US 12,492,021 B2
Modular unmanned aerial vehicle airframe with structurally integrated yoke and payload assembly
Thomas Skyler Sartorius, Los Angeles, CA (US); Calder Richmond Hughes, Portland, OR (US); Julian Rene Alvarez, San Francisco, CA (US); and Sean David-Andrew Belardo, San Francisco, CA (US)
Assigned to Skydio, Inc., San Mateo, CA (US)
Filed by Skydio, Inc., Redwood City, CA (US)
Filed on May 7, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/314,794.
Application 17/314,794 is a continuation of application No. 15/712,526, filed on Sep. 22, 2017, granted, now 11,014,666.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/399,173, filed on Sep. 23, 2016.
Prior Publication US 2021/0339861 A1, Nov. 4, 2021
Int. Cl. B64U 20/50 (2023.01); B64C 3/18 (2006.01); B64U 10/25 (2023.01); B64U 30/14 (2023.01); B64U 50/13 (2023.01); B64U 50/19 (2023.01)
CPC B64U 20/50 (2023.01) [B64C 3/187 (2013.01); B64U 10/25 (2023.01); B64U 30/14 (2023.01); B64U 50/13 (2023.01); B64U 50/19 (2023.01); B64C 2211/00 (2013.01); B64U 2201/20 (2023.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An unmanned aerial vehicle, comprising:
a fuselage;
first and second wing sections configured for detachable connection to the fuselage via wing connectors positioned between the fuselage and the first and second wing sections, the first and second wing sections each having a structural component that runs in transverse relation to a length of the unmanned aerial vehicle when connected to the fuselage via the wing connectors;
a yoke connected to the wing connectors and extending internally within the fuselage in transverse relation to a length of the unmanned aerial vehicle, wherein the yoke aligns with the structural components of the first and second wing sections when the first and second wing sections are connected to the fuselage via the wing connectors to form a continuous primary structural element across the fuselage and the first and second wing sections;
a payload section directly connected to the yoke such that the payload section extends forwardly therefrom;
a motor connector positioned at a forward end of the payload section such that the motor connector is spaced from the yoke along the length of the unmanned aerial vehicle;
a tail including a tail boom connected at one end to the fuselage and detachably coupled to a tail connector, wherein the tail boom is configured with multiple resilient tabs and the tail connector includes a cavity that is shaped to receive the tail boom with a matching hole for each of the multiple resilient tabs.