Patents by Inventor WILLIAM ARDEN LOTT

WILLIAM ARDEN LOTT has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11977380
    Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods for a safety system including: selecting an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) command on a controller, the controller comprising a first processor with addressable memory; presenting a first activator and a second activator on a display of the controller for the selected UAV command, wherein the second activator is a slider; and sending the UAV command to a UAV if the first activator and the second activator are selected, the UAV comprising a second processor with addressable memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignee: AEROVIRONMENT, INC.
    Inventors: Thaddeus Benjamin Matuszeski, William Arden Lott, Derek Lisoski
  • Publication number: 20240059167
    Abstract: A method of migrating unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) operations between geographic survey areas, including: uploading a first plurality of flight missions into a first UAV pod; deploying the UAV pod; autonomously launching the UAV from the UAV pod a plurality of times to perform the first plurality of flight missions; providing first survey data from the UAV to the UAV pod; autonomously migrating the UAV from the first UAV pod to a second UAV pod; receiving a second plurality of flight missions in a second UAV pod; providing the UAV with one of the second plurality of flight missions from the second UAV pod; autonomously launching the UAV from the second UAV pod a plurality of times to perform the second plurality of flight missions; and providing a second survey data from the UAV to the second UAV pod; where the autonomous migrating of the UAV to accomplish the first and second survey data happens autonomously and without active human intervention.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 1, 2023
    Publication date: February 22, 2024
    Inventors: Christopher Eugene Fisher, Jason Sidharthadev Mukherjee, William Arden Lott, Eric James Aagaard
  • Patent number: 11851209
    Abstract: An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) storage and launch system includes a UAV pod having an open position and a closed position, the closed position establishing an interior that is weather resistant to an environment external to the UAV pod and a vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) UAV enclosed in the UAV pod so that the UAV pod in the closed position provides a weather resistant interior for the VTOL UAV.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: Aero Vironment, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher Eugene Fisher, Jason Sidharthadev Mukherjee, William Arden Lott
  • Patent number: 11840152
    Abstract: A method of migrating unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) operations between geographic survey areas, including: uploading a first plurality of flight missions into a first UAV pod; deploying the UAV pod; autonomously launching the UAV from the UAV pod a plurality of times to perform the first plurality of flight missions; providing first survey data from the UAV to the UAV pod; autonomously migrating the UAV from the first UAV pod to a second UAV pod; receiving a second plurality of flight missions in a second UAV pod; providing the UAV with one of the second plurality of flight missions from the second UAV pod; autonomously launching the UAV from the second UAV pod a plurality of times to perform the second plurality of flight missions; and providing a second survey data from the UAV to the second UAV pod; where the autonomous migrating of the UAV to accomplish the first and second survey data happens autonomously and without active human intervention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: AEROVIRONMENT, INC.
    Inventors: Christopher Eugene Fisher, Jason Sidharthadev Mukherjee, William Arden Lott, Eric James Aagaard
  • Publication number: 20230365273
    Abstract: An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) storage and launch system, including: a UAV pod having an interior; and a telescoping UAV landing surface disposed in the interior of the UAV pod; where the telescoping UAV landing surface may translate up toward a top opening of the UAV pod, translate down into an interior of the UAV pod, or rotate relative to the UAV pod.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2023
    Publication date: November 16, 2023
    Inventors: Christopher Eugene Fisher, Jason Sidharthadev Mukherjee, William Arden Lott
  • Publication number: 20230288575
    Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods for a vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aerial vehicle having a first GPS antenna and a second GPS antenna, where the second GPS antenna is disposed distal from the first GPS antenna; and an aerial vehicle flight controller, where the flight controller is configured to: utilize a GPS antenna signal via the GPS antenna switch from the first GPS antenna or the second GPS antenna; receive a pitch level of the aerial vehicle from the one or more aerial vehicle sensors in vertical flight or horizontal flight; determine if the received pitch level is at a set rotation from vertical or horizontal; and utilize the GPS signal not being utilized via the GPS antenna switch if the determined pitch level is at or above the set rotation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2023
    Publication date: September 14, 2023
    Inventor: William Arden Lott
  • Patent number: 11686859
    Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods for a vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aerial vehicle having a first GPS antenna and a second GPS antenna, where the second GPS antenna is disposed distal from the first GPS antenna; and an aerial vehicle flight controller, where the flight controller is configured to: utilize a GPS antenna signal via the GPS antenna switch from the first GPS antenna or the second GPS antenna; receive a pitch level of the aerial vehicle from the one or more aerial vehicle sensors in vertical flight or horizontal flight; determine if the received pitch level is at a set rotation from vertical or horizontal; and utilize the GPS signal not being utilized via the GPS antenna switch if the determined pitch level is at or above the set rotation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: AEROVIRONMENT, INC.
