Unmanned aerial vehicle base station system and method
US10369975B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jan 24, 2017 |
| Grant date | Aug 6, 2019 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 14, 2038 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY02T10/7072
- WIPO fieldTransport
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) base station for automated battery pack exchange and methods for manufacturing and using the same. The UAV base station includes a battery-exchange system disposed within a housing having a top-plate. The housing contains a battery array having a plurality of UAV battery packs and a mechanical mechanism for automatically removing an expended battery pack from a UAV that lands on the top-plate and replacing the expended battery pack with a charged battery pack. Thereby, the UAV base station system advantageously enables extended and autonomous operation of the UAV without the need for user intervention for exchanging UAV battery packs.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.