Skydio, Inc.

Benjamin Scott Thompson

Patrick Allen Lowe

Daniel Thomas Adams

Asher Mendel Robbins-Rothman

Yevgeniy Kozlenko

Kevin Patrick Smith O'Leary

Abraham Galton Bachrach

Adam Parker Bry

Zachary Albert West

Donald Allen Severns

Justin Michael Sadowski

Josiah Timothy VanderMey

Stephen Robert McClure

David A Kalinowski

Christopher Brian Grasberger

Joseph Anthony Enke

Adam Nathan Lebovitz

Kellen James Waterman O'Rourke

Blair Williams

Logan Sweet

Matthew Joseph Donahoe

Yee Shan Woo

Dylan Matthew Callaway

Enyu Luo

Kevin Patrick Smith O′Leary

Lingyun Luo

Jesse Wyatt Hansen

Alexander David Savello

George Oliver Turvey

Stephen R Mcclure

Kevin Patrick Smith O'LEARY

Autonomous aerial vehicle technology and, more specifically, environmental illumination for autonomous unmanned aerial vehicles involves, in some embodiments, a UAV including upward-facing image capture devices, downward-facing image capture devices, one or more illumination sources, and a computer system. The computer system is configured to direct the one or more illumination sources to selectively emit light into a surrounding physical environment while the UAV is in flight, process images captured by any one or more of the plurality of upward-facing image capture devices or the plurality of downward-facing image capture devices to estimate a position and/or orientation of the aerial vehicle, generate a planned trajectory for the aerial vehicle through a physical environment based on the processing of the images, and control a propulsion system and/or flight surface of the aerial vehicle to cause the aerial vehicle to autonomously maneuver along the planned trajectory.

Environment illumination for autonomous aerial vehicles

Unmanned aerial vehicle

An apparatus that includes a controller of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), a cover, and antennas integrated into the cover and electrically connect to circuitry of the controller. The controller includes control elements configured to receive inputs. The cover is coupled to the controller and movable between a closed position, in which the control elements are covered, and an open position in which the control elements are exposed. The cover includes one or more ribs integrated into an interior surface of the cover and defining cavities of the cover. The cover also includes a conductive plane coupled to the one or more ribs that encloses the cavities.

Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) controller

A controller for an unmanned aerial vehicle may have a top portion configured to interface with a user and a bottom portion on a side opposite the top portion. A device support may be coupled to the controller. The device support may be configured to hold a portable electronic device. The device support may be movable between a closed position in which the device support is received in the bottom portion of the controller and an open position in which the device support extends away from the controller.

Controller for unmanned aerial vehicles

Embodiments are described for a stabilization system configured, in some embodiments, for stabilizing image capture from an aerial vehicle (e.g., a UAV). According to some embodiments, the stabilization systems employs both active and passive stabilization means. A passive stabilization assembly includes a counter-balanced suspension system that includes an elongated arm that extends into and is coupled to the body of a vehicle. The counter-balanced suspension system passively stabilizes a mounted device such as an image capture device to counter motion of the UAV while in use. In some embodiment the counter-balanced suspension system passively stabilizes a mounted image capture assembly that includes active stabilization means (e.g., a motorized gimbal and/or electronic image stabilization). In some embodiments, the active and passive stabilization means operate together to effectively stabilize a mounted image capture device to counter a wide range of motion characteristics.

Counter-balancing vibrations from a vehicle for stabilizing image capture

A docking system is disclosed for an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). The docking system includes a base station that is configured to receive the UAV and a pedestal that is configured to support the base station in an elevated position. The pedestal defines an interior space that is configured in correspondence with an outer contour of the base station such that the base station is positionable within the pedestal to protect the base station during nonuse.

Base stations for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and pedestals for use therewith

Aerial vehicle

An introduced autonomous aerial vehicle can include multiple cameras for capturing images of a surrounding physical environment that are utilized for motion planning by an autonomous navigation system. In some embodiments, the cameras can be integrated into one or more rotor assemblies that house powered rotors to free up space within the body of the aerial vehicle. In an example embodiment, an aerial vehicle includes multiple upward-facing cameras and multiple downward-facing cameras with overlapping fields of view to enable stereoscopic computer vision in a plurality of directions around the aerial vehicle. Similar camera arrangements can also be implemented in fixed-wing aerial vehicles.

Autonomous aerial vehicle hardware configuration

Growing community of inventors

San Carlos, CA, United States of America

Benjamin Scott Thompson