an upright configuration. Claim 19 A method according to claim 17, further comprising the step of replacing the battery pack of the drone after the drone is secured by the gripper. Claim 20 In claim 17, the gripper comprises a detection port configured to detect whether the drone is secured to the gripper, and the detection port further comprises a data transmission pin configured to download data from the drone to the base station. Claim 21 A base station for performing a battery pack swap for a drone, comprising: a parking plate for receiving said drone; a gripper mounted by said parking plate ― said gripper is configured to secure said drone in place at a parking position of said parking plate ―; a plurality of chargers ― each charger includes a battery latch and a power port, said battery latch is configured to mechanically hold a battery pack in place together with said charger, and said power port is configured to provide power to said battery pack being charged ―; and a battery pack carrier movable between said plurality of chargers and said parking position ― said battery pack carrier comprises: To remove the first battery pack from the drone and move the first battery pack to the first charger, and A base station comprising: a second battery pack loaded from a second charger to the drone, and configured to install the second battery pack on the drone. Claim 22 A base station according to claim 21, wherein installing the second battery pack comprises: pushing the second battery pack upward toward a bracket; and sliding the second battery pack along a rail space created by the bracket. Claim 23 In claim 21, the gripper is a base station comprising a drone grip slot configured complementarily to a part of the drone to secure the drone. Claim 24 In claim 21, the gripper comprises two flaps, and each flap is configured to pivot from a parking plate to an upright position, forming a base station. Claim 25 In claim 21, the gripper is a base station comprising a charging port configured to provide power to the drone while battery pack replacement is performed. Claim 26 In claim 21, each charger further comprises a base station including a vertical sensor for determining that the battery pack has come into contact with a bracket, and a horizontal sensor for determining that the battery pack has slid into a position to be charged. Claim 27 In claim 21, the base station further comprises a shutter configured to open to provide access to the drone from the battery pack carrier, wherein the parking plate is a parking plate. Claim 28 In claim 21, the base station further comprises a retractable cover for protecting the drone. Claim 29 In claim 21, the battery pack carrier is a base station movable along three axes. Claim 30 In claim 21, a plurality of chargers are base stations mounted on the lower surface of a parking plate. Claim 31 In claim 21, the battery pack carrier is a base station comprising a track mounted on a parking plate. Claim 32 In claim 21, the battery pack carrier comprises a base station including a battery latch prong configured to engage with a battery latch slot on the first battery pack. Claim 33 A system comprises: a drone equipped with a first battery pack; and a base station for performing battery pack replacement for the drone, wherein the base station: A parking plate for accommodating the above-mentioned drone; A gripper mounted by the above parking plate — the gripper is configured to secure the drone in place at the parking position of the above parking plate —; A plurality of chargers — each charger includes a battery latch and a power port, wherein the battery latch is configured to mechanically hold a battery pack in place together with the charger, and the power port is configured to provide power to a battery pack being charged —; and It includes a battery pack carrier movable between the plurality of chargers and the parking position, The above battery pack carrier is: To remove the first battery pack from the drone and move the first battery pack to the first charger, and A second battery pack is loaded from a second charger onto the drone, and the second battery pack is installed on the drone. The system being configured. Claim 34 In claim 33, the drone is a system comprising a battery carrier configured to carry a battery pack. Claim 35 In claim 34, the battery carrier of the drone and one of the chargers mounted by the base station have the same mechanical structure. Claim 36 In claim 33, the drone comprises a first data transmission port configured to contact a second data transmission port mounted on the gripper. Claim 37 A system according to claim 33 further comprising a second drone configured to use the base station for battery replacement. Claim 38 In claim 33, the system further comprises a temperature controller configured to regulate the temperature range of a plurality of battery packs mounted by the plurality of chargers in the base station. Claim 39 A method for performing a battery pack replacement for a drone equipped with a first battery pack, comprising: a step of holding a second battery pack in place with a charger mounted by a base station using a battery latch; a step of providing power