US 12,246,861 B2
Systems and methods for a transformable unmanned aerial vehicle with coplanar and omnidirectional features
Shi Lu, Mesa, AZ (US); Yan Chen, Chandler, AZ (US); Konstantinos Tsakalis, Chandler, AZ (US); and Armando Rodriguez, Tempe, AZ (US)
Assigned to Arizona Board of Regents on Behalf of Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ (US)
Filed by Arizona Board of Regents on Behalf of Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ (US)
Filed on Jun. 15, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/335,900.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/352,551, filed on Jun. 15, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2023/0406550 A1, Dec. 21, 2023
Int. Cl. B64U 10/16 (2023.01); B64U 30/29 (2023.01); B64U 30/297 (2023.01); B64U 40/20 (2023.01)
CPC B64U 10/16 (2023.01) [B64U 30/29 (2023.01); B64U 30/297 (2023.01); B64U 40/20 (2023.01)] 22 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A vehicle including:
a first arm in association with a body and including a first rotor assembly and a second rotor assembly;
a second arm in association with the body and including a third rotor assembly and a fourth rotor assembly, the second arm being rotatable between a first position associated with a coplanar mode of the vehicle and a second position associated with an omnidirectional mode; wherein the second arm is oriented coplanar with the first arm when in the first position of the second arm; and wherein the second arm is oriented mutually perpendicular with the first arm when in the second position of the second arm;
a third arm in association with the body including a fifth rotor assembly and a sixth rotor assembly, the third arm being rotatable between a first position associated with the coplanar mode of the vehicle and a second position associated with the omnidirectional mode; wherein the third arm is oriented coplanar with the first arm and the second arm when in the first position of the third arm; wherein the third arm is oriented mutually perpendicular with the first arm and the second arm when in the second position of the third arm; and wherein transitioning the third arm between the first position and the second position includes rotating the third arm 90 degrees about an axis of elongation of the third arm; and
a transition mechanism operable for transitioning the second arm between the first position of the second arm and the second position of the second arm and for transitioning the third arm between the first position of the third arm and the second position of the third arm, the transition mechanism including a first helical gear component associated with the second arm and a second helical gear component associated with the third arm and operably connected with the first helical gear component, where rotation of the first helical gear component causes the second helical gear component to rotate the third arm between the first position and the second position.