    Inventor: William Arden Lott
  • Patent number: 11603218
    Abstract: An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) storage and launch system, including: a UAV pod having an interior; and a telescoping UAV landing surface disposed in the interior of the UAV pod; where the telescoping UAV landing surface may translate up toward a top opening of the UAV pod, translate down into an interior of the UAV pod, or rotate relative to the UAV pod.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: AEROVIRONMENT, INC.
    Inventors: Christopher Eugene Fisher, Jason Sidharthadev Mukherjee, William Arden Lott
  • Publication number: 20220185133
    Abstract: A method of migrating unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) operations between geographic survey areas, including: uploading a first plurality of flight missions into a first UAV pod; deploying the UAV pod; autonomously launching the UAV from the UAV pod a plurality of times to perform the first plurality of flight missions; providing first survey data from the UAV to the UAV pod; autonomously migrating the UAV from the first UAV pod to a second UAV pod; receiving a second plurality of flight missions in a second UAV pod; providing the UAV with one of the second plurality of flight missions from the second UAV pod; autonomously launching the UAV from the second UAV pod a plurality of times to perform the second plurality of flight missions; and providing a second survey data from the UAV to the second UAV pod; where the autonomous migrating of the UAV to accomplish the first and second survey data happens autonomously and without active human intervention.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 14, 2022
    Publication date: June 16, 2022
    Inventors: Christopher Eugene Fisher, Jason Sidharthadev Mukherjee, William Arden Lott, Eric James Aagaard
  • Patent number: 11254229
    Abstract: A method of migrating unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) operations between geographic survey areas, including: uploading a first plurality of flight missions into a first UAV pod; deploying the UAV pod; autonomously launching the UAV from the UAV pod a plurality of times to perform the first plurality of flight missions; providing first survey data from the UAV to the UAV pod; autonomously migrating the UAV from the first UAV pod to a second UAV pod; receiving a second plurality of flight missions in a second UAV pod; providing the UAV with one of the second plurality of flight missions from the second UAV pod; autonomously launching the UAV from the second UAV pod a plurality of times to perform the second plurality of flight missions; and providing a second survey data from the UAV to the second UAV pod; where the autonomous migrating of the UAV to accomplish the first and second survey data happens autonomously and without active human intervention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: AEROVIRONMENT, INC.
    Inventors: Christopher Eugene Fisher, Jason Sidharthadev Mukherjee, William Arden Lott, Eric James Aagaard
  • Patent number: 11216015
    Abstract: A method of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) operation, including: receiving from a customer a first data request, the first data request having: a first geographic coverage area; and a refresh rate for the first geographic coverage area; planning a first plurality of flight missions to accomplish the first data request; uploading flight missions data representing the first plurality of flight missions into a UAV pod; and deploying the UAV pod.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: AEROVIRONMENT, INC.
