There is disclosed an autonomous docking system for aerial delivery of a payload from a ground station. The system may comprise an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) having one or more motors for powered flight and a pyramidal bottom surface opening downward to terminate in a base perimeter. A cargo pod may be included to carry the payload and may have a pyramidal top surface complementary to the pyramidal bottom surface of the UAV. The system may further include a latching system for locking the UAV to the cargo pod and one or more steering components for approaching the cargo to within a steering accuracy. The UAV may be configured to dock by steering downward until the base perimeter slidably contacts the pyramidal top surface of the cargo pod for gravity-aligning the UAV in azimuth and laterally. The system may be further defined by a capture radius of the base perimeter being greater than a lateral component of the steering accuracy.


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    Title :

    AUTONOMOUS DOCKING SYSTEM FOR AN UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLE


    Contributors:

    Publication date :

    2023-10-05


    Type of media :

    Patent


    Type of material :

    Electronic Resource


    Language :

    English


    Classification :

    IPC:    B64U



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