US 12,140,968 B2
Multicopter with self-adjusting rotors
Sebastian Thrun, Los Altos Hills, CA (US); and Benjamin Otto Berry, Mountain View, CA (US)
Assigned to Kitty Hawk Corporation, Palo Alto, CA (US)
Filed by Kitty Hawk Corporation, Palo Alto, CA (US)
Filed on Oct. 3, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/376,358.
Application 18/376,358 is a continuation of application No. 17/385,296, filed on Jul. 26, 2021, granted, now 11,815,911.
Application 17/385,296 is a continuation of application No. 16/694,604, filed on Nov. 25, 2019, granted, now 11,106,221, issued on Aug. 31, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2024/0045446 A1, Feb. 8, 2024
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. G05D 1/04 (2006.01); B64C 27/08 (2023.01); B64C 27/20 (2023.01); B64C 27/32 (2006.01); B64C 27/41 (2006.01); B64C 27/48 (2006.01); B64C 27/52 (2006.01); B64C 29/00 (2006.01); B64D 1/00 (2006.01); B64F 1/02 (2006.01); B64F 1/12 (2006.01); B64U 30/10 (2023.01); B64U 30/20 (2023.01); B64U 50/14 (2023.01); G05D 1/00 (2024.01); G05D 1/46 (2024.01)
CPC G05D 1/046 (2013.01) [B64C 27/08 (2013.01); B64C 27/20 (2013.01); B64C 27/32 (2013.01); B64C 27/41 (2013.01); B64C 27/48 (2013.01); B64C 27/52 (2013.01); B64C 29/0033 (2013.01); B64D 1/00 (2013.01); B64F 1/12 (2013.01); B64F 1/0295 (2020.01); B64U 50/14 (2023.01); G05D 1/46 (2024.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) vehicle, comprising:
a flight controller, wherein:
during a vertical landing state, during which the VTOL vehicle is performing a vertical landing, the flight controller:
decides whether to switch from the vertical landing state to a self adjusting state; and
in the event it is decided to switch from the vertical landing state to the self adjusting state, the flight controller switches from the vertical landing state to the self adjusting state; and
during the self adjusting state, the flight controller generates a control signal for a rotor, wherein the control signal causes: (1) the rotor to rotate during the self adjusting state and (2) the VTOL vehicle to remain in a fixed position during the self adjusting state, in response to the control signal, and independent of docking infrastructure; and
during a rotors off state, the flight controller generates a rotor off control signal for the rotor that causes the rotor to turn off;
the rotor; and
a fuselage, wherein the rotor is coupled to the fuselage via a vertical connector.