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The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.

The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.

Patent No.:

US 12365494 B1

PDFFull Text
Date of Patent:
Jul. 22, 2025

Filed:

May. 24, 2024

Flying vehicle systems and methods

Applicant:

Workhorse Group Inc., Loveland, OH (US);

Inventors:

Jay Ratajczak, Maineville, OH (US);

Wei Wei, Mason, OH (US);

Haonan Zhang, Mason, OH (US);

Thaddeus Bort, Loveland, OH (US);

Scott Wilson, Maineville, OH (US);

Assignee:

Workhorse Group Inc., Loveland, OH (US);

Attorney:

Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP

Primary Examiner:

Medhat Badawi

Int. Cl.
CPC ...
B64F 1/36 (2024.01); B60L 5/36 (2006.01); B60L 50/60 (2019.01); B60L 53/14 (2019.01); B60L 53/80 (2019.01); B64C 1/06 (2006.01); B64C 1/30 (2006.01); B64C 25/00 (2006.01); B64C 39/02 (2023.01); B64D 1/10 (2006.01); B64D 1/12 (2006.01); B64D 1/22 (2006.01); B64D 27/24 (2006.01); B64D 31/00 (2006.01); B64D 41/00 (2006.01); B64F 1/32 (2006.01); B64U 10/13 (2023.01); B64U 10/14 (2023.01); B64U 20/70 (2023.01); B64U 30/20 (2023.01); B64U 50/13 (2023.01); B64U 50/19 (2023.01); B64U 60/50 (2023.01); B64U 70/90 (2023.01); B66D 1/48 (2006.01); G05D 1/00 (2006.01); G05D 1/46 (2024.01); G05D 1/606 (2024.01); G05D 1/689 (2024.01); G08G 5/55 (2025.01); G08G 5/57 (2025.01); B64D 45/00 (2006.01); B64U 50/37 (2023.01); B64U 70/00 (2023.01); B64U 80/70 (2023.01); B64U 80/86 (2023.01); B64U 101/60 (2023.01); B64U 101/69 (2023.01);
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
B64F 1/364 (2013.01); B60L 5/36 (2013.01); B60L 50/66 (2019.02); B60L 53/14 (2019.02); B60L 53/80 (2019.02); B64C 1/061 (2013.01); B64C 1/30 (2013.01); B64C 25/001 (2013.01); B64C 39/024 (2013.01); B64D 1/10 (2013.01); B64D 1/12 (2013.01); B64D 1/22 (2013.01); B64D 27/24 (2013.01); B64D 31/00 (2013.01); B64D 41/00 (2013.01); B64F 1/32 (2013.01); B64U 10/13 (2023.01); B64U 10/14 (2023.01); B64U 20/70 (2023.01); B64U 30/20 (2023.01); B64U 50/13 (2023.01); B64U 50/19 (2023.01); B64U 60/50 (2023.01); B64U 70/90 (2023.01); B66D 1/48 (2013.01); G05D 1/0094 (2013.01); G05D 1/101 (2013.01); G05D 1/106 (2019.05); G05D 1/46 (2024.01); G05D 1/606 (2024.01); G05D 1/689 (2024.01); G08G 5/55 (2025.01); G08G 5/57 (2025.01); B60L 2200/10 (2013.01); B64D 2045/0085 (2013.01); B64U 50/37 (2023.01); B64U 70/00 (2023.01); B64U 80/70 (2023.01); B64U 80/86 (2023.01); B64U 2101/60 (2023.01); B64U 2101/69 (2023.01); B64U 2201/10 (2023.01); B64U 2201/20 (2023.01);
Abstract

A method according to certain embodiments generally involves operating a system including an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and a base station. The base station includes a nest including an upper opening having an upper opening diameter and a lower opening having a lower opening diameter less than the upper opening diameter. The lower opening is accessible from within the base station. The method generally includes landing the UAV within the nest such that a portion of the UAV is accessible via the lower opening, releasably attaching a load to the UAV, and operating the UAV to deliver the load to a destination.

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