Power line inspection vehicle

{
  "publication_number": "US11518512B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Power line inspection vehicle",
  "abstract": "An exemplary unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) mountable to a conductor of an aerial power transmission line system includes a body having a rotor system, a motivation system attached to the body to motivate the UAV along the conductor, a battery carried by the body and electrically connected to at least one of the rotor system and the motivation system, a monitoring tool mounted with the body and an inductive coil carried by the body and in electric connection with the battery, wherein the inductive coil is configured to harvest electricity from the aerial power transmission line system and charge the battery.",
  "claims": [
    "1. An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) mountable to a conductor of an aerial power transmission line system, the UAV comprising: a body having a rotor system; a motivation system attached to the body to motivate the UAV along the conductor and comprising a single set of wheels; a battery carried by the body and electrically connected to at least one of the rotor system and the motivation system; a monitoring tool mounted with the body; and an inductive coil carried by the body and in electric connection with the battery, wherein the inductive coil extends between legs connecting the single set of wheels and is configured to harvest electricity from the aerial power transmission line system and charge the battery.",
    "2. The UAV of claim 1, wherein the single set of wheels are coaxially aligned to engage the conductor.",
    "3. The UAV of claim 2, wherein the single set of wheels are positioned above the body; and a center of gravity of the UAV is located in a same plane as the single set of wheels.",
    "4. The UAV of claim 1, wherein the motivation system comprises a first wheel and a second wheel coaxially aligned to engage the conductor, wherein the UAV has a center of gravity positioned vertically below and in a same plane as the first wheel and the second wheel; and the first wheel and the second wheel each comprising a motor electrically coupled to the battery.",
    "5. The UAV of claim 1, wherein the rotor system comprises rotor assemblies positioned below the motivation system.",
    "6. The UAV of claim 1, wherein the monitoring tool comprises a camera.",
    "7. The UAV of claim 1, wherein the body carries a controller in communication with the rotor system and the motivation system to autonomously maneuver the UAV.",
    "8. The UAV of claim 7, further comprising navigation sensors mounted with the body and in communication with the controller.",
    "9. The UAV of claim 1, wherein the single set of wheels are coaxially aligned to engage the conductor and positioned above the body, each wheel of the single set of wheels comprising a motor electrically coupled to the battery; a center of gravity of the UAV positioned below and in a same plane as the single set of wheels; and the inductive coil is positioned proximate to the single set of wheels.",
    "10. The UAV of claim 9, wherein the body carries a controller in communication with the rotor system and the motivation system to autonomously maneuver the UAV; and navigation sensors mounted with the body and in communication with the controller.",
    "11. A method of inspecting an aerial power transmission line system, the method comprising: flying an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) to a conductor of the aerial power transmission line system, the UAV comprising a body having a rotor assembly, a set of wheels coaxially aligned, and a battery; positioning the set of wheels on the conductor; inspecting the conductor with a monitoring tool; moving the UAV along the conductor; and harvesting, using a coil that extends between legs connecting the set of wheels, electricity from the aerial power transmission line system and charging the battery.",
    "12. The method of claim 11, wherein the moving the UAV along the conductor comprises driving the set of wheels.",
    "13. The method of claim 11, wherein the moving the UAV along the conductor comprises operating the rotor assembly while the set of wheels is positioned on the conductor.",
    "14. The method of claim 11, wherein the harvesting electricity comprises positioning the coil proximate to the conductor.",
    "15. The method of claim 11, wherein the moving the UAV along the conductor comprises moving the UAV along a portion of the conductor by driving the set of wheels while not operating the rotor assembly; and moving the UAV along another portion of the conductor, with the set of wheels on the conductor, by operating the rotor assembly.",
    "16. The method of claim 11, further comprising traveling past an obstruction on the conductor by operating the rotor assembly to lift the set of wheels off of the conductor on a first side of the obstruction and landing the set of wheels on the conductor on a second side of the obstruction.",
    "17. The method of claim 11, wherein the set of wheels are positioned above the body and a center of gravity of the UAV is positioned in a same plane as the set of wheels.",
    "18. The method of claim 17, further comprising traveling past an obstruction on the conductor by operating the rotor assembly to lift the set of wheels off of the conductor on a first side of the obstruction and landing the set of wheels on the conductor on a second side of the obstruction.",
    "19. The method of claim 17, wherein the moving the UAV along the conductor comprises moving the UAV up an incline by operating the rotor assembly and maintaining the set of wheels on the conductor."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "This disclosure relates in general to the field of aircraft, and more particularly, to unmanned aerial vehicles for inspecting aerial power line components.\n\nThis section provides background information to facilitate a better understanding of the various aspects of the disclosure. It should be understood that the statements in this section of this document are to be read in this light, and not as admissions of prior art.\n\nMaintenance of the electric power grid system requires constant inspection. Traditionally this inspection is performed by linemen physically traversing the power lines, access from helicopters, and use of small drones. Human inspection is dangerous, expensive, and often requires that the power lines be deactivated. Drones have limited flight times and require a human operator to be within line-of-sight, reducing the applicability of drones for power line inspections.\n\nAn exemplary unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) mountable to a conductor of an aerial power transmission line system includes a body having a rotor system, a motivation system attached to the body to motivate the UAV along the conductor, a battery carried by the body and electrically connected to at least one of the rotor system and the motivation system, a monitoring tool mounted with the body and an inductive coil carried by the body and in electric connection with the battery, wherein the inductive coil is configured to harvest electricity from the aerial power transmission line system and charge the battery.",
  "cpc": [
    "B64C 27/00",
    "B60L 5/005",
    "B60L 50/53",
    "B60L 53/126",
    "B60L 53/38",
    "B64C 2201/066",
    "B64C 2201/108",
    "B64C 2201/127",
    "B64C 39/024",
    "B64F 3/02",
    "B64U 10/14",
    "B64U 2101/26",
    "B64U 2101/31",
    "B64U 2201/10",
    "B64U 2201/20",
    "B64U 50/19",
    "B64U 50/34",
    "G01R 31/085",
    "H02G 1/02",
    "H02J 50/001",
    "H02J 50/005",
    "H04N 7/18",
    "Y02T 10/70",
    "Y02T 10/7072",
    "Y02T 90/12"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "B64F 3/02",
    "B64U 50/19",
    "B64U 50/34",
    "G01R 31/08",
    "H02G 1/02",
    "H04N 7/18"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "Textron Innovations Inc"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Kirk Landon Groninga",
    "Daniel Bryan Robertson",
    "William Benjamin Johns"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2020-01-31",
  "publication_date": "2022-12-06",
  "grant_date": "2022-12-06",
  "priority_date": "2020-01-31",
  "application_number": "US-202016778269-A",
  "family_id": "73039838",
  "cited_by_count": 6,
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}