COLLECTIVE UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLE CONFIGURATIONS

摘要

This disclosure describes a collective UAV in which multiple UAVs may be coupled together to form the collective UAV. A collective UAV may be used to aerially transport virtually any size, weight or quantity of items, travel longer distances, etc. For example, rather than using one large UAV to carry a larger or heavier item, multiple smaller UAVs may couple together to form a collective UAV that is used to carry the larger or heavier item.

主权项

1. A collective unmanned aerial vehicle (“UAV”), comprising:
a first UAV, including:
a first motor and a second motor;a first propeller coupled to the first motor;a second propeller coupled to the second motor;a first UAV control system configured to provide rotational speed instructions to each of the first motor and the second motor;a first power module configured to provide power to at least one of the first UAV control system, the first motor, or the second motor;a first connection component configured to connect the first UAV with a second UAV; the second UAV removably coupled to the first UAV, including:
a third motor and a fourth motor;a third propeller coupled to the third motor;a fourth propeller coupled to the fourth motor;a second connection component configured to couple the second UAV with the first UAV;a second power module configured to provide power to at least one of a second UAV control system, the third motor, or the fourth motor;the second UAV control system configured to provide rotational speed instructions to each of the third motor and the fourth motor, wherein the second UAV control system is further configured to at least:
receive first UAV configuration information from the first UAV;determine a collective UAV configuration based at least in part on the first UAV configuration and a second UAV configuration for the second UAV;determine a rotational speed for the third motor, wherein the rotational speed is determined based at least in part on the collective UAV configuration; andsend a rotational speed instruction to the third motor to adjust the rotational speed of the third motor.