to the second battery pack through a power port of the charger; a step of receiving the drone on a parking plate of the base station; a step of fixing the drone in place at a parking position of the parking plate using a gripper mounted by the parking plate; a step of removing the first battery pack from the drone using a battery pack carrier — the battery pack carrier is movable between the charger and the parking position —; a step of loading from the charger to the drone using the battery pack carrier; and a step of installing the second battery pack on the drone. Claim 40 In claim 39, the step of installing the second battery pack on the drone comprises: pushing the second battery pack upward toward a bracket; and sliding the second battery pack into a rail space created by the bracket. Claim 41 A base station for performing battery pack replacement for a drone, comprising: a frame configured to provide mechanical support to the base station; a parking plate mounted by the frame — the parking plate comprises a landing surface configured to contact the drone when the drone lands, and a component-mounting surface facing the landing surface —; a plurality of chargers mounted on the component-mounting surface of the parking plate; a battery pack carrier mounted on the component-mounting surface of the parking plate — the battery pack carrier is movable to mount a battery pack connected to one of the chargers to the drone —; and a shutter on the parking plate — the shutter is openable to provide access of the battery pack carrier from the component-mounting surface to the landing surface — a base station comprising Claim 42 In claim 41, the component-mounting surface forms the ceiling of the lower compartment of the base station, and the plurality of chargers and the battery pack carrier are mounted inside the lower compartment of the base station. Claim 43 In claim 41, each charger comprises a base station including a vertical sensor for determining that a battery pack has come into contact with a bracket, and a horizontal sensor for determining that the battery pack has slid into a position to be charged. Claim 44 In claim 41, the battery pack carrier is a base station including a robot arm. Claim 45 In claim 41, each charger comprises a battery latch and a power port, said battery latch is configured to mechanically hold a battery pack in place with said charger, and said power port is configured to provide power to said battery pack being charged, said base station. Claim 46 In claim 41, the battery pack carrier is: By pushing the battery pack up toward the bracket; and A base station configured to install a battery pack on the drone by sliding the battery pack along the rail space created by the bracket. Claim 47 In claim 41, the battery pack carrier comprises a transverse track, a longitudinal track, and a vertical track, and one of the tracks is a base station mounted on a component-mounting surface of the parking plate. Claim 48 In claim 41, the battery pack carrier is a base station movable along three axes. Claim 49 In claim 41, the base station further comprises a gripper configured to secure the drone in a removable manner, and the gripper further comprises a power port for supplying power to the drone while the battery pack carrier replaces the battery pack. Claim 50 In claim 49, the gripper is a base station further comprising a drone grip slot configured complementarily to a part of the drone to secure the drone. Claim 51 In claim 41, the plurality of chargers are base stations mounted on the flip side of the landing surface where the drone lands. Claim 52 In claim 41, the battery pack carrier is a base station movable between the plurality of chargers and the shutter. Claim 53 In claim 41, the plurality of chargers are linearly arranged base stations. Claim 54 In claim 41, the walls mounted by the frame and the parking plate define an enclosure for the plurality of chargers, and the base station includes a thermostat for controlling the temperature range of the enclosure. Claim 55 A system comprises: a drone equipped with a battery pack; and a base station for performing battery pack replacement for the drone, wherein the base station: A frame configured to provide mechanical support to the base station; A parking plate mounted by the above frame — the parking plate comprises a landing surface configured to contact the drone when the drone lands, and a component-mounting surface facing the landing surface —; A plurality of chargers mounted on the component-mounting surface of the above parking plate; A battery pack carrier mounted on the component-mounting surface of the above parking plate — the battery pack carrier is movable to mount a battery pack connected to one of the chargers to the drone —; and A system comprising a shutter on the parking plate—the shutter is openable to provide access of the battery pack carrier from the component-mounting surface to the landing surface. Claim 56 In claim 55, the component-mounting surface forms the ceiling of the lower compartment of the base station, and the plurality of chargers and the battery pack carriers are mounted inside the lower compartment. Claim 57 In claim 55, each charger comprises a vertical sensor for determining that the battery pack has come into contact with a bracket, and a horizontal sensor for determining that the battery pack has slid into a position to be charged. Claim 58 In claim 55, each charger comprises a battery latch and a power port, wherein the battery latch is configured to mechanically hold the battery pack in place with the charger, and the power port is configured to provide power to the battery pack being charged. Claim 59 In claim 55, the battery pack carrier is: By pushing the above battery pack upward toward the bracket; and A system configured to install a battery pack on the drone by sliding the battery pack along the rail space created by the bracket. Claim 60 In claim 55, the plurality of chargers are mounted on the back side of the landing surface where the drone lands. Claim 61 A base station for accommodating a drone, comprising: a cabinet including a parking plate and one or more walls forming an enclosure for one or more internal components of the base station — the parking plate is configured to accommodate the drone —; a plurality of chargers mounted within the enclosure — each charger is configured to provide power to a battery pack charged by the charger —; a temperature sensor mounted within the enclosure — the temperature sensor is configured to measure the temperature within the enclosure —; and a temperature controller configured to regulate the temperature within the enclosure to maintain the temperature of the plurality of battery packs charged by the plurality of chargers within a temperature range. Claim 62 In claim 61, each charger further comprises a base station including a vertical sensor for determining that the battery pack has come into contact with a bracket, and a horizontal sensor for determining that the battery pack has slid into a position to be charged. Claim 63 In claim 61, a base station further comprising a battery pack carrier mounted within an enclosure, wherein the battery pack carrier is configured to mount a battery pack on a drone. Claim 64 In claim 61, the temperature controller is a base station that is an air flowr. Claim 65 In claim 61, the base station comprises a battery pack carrier configured to exchange battery packs between the plurality of chargers and the drone. Claim 66 In claim 61, each charger comprises a battery latch and a power port, said battery latch is configured to mechanically hold a battery pack in place together with the charger, and said power port is configured to provide power to a battery pack being charged, in a base station. Claim 67 In claim 61, the parking plate further comprises a shutter configured to protect the enclosure, and the shutter is a base station that can be opened to provide access to a plurality of chargers. Claim 68 In claim 61, the parking plate comprises a landing surface and a component-mounting surface facing the landing surface, and the component-mounting surface is a base station facing the enclosure. Claim 69 In claim 68, the plurality of chargers are base stations mounted on the component-mounting surface. Claim 70 In claim 61, the temperature controller comprises a base station including a cooling component and a heating component. Claim 71 A method for controlling the temperature of a drone battery pack, comprising: a parking plate and a plurality of chargers mounted within an enclosure formed from one or more walls of a base station configured to accommodate a drone; a step of providing power to a battery pack being charged by one of the chargers; a step of measuring the temperature within the enclosure of the base station using a temperature sensor mounted within the enclosure; and a step of controlling the temperature within the enclosure using a temperature controller to maintain the temperature of the plurality of battery packs charged by the plurality of chargers within a temperature range. Claim 72 In claim 71, the method further comprises each charger including a vertical sensor for determining whether the battery pack has come into contact with the bracket, and a horizontal sensor for determining whether the battery pack has slid into a position to be charged. Claim 73 A method according to claim 71, further comprising the step of performing a battery replacement for the drone. Claim 74 In claim 71, the method wherein the temperature controller is an air flowr. Claim 75 In claim 71, the method comprises a battery pack carrier configured to replace battery packs between the plurality of chargers and the drone, wherein the base station comprises a battery pack carrier. Claim 76 In claim 71, each charger comprises a battery latch and a power port, wherein the battery latch is configured to mechanically hold a battery pack in place with the charger, and the power port is configured to provide power to the battery pack being charged. Claim 77 In claim 71, the parking plate further comprises a shutter configured to protect the enclosure, and the shutter is openable to provide access to a plurality of chargers. Claim 78 In claim 71, the parking plate comprises a landing surface and a component-mounting surface facing the landing surface, and the component-mounting surface faces the