Devices and methods for facilitating capture of unmanned aerial vehicles

Abstract

Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) capture devices and methods of operation are disclosed. A UAV capture device may include a netting system including a net launch device and a net, a propulsion system including a plurality of propellers coupled to one or more motors, a positioning system, a camera system, and a processing system coupled to the netting system, the propulsion system, the positioning system, and the camera system. The processing system may include logic to operate the propulsion system to autonomously navigate to a general location of a target UAV, to operate the propulsion system to pursue the target UAV, to deploy the netting system to propel the net at the target UAV, and to confirm if the target UAV is captured in the net. Other aspects, embodiments, and features are also included.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) capture device, comprising:
 a netting system including a net launch device and a net;   a propulsion system;   a capture detector including at least one of a load cell or a camera system; and   a processing system coupled to the netting system, the propulsion system, and the capture detector, the processing system comprising logic to
 deploy the netting system to propel the net at a target UAV, and 
 detect whether the netting system successfully captured the target UAV utilizing information obtained from the capture detector. 
   
     
     
         2 . The UAV capture device of  claim 1 , wherein the capture detector comprises the load cell, and wherein the processing system further comprises logic to detect whether the netting system successfully captured the target UAV utilizing information obtained from the load cell. 
     
     
         3 . The UAV capture device of  claim 1 , wherein the capture detector comprises the camera system, and wherein the processing system further comprises logic to detect whether the netting system successfully captured the target UAV utilizing information obtained from the camera system indicating an enlargement of the net after the net is propelled at the target UAV. 
     
     
         4 . The UAV capture device of  claim 1 , wherein the capture detector comprises the load cell and the camera system, and wherein the processing system further comprises logic to detect whether the netting system successfully captured the target UAV utilizing information obtained from the load cell together with information obtained from the camera system indicating an enlargement of the net.