Drone air to ground transition system
An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) having a plurality of arms and a land/air drive assembly attached to each arm. The land/air drive assembly includes (i) a multi-speed motor assembly; (ii) a propeller having a first diameter and driven by the motor assembly at a first speed; and (iii) a ground drive wheel having a second diameter greater than the first diameter and driven by the motor assembly at a second speed slower than the first speed. A drive assembly orientation actuator is positioned between each arm and each drive assembly, wherein the orientation actuator is configured to, on command, rotate the drive assembly between a flight position and ground drive position approximately perpendicular to the flight position.
1. An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) comprising:
(a) a body with at least two extending arms;
(b) a land/air drive assembly attached to each arm, each drive assembly including:
(i) a multi-speed motor assembly;
(ii) a propeller driven by the motor assembly at a first speed, the propeller having a first diameter;
(iii) a ground drive wheel driven by the motor assembly at a second speed slower than the first speed, the ground drive wheel having a second diameter greater than the first diameter; and
(c) a drive assembly orientation servo positioned between each arm and each drive assembly, wherein the orientation servo is configured to, on command, rotate the drive assembly between a flight position and a ground drive position approximately perpendicular to the flight position.
2. The UAV of claim 1 , wherein the ground drive wheel has an inner ring space and the propeller is positioned within the inner ring space.
3. The UAV of claim 1 , wherein the multi-speed motor assembly comprises a high speed motor and a low speed motor.
4. The UAV of claim 3 , wherein the high speed motor and low speed motor have concentric drive shafts.
5. A method of operating an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), wherein the UAV comprises:
(a) a body with at least two extending arms;
(b) a land/air drive assembly attached to each arm, each drive assembly including:
(i) a multi-speed motor assembly;
(ii) a propeller driven by the motor assembly at a first speed, the propeller having a first diameter;
(iii) a ground drive wheel driven by the motor assembly at a second speed slower than the first speed, the ground drive wheel having a second diameter greater than the first diameter; and
(c) a drive assembly orientation actuator positioned between each arm and each drive assembly, wherein the orientation actuator is configured to, on command, rotate the drive assembly between a flight position and ground drive position approximately perpendicular to the flight position;
wherein the method comprises the steps of:
(d) flying the UAV to a landing location having a landing surface;
(e) positioning the UAV to a height of less than 3 feet above the landing surface;
(f) transitioning the orientation actuator to the ground drive position in less than two seconds;
(g) whereby the UAV makes a substantially unpowered decent to the landing surface.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the UAV is positioned to a height of less than 1.5 feet above the landing surface when the orientation actuator transitions.
7. The method of claim 5 , wherein the UAV includes a ground distance sensor and the ground distance sensor detects a distance to the landing surface.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the UAV includes a controller, and the controller monitors the distance to the landing surface generated by the ground distance sensor.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein at a predetermined height above the landing surface, the controller transitions the orientation actuator to the ground drive position.
10. The method of claim 5 , wherein the UAV changes its position on the landing surface by powering the ground drive wheels.
11. An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) comprising:
(a) a body with at least two extending arms;
(b) a land/air drive assembly attached to each arm, each drive assembly including:
(i) a multi-speed motor assembly;
(ii) a propeller driven by the motor assembly at a first speed, the propeller having a first diameter;
(iii) a ground drive wheel driven by the motor assembly at a second speed slower than the first speed, the ground drive wheel having a second diameter greater than the first diameter; and
(c) a drive assembly orientation actuator positioned between each arm and each drive assembly, wherein the orientation actuator is configured to, on command, rotate the drive assembly between a flight position and ground drive position approximately perpendicular to the flight position.
12. The UAV of claim 11 , wherein the drive assembly orientation actuator is a servo.
13. The UAV of claim 11 , wherein the ground drive wheel has an inner ring space and the propeller is positioned within the inner ring space.
14. The UAV of claim 11 , wherein the multi-speed motor assembly comprises a high speed motor and a low speed motor.
15. The UAV of claim 14 , wherein the high speed motor and low speed motor have concentric drive shafts.
16. The UAV of claim 11 , wherein the orientation actuator is configured to rotate from the flight position to ground drive position is less than two seconds.
17. The UAV of claim 11 , wherein the ground drive wheel includes a plurality of spokes extending from a wheel hub to a wheel rim.
18. The UAV of claim 16 , wherein a hub of the propeller and a hub of the ground drive wheel are co-centrically located on the multi-speed motor assembly.
19. The UAV of claim 11 , wherein the multi-speed motor assembly is position in a motor mount and the motor mount is connected to the orientation servo.
20. The UAV of claim 1 , wherein (i) the UAV further comprises a ground sensor and a controller, and (ii) the controller instructs the orientation servo to rotate to the ground drive position upon receiving a signal from the ground sensor.