Electricity generation in automated aerial vehicles

• US 10,065,745 B1
• Filed: 12/05/2016
• Issued: 09/04/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Beckman, Brian C., Navot, Amir, Buchmueller, Daniel, Kimchi, Gur, Hensel, Fabian, Green, Scott A., Porter, Brandon William, Rault, Severan Sylvain Jean-Michel
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Cuong H
• Application Number:
  US15/369,527
• Time in Patent Office: 638 Days
• Field of Search: 701468-469, 701 2- 3, 244190, 244 1711, 244 6, 244 1717, 244 53 R, 244 1719, 244 1713, 244 1727, 244 1723, 244 55- 56, 318140
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 27/08 with two or more rotors
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 27/14 Direct drive between power plant and rotor hub
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 27/52 Tilting of rotor bodily relative to fuselage of see-saw type construction B64C27/43
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 35/02 specially adapted for specific power plants
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/13 Flying platforms
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/16 with five or more distinct rotor axes, e.g. octocopters
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 20/65 Composite materials
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/60 for transporting passengers; for transporting goods other than weapons
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/20 Rotors; Rotor supports
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/29 Constructional aspects of rotors or rotor supports; Arrangements thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/19 using electrically powered motors
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/34 In-flight charging photovoltaics B64U50/31
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/39 Battery swapping
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0005 with arrangements to save energy
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0034 Assembly of a flight plan

Abstract

This disclosure describes a system and method for operating an automated aerial vehicle wherein the battery life may be extended by performing one or more electricity generation procedures on the way to a destination (e.g., a delivery location for an item). In various implementations, the electricity generation procedure may include utilizing an airflow to rotate one or more of the propellers of the automated aerial vehicle so that the associated propeller motors will generate electricity (e.g., which can be utilized to recharge the battery, power one or more sensors of the automated aerial vehicle, etc.). In various implementations, the airflow may consist of a wind, or may be created by the kinetic energy of the automated aerial vehicle as it moves through the air (e.g., as part of a normal flight path and/or as part of an aerial maneuver).

Claims

1. An automated aerial vehicle, comprising:

a plurality of motors, each motor coupled to a propeller and configured to rotate the propeller;

a power supply connected to the plurality of motors and configured to provide electricity to the plurality of motors;

an inventory engagement mechanism for engagement and transport of items; and

a control system, comprising;

one or more processors; and

a memory coupled to the one or more processors and storing program instructions that when executed by the one or more processors cause the one or more processors to at least;

control the plurality of motors to fly the automated aerial vehicle along a flight path to travel to a destination;

determine a first location along the flight path where the automated aerial vehicle may execute a first electricity generation procedure that includes utilizing a first relative airflow at the first location to rotate a propeller to generate electricity from the motor that is coupled to the propeller;

determine a second location along the flight path where the automated aerial vehicle may execute a second electricity generation procedure that includes utilizing a second relative airflow at the second location to rotate a propeller to generate electricity from the motor that is coupled to the propeller;

receive a first communication indicating a first condition at the first location, wherein the first condition is related to the first relative airflow at the first location;

receive a second communication indicating a second condition at the second location, wherein the second condition is related to the second relative airflow at the second location;

based at least in part on the indicated first and second conditions, determine that the automated aerial vehicle will perform the first electricity generation procedure at the first location and will not perform the second electricity generation procedure at the second location;

control the plurality of motors to fly the automated aerial vehicle to the first location; and

execute the first electricity generation procedure at the first location.

2. The automated aerial vehicle of claim 1, wherein the first condition is a speed of an airflow at the first location.

3. The automated aerial vehicle of claim 1, wherein the program instructions when executed by the one or more processors further cause the one or more processors to receive the first communication indicating the first condition at the first location from a second automated aerial vehicle.

4. The automated aerial vehicle of claim 1, wherein the program instructions when executed by the one or more processors further cause the one or more processors to:

determine a third location along the flight path where the automated aerial vehicle may execute a third electricity generation procedure that includes utilizing a third relative airflow at the third location to rotate a propeller to generate electricity from the motor that is coupled to the propeller;

receive a third communication indicating a third condition at the third location, wherein the third condition is related to the third relative airflow at the third location, and

wherein the determination that the automated aerial vehicle will perform the first electricity generation procedure at the first location and will not perform the second electricity generation procedure at the second location further includes determining that the automated aerial vehicle will perform the third electricity generation procedure at the third location based at least in part on the first, second and third conditions.

5. The automated aerial vehicle of claim 4, wherein the automated aerial vehicle has limited time for performing one or more electricity generation procedures due to a deadline for reaching the destination, and the program instructions when executed by the one or more processors further cause the one or more processors to determine how long the first electricity generation procedure will be performed at the first location and how long the third electricity generation procedure will be performed at the third location based at least in part on the limited time.

15. The automated aerial vehicle of claim 5, wherein the deadline is a delivery deadline for an item that is engaged in the inventory engagement mechanism and that the automated aerial vehicle is transporting to the destination.

6. A computer-implemented method for determining a location where an electricity generation procedure will be executed by an automated aerial vehicle, the computer-implemented method comprising:

under control of one or more computing systems configured with executable instructions,

receiving an indication of a destination to which the automated aerial vehicle will navigate;

determining a flight path that the automated aerial vehicle will navigate along to the destination;

receiving a first communication indicating a first condition at a first location along the flight path where the automated aerial vehicle may execute a first electricity generation procedure that includes utilizing a first relative airflow at the first location to rotate a propeller of the automated aerial vehicle to generate electricity, wherein the first condition is related to the first relative airflow at the first location;

receiving a second communication indicating a second condition at a second location along the flight path where the automated aerial vehicle may execute a second electricity generation procedure that includes utilizing a second relative airflow at the second location to rotate a propeller of the automated aerial vehicