IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,275,541
Granted Patent B2
US 12,275,541 · App. 18/174,500 · Granted Apr 15, 2025

Magnetic drone

Inventors: Abdullah M. Guwaifli (Dhahran, SA); Sultan A. Shaqaq (Al Ahsa, SA)
Assignee: SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANY
B64U10/13B64U20/70B64U50/13H01F7/02H01F7/20B64U20/30B64U2101/26B64U2101/30
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,275,541
App. No.
18/174,500
Granted
Apr 15, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

In one aspect, a magnetic drone is disclosed. The magnetic drone includes a drone, a cage surrounding the drone, and one or more magnets disposed on the cage surrounding the drone. The drone includes a camera, a battery, one or more electric motors, and one or more propellers. In other aspects, a method to operate a magnetic drone and a non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions for performing operation that flies a magnetic drone are also disclosed.

Claims (22)

1. A magnetic drone comprising:

a drone comprising:

a camera;

a battery;

one or more electric motors; and

one or more propellers;

a cage surrounding the drone; and

one or more magnets disposed on the cage surrounding the drone,

wherein the one or more magnets are disposed on an outer surface of the cage such that the one or more magnets magnetically attach to a ferrous surface outside of the cage to secure the magnetic drone to the ferrous surface,

wherein at least one of the one or more magnets is disposed on an equator of the cage,

wherein the one or more magnets are disposed such that more of the one or more magnets are disposed on a top hemisphere of the cage than on a bottom hemisphere of the cage, and

wherein the top hemisphere of the cage is on an upward side of the cage when the magnetic drone flies upward, and the bottom hemisphere of the cage is on a downward side when the magnetic drone flies downward.

2. The magnetic drone of claim 1 , wherein the one or more magnets are permanent magnets.

3. The magnetic drone of claim 1 , wherein the one or more magnets are N52 type.

4. The magnetic drone of claim 1 ,

wherein a magnetic force of each of the one or more magnets is higher than a weight of the magnetic drone, and

wherein the magnetic force of the each of the one or more magnets is lower than sum of the weight of the magnetic drone and a maximum force that the propellers of the magnetic drone can generate against the ferrous surface.

5. The magnetic drone of claim 1 , wherein the one or more magnets are electromagnets that are controlled by a processor of the magnetic drone, to be switched ON and OFF.

6. The magnetic drone of claim 5 , wherein the battery of the magnetic drone supplies the one or more electromagnets to be switched ON and OFF via the processor.

7. The magnetic drone of claim 1 , wherein the one or more magnets comprises five magnets.

8. The magnetic drone of claim 7 , wherein one of the five magnets is disposed at a topmost part of the cage.

9. The magnetic drone of claim 8 , wherein the other four magnets of the five magnets are disposed on the equator of the cage such that a pair of magnets among the four magnets is disposed, on the equator, offset by 90 degrees from the other pair of magnets among the four magnets.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 6, 2023
From: GUWAIFLI, ABDULLAH M.; SHAQAQ, SULTAN A.
To: SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANY
Reel/Frame 063243/0853 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20240286770A1 · Aug 29, 2024
References Cited (18)
US 8167234B1 · Moore · 2012 [cited by examiner]
US 20140138477A1 · Keennon · 2014 [cited by examiner]
US 20160001875A1 · Daler · 2016 [cited by examiner]
US 20160280359A1 · Semke · 2016 [cited by examiner]
US 20160323751A1 · Priest · 2016 [cited by examiner]
US 20170291697A1 · Kornatowski · 2017 [cited by examiner]
US 20180079531A1 · Bennett · 2018 [cited by examiner]
US 20180237161A1 · Minnick · 2018 [cited by examiner]
US 20190009924A1 · Neely · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 20190369057A1 · Mattar · 2019 [cited by examiner]
US 20200174478A1 · Abdellatif · 2020 [cited by examiner]
US 20200218290A1 · Gorsica · 2020 [cited by examiner]
US 20210339845A1 · Milan · 2021 [cited by examiner]
US 20230034243A1 · Ceborahs · 2023 [cited by examiner]
CN 106965924A · 2017 [cited by applicant]
KR 20190114129A · 2019 [cited by applicant]
International Search Report issued for corresponding international patent application No. PCT/US2024/016720, mailed Jun. 13, 2024 (6 pages). [cited by applicant]
Written Opinion issued for corresponding international patent application No. PCT/US2024/016720, mailed Jun. 13, 2024 (9 pages). [cited by applicant]