-
公开(公告)号:US11667384B2
公开(公告)日:2023-06-06
申请号:US17061586
申请日:2020-10-02
Applicant: Wing Aviation LLC
Inventor: Andre Prager , Trevor Shannon
IPC: B64D1/22 , B64C39/02 , B64D1/12 , G06Q10/083
CPC classification number: B64D1/22 , B64C39/024 , B64D1/12 , G06Q10/083 , B64C2201/128
Abstract: A payload coupling apparatus is provided including a housing, wherein the housing is adapted for attachment to a first end of a tether, a slot extending downwardly from an outer surface of the housing towards a center of the housing thereby forming a lower lip on the housing beneath the slot, and wherein the slot is adapted to receive a handle of a payload.
-
公开(公告)号:US20220137646A1
公开(公告)日:2022-05-05
申请号:US17647808
申请日:2022-01-12
Applicant: Wing Aviation LLC
Inventor: Jesse Blake , James Schmalzried , Scott Velez , Andre Prager , Eric Teller , Matthew Nubbe
Abstract: An example method involves determining an expected demand level for a first type of a plurality of types of transport tasks for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), the first type of transport tasks associated with a first payload type. Each of the UAVs is physically reconfigurable between at least a first and a second configuration corresponding to the first payload type and a second payload type, respectively. The method also involves determining based on the expected demand level for the first type of transport tasks, (i) a first number of UAVs having the first configuration and (ii) a second number of UAVs having the second configuration. The method further involves, at or near a time corresponding to the expected demand level, providing one or more UAVs to perform the transport tasks, including at least the first number of UAVs.
-
公开(公告)号:US10919628B2
公开(公告)日:2021-02-16
申请号:US16256524
申请日:2019-01-24
Applicant: Wing Aviation LLC
Inventor: Trevor Shannon , Andre Prager
Abstract: Described herein are methods and systems for picking up, transporting, and lowering a payload coupled to a tether of a winch system arranged on an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). For example, the winch system may include a motor for winding and unwinding the tether from a spool, and the UAV's control system may operate the motor to lower the tether toward the ground so a payload may be attached to the tether. The control system may monitor an electric current supplied to the motor to determine whether the payload has been attached to the tether. In another example, when lowering a payload, the control system may monitor the motor current to determine that the payload has reached the ground and responsively operate the motor to detach the payload from the tether. The control system may then monitor the motor current to determine whether the payload has detached from the tether.
-
公开(公告)号:US10689113B2
公开(公告)日:2020-06-23
申请号:US15851654
申请日:2017-12-21
Applicant: Wing Aviation LLC
Inventor: Andre Prager , Trevor Shannon , Adam Woodworth
Abstract: 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:US10577105B2
公开(公告)日:2020-03-03
申请号:US15899214
申请日:2018-02-19
Applicant: Wing Aviation LLC
Inventor: Andre Prager
Abstract: A payload retrieval apparatus including an extending member having an upper end and a lower end, a channel having a first end and a second end, the channel coupled to the extending member, a first tether engager that extends in a first direction from the first end of the channel section, and a payload holder positioned near the second end of the channel and is adapted to secure a payload.
-
公开(公告)号:US20190322495A1
公开(公告)日:2019-10-24
申请号:US15958552
申请日:2018-04-20
Applicant: Wing Aviation LLC
Inventor: Andre Prager
Abstract: 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:US20190185162A1
公开(公告)日:2019-06-20
申请号:US15847370
申请日:2017-12-19
Applicant: Wing Aviation LLC
Inventor: Andre Prager , Trevor Shannon , Zhefei Li
CPC classification number: B64D1/08 , B64C39/024 , B64C2201/128 , B64C2201/141 , B64C2201/146 , B64C2201/18 , B64D1/10 , B64D1/12 , B64D1/22 , B64F1/32 , G05D1/101
Abstract: 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.
-
38.
公开(公告)号:US20190185157A1
公开(公告)日:2019-06-20
申请号:US15848316
申请日:2017-12-20
Applicant: Wing Aviation LLC
Inventor: Jesse Blake , James Schmalzried , Siegfried Zerweckh , Andre Prager , Scott Velez
CPC classification number: B64C39/024 , B64C2201/042 , B64C2201/128 , B64F1/364 , G05D1/104
Abstract: Example implementations may relate to using an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) dedicated to deployment of operational infrastructure, with such deployment enabling charging of a battery of a UAV from a group of UAVs. More specifically, the group of UAVs may include at least (i) a first UAV of a first type configured to deploy operational infrastructure and (ii) a second UAV of a second type configured to carry out a task other than deployment of operational infrastructure. With this arrangement, a control system may determine an operational location at which to deploy operational infrastructure, and may cause the first UAV to deploy operational infrastructure at the operational location. Then, the control system may cause the second UAV to charge a battery of the second UAV using the operational infrastructure deployed by the first UAV at the operational location.
-
公开(公告)号:US11993380B2
公开(公告)日:2024-05-28
申请号:US18133873
申请日:2023-04-12
Applicant: Wing Aviation LLC
Inventor: Trevor Shannon , Andre Prager
IPC: B64D1/22 , B64C39/02 , B64D1/12 , B64U10/13 , B64U10/25 , B64U30/10 , B64U30/20 , B64U101/60 , B66D1/12 , B66D1/60 , G05D1/00 , G06Q10/083
CPC classification number: B64D1/22 , B64C39/024 , B64D1/12 , B66D1/12 , B66D1/60 , G05D1/0858 , G06Q10/083 , B64U10/13 , B64U10/25 , B64U30/10 , B64U30/20 , B64U2101/60 , B64U2201/10 , B64U2201/20 , B66D2700/0141
Abstract: Described herein are methods and systems for picking up, transporting, and lowering a payload coupled to a tether of a winch system arranged on an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). For example, the winch system may include a motor for winding and unwinding the tether from a spool, and the UAV's control system may operate the motor to lower the tether toward the ground so a payload may be attached to the tether. The control system may monitor an electric current supplied to the motor to determine whether the payload has been attached to the tether. In another example, when lowering a payload, the control system may monitor the motor current to determine that the payload has reached the ground and responsively operate the motor to detach the payload from the tether. The control system may then monitor the motor current to determine whether the payload has detached from the tether.
-
公开(公告)号:US20240017814A1
公开(公告)日:2024-01-18
申请号:US17864975
申请日:2022-07-14
Applicant: Wing Aviation LLC
Inventor: Jesse Blake , Andre Prager , Evan Twyford , Ivan Qiu , Jasper Lewin
CPC classification number: B64C1/1415 , B64C39/024 , B64C2201/128
Abstract: An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) including a fuselage body having a cavity that forms a cargo bay for transporting a payload, and a lower access opening for lowering the payload from the cargo bay, the lower access opening including a cargo bay door; a winch system positioned in the cargo bay configured to suspend a payload within the cargo bay; and a cargo bay door monitor which is configured to detect when the payload is applying a weight to the cargo bay door.
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-