Invention Grant
- Patent Title: Adjustable configurations for aerial vehicle safety
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Application No.: US15605589Application Date: 2017-05-25
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Publication No.: US10676176B1Publication Date: 2020-06-09
- Inventor: Michael Piedmonte , David Moro Ludena , Cyriel Notteboom , Christopher Gornall , James Thomas
- Applicant: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
- Applicant Address: US WA Seattle
- Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
- Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
- Current Assignee Address: US WA Seattle
- Agency: Athorus, PLLC
- Main IPC: B64C9/22
- IPC: B64C9/22 ; B64C29/00 ; B64C5/02

Abstract:
An aerial vehicle may include adjustable configurations to selectively provide protection for propellers of the aerial vehicle. Portions of the wing and/or the tail plane of the aerial vehicle may be reconfigured to an extended configuration around a periphery of one or more propellers during generally vertical flight or hovering operations, when delivery a payload, and/or upon detecting objects in proximity. Likewise, the portions of the wing and/or the tail plane may be reconfigured to a retracted configuration that eliminates or minimizes adverse aerodynamic effects during generally horizontal flight operations, when operating at high altitude, and/or upon detecting no objects in proximity. During the reconfiguration, portions of the leading edge of the wing may be extended or retracted, and/or portions of the tail plane may be extended, retracted, and/or rotated.
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