公开(公告)号：US11905018B2

公开(公告)日：2024-02-20

申请号：US17222957

申请日：2021-04-05

申请人： Wing Aviation LLC

发明人： Andre Prager ,  Trevor Shannon

IPC分类号： B64D1/22 ,  B64C39/02 ,  B64U101/60

CPC分类号： B64D1/22 ,  B64C39/024 ,  B64U2101/60 ,  B64U2201/202

摘要： Described herein are methods and systems for motorized control of a tether, such as for purposes of user interaction and feedback. In particular, a UAV's control system may determine one or more operational parameters of a motor for a winch disposed in the UAV, the winch including the tether and a spool. The control system may then detect in the one or more operational parameters, an operational pattern of the motor that is indicative of an intentional user-interaction with the tether. Based on the detected operational pattern of the motor that is indicative of the intentional user-interaction with the tether, the control system may determine a motor response process. Then, the control system may operate the motor in accordance with the determined motor response process.

公开(公告)号：US11858633B2

公开(公告)日：2024-01-02

申请号：US17508635

申请日：2021-10-22

申请人： Wing Aviation LLC

发明人： Andre Prager ,  Adam Woodworth

IPC分类号： B64D1/10 ,  B64C39/02 ,  G06F21/31 ,  B64U101/60

CPC分类号： B64D1/10 ,  B64C39/024 ,  G06F21/31 ,  B64U2101/60 ,  B64U2201/10 ,  B64U2201/20

摘要： Example implementations may relate to door-enabled loading and release of payloads in an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), which could be a type of UAV in a group of UAVs that is assigned to carry out certain transport tasks. In particular, the UAV may include a fuselage having a first side and a second side, as well as a chamber formed within the fuselage and arranged to house a payload. A first door may be arranged on the first side of the fuselage, such that an opening of the first door enables loading of the payload into the chamber. And a second door may be arranged on the second side of the fuselage, such that an opening of the second door enables release of the payload from the chamber. Moreover, the UAV may include a control system configured to control flight of the UAV, and possibly opening and/or closing of door(s).

公开(公告)号：US20220135211A1

公开(公告)日：2022-05-05

申请号：US17577997

申请日：2022-01-18

申请人： Wing Aviation LLC

发明人： Andre Prager ,  Trevor Shannon

IPC分类号： B64C19/00 ,  B64D1/12 ,  B64D1/22 ,  B66D1/48 ,  G05D1/08 ,  B64C39/02 ,  B66D1/12 ,  B66D1/60 ,  G05D1/02

摘要： Described herein are methods and systems to dampen oscillations of a payload coupled to a tether of a winch system arranged on an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). For example, the UAV's control system may dampen the oscillations by causing the UAV to switch to a forward flight mode in which movement of the UAV results in drag on the payload, thereby damping the oscillations. In another example, the control system may cause the UAV to reduce an extent flight stabilization along at least one dimension, thereby resulting in damping of the detected oscillations due to energy dissipation during movement of the UAV along the dimension. In this way, the control system could select and carry out one or more such techniques, and could do so during retraction and/or deployment of the tether.

公开(公告)号：US20210238014A1

公开(公告)日：2021-08-05

申请号：US17213738

申请日：2021-03-26

申请人： Wing Aviation LLC

发明人： Andre Prager

IPC分类号： B66C1/22 ,  B64D1/22

摘要： A payload coupling apparatus is provided that includes a housing having an upper portion, a lower portion, and a side wall positioned between the upper and lower portions, an attachment point on the housing adapted for attachment to a first end of a tether, a slot in the housing that extends downwardly towards a center of the housing thereby forming a hook or lip on the lower portion of the housing beneath the slot, a plurality of holes in the upper portion of the housing; and a plurality of holes in the lower portion of the housing. A method of retracting a payload coupling apparatus during UAV flight is also provided.

公开(公告)号：US11027843B2

公开(公告)日：2021-06-08

申请号：US15847370

申请日：2017-12-19

申请人： Wing Aviation LLC

发明人： Andre Prager ,  Trevor Shannon ,  Zhefei Li

IPC分类号： B64D1/12 ,  B64D1/08 ,  B64C39/02 ,  G05D1/10 ,  B64D1/22 ,  B64D1/10 ,  B64F1/32

摘要： A payload retrieval system including a UAV having a payload receptacle positioned within the UAV, a payload coupling apparatus positioned within the payload receptacle, a tether having a first end secured within the UAV and a second end attached to the payload coupling apparatus, and a payload guiding member positioned on an underside of the UAV for guiding at least part of a payload into the payload receptacle during retrieval of a payload.