enclosure. Claim 79 In claim 78, the plurality of chargers are mounted on the component-mounting surface. Claim 80 In claim 71, the method wherein the temperature controller comprises a cooling component and a heating component. Claim 81 An aerial drone comprising: a drone body having a longitudinal housing for mounting a processing circuit and a battery, wherein the longitudinal housing extends in a first direction; a sensor rod mounted by the drone body and extending from the drone body in a second direction different from the first direction, wherein the sensor rod mounts a sensor at a distal end of the sensor rod; and a propeller guard connected to the distal end of the sensor rod and at least partially supported by the sensor rod, wherein the propeller guard forms part of the periphery of the aerial drone. Claim 82 In claim 81, the drone body and the sensor load are vertical, and the aerial drone creates a plurality of external points on the periphery of the aerial drone. Claim 83 In claim 82, an aerial drone in which a depth sensor is mounted on each of a plurality of external points of the aerial drone. Claim 84 An aerial drone according to claim 81, further comprising a plurality of lower depth sensors mounted by the longitudinal housing, wherein at least one of the lower depth sensors is arranged in an inclined configuration. Claim 85 An aerial drone according to claim 81, further comprising a gimbal mounted by one end of the longitudinal housing, wherein the gimbal is configured to support a camera. Claim 86 In claim 81, the sensor rod is an aerial drone equipped with two sensors, one at each end of the sensor rod. Claim 87 An aerial drone according to claim 81, further comprising one or more motor rods mounted by the drone body, each motor rod configured to mount a propeller. Claim 88 An aerial drone according to claim 87, wherein the longitudinal housing comprises a first housing portion and a second housing portion, the sensor rod is connected to the first housing portion, and the motor rod is connected to the second housing portion. Claim 89 In claim 87, the aerial drone further comprises a landing leg mounted by one of the motor rods, said landing leg attached to a leg tip to absorb the impact of landing. Claim 90 An aerial drone according to claim 81, further comprising one or more gripper tabs mounted by the drone body, wherein the gripper tabs are configured to interact with a base station to align the drone. Claim 91 An aerial drone according to claim 90, further comprising a communication port configured to provide detection of whether one or more gripper tabs are gripped by a gripper of a base station. Claim 92 In claim 91, the communication port is further configured to transmit power to the aerial drone and to transmit data from the aerial drone to a base station. Claim 93 In claim 81, the propeller guard is connected to one end of the sensor rod and the longitudinal housing of the aerial drone. Claim 94 In claim 93, the propeller guard is an aerial drone that bulges out from the end of the sensor rod and the longitudinal housing support. Claim 95 In claim 81, the longitudinal housing comprises a first housing portion and a second housing portion divided by a plane, and the two housing portions are connected through a plurality of connection sites parallel to the plane, for an aerial drone. Claim 96 An aerial drone according to claim 81, further comprising: one or more sensors coupled to the lower surface of the drone body; and one or more sensors coupled to the upper surface of the drone body. Claim 97 In claim 95, an aerial drone further comprising, for each sensor, a heat sink mounted by said sensor. Claim 98 The system comprises: a base station for performing battery replacement work; and an aerial drone, wherein the aerial drone: A drone body having a longitudinal housing for mounting a processing circuit and a battery — said longitudinal housing extends in a first direction —; A sensor rod mounted by the above-mentioned drone body and extending from the above-mentioned drone body in a second direction different from the above-mentioned first direction — the sensor rod has a sensor mounted at the distal end of the sensor rod —; and A system comprising a propeller guard connected to the distal end of the sensor rod and supported at least partially by the sensor rod — said propeller guard forming part of the periphery of the aerial drone. Claim 99 In claim 98, the base station comprises a gripper, and the drone comprises one or more gripper tabs mounted by the drone body, and the gripper tabs are configured to interact with the base station to align the drone. Claim 100 A system according to claim 99 further comprising a communication port configured to provide detection of whether one or more gripper tabs are gripped by the gripper of the base station of the aerial drone. Claim 101 An aerial drone comprising: a drone body for mounting a battery pack; a slide guide mounted by the drone body ― the slide guide is suspended from the surface of the drone body and creates a channel between the slide guide and the surface, and the battery pack is slidable along the channel ―; a slide-guide contact sensor mounted on the surface