Drone Slices, Dices, and Makes Julienne Fries

Simultaneously competing in the category of Most Versatile and Narrowest Patent, this latest patent application throws the proverbial Kitchen Sink into the drone world. Basing its priority on a 2002 Provisional patent application, having gone through not one, not two, but seventeen Continuation patent applications, this application is a testament to how not to use the patent system.

At its core, it’s a good invention: a drone with a built-in parachute, tiltable propellers, waterproof body, GPS module, and claws. “Ambitious” does not do this invention justice, but if it is indeed operational, this is the only drone you will really need.

Here is some of the patent application:

“Provided is an amphibious vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) unmanned device. The amphibious VTOL unmanned device may include a modular and expandable waterproof body, a chassis, an outer body shell comprising one or more pieces, and a propulsion system selected from a coaxial propulsion system and a single-axis propulsion system. The propulsion system may comprise a plurality of motors and propellers associated with the plurality of motors. The propellers may be selected from clockwise propellers, counterclockwise propellers, and variable pitch propellers. The amphibious VTOL unmanned device may further include a propeller protection system, a surface skidding material platform, a landing system that conforms to a landing surface, one or more control surfaces selected from a group comprising: a rudder, an aileron, a flap, and elevator, a ballast selected from a permanently fixed ballast and a detachable ballast, an onboard air compressor, an onboard electrolysis system, at least one waterproof through-body wire or antenna feed-through, a single- or multiple-axis tilt-motor device, a tilt fuselage device, and a tilt wing device, a battery. A shape of the battery may conform to an interior profile of the modular and expandable waterproof body, a power distribution board one or more of the following: a flight controller, electronic speed controllers, a buzzer, an on screen display telemetry device, a video transmitter, and a radio control receiver. The board may act as the chassis of the system. Furthermore, the amphibious VTOL unmanned device may include a Global Positioning System module, a lost model alert, a cooling device comprising at least one heat sink, fan, or duct, a detachable impact absorbing skin or shell, vision aiding and orientative lights, wherein the vision aiding and orientative lights include light emitting diodes, one or more hatches, quick connect payloads, a lap counter for racing, a flat or inclined launch platform or footing, one or more claws with at least one degree of freedom, an apparatus for externally attaching a cargo and internally housing the cargo, a charging station for multiple batteries, the charging station comprising a fireproof bunker, a partial vacuum device configured to perform cooling and increase buoyancy, a manually or automatically deployable parachute, and an onboard or ground station electricity generator comprising a plurality of solar cells, one or more wind turbines, and one or more hydroelectric generators.”

Yup, a hydroelectric generator. Claim 1 is also an example how not to draft a patent claim. In the patent world, this is called a “shopping list” claim, the least-desirable claim you want to have in your patent. Why? In broad strokes, if you take away ONE element listed in the claim and have a working invention, you are not infringing the claim, thus not infringing the patent. For example, if my copycat invention does not have a ‘lap counter for racing’, but everything else, I may not be infringing this patent.

Claim 1. An amphibious vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) unmanned device comprising: a modular and expandable waterproof body; a chassis; an outer body shell comprising one or more pieces; a propulsion system selected from a coaxial propulsion system and a single-axis propulsion system, the propulsion system comprises a plurality of motors and propellers associated with the plurality of motors, wherein the propellers are selected from clockwise propellers, counterclockwise propellers, and variable pitch propellers, wherein the propellers include at least a multi-blade ducted fan; a propeller protection system; at least one wing; a surface skidding material platform; a landing system that conforms to a landing surface; one or more control surfaces selected from a group comprising: a rudder, an aileron, a flap, and elevator; a ballast selected from a permanently fixed ballast and a detachable ballast; an onboard air compressor; an onboard electrolysis system; at least one waterproof through-body wire or antenna feed-through; a single- or multiple-axis tilt-motor device; a tilt fuselage device; a tilt wing device; a door connected to the modular and expandable waterproof body, wherein the door is selected from a gull wing door and a falcon wing door; at least one tilt rotor device embedded into the door; a battery, wherein a shape of the battery conforms to an interior profile of the modular and expandable waterproof body; a power distribution board comprising one or more of the following: a flight controller, electronic speed controllers, a buzzer, an on screen display telemetry device, a video transmitter, and a radio control receiver, wherein the power distribution board acts as the chassis; a first rotor operable to rotate about a first axis and tilt about a second axis between a helicopter mode and an aeroplane mode, wherein the first rotor comprises a shaft operable to rotate about the first axis and tilt about the second axis between the helicopter mode and the aeroplane mode; the first axis being transversal to a longitudinal direction of the amphibious VTOL unmanned device in the helicopter mode and being substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction in the aeroplane mode; a second rotor operatively connected to the shaft of the first rotor; an electrical power storage device; an electrical machine comprising a stator electrically connected to the electrical power storage device, wherein the electrical machine acts as an electric motor for driving rotation of the first rotor by using the electrical power storage device, and wherein the electrical machine acts as an electrical power generator for re-charging the electrical power storage device by causing the rotation of the second rotor under action of a wind current; a Global Positioning System (GPS) module; a lost model alert; a cooling device comprising at least one heat sink, fan, or duct; a detachable impact absorbing skin or shell; vision aiding and orientative lights, wherein the vision aiding and orientative lights include light emitting diodes; one or more hatches; quick connect payloads; a lap counter for racing; a flat or inclined launch platform or footing; one or more claws with at least one degree of freedom; an apparatus for externally attaching a cargo and internally housing the cargo; a charging station for multiple batteries, the charging station comprising a fireproof bunker; a partial vacuum device configured to perform cooling and increase buoyancy; a manually or automatically deployable parachute; an onboard or ground station electricity generator comprising a plurality of solar cells, one or more wind turbines, and one or more hydroelectric generators; a 3D or 4D printed parts; a carbon fiber hybrid solar cells; a light detection and ranging lidar; and an ultrasonic radar sensor; wherein at least one motor of the plurality of motors includes a solar turbine powered master impeller motor disposed centrally in the device, solar turbine powered master impeller motor comprising an electric-drive impeller contained in a compression chamber and having an axis of rotation oriented perpendicularly to an axis of the device, the solar turbine powered master impeller motor being powered by a solar film, the solar film being integrated on an upper surface of the device, a lower surface of the device, and the at least one wing of the device, and the solar turbine powered master impeller motor being powered by the electrical power storage device; wherein the at least one wing includes a left forward swept wing and a right forward swept wing, the left forward swept wing and the right forward swept wing being mounted on the chassis, wherein the propellers further include a first brushless ducted fan and a second brushless ducted fan integrated left and right of the chassis, the first brushless ducted fan and the second brushless ducted fan being powered by the solar film, the first brushless ducted fan and the second brushless ducted fan being associated with a brushless electric motor operable to spin the electric-drive impeller to provide at least one air accelerator ring with compressed forced air thrust.

Title: “AMPHIBIOUS VERTICAL TAKEOFF AND LANDING UNMANNED SYSTEM AND FLYING CAR WITH MULTIPLE AERIAL AND AQUATIC FLIGHT MODES FOR CAPTURING PANORAMIC VIRTUAL REALITY VIEWS, INTERACTIVE VIDEO AND TRANSPORTATION WITH MOBILE AND WEARABLE APPLICATION”

US Patent Application No: 20160114887

Filed (US prov): Oct. 1, 2002

Published: April 28, 2016

Applicant: Zhou, Dylan