B64U40/10

Ganged servo flight control system for an unmanned aerial vehicle
10618645 · 2020-04-14 · ·

A ganged servo flight control system for an unmanned aerial vehicle is provided. The flight control system may include a swashplate having first, second, and third connection portions; a first control assembly connected to the first connection portion of the swashplate; a second control assembly connected to the second connection portion of the swashplate; and a third control assembly connected to the third connection portion of the swashplate. The first control assembly may include two or more servo-actuators connected to operate in cooperation with each other.

Multi-rotor roto-craft flying machine
10604242 · 2020-03-31 · ·

A multi-rotor flying machine includes a body on or in which a motor is mounted; and a respective head rotor mounted for rotation on a respective mast at each of at least three locations disposed around and spaced laterally outwardly from the motor. The motor is drivingly connected to each mast, for rotating each head rotor, by a respective driveline. Adjacent to at least one mast, the machine further includes a pitch rudder system that includes a pitch driver or rotor, or translational rotor. The arrangement is such that the head rotors are operable to provide thrust, while the pitch rudder system enables yaw to be achieved independently of operation of the head rotors.

Rotor units having asymmetric rotor blades
10604245 · 2020-03-31 · ·

An aerial vehicle is provided including rotor units connected to the aerial vehicle, and a control system configured to operate at least one of the rotor units. The rotor unit includes rotor blades, wherein each rotor blade includes a surface area, and wherein an asymmetric parameter is defined, at least in part, by the relationship between the surface areas of the rotor blades. The value of the asymmetric parameter is selected such that the operation of the rotor unit: (i) moves the rotor blades such that each rotor blade produces a respective vortex and (ii) the respective vortices cause the rotor unit to produce a sound output having an energy distribution defined, at least in part, by a set of frequencies, wherein the set of frequencies includes a fundamental frequency, one or more harmonic frequencies, and one or more non-harmonic frequencies having a respective strength greater than a threshold strength.

Mobile audio input device controller

A method, system, and/or computer program product controls operations of a mobile audio input device. One or more processors detect a first location of a mobile audio input device. The processor(s) detect a second location of the user. The processor(s) then direct the mobile audio input device to autonomously move from the first location to the second location and, in response to the mobile audio input device reaching the second location, to activate the microphone on the mobile audio input device.

Unmanned aerial vehicle
10589853 · 2020-03-17 · ·

A technical object of the present invention is to provide an unmanned aerial vehicle capable of performing a position movement while maintaining posture stabilization. To this end, the unmanned aerial vehicle of the present invention includes: a main body unit; a plurality of propeller motors of which the rotational speed is adjusted by the main body unit; supports which extend from the main body unit in order to support the plurality of propeller motors; propellers which are axially coupled to the plurality of propeller motors and output thrust; and tilting units which tilt rotating shafts of the propellers with respect to the main body unit.

Controlled flight of a multicopter experiencing a failure affecting an effector

According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a method for operating a multicopter experiencing a failure during flight, the multicopter comprising a body, and at least four effectors attached to the body, each operable to produce both a torque and a thrust force which can cause the multicopter to fly when not experiencing said failure. The method may comprise the step of identifying a failure wherein the failure affects the torque and/or thrust force produced by an effector, and in response to identifying a failure carrying out the following steps, (1) computing an estimate of the orientation of a primary axis of said body with respect to a predefined reference frame, wherein said primary axis is an axis about which said multicopter rotates when flying, (2) computing an estimate of the angular velocity of said multicopter, (3) controlling one or more of said at least four effectors based on said estimate of the orientation of the primary axis of said body with respect to said predefined reference frame and said estimate of the angular velocity of the multicopter. The step of controlling one or more of said at least four effectors may be performed such that (a) said one or more effectors collectively produce a torque along said primary axis and a torque perpendicular to said primary axis, wherein (i) the torque along said primary axis causes said multicopter to rotate about said primary axis, and (ii) the torque perpendicular to said primary axis causes said multicopter to move such that the orientation of said primary axis converges to a target orientation with respect to said predefined reference frame, and (b) such that said one or more effectors individually produce a thrust force along said primary axis.

Apparatus and method for controlling stability of unmanned aerial vehicle

The present invention provides an unmanned aerial vehicle that can maintain stability by changing positions of rotating rotors when one of the rotating rotors malfunctions, and a method for controlling stability of the unmanned aerial vehicle. The unmanned aerial vehicle includes: a main body; a plurality of support bars that are arranged while forming an angle with each other along a circumferential direction of the main body and extended to an outer side from the main body; a plurality of rotating rotors that are respectively provided to the support bars and generate thrust; motors that are respectively connected to the rotating rotors to drive the rotating rotors; drivers that change positions of the respective rotating rotors along the circumferential direction of the main body by moving the support bars with respect to the main body; and a controller that maintains horizontal stability of the main body by controlling the drivers.

Virtual reality system with drone integration
10535195 · 2020-01-14 · ·

A virtual reality system includes a drone including a rotor, a display, an audio speaker, a body harness having adjustable straps, and one or more processors in operative communication with the display, the audio speaker, and the drone. The drone may be fixed to the body harness. The one or more processors may be configured to issue audio-visual content to the display and audio speaker and control the rotor based on the issued audio-visual content.

Aerial vehicle propulsion mechanism with coaxially aligned propellers

Sounds are generated by an aerial vehicle during operation. For example, the motors and propellers of an aerial vehicle generate sounds during operation. Systems, methods, and apparatus may actively adjust the position and/or configuration of one or more propeller blades of a propulsion mechanism to generate different sounds and/or lifting forces from the propulsion mechanism.

Multi-rotor aircraft control
10518878 · 2019-12-31 ·

Flight control method and apparatus for multi-rotor aircraft that is programmed for varied control commands and conditions in the control of the aircraft in flight.