MULTI-DRONE AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS AND METHODS OF USE

• Main Authors: Wang, Zijian, Xiong, Weifeng, Lakehal-ayat, Mohsen, Carthew, James
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 09.07.2020
• Subjects: AEROPLANES; AIRCRAFT; AVIATION; CONTROLLING; COSMONAUTICS; HELICOPTERS; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PHYSICS; REGULATING; SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES; TRANSPORTING

Exemplary embodiments described in this disclosure are generally directed to a multi-drone automotive system that includes a first drone configured to carry one or more detachable drones. The first drone, which may be referred to as a carrier drone, may be mounted upon an automobile and operated in a tethered mode of flight. The detachable drones may be launched from the carrier drone to carry out untethered flight. The carrier drone and/or the detachable drones may be used for various applications. In one example application, the carrier drone may use a first camera that is mounted upon the carrier drone, to capture a first set of images during the tethered mode of flight. A detachable drone may be launched from the carrier drone in an untethered mode of flight in order to capture a second set of images by using a second camera mounted upon the detachable drone.