Aerial drone and battery pack
A drone may include a drone body for carrying a battery pack. The drone may include a slide guide carried by the drone body, wherein the slide guide suspends from a surface of the drone body and creates a channel between the slide guide and the surface, and wherein the battery pack is slidable along the channel. The drone may include a slide-guide contact sensor carried on the surface of the drone body, the slide-guide contact sensor configured to detect whether the battery pack is in contact with the surface. The drone may include a connection port carried by the drone body. The drone may include a port contact sensor carried by the drone body, the port contact sensor is configured to detect whether the battery pack is slid in to the connection port.
1 . An aerial drone, comprising:
a drone body for carrying a battery pack;
a slide guide carried by the drone body, wherein the slide guide suspends from a surface of the drone body and creates a channel between the slide guide and the surface, and wherein the battery pack is slidable along the channel;
a slide-guide contact sensor carried on the surface of the drone body, the slide-guide contact sensor configured to detect whether the battery pack is in contact with the surface;
a connection port carried by the drone body; and
a port contact sensor carried by the drone body, the port contact sensor is configured to detect whether the battery pack is slid in to the connection port.
2 . The aerial drone of claim 1 , wherein the slide-guide contact sensor comprises a proximity spring configured to push a pin and break a circuit in response to compression by the battery pack.
3 . The aerial drone of claim 1 , further comprising a communication port that is configured to transmit power to the aerial drone and download data from the aerial drone.
4 . The aerial drone of claim 1 , wherein the slide-guide contact sensor and the port contact sensor are arranged in two different angles to detect contact of the battery pack in two directions.
5 . The aerial drone of claim 1 , wherein the slide guide is a bracket that is made of a metal or a plastic.
6 . The aerial drone of claim 1 , wherein the slide guide is shaped to include a series of alternating slots and ledges.
7 . The aerial drone of claim 6 , wherein the battery pack comprises tabs that are complementary to the slots of the slide guide.
8 . The aerial drone of claim 7 , wherein the ledges are configured to support at least part of a weight of the battery pack through holding the tabs of the battery pack when the battery pack is connected to the connection port.
9 . The aerial drone of claim 1 , wherein the battery pack comprises:
a temperature sensor carried inside a housing of the battery pack, the temperature sensor configured to monitor a temperature of the battery pack.
10 . The aerial drone of claim 1 , wherein the battery pack comprises:
a PCB board configured to monitor a charge level of the battery pack.
11 . The aerial drone of claim 1 , further comprising a battery latch that is spring loaded.
12 . The aerial drone of claim 11 , wherein the slide guide is configured to prevent the battery pack from moving in a first direction and the battery latch is configured to prevent battery pack from moving in a second direction.
13 . A system comprising:
a base station comprising a battery pack carrier; and
an aerial drone, the aerial drone comprising:
a drone body for carrying a battery pack;
a slide guide carried by the drone body, wherein the slide guide suspends from a surface of the drone body and creates a channel between the slide guide and the surface, and wherein the battery pack is slidable along the channel;
a slide-guide contact sensor carried on the surface of the drone body, the slide-guide contact sensor configured to detect whether the battery pack is in contact with the surface;
a connection port carried by the drone body; and
a port contact sensor carried by the drone body, the port contact sensor is configured to detect whether the battery pack is slid in to the connection port.
14 . The system of claim 13 , wherein the battery pack carrier is configured to perform a battery swap operation, and the battery swap operation comprises:
moving the battery pack towards the slide-guide contact sensor;
sliding the battery pack through the channel; and
connecting the battery pack to the connection port.
15 . The system of claim 13 , wherein the aerial drone further comprises a battery latch that is spring loaded, the slide guide is configured to prevent the battery pack from moving in a first direction and the battery latch is configured to prevent battery pack from moving in a second direction.
16 . The system of claim 13 , wherein the aerial drone comprises a communication port that is configured to transmit power to the aerial drone and download data from the aerial drone to the base station.