# How Drones Land and Charge Automatically on a Smart Base Station > This patent describes a smart base station for drones that uses moving parts to guide a drone into place for charging and secure storage. - **Patent:** US 12735210 - **Original title:** Landing and alignment of an unmanned aerial vehicle with a base station - **Granted:** 2026 - **Status:** Active - **Times cited:** 0 - **Field:** aerospace, consumer_electronics, software, mechanical ## What it does This patent describes a base station designed to automatically land and charge an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). The base station includes a landing platform that can change its shape, featuring 'alignment members' that move. These members can extend outwards and retract inwards, driven by a 'drive mechanism'. As the alignment members retract, they physically 'engage the UAV', guiding it precisely. This process ensures that the drone's power source lines up perfectly with the base station's 'charging hub' for recharging, and also allows for the 'proper closure of the base station' to secure the drone. For example, a delivery drone returning from a mission would approach the base station, which then uses its moving arms to gently pull the drone into the exact position for charging and safe storage. ## What it does NOT cover - Does not cover base stations that only use static, non-moving structures for drone alignment. - Does not cover systems where the drone itself performs all final alignment without physical engagement from the base station. - Does not cover base stations that facilitate charging but lack a mechanism for proper closure after the drone is docked. - Does not cover charging systems that do not involve a physical alignment of a power source on the drone with a charging hub on the base station. ## The clever bit The clever part is the dynamic, physical alignment mechanism that not only guides the drone for charging but also ensures the base station can close securely, addressing both power connection and physical protection in one integrated system. ## Real-world examples 1. Drone delivery hubs for services like Amazon Prime Air 2. Automated inspection drone stations for industrial sites 3. Security drone charging pads in remote locations 4. Agricultural drone docking stations for field operations ## Why it matters This technology is important for making drone operations fully autonomous, especially for tasks like package delivery or infrastructure inspection where drones need to land, recharge, and redeploy without human help. It ensures reliable charging and secure storage, which are critical for scaling drone services. By automating the precise docking process, it reduces the need for human intervention, making drone fleets more efficient and cost-effective. ## Frequently asked questions ### What does How Drones Land and Charge Automatically on a Smart Base Station cover? This patent describes a smart base station for drones that uses moving parts to guide a drone into place for charging and secure storage. ### When does this patent expire? This patent is expected to expire on September 15, 2046, when the invention enters the public domain. ### What problem does this patent solve? This technology is important for making drone operations fully autonomous, especially for tasks like package delivery or infrastructure inspection where drones need to land, recharge, and redeploy without human help. It ensures reliable charging and secure storage, which are critical for scaling drone services. By automating the precise docking process, it reduces the need for human intervention, making drone fleets more efficient and cost-effective. ### What does this patent NOT cover? Does not cover base stations that only use static, non-moving structures for drone alignment. **Full plain-English explainer:** https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/12735210/landing-and-alignment-of-an-unmanned-aerial-vehicle-with-a-base-station **Original patent:** https://patents.google.com/patent/US12735210 --- _Source: PatentBrief — https://patentbrief.org. Patent facts are from public records; the plain-English explanation is PatentBrief's._ ## Related patents Semantically similar inventions in the PatentBrief corpus: - [How a Drone Flies Ahead of a Moving Ground or Water Vehicle](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/20180321681/leading-drone-method) — This patent describes a method where an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) flies ahead of a mobile base station, like a boat or ground vehicle, by predicting the base station's future path and scouting the area in advance. - [How Delivery Drones Self-Calibrate and Pass Safety Checks Before Takeoff](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/11858662/starlink-aviation) — A system for automated drone maintenance stations that check if a drone is safe to fly by verifying its GPS, weight, and physical condition without human help. - [How a Drone Can Fly Ahead of a Moving Vehicle](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/10133281/leading-drone-system) — This patent describes a system where a drone flies a non-linear path, deliberately spaced from a moving ground or water vehicle, using the vehicle's future path information to stay ahead or in a specific relative position. - [How a Boat Guides Air and Underwater Drones for Data Collection](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/10317904/underwater-leading-drone-system) — This patent describes a system where a watercraft follows a planned route, guiding an aerial drone that stays a fixed distance ahead, which in turn tows a tethered underwater drone to collect combined air and sea data. - [How Airport Vehicles Automatically Park Safely Next to Airplanes](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/11932418/starship-propellant-transfer) — A smart navigation system that helps airport service vehicles like catering trucks park safely at aircraft doors by identifying targets and avoiding restricted zones.