Granted Patent B2

US 12,434,548 · App. 18/517,784 · Granted Oct 7, 2025

Inventors: Derek Lisoski (Simi Valley, CA); Bart Dean Hibbs (Simi Valley, CA)

Assignee: AeroVironment, Inc.

B64D27/353B64U50/31G05D1/46B64U50/19

Abstract

Claims (36)

1. A system, comprising:

at least one battery pack comprising at least one battery and at least one power tracker, wherein the power tracker is configured to:

receive energy from at least one solar array; and

regulate and supply the received energy to the at least one battery based on a time of day;

wherein when the at least one battery is at or near capacity as the solar array is still capturing solar radiation, excess energy dissipated from the at least one solar array is configured to be transferred to at least one motor;

wherein the excess energy from the at least one motor is configured to ascend at least one unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) to a second altitude, and wherein the second altitude is higher than the first altitude; and

wherein power from the at least one motor is configured to descend the at least one UAV to the first altitude after the Sun has set to conserve energy stored in the at least one battery.

2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:

the at least one unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV).

3. The system of claim 2 , further comprising:

at least one solar array covering at least a portion of a surface of a wing of each UAV.

4. The system of claim 2 , wherein power from the at least one motor is configured to loiter the at least one UAV at the first altitude after the descent of the at least one UAV until the Sun rises to conserve energy stored in the at least one battery.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein loitering comprises at least one of: stopping the at least one motor of the UAV and slowing the at least one motor of the UAV.

6. The system of claim 2 , wherein a rate of ascent of the at least one UAV is greater than a rate of descent of the at least one UAV.

7. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:

the at least one solar array.

8. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:

the at least one motor of the at least one UAV, wherein the at least one battery is configured to transfer energy to the at least one motor.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein energy required to ascend from the first altitude to the second altitude is greater than energy required to descend from the second altitude to the first altitude.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the second altitude is between 10,000 feet and 15,000 feet higher than the first altitude, and wherein the first altitude is between 60,000 feet and 70,000 feet.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the second altitude is based on wind speeds at altitudes above the first altitude.

12. A method, comprising:

transferring energy stored in at least one battery to at least one motor of at least one unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), wherein the at least one UAV is at a first altitude, wherein when the at least one battery is at or near capacity as at least one solar array is still capturing solar radiation, excess energy dissipated from the at least one solar array is configured to be transferred to the at least one motor;

ascending, by the at least one UAV, via using the transferred excess energy of the at least one motor of the at least one UAV, to a second altitude, wherein the second altitude is higher than the first altitude; and

descending, by the at least one UAV, from the second altitude to the first altitude after the Sun has set to conserve energy stored in the at least one battery.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the at least one battery is at or near capacity.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the at least one battery receives power from a solar array of the UAV.

15. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:

loitering, by the at least one UAV, at the first altitude until the Sun rises to conserve energy stored in the at least one battery.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein loitering at the first altitude comprises:

stopping the at least one motor of the at least one UAV.

17. The method of claim 12 , wherein loitering at the first altitude comprises:

slowing the at least one motor of the at least one UAV.

18. The method of claim 12 , wherein the second altitude is between 10,000 feet and 15,000 feet higher than the first altitude, and wherein the first altitude is between 60,000 feet and 70,000 feet.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the second altitude is based on wind speeds at altitudes above the first altitude.

20. The method of claim 12 , wherein a rate of ascent of the at least one UAV is greater than a rate of descent of the at least one UAV.

Assignments (2)

Continuity (5)

References Cited (204)