of the drone body ― the slide-guide contact sensor is configured to detect whether the battery pack is in contact with the surface ―; a connection port mounted by the drone body; and a port contact sensor mounted by the drone body ― the port contact sensor is configured to detect whether the battery pack has slid into the connection port ―. Claim 102 An aerial drone according to claim 101, wherein the slide-guide contact sensor comprises a proximity spring configured to push a pin and interrupt the circuit in response to compression by the battery pack. Claim 103 An aerial drone according to claim 101, further comprising a communication port configured to transmit power to the aerial drone and download data from the aerial drone. Claim 104 In claim 101, the slide-guide contact sensor and the port contact sensor are arranged at two different angles to detect contact of the battery pack in two directions in an aerial drone. Claim 105 In claim 101, the slide guide is a bracket made of metal or plastic, used in artificial drones. Claim 106 In claim 101, the aerial drone is shaped such that the slide guide includes a series of alternating slots and ledges. Claim 107 In claim 106, the battery pack comprises a tab complementary to the slot of the slide guide, for an aerial drone. Claim 108 In claim 107, the ledge is configured to support at least a portion of the weight of the battery pack by holding the tab of the battery pack when the battery pack is connected to the connection port. Claim 109 An aerial drone according to claim 101, wherein the battery pack includes a temperature sensor mounted inside the housing of the battery pack, and the temperature sensor is configured to monitor the temperature of the battery pack. Claim 110 An aerial drone according to claim 101, comprising a PCB board configured to monitor the charge level of the battery pack. Claim 111 An aerial drone according to claim 101, further comprising a spring-equipped battery latch. Claim 112 An aerial drone according to claim 111, wherein the slide guide is configured to prevent the battery pack from moving in a first direction, and the battery latch is configured to prevent the battery pack from moving in a second direction. Claim 113 In a system, a base station including a battery pack carrier; and an aerial drone, wherein the aerial drone: Drone body for mounting a battery pack; A slide guide mounted by the above-mentioned drone body — the slide guide is suspended from the surface of the above-mentioned drone body and creates a channel between the slide guide and the surface, and the battery pack is slidable along the channel —; A slide-guide contact sensor mounted on the surface of the above-mentioned drone body — the slide-guide contact sensor is configured to detect whether the battery pack is in contact with the surface —; A connection port mounted by the above-mentioned drone body; and A system comprising a port contact sensor mounted by the drone body — the port contact sensor is configured to detect whether the battery pack has slid into the connection port. Claim 114 In claim 113, the battery pack carrier is configured to perform a battery replacement operation, and the battery replacement operation comprises: moving the battery pack toward the slide-guide contact sensor; sliding the battery pack through the channel; and connecting the battery pack to the connection port. Claim 115 In claim 113, the aerial drone further comprises a spring-equipped battery latch, the slide guide is configured to prevent the battery pack from moving in a first direction, and the battery latch is configured to prevent the battery pack from moving in a second direction. Claim 116 In claim 113, the system comprises a communication port configured to transmit power to the aerial drone and download data from the aerial drone to a base station. Claim 117 A method for installing a battery pack comprising a plurality of tabs on an aerial drone, comprising the steps of: aligning the tabs of the battery pack in slots of a slide guide mounted by the drone body of the aerial drone — the slide guide is suspended from the surface of the drone body of the aerial drone and creates a channel between the slide guide and the surface —; pushing the battery pack toward the drone body of the aerial drone; detecting that the battery pack is in contact with the slide guide contact sensor by means of a slide guide contact sensor of the aerial drone; and sliding the battery pack toward a connection port through the channel. Claim 118 A method according to claim 117 further comprising the step of locking the battery pack in place with the connection port using a battery latch. Claim 119 A method according to claim 118, wherein the slide guide is configured to prevent the battery pack from moving in a first direction, and the battery latch is configured to prevent the battery pack from moving in a second direction. Claim 120 In claim 117, the slide guide is shaped to include a series of alternating slots and ledges, and when the battery pack is connected to the connection port, the ledge is configured to support at least a portion of the weight of the battery pack by holding the tab of the battery pack.

Images