US 11,884,175 B2
Self-powered drone tether
Alberto Daniel Lacaze, Potomac, MD (US); Karl Nicholas Murphy, Cocoa Beach, FL (US); William Becker, Monrovia, MD (US); and Steven Rotundo, Baltimore, MD (US)
Assigned to Robotic Research OpCo, LLC, Clarksburg, MD (US)
Filed by Robotic Research OpCo, LLC, Clarksburg, MD (US)
Filed on Jun. 26, 2019, as Appl. No. 16/452,620.
Prior Publication US 2020/0406773 A1, Dec. 31, 2020
Int. Cl. B60L 53/36 (2019.01); G05D 1/00 (2006.01); B64F 1/36 (2017.01); B64C 39/02 (2023.01); B64U 10/13 (2023.01); B64U 50/19 (2023.01); B64U 101/00 (2023.01)
CPC B60L 53/36 (2019.02) [B64C 39/022 (2013.01); B64C 39/024 (2013.01); B64F 1/364 (2013.01); G05D 1/0094 (2013.01); B60L 2200/10 (2013.01); B64U 10/13 (2023.01); B64U 50/19 (2023.01); B64U 2101/00 (2023.01); B64U 2201/102 (2023.01)] 15 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system for an airborne self-powered drone tether docking station, comprising:
a. a rechargeable drone comprising at least one lifting motor, rechargeable batteries coupled to selectively provide power to the at least one lifting motor, recharging electronics coupled to the rechargeable batteries and operable to direct power to the rechargeable batteries, and having a first portion of a docking mechanism;
b. a powered tether that transmits power and data along a length of the tether from a proximal end coupled to a powered base station and to a distal end; and
c. a single tether drone comprising a plurality of motors and having a second portion of the docking mechanism, the single tether drone coupled to the powered tether at the distal end and having electronics to convert the power transmitted through the powered tether for use in charging the rechargeable batteries of the rechargeable drone;
wherein the rechargeable drone (i) selectively couples, by engaging the first portion of the docking mechanism with the second portion of the docking mechanism, to the single tether drone, (ii) disengages the at least one lifting motor, (iii) receives power from the powered tether via the docking mechanism and by the recharging electronics, (iv) charges, by the recharging electronics, the rechargeable batteries, and (v) selectively decouples, by disconnecting the first portion of the docking mechanism with the second portion of the docking mechanism and thereby freeing the rechargeable drone from any connection to the tether;
wherein the single tether drone activates the plurality of motors, thereby maintaining the distal end of the powered tether aloft while the rechargeable drone recharges; and
wherein the rechargeable drone transitions the at least one lifting motor from an active state to a disengaged state when coupled to the single tether drone.