Patent landscapes › Electronics & gadgets
Is a drone patented?
Short answer: specific designs of a drone have been patented many times, but "a drone" as a general idea is not what is protected. What matters is the exact combination of features in your version.
What our index shows
- 8,465 US and WO patent publications since 2000 have a title matching “drone” or a close variant (our index of 9.7 million patent families; one publication per family).
- Among the 1036 best keyword matches we examined, 765 were published in 2020 or later, and the earliest was published in 2006.
- Most frequent assignees in those matches: IBM (30), PARROT DRONES (20), ETAK SYSTEMS LLC (16), NILEWORKS INC (15).
- Most common patent classes (CPC subclasses): B64U (809), B64C (460), B64D (269), G05D (246).
Counts come from keyword matching on titles and abstracts, so they are indicative, not a legal count. Some matches are different products that share a word.
14 real patent publications related to a drone
- Coaxial rotor pair assembly with variable collective pitch rotor / propeller for flight vehicle or drone US-12643693-B2 2026 · TOOFON INC
A coaxial rotor pair assembly, e.g., for a flight vehicle or drone, with a fixed-pitch rotor and a variable-pitch rotor that are axially spaced relative to one another on a rotor axis for rotation via rotor shafts. A first motor a…
View on Google Patents - Hybrid aerial hydro drone US-2026077843-A1 2026 · MOHIDEEN FARLIN ANOOZ
A hybrid aerial hydro drone includes a body with a plurality of hydraulic thrusters supported on an outer surface of the body and configured to propel the body in a marine environment. The drone also includes a plurality of rotor …
View on Google Patents - Personal aerial vehicle or drone with improved propeller units WO-2025032421-A1 2025 · INTERACTIVE FULLY ELECTRICAL VEHICLES S R L
A personal aerial vehicle, or drone, comprises front wings (W) and rear wings (R) in which there are integrated annular propeller units (P), having substantially vertical axes of rotation, for the sustainment of the aerial vehicle…
View on Google Patents - Collective-pitch adjustment mechanism for variable-pitch propeller or rotor utilized in a flight vehicle or drone and method for shaping noise profile US-2024286735-A1 2024 · TOOFON INC
A collective pitch adjustment mechanism for a variable-pitch rotor that has blades for rotation about a rotor axis, e.g., for a flight vehicle or drone, via a motor. The mechanism has a servo actuator and a bearing cage for blade …
View on Google Patents - Aircraft, in particular a drone or an aircraft for personal air mobility, with high efficiency propeller rotors US-11945610-B2 2024 · INTERACTIVE FULLY ELECTRICAL VEHICLES S R L
A drone or an aircraft for personal air mobility includes at least one horizontal planar structure having four ducted propeller rotors with vertical axis, which are substantially coplanar with each other. Each of the rotors has a …
View on Google Patents - Unmanned aerial vehicle and self-destruct drone operating system including same US-2024034488-A1 2024 · DARTS CO LTD
The present invention relates to an unmanned aerial vehicle and a self-destruct drone operating system including the same, and according to an unmanned aerial vehicle related to one example of the present invention and a self-dest…
View on Google Patents - Removing aerial camera drones from a primary camera's field of view US-11240434-B2 2022 · IBM
A method of removing a mobile airborne device from a field of view of a primary camera. A sensor associated with a primary camera detects a mobile airborne device within a field of view of the primary camera, where a three-dimensi…
View on Google Patents - Autonomous Multifunctional Aerial Drone US-2022100208-A1 2022 · KARBASI ARDAVAN
An apparatus and methods are provided for an unmanned aerial vehicle that uses artificial intelligence for performing desired tasks without operator intervention. The unmanned aerial vehicle comprises a multi-rotor UAV for aerial …
View on Google Patents - Multi-rotor aerial drone with vapor chamber US-10405463-B2 2019 · QUALCOMM INC
A quad-rotor or other unmanned aerial drone having a planar vapor chamber mounted to a processor of the drone to cool the processor. The processor may be enclosed in a protective central housing. The vapor chamber is mounted, in s…
View on Google Patents - Surveillance drone including gas-filled container and propellers for aerial mobility US-10486788-B2 2019 · AVIGILON CORP
A surveillance drone is disclosed. The surveillance drone includes a gas-filled container and propellers for aerial mobility. The surveillance drone also includes an electronic surveillance sensing device positioned below the gas-…
View on Google Patents - Multi-rotor aerial drone with thermal energy harvesting US-2019061970-A1 2019 · QUALCOMM INC
Some features pertain to a quad-rotor or other aerial drone having a thermoelectric generator (TEG) for harvesting waste heat from a processor of the drone. The TEG is positioned, in some examples, with its inner metal electrode c…
View on Google Patents - Drone noise reduction via simultaneous propeller modulation WO-2018005472-A1 2018 · AMAZON TECH INC
Techniques for using an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) to deliver a payload while generating an expected sound by the UAV during delivery may be provided. For example, during delivery or while in flight, propellers of different siz…
View on Google Patents - Amphibious vtol super drone camera in mobile case (phone case) with multiple aerial and aquatic flight modes for capturing panoramic virtual reality views, selfie and interactwe video WO-2017208199-A1 2017 · ZHOU TIGER
A mobile case system is provided. The mobile case system may include a case for a control device and a headset worn by a user. The case may enclose the control device and may include an expandable body, propellers disposed in the …
View on Google Patents - Amphibious vtol super drone camera in a mobile case (phone case) with multiple aerial and aquatic flight modes for capturing panoramic virtual reality views, selfie and interactive video US-2016286128-A1 2016 · ZHOU DYLAN TX
A mobile case system comprising a real time broadcast stream recording; an unmanned aerial vehicle; a camera stabilization device; a camera movement device; one or more onboard cameras providing real-time first-person video and re…
View on Google Patents
What this means for your idea
Because patents cover specific combinations of features, the useful question is not “has a drone been patented?” but “has my combination of features been described before?” Consumer electronics are among the most heavily patented areas; the specific circuit, mounting, or interaction is what distinguishes a design.
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Guides that help with this
First-look landscape. Not exhaustive. Not legal advice. This page lists keyword-matched publications from a limited database; it does not say whether any product is or isn't covered by a patent, whether a patent is still in force, or whether your idea is patentable. Consult a registered patent attorney or agent.