IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,246,866
Granted Patent B2
US 12,246,866 · App. 18/037,686 · Granted Mar 11, 2025

Drone port

Inventors: Toru Kojima (Tokyo, JP); Satoshi Mori (Tokyo, JP); Shinya Kunii (Aichi, JP); Shinichi Maki (Aichi, JP); Katsumi Takagi (Tokyo, JP); Tetsuya Nagasawa (Aichi, JP)
Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
B64U70/99B64U10/17B64U70/00B64U70/93B64U70/95B64U2101/30
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,246,866
App. No.
18/037,686
Granted
Mar 11, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A drone port is portable to be disposed on a landing surface for a drone and includes a covering section configured to cover the landing surface and provided with markers of different sizes. The covering section includes a restraining section configured to restrain the drone on the covering section. The restraining section includes a first hook-and-loop fastener disposed on the covering section. The first hook-and-loop fastener is configured to join with a second hook-and-loop fastener configured to be disposed on the drone.

Claims (27)

1. A drone port that is portable to be disposed on a landing surface for a drone, the drone port comprising:

a covering section configured to cover the landing surface and provided with a first marker and a second marker,

wherein the covering section includes:

a restraining section configured to restrain the drone on the covering section;

covering pieces that are divided; and

a coupling member which couples at least two of the covering pieces,

wherein:

the second marker is larger than the first marker;

the first marker is disposed on a single one of the covering pieces; and

the second marker is defined by at least two of the covering pieces.

2. The drone port according to claim 1 , wherein the restraining section is configured to join a top surface of the covering section to a contact surface of the drone through surface attachment.

3. The drone port according to claim 1 , wherein through holes are defined in the covering section.

4. The drone port according to claim 1 , wherein the restraining section includes at least one hook-and-loop fastener disposed on the covering section.

5. The drone port according to claim 4 , wherein the at least one hook-and-loop fastener is disposed over an entire surface of the covering section and defines the first marker and the second marker.

6. The drone port according to claim 4 , wherein the covering section further includes a flat plate joined to the at least one hook-and-loop fastener and configured to be disposed between the at least one hook-and-loop fastener and the landing surface.

7. The drone port according to claim 6 , wherein the flat plate includes a groove configured to serve as a drainage channel.

8. A drone port that is portable to be disposed on a landing surface for a drone, the drone port comprising:

a port sheet configured to cover the landing surface and provided with markers of different sizes; and

through holes defined in the port sheet to suppress flapping of the port sheet,

wherein respective sizes of the through holes are configured to allow a landing position to be captured by image processing of the markers.

9. The drone port according to claim 8 , further comprising:

a weight disposed in a peripheral portion of the port sheet; and

an accommodating section disposed on the port sheet to accommodate the weight.

10. The drone port according to claim 8 , further comprising a buffer sheet configured to be disposed between the port sheet and the landing surface to absorb impact caused by landing of the drone.

11. The drone port according to claim 8 , wherein the port sheet is made of tarpaulin.

12. The drone port according to claim 8 , wherein respective sizes of the through holes in a central portion of the port sheet are smaller than respective sizes of the through holes in a peripheral portion of the port sheet.

13. The drone port according to claim 8 , wherein the through holes are defined only in a peripheral portion of the port sheet.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 9, 2023
From: KOJIMA, TORU; MORI, SATOSHI; KUNII, SHINYA; MAKI, SHINICHI; TAKAGI, KATSUMI; NAGASAWA, TETSUYA
To: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
Reel/Frame 063910/0523 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2020-193602 · Nov 20, 2020 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20240017859A1 · Jan 18, 2024
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