Granted Patent B2

US 12,735,210 · App. 19/090,828 · Granted Sep 15, 2026

Inventors: Patrick Allen Lowe (Palo Alto, CA); Christopher C. Berthelet (Sunnyvale, CA); Maximilian Joseph Halper Krogius (San Mateo, CA); Divyanshu Pachisia (San Francisco, CA); Philipp Foehn (Foster City, CA); Benjamin Scott Thompson (San Carlos, CA); Yee Shan Woo (Campbell, CA); Joseph Tankeh (Fremont, CA); Andrew Xu (San Francisco, CA)

Assignee: Skydio, Inc.

B64U70/97B64U50/37B64U70/50B64U80/25B64U80/70B64F1/35B64U10/14B64U70/92B64U70/95B64U70/99

Abstract

Claims (41)

1 . A base station for an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), the base station comprising:

a roof; and

a base supporting the roof, wherein the base includes:

a body; and

a landing platform supported by the body, wherein the landing platform includes:

a stage defining landing areas configured to receive the UAV during docking such that the UAV is movable within the landing areas; and

a single pair of alignment members configured for engagement with the UAV, wherein the alignment members are repositionable in relation to the stage from an extended position into a retracted position to thereby reposition the UAV on the landing platform and inhibit contact between the UAV and the roof during closure of the roof.

2 . The base station of claim 1 , wherein the landing platform is pivotably connected to the body such that the landing platform is repositionable between a closed position and an open position.

3 . The base station of claim 1 , wherein the landing areas define depressions extending vertically into the stage.

4 . The base station of claim 3 , wherein the depressions are generally circular in configuration and are configured to receive legs of the UAV.

5 . The base station of claim 1 , wherein the alignment members are positioned laterally outward of the landing areas in the extended position.

6 . The base station of claim 1 , wherein the alignment members include:

fences spanning the landing areas; and

projections extending laterally inward from the fences.

7 . The base station of claim 6 , wherein the projections are generally centered along the fences.

8 . The base station of claim 6 , wherein the projections are generally triangular in configuration.

9 . The base station of claim 6 , wherein the projections define bearing surfaces configured for engagement with the UAV.

10 . The base station of claim 9 , wherein the bearing surfaces subtend an angle therebetween substantially within a range of approximately 90 degrees to approximately 150 degrees whereby the projections urge the UAV outwardly towards a periphery of the landing platform upon contact therewith during repositioning of the alignment members from the extended position into the retracted position.

11 . A base station for an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), the base station comprising:

a body;

a charging hub supported by the body and configured for electrical connection to the UAV to facilitate charging thereof; and

a landing platform supported by the body, wherein the landing platform includes:

a stage including:

depressions configured to receive the UAV to thereby inhibit movement of the UAV in relation to the landing platform such that the UAV is movable within the depressions; and

a window generally aligned with the charging hub; and

a single pair of alignment members configured for engagement with the UAV, wherein the alignment members are repositionable in relation to the stage from an extended position into a retracted position to thereby generally align a power source on the UAV with the charging hub.

12 . The base station of claim 11 , wherein the landing platform further includes:

fiducials configured to facilitate landing of the UAV.

13 . The base station of claim 12 , wherein the fiducials include:

at least one first fiducial having a first configuration; and

at least one second fiducial having a second configuration different than the first configuration.

14 . The base station of claim 13 , wherein the at least one first fiducial is positioned within at least one of the depressions.

15 . The base station of claim 14 , wherein the at least one second fiducial is positioned between the depressions.

16 . The base station of claim 15 , wherein the landing platform further includes:

at least one light source associated with the at least one first fiducial and the at least one second fiducial to facilitate backlighting thereof.

17 . The base station of claim 16 , wherein the fiducials further include at least one third fiducial devoid of backlighting.

18 . A base station for an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), the base station comprising:

a charging hub configured for electrical connection to the UAV, wherein the charging hub is repositionable between an extended position and a retracted position; and

a landing platform configured to receive the UAV, wherein the landing platform is reconfigurable from a first configuration into a second configuration to thereby generally align the UAV with the charging hub and facilitate charging of the UAV.

19 . The base station of claim 18 , wherein the landing platform includes a single pair of alignment members repositionable along an axis extending in generally orthogonal relation to a landing direction of the UAV during reconfiguration of the landing platform from the first configuration into the second configuration.

20 . The base station of claim 19 , wherein the alignment members are movable laterally inward towards each other during reconfiguration of the landing platform from the first configuration into the second configuration.

Assignments (1)

Continuity (2)

References Cited (400)