Patent ID: 9033276
Filing Date: 2015-05-19
Classification: B64C

Abstract:
1. A telescoping landing leg system comprising: an aerial vehicle capable of vertical takeoff and landing; a plurality of legs, each leg in the plurality of legs comprising nested sections, the nested sections comprising a first section fixed to the aerial vehicle and a second section slidably engaged with the first section, the second section configured to extend axially from the first section by telescoping therefrom to engage the ground when the aerial vehicle is landing; a central processing unit configured to control extension of any leg independently of any other leg in the plurality of legs and further configured to change the downward angle of each leg in the plurality of legs prior to touchdown so as to engage an uneven terrain; and a rangefinder operable using emitted energy selected from the group consisting of laser light and sound for each leg in the plurality of legs, each rangefinder connected to the central processing unit, each rangefinder configured to measure a distance between said leg and the ground while the aerial vehicle hovers above the ground.