US 12,084,179 B2
System and method for drone tethering
Gaemus Collins, San Diego, CA (US); Allan Matthew, San Diego, CA (US); and David Twining, San Diego, CA (US)
Assigned to AEROVIRONMENT, INC., Arlington, VA (US)
Appl. No. 17/055,537
Filed by AeroVironment, Inc., Arlington, VA (US)
PCT Filed May 23, 2019, PCT No. PCT/US2019/033792
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Nov. 13, 2020,
PCT Pub. No. WO2019/226917, PCT Pub. Date Nov. 28, 2019.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/675,643, filed on May 23, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2021/0129982 A1, May 6, 2021
Int. Cl. B64C 39/02 (2023.01); B64D 47/08 (2006.01); B64F 3/02 (2006.01); B64U 10/13 (2023.01); B64U 101/30 (2023.01); G01L 5/04 (2006.01); G05D 1/00 (2024.01); H04W 4/40 (2018.01); B64U 30/20 (2023.01)
CPC B64C 39/022 (2013.01) [B64C 39/024 (2013.01); B64D 47/08 (2013.01); B64F 3/02 (2013.01); G01L 5/04 (2013.01); G05D 1/101 (2013.01); H04W 4/40 (2018.02); B64U 10/13 (2023.01); B64U 30/20 (2023.01); B64U 2101/30 (2023.01); B64U 2201/202 (2023.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) system, the UAV system comprising:
a UAV comprising:
a sensor configured to measure sensor data;
a mobile platform, wherein the mobile platform comprises a tether spool and an information-encoded target pattern;
a tether attached to the UAV and to the mobile platform; and
a digital processing device comprising: at least one processor, an operating system configured to perform executable instructions, a memory, and a computer program including instructions executable by the digital processing device to create a tethered UAV application comprising:
a transmission module configured to receive the sensor data from the sensor;
a locational module configured to detect and track the target pattern to determine a relative three-dimensional position of the UAV to the mobile platform, based on the sensor data;
a navigation module configured to direct the UAV, based on the relative three-dimensional position to maintain accurate and constant vertical distance from the mobile platform throughout at least a portion of a flight of the UAV, even as the mobile platform moves up and down; and
a spooling module configured to pay out or reel in the tether spool based at least on the relative three-dimensional position, wherein relative motion between the UAV and the mobile platform is reduced to thereby reduce heat generated and wear on the tether spool.