    Inventors: Christopher Eugene Fisher, Jason Sidharthadev Mukherjee, William Arden Lott
  • Publication number: 20210325879
    Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods for a safety system including: selecting an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) command on a controller, the controller comprising a first processor with addressable memory; presenting a first activator and a second activator on a display of the controller for the selected UAV command, wherein the second activator is a slider; and sending the UAV command to a UAV if the first activator and the second activator are selected, the UAV comprising a second processor with addressable memory.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2021
    Publication date: October 21, 2021
    Inventors: Thaddeus Benjamin Matuszeski, William Arden Lott, Derek Lisoski
  • Publication number: 20210302596
    Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods for a vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aerial vehicle having a first GPS antenna and a second GPS antenna, where the second GPS antenna is disposed distal from the first GPS antenna; and an aerial vehicle flight controller, where the flight controller is configured to: utilize a GPS antenna signal via the GPS antenna switch from the first GPS antenna or the second GPS antenna; receive a pitch level of the aerial vehicle from the one or more aerial vehicle sensors in vertical flight or horizontal flight; determine if the received pitch level is at a set rotation from vertical or horizontal; and utilize the GPS signal not being utilized via the GPS antenna switch if the determined pitch level is at or above the set rotation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 5, 2021
    Publication date: September 30, 2021
    Inventor: William Arden Lott
  • Publication number: 20210284355
    Abstract: A vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) storage and launch system includes a UAV pod having a UAV pod processor and a UAV selectively enclosed in the UAV pod, the UAV having only two rotors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 3, 2020
    Publication date: September 16, 2021
    Inventors: Christopher Eugene Fisher, Jason Sidharthadev Mukherjee, William Arden Lott
  • Publication number: 20210276732
    Abstract: An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) storage and launch system includes a UAV pod having an open position and a closed position, the closed position establishing an interior that is weather resistant to an environment external to the UAV pod and a vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) UAV enclosed in the UAV pod so that the UAV pod in the closed position provides a weather resistant interior for the VTOL UAV.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2020
    Publication date: September 9, 2021
    Inventors: Christopher Eugene Fisher, Jason Sidharthadev Mukherjee, William Arden Lott
  • Patent number: 11029684
    Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods for a safety system including: selecting an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) command on a controller, the controller comprising a first processor with addressable memory; presenting a first activator and a second activator on a display of the controller for the selected UAV command, wherein the second activator is a slider; and sending the UAV command to a UAV if the first activator and the second activator are selected, the UAV comprising a second processor with addressable memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: AEROVIRONMENT, INC.
    Inventors: Thaddeus Benjamin Matuszeski, William Arden Lott, Derek Lisoski
  • Patent number: 11021266
    Abstract: A vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) storage and launch system includes a UAV pod having a UAV pod processor and a UAV selectively enclosed in the UAV pod, the UAV having only two rotors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: AEROVIRONMENT, INC.
    Inventors: Christopher Eugene Fisher, Jason Sidharthadev Mukherjee, William Arden Lott
  • Patent number: 10996343
    Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods for a vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aerial vehicle having a first GPS antenna and a second GPS antenna, where the second GPS antenna is disposed distal from the first GPS antenna; and an aerial vehicle flight controller, where the flight controller is configured to: utilize a GPS antenna signal via the GPS antenna switch from the first GPS antenna or the second GPS antenna; receive a pitch level of the aerial vehicle from the one or more aerial vehicle sensors in vertical flight or horizontal flight; determine if the received pitch level is at a set rotation from vertical or horizontal; and utilize the GPS signal not being utilized via the GPS antenna switch if the determined pitch level is at or above the set rotation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: AEROVIRONMENT, INC.
    Inventor: William Arden Lott
  • Publication number: 20210055427
    Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods for a vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aerial vehicle having a first GPS antenna and a second GPS antenna, where the second GPS antenna is disposed distal from the first GPS antenna; and an aerial vehicle flight controller, where the flight controller is configured to: utilize a GPS antenna signal via the GPS antenna switch from the first GPS antenna or the second GPS antenna; receive a pitch level of the aerial vehicle from the one or more aerial vehicle sensors in vertical flight or horizontal flight; determine if the received pitch level is at a set rotation from vertical or horizontal; and utilize the GPS signal not being utilized via the GPS antenna switch if the determined pitch level is at or above the set rotation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2020
    Publication date: February 25, 2021
    Inventor: William Arden Lott
  • Patent number: 10850866
    Abstract: An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) storage and launch system includes a UAV pod having an open position and a closed position, the closed position establishing an interior that is weather resistant to an environment external to the UAV pod and a vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) UAV enclosed in the UAV pod so that the UAV pod in the closed position provides a weather resistant interior for the VTOL UAV.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Assignee: AEROVIRONMENT, INC.
    Inventors: Christopher Eugene Fisher, Jason Sidharthadev Mukherjee, William Arden Lott