Centering and Landing Platform for Hovering Flying Vehicles
A landing platform for a hovering vehicle comprises an erectable and retractable boundary element which, when in erected position, defines a substantially closed volume.
The present invention relates to hovering flying vehicles. More particularly, the invention relates to a landing platform suitable to guide such flying vehicles to land at a desired location thereon.
BACKGROUNDHovering flying objects, such as drones, are becoming increasingly common in use nowadays and, in many applications, they fly autonomously. Accordingly, one of the problems encountered nowadays relates to issues associated with the autonomous landing, when it is desired that such landing take place at a precise location on a landing platform. Many different solutions have been offered, including various ways to “grab” the drone during the landing procedure, or the provision of cumbersome appendices to be attached to the drone, all of which render the process complex and expensive and which lack precision.
The term “drone”, as used herein, is meant to refer to all flying objects that may be brought to an essentially vertical landing autonomously on a landing platform, regardless of whether at some other time during their flight they are guided or supervised by a human or other system. This term will be used throughout this description, for the sake of brevity.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a method and system suitable to overcome the drawbacks of the prior art, and to facilitate the landing of a drone on a landing platform.
SUMMARYIn one aspect the invention relates to a landing platform for a hovering vehicle, comprising an erectable and retractable boundary element which, when in erected position, defines a substantially closed volume.
In another aspect the invention relates to a landing platform comprising a trapping element suitable to securely hold a weight attached to a cable. The trapping element can be located at the center of said substantially closed volume or elsewhere. In a further embodiment of the invention the trapping element comprises an electromagnetic element and the weight is made of a material that is attracted by magnetic forces. In this context, the term “substantially closed volume” is meant to indicate a volume the boundaries of which are clearly defined by delimiting elements, even though gaps may exist that allow passage into and out of said volume.
In one embodiment of the invention the borders of the boundary element are quasi-continuum, by which is meant that gaps may exist in its circumference. In another embodiment of the invention the boundary element comprises mechanical elements. In still another embodiment of the invention the boundary element comprises magnetic elements and in yet embodiment of the invention the boundary element comprises pneumatic elements.
The invention also encompasses a method for assisting in the landing of a hovering vehicle, comprising causing a weight to be lowered from said vehicle and erecting a boundary element such that said weight favors remaining within its boundaries, and encouraging the movement of said weight toward a trapping element located inside the boundaries of said boundary element, said trapping element being suitable to securely fasten said weight thereto.
The invention will be better understood through the description of one particular embodiment of the invention, it being understood that this specific embodiment is not meant to limit the invention in any way and is only provided for the purpose of illustration.
A drone suitable for use with the system according to the invention is schematically illustrated in
Winch assembly 105 is designed to release a cable from the drone, which is provided with a weight, as schematically shown in
Turning now to
Centering magnetic assembly 205 (
Having now illustrated the invention through a detailed, specific embodiment thereof, it will be easier to understand its broader reach and scope.
Broadly speaking, the landing platform of the invention comprises a landing surface, generally indicated at 70, which is the surface on which the drone will rest after landing. The landing surface can be of any type as long as it is suitable for the drone to rest on and, e.g., can be rough or smooth, plane or sloped, fixed or movable. It can further be provided with accessories, e.g., for locking the drone in place once landed, as one might wish to do, for instance if the landing platform is located on a ship and particularly in rough weather.
A boundary element 71 is any means suitable to define a volume of space within which the drone will find itself while approaching surface 70 for landing. A simple example of a boundary element 71 is the cone defined by centering aids 204 described with reference to
1—it defines a substantially closed space that defines a volume suitable to house the drone after landing; and
2—its boundaries are not fixed and can be partially or fully erected and retracted at will.
The shape of the boundary element is not critical and it can be of any shape that is suitable for the specific landing platform that employs it, for instance, it can be substantially round, square, polygonal, etc.
While often the positioning of the weight will be at the center of the landing platform that is not an essential element of the invention, inasmuch as landing platforms of different geometries can be devised for different needs, which may not have the optimal landing place at their center.
The term “erected”, as used herein, should be understood to not be limited to physical erection, as in the example of
In
Once the weight is inside the boundary element 71 and has reached its center area, it is captured by trap 73 using a securing mechanism, which can be of any type suitable to maintain the weight in its position and which, of course, has to be adapted to the type and shape of weight employed. The securing mechanism can be mechanic, electromagnetic, hydraulic or pneumatic, or any combination of the above. The actual nature of the securing mechanism is not important, as long as it fulfills the above requirements.
Trap 73 may be located at the landing platform level or above or below it and may be movable. So, for instance, once the weight has been captured, the trap may be lowered below the landing platform level.
The above description of preferred embodiments has been provided for the purpose of illustration and is not meant to limit the invention in any way, except as defined in the appended claims.
Claims
1. A landing platform for a hovering vehicle, comprising an erectable and retractable boundary element which, when in erected position, defines a substantially closed volume.
2. A landing platform according to claim 1, comprising a trapping element suitable to securely hold a weight attached to a cable.
3. The platform according to claim 2, wherein said trapping element is located at the center of said substantially closed volume.
4. The platform according to claim 2, wherein the trapping element comprises an electromagnetic element and the weight is made of a material that is attracted by magnetic forces.
5. The platform of claim 2, wherein the borders of said boundary element are quasi-continuum.
6. The platform of claim 1, wherein the boundary element comprises mechanical elements.
7. The platform of claim 1, wherein the boundary element comprises magnetic elements.
8. The platform of claim 1, wherein the boundary element comprises pneumatic elements.
9. A method for assisting in the landing of a hovering vehicle, comprising causing a weight to be lowered from said vehicle and erecting a boundary element such that said weight favors remaining within its boundaries, and encouraging the movement of said weight toward a trapping element located inside the boundaries of said boundary element, said trapping element being suitable to securely fasten said weight thereto.
10. The method of claim 9, wherein the trapping element is located at the center of said substantially closed volume.
11. The method of claim 9, wherein the borders of the boundary element are quasi-continuum.
12. The method of claim 9, wherein the trapping element comprises an electromagnetic element and the weight is made of a material that is attracted by magnetic forces.
13. The method of claim 9, wherein the boundary element comprises mechanical elements.
14. The method of claim 9, wherein the boundary element comprises magnetic elements.
15. The method of claim 9, wherein the boundary element comprises pneumatic elements.
Type: Application
Filed: May 19, 2016
Publication Date: May 28, 2020
Inventors: Ran Krauss (Tel Aviv), Meir Kliner (Ramat Gan)
Application Number: 16/073,399