IP Library Granted Patent US 10,696,414
Granted Patent B2
US 10,696,414 · App. 15/331,707 · Granted Jun 30, 2020

Aerial capture platform

Inventors: Nicholas D. Woodman (Woodside, CA); Pablo German Lema (San Mateo, CA); Seung Heon Lee (Cupertino, CA)
Assignee: GoPro, Inc.
B64D27/26B64C2201/042B64C2201/108B64C2201/127
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,696,414
App. No.
15/331,707
Granted
Jun 30, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

An unmanned aerial vehicle comprises a housing, a plurality of first arms, a plurality of second arms, and a landing gear. The housing includes a gimbal attachment to couple a gimbal with a camera. Each of the plurality of first arms and the plurality of second arms rotatably couple with the housing at one end and has a motor coupled with a propeller on the other end. The landing gear includes a plurality of foldable legs and releasably couples with an underside of the housing. The aerial vehicle may be programmed with aerial flight path data that corresponds with a prior traced route.

Claims (16)

1. An unmanned aerial vehicle structure comprising:

a housing having a front side, a rear side, a first side and a second side;

a first front arm having a length with a first end and a second end, the first end of the first front arm rotatably coupled to the first side of the housing, the second end of the first front arm having a first motor, the second end of the first front arm being rotatable towards the first side of the housing when in a closed position and being rotatable away from the first side of the housing when in an open position, the second end of the first front arm at a first elevational plane when in the closed position;

a first back arm having a length with a first end and a second end, the first end of the first back arm rotatably coupled to the first side of the housing, the second end of the first back arm having a second motor, the second end of the first back arm being rotatable towards the first side of the housing when in the closed position and being rotatable away from the first side of the housing when in the open position the second end of the first back arm at a second elevational plane when in the closed position, the second elevational plane being at a height higher than the first elevational plane to provide an offset, the offset allowing a portion of the first back arm to overlap on top of a portion of the first front arm when in the closed position;

a second front arm having a length with a first end and a second end, the first end of the second front arm rotatably coupled to the second side of the housing, the second end of the second front arm having a third motor, the second end of the second front arm being rotatable towards the second side of the housing when in the closed position and being rotatable away from the second side of the housing when in the open position, the second end of the second front arm at the first elevational plane when in the closed position; and

a second back arm having a length with a first end and a second end, the first end of the second back arm rotatably coupled to the second side of the housing, the second end of the second back arm having a fourth motor, the second end of the second back arm being rotatable towards the second side of the housing when in the closed position and being rotatable away from the second side of the housing when in the open position, the second end of the second back arm at the second elevational plane when in the closed position, the second elevational plane being at the height higher than the first elevational plane to provide the offset, the offset allowing a portion of the second back arm to overlap on top of a portion of the second front arm when in the closed position,

wherein each of the first front arm, the first back arm, the second front arm, and the second back arm has a rigid unibody construction between each respective first and second end that continues around each respective first motor, second motor, third motor, and fourth motor.

2. The unmanned aerial vehicle structure of claim 1 , wherein the second end of the first front arm and the second end of the second front arm are at a third elevational plane when in the open position, wherein the second end of the first back arm and the second end of the second back arm are at a fourth elevational plane when in the open position, wherein the fourth elevational plane is at a higher height than the third elevational plane.

3. The unmanned aerial vehicle structure of claim 1 , wherein the portion of the first front arm and the portion of the first back arm are parallel to each other when the first front arm and the first back arm are in the closed position and wherein the portion of the second front arm and the portion of the second back arm are parallel to each other when the second front arm and the second back arm are in the closed position.

4. The unmanned aerial vehicle structure of claim 1 , further comprising:

a power subsystem within the housing, the power subsystem being structured to power the unmanned aerial vehicle at a first power level to perform a system check of the unmanned aerial vehicle.

5. The unmanned aerial vehicle structure of claim 4 , wherein the power subsystem is further structured to power the unmanned aerial vehicle at a second power level in response to the system check, the second power level for powering the first motor, second motor, third motor and fourth motor.

6. The unmanned aerial vehicle structure of claim 1 , wherein in the closed position, each of the second ends of the first front arm, the first back arm, the second front arm, and the second back arm are rotated towards the front side of the housing.

7. The unmanned aerial vehicle structure of claim 6 , wherein the front side of the housing further comprises a gimbal.

8. The unmanned aerial vehicle structure of claim 6 , wherein the housing further comprises a start button located closer to the rear side of the housing than the front side of the housing.

9. The unmanned aerial vehicle structure of claim 1 , wherein each of the first front arm, first back arm, second front arm, and second back arm are removably coupled to the housing.

Assignments (6)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 4, 2025
From: GOPRO, INC.
To: FARALLON CAPITAL MANAGEMENT, L.L.C., AS AGENT
Reel/Frame 072340/0676 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 4, 2025
From: GOPRO, INC.
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS AGENT
Reel/Frame 072358/0001 →
RELEASE OF PATENT SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jan 25, 2021
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: GOPRO, INC.
Reel/Frame 055106/0434 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 19, 2020
From: GOPRO, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 054113/0594 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Feb 22, 2017
From: GOPRO, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 041777/0440 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 10, 2016
From: WOODMAN, NICHOLAS D.; LEMA, PABLO GERMAN; LEE, SEUNG HEON
To: GOPRO, INC.
Reel/Frame 040279/0454 →
Continuity (9)
Continuation In Part 29578014 · Sep 16, 2016
Continuation PCTUS2016028508 · Apr 20, 2016
Continuation In Part 29549171 · Dec 18, 2015
Continuation 29535225 · Aug 4, 2015
Provisional Application 62302114 · Mar 1, 2016
Provisional Application 62279621 · Jan 15, 2016
Provisional Application 62199356 · Jul 31, 2015
Provisional Application 62150703 · Apr 21, 2015
Related Publication 20170036771A1 · Feb 9, 2017
Cited By (3)
US 12,212,847 US 12,221,237 US 12,709,418