Unmanned aerial vehicle landing platform systems and methods

1 . A system comprising:

a platform adapted for launching and/or landing an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), the platform comprising:

a support plate adapted to support the UAV;

a plurality of folding elements pivotably coupled to the support plate to move between closed and open positions, the closed position holding the UAV to the support plate, and the open position allowing the UAV to launch from and/or land on the support plate; and

one or more folding element actuators configured to move at least one of the plurality of folding elements from the open position to the closed position to align the UAV on the support plate; and

a logic device for controlling the one or more folding element actuators via signals to control movement of the folding elements, the logic device being configured, upon landing of the UAV, to:

selectively activate a first set of one or more of the folding element actuators to fold up a first set of the folding elements and cause the UAV to move towards a center of the support plate along a first axis; and then

selectively activate a second set of one or more of the folding element actuators to fold up a second set of one or more of the folding elements and cause the UAV to move towards the center of the support plate along a second axis transverse to the first axis.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein:

in the open position the plurality of folding elements form a landing area with the support plate; and

the folding elements and the support plate are arranged to form grooves at their intersections to interact with a landing gear of the UAV for rotating the UAV into the closed position.

3 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising an articulating arm assembly coupling one or more motors to the support plate.

4 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising:

a container, the platform secured within the container and movable between a launch position and a stowed position via a lift mechanism;

wherein the support plate is circular, and the folding elements extend out and in a predefined circumferential direction from a perimeter of the support plate;

wherein movement of the platform from the stowed position to the launch position deploys the folding elements from the closed position to the open position; and

wherein movement of the platform from the launch position to the stowed position collapses the folding elements from the open position to the closed position.

5 . The system of claim 4 , further comprising a first vehicle to which the container is mounted.

6 . A system comprising:

a container;

a platform adapted for launching and/or landing an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), the platform movable between a stowed position within the container and a deployed position, the platform comprising:

a support plate adapted to support the UAV;

a plurality of folding elements pivotably coupled to the support plate to move between closed and open positions, the closed position holding the UAV to the support plate, and the open position allowing the UAV to launch from and/or land on the support plate;

one or more platform-moving actuators to move the platform between the stowed position and the deployed position; and

one or more folding element actuators configured to move at least one of the plurality of folding elements from the open position to the closed position to align the UAV on the support plate before moving the platform into the stowed position.

7 . The system of claim 6 , further comprising:

a base plate slidably coupled to a linear track; and,

one or more motors mounted to the base plate to control a position of the support plate relative to the base plate;

wherein the one or more platform-moving actuators are configured to slide the base plate along the linear track; and

wherein the one or more folding element actuators are configured to move each of the plurality of folding elements from the open position to the closed position to align the UAV on the support plate before moving the platform into the stowed position.

8 . The system of claim 7 , further comprising:

a first lift arm coupling a first set of platform-moving actuators of the one or more platform-moving actuators to the base plate; and

a second lift arm coupling a second set of platform-moving actuators of the one or more platform-moving actuators to the base plate,

wherein each platform-moving actuator of the first set of platform-moving actuators and the second set of platform-moving actuators is a linear actuator.

9 . The system of claim 6 , further comprising:

link members between adjacent ones of the folding elements such that folding of one or more first ones of the folding elements mechanically causes folding of one or more second ones of the folding elements;

wherein at least a portion of the folding elements, when in the closed position, is adapted to trap on a feature of the UAV to hold the UAV in place on the support plate; and

wherein the system further comprises:

one or more sensors to detect the orientation of the support plate relative to the horizon; and

a logic device configured to:

control the one or more motors to align the support plate with the horizon based on the detected orientation of the support plate.

10 . A method of operating the system of claim 8 , the method comprising:

detecting an orientation of the support plate; and

adjusting, based on the detected orientation, the platform to a desired angle.

11 . A method comprising:

receiving an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) on a platform, the platform comprising:

a support plate adapted to support the UAV;

a plurality of folding elements pivotably coupled to the support plate to move between closed and open positions, the closed position holding the UAV to the support plate, and the open position allowing the UAV to launch from and/or land on the support plate; and

one or more folding element actuators configured to move at least one of the plurality of folding elements from the open position to the closed position; and

aligning the UAV on the support plate by moving two or more of the plurality of folding elements from the open position to the closed position;

wherein the aligning comprises controlling by a logic device movement of the folding elements via signals upon landing of the UAV to:

selectively activate a first set of one or more of the folding element actuators to fold up a first set of the folding elements and cause the UAV to move towards a center of the support plate along a first axis; and then

selectively activate a second set of one or more of the folding element actuators to fold up a second set of one or more of the folding elements and cause the UAV to move towards the center of the support plate along a second axis transverse to the first axis.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein;

the one or more folding element actuators are configured to move each of the plurality of folding elements from the open position to the closed position to align the UAV on the support plate before moving the platform into the closed position;

in the open position the plurality of folding elements form a landing area with the support plate; and

the folding elements and the support plate are arranged to form grooves at their intersections to interact with a landing gear of the UAV for rotating the UAV into the closed position.

13 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising:

raising the platform to a launch position via a lift mechanism; and

lowering the platform to a stowed position via the lift mechanism.

14 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising:

using one or more motors mounted to a base plate to control a position of the support plate relative to the base plate; and

using one or more platform-moving actuators to slide the base plate along a linear track.

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein using the one or more platform-moving actuators comprises:

using a first lift arm coupling a first set of platform-moving actuators of the one or more platform-moving actuators to the base plate; and

using a second lift arm coupling a second set of platform-moving actuators of the one or more platform-moving actuators to the base plate,

wherein each platform-moving actuator of the first set of platform-moving actuators and the second set of platform-moving actuators is a linear actuator.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the platform further comprises an articulating arm assembly coupling each motor of one or more motors to the support plate.

17 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the platform further comprises link members between adjacent ones of the folding elements, the method further comprising:

folding the folding elements to a closed position, wherein folding of one or more first ones of the folding elements engages the link members to mechanically cause folding of one or more second ones of the folding elements.

18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein:

at least a portion of the plurality of folding elements, when in the closed position, is adapted to trap on a feature of the UAV to hold the UAV in place on the support plate.

19 . The method of claim 17 , further comprising:

opening one or more doors of a container housing the platform to allow the raising the platform to the open position;

closing the one or more doors of the container to secure the platform stored in the container in the closed position; and

launching the UAV from the platform.

20 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising adjusting the platform by:

detecting the orientation of the support plate relative to the horizon; and

controlling one or more motors to align the support plate with the horizon based on the detected orientation of the support plate.