公开(公告)号：US10974831B2

公开(公告)日：2021-04-13

申请号：US15930107

申请日：2020-05-12

申请人： Wing Aviation LLC

发明人： Andre Prager ,  Trevor Shannon ,  Adam Woodworth

IPC分类号： B64D1/22 ,  G05D1/00 ,  B64C39/02 ,  B66C1/42 ,  B66D1/12

摘要： An example system includes an aerial vehicle, a sensor, and a winch system. The winch system includes a tether disposed on a spool, a motor operable to apply a torque to the tether, and a payload coupling apparatus coupled to the tether and configured to mechanically couple to a payload. The system also includes a repositioning apparatus configured to reposition the payload coupling apparatus in at least a horizontal direction. A control system is configured to control the aerial vehicle to deploy the payload coupling apparatus by unwinding the tether from the spool; receive, while the aerial vehicle hovers above the payload and from the sensor, data indicative of a position of the payload coupling apparatus in relation to the payload; and reposition, using the repositioning apparatus and based on the data, the payload coupling apparatus in the horizontal direction to mechanically couple to the payload.

公开(公告)号：US20210031919A1

公开(公告)日：2021-02-04

申请号：US17061589

申请日：2020-10-02

申请人： Wing Aviation LLC

发明人： Trevor Shannon ,  Andre Prager ,  Zhefei Li ,  Kyle Liske

IPC分类号： B64D1/12 ,  B64C39/02 ,  B64D1/22 ,  G06Q10/08

摘要： An unmanned aerial vehicle system is provided including an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) having a fuselage, a tether having a first end secured to a winch system positioned in the UAV and a second end secured to a payload coupling apparatus, a payload coupling apparatus receptacle positioned in the fuselage of the UAV, a payload having a handle, wherein the handle of the payload is positioned within a slot in the payload coupling apparatus. A method of securing a payload to a UAV is also provided.

公开(公告)号：US10414488B2

公开(公告)日：2019-09-17

申请号：US15389290

申请日：2016-12-22

申请人： Wing Aviation LLC

发明人： Andre Prager ,  Trevor Shannon

IPC分类号： B64C19/00 ,  B64D1/22 ,  B64D1/12 ,  G05D1/08 ,  B66D1/48 ,  B64C39/02 ,  B66D1/60 ,  G05D1/02 ,  B66D1/12

摘要： Described herein are methods and systems to dampen oscillations of a payload coupled to a tether of a winch system arranged on an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). For example, the UAV's control system may dampen the oscillations by causing the UAV to switch to a forward flight mode in which movement of the UAV results in drag on the payload, thereby damping the oscillations. In another example, the control system may cause the UAV to reduce an extent flight stabilization along at least one dimension, thereby resulting in damping of the detected oscillations due to energy dissipation during movement of the UAV along the dimension. In this way, the control system could select and carry out one or more such techniques, and could do so during retraction and/or deployment of the tether.

公开(公告)号：US20190193856A1

公开(公告)日：2019-06-27

申请号：US15851654

申请日：2017-12-21

申请人： Wing Aviation LLC

发明人： Andre Prager ,  Trevor Shannon ,  Adam Woodworth

IPC分类号： B64D1/22 ,  B64C39/02

摘要： An example system includes an aerial vehicle, a sensor, and a winch system. The winch system includes a tether disposed on a spool, a motor operable to apply a torque to the tether, and a payload coupling apparatus coupled to the tether and configured to mechanically couple to a payload. The system also includes a repositioning apparatus configured to reposition the payload coupling apparatus in at least a horizontal direction. A control system is configured to control the aerial vehicle to deploy the payload coupling apparatus by unwinding the tether from the spool; receive, while the aerial vehicle hovers above the payload and from the sensor, data indicative of a position of the payload coupling apparatus in relation to the payload; and reposition, using the repositioning apparatus and based on the data, the payload coupling apparatus in the horizontal direction to mechanically couple to the payload.

公开(公告)号：US20240017827A1

公开(公告)日：2024-01-18

申请号：US17865078

申请日：2022-07-14

申请人： Wing Aviation LLC

发明人： Jesse Blake ,  Andre Prager ,  Evan Twyford ,  Ivan Qiu ,  Jasper Lewin

IPC分类号： B64D1/10 ,  B64C39/02 ,  B64D1/22

CPC分类号： B64D1/10 ,  B64C39/024 ,  B64D1/22 ,  B64C2201/128 ,  B64C2201/021

摘要： A unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) includes a fuselage including a top, a bottom, a cavity that forms a cargo bay between the top and the bottom, and a lower access opening in the bottom for lowering a payload from the cargo bay. A movable stage is coupled to the fuselage and adjustable between an upper position in which the stage is above the cargo bay and a lower position in which the stage is at the bottom of the fuselage, the stage including an opening extending through the stage. The UAV also includes a winch disposed in the fuselage and a tether coupled to the winch. The winch is configured to be secured to the payload and is movable through the opening in the stage so as to raise or lower the payload.