US 11,697,499 B2
Method for transporting a rescue device from an aerial vehicle to a person to be rescued, rescue system for rescuing a person to be rescued, and unmanned aerial vehicle for transporting a rescue device from an aerial vehicle to a person to be rescued
Peter Dürr, Stuttgart (DE); Henrik Schäfer, Stuttgart (DE); and Bi Wang, Stuttgart (DE)
Assigned to SONY CORPORATION, Tokyo (JP)
Filed by Sony Corporation, Tokyo (JP)
Filed on Jul. 31, 2020, as Appl. No. 16/944,177.
Claims priority of application No. 19193148 (EP), filed on Aug. 22, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2021/0053684 A1, Feb. 25, 2021
Int. Cl. B64D 1/00 (2006.01); B64D 1/22 (2006.01); B64C 39/02 (2023.01); B64D 47/08 (2006.01); B64D 5/00 (2006.01); B64C 27/04 (2006.01); B64F 1/20 (2006.01); G05D 1/10 (2006.01); G05D 1/12 (2006.01); B64U 10/13 (2023.01); B64U 50/34 (2023.01); B64U 70/20 (2023.01); B64U 101/00 (2023.01); B64U 101/30 (2023.01)
CPC B64D 1/22 (2013.01) [B64C 27/04 (2013.01); B64C 39/024 (2013.01); B64D 5/00 (2013.01); B64D 47/08 (2013.01); B64F 1/20 (2013.01); G05D 1/106 (2019.05); G05D 1/12 (2013.01); B64U 10/13 (2023.01); B64U 50/34 (2023.01); B64U 70/20 (2023.01); B64U 2101/00 (2023.01); B64U 2101/30 (2023.01); B64U 2201/20 (2023.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for transporting a rescue device from an aerial vehicle to a person to be rescued, wherein the rescue device is attached to the aerial vehicle, the method comprising:
launching an unmanned aerial vehicle from the aerial vehicle, wherein an end portion of the rescue device is attached to a first connection at a first location on the unmanned aerial vehicle and to a second connection at a second location on the unmanned aerial vehicle, wherein the end portion of the rescue device is releasable by the person to be rescued from the first connection for handover, while the end portion of the rescue device remains attached to the second connection of the unmanned aerial vehicle;
approaching the person to be rescued by the unmanned aerial vehicle in order to enable the person to be rescued to reach the end portion of the rescue device;
determining at the unmanned aerial vehicle whether the end portion of the rescue device is released from the first connection;
if it is detected that the rescue device is released from the first connection, determining at the unmanned aerial vehicle whether the person to be rescued is safely attached to the rescue device; and
if it is detected that the person to be rescued is safely attached to the rescue device:
releasing the rescue device from the second connection; or
deactivating the unmanned aerial vehicle such that the unmanned aerial vehicle remains attached to the rescue device via the second connection.