Unmanned aerial vehicle and method for indicating a landing zone

1. An unmanned aerial vehicle comprising: a body for carrying an article; at least one rotor; and a light source for generating a light beam to define a pattern for a landing zone for the unmanned aerial vehicle, wherein the light source provides a hollow cone beam and the light beam has a fixed cone angle, whereby the pattern for the landing zone is variable based on a height of the unmanned aerial vehicle.

2. The unmanned aerial vehicle as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the landing zone defined by the light beam is one of a circle, quadrilateral and a hexagon.

3. The unmanned aerial vehicle as claimed in claim 1 , including at least one sensor to detect unwanted objects in the landing zone.

4. The unmanned aerial vehicle as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the at least one sensor comprises at least one of a downwardly facing video camera, a motion sensor directed at the landing zone and an infrared thermography sensor or camera.

5. The unmanned aerial vehicle as claimed in claim 1 , including at least one warning device for warning bystanders that the unmanned aerial vehicle will be landing.

6. The unmanned aerial vehicle as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the warning device comprises at least one of the lights and an audio source.

7. The unmanned aerial vehicle as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the audio source includes loudspeakers, for transmitting at least one of a warning sound and messages.

8. The unmanned aerial vehicle as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the messages comprise an advisory message for bystanders to stay out of the landing zone defined by the light source.

9. The unmanned aerial vehicle as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the unmanned aerial vehicle includes a plurality of rotors.

10. A method of landing an unmanned aerial vehicle at a location, the method comprising:

providing an unmanned aerial vehicle comprising: a body for carrying an article; at least one rotor; and a light source for generating a light beam to define a pattern for a landing zone for the unmanned aerial vehicle, wherein the light source provides a hollow cone beam and the light beam has a fixed cone angle, whereby the pattern for the landing zone is variable based on a height of the unmanned aerial vehicle;

flying the unmanned aerial vehicle to a location;

causing the unmanned aerial vehicle to descend; and

while the unmanned aerial vehicle is descending operating the light source to illuminate and to define the pattern for the landing zone.

11. The method as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the light beam defines the landing zone as one of a circle, quadrilateral and a hexagon.

12. The method as claimed in claim 10 , including detecting unwanted objects in the landing zone with at least one sensor.

13. The method as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the at least one sensor comprises at least one of a downwardly facing video camera, a motion sensor directed at the landing zone and an infrared thermography sensor or camera.

14. The method as claimed in claim 10 , including at least one warning to bystanders that the unmanned aerial vehicle will be landing with a warning device.

15. The method as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the warning device comprises at least one of the lights and an audio source.

16. The method as claimed in claim 15 , including transmitting at least one of a warning sound and messages.

17. The method as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the unmanned aerial vehicle includes a plurality of rotors.

18. The method as claimed in claim 16 , including transmitting an advisory message advising bystanders to stay out of the landing zone defined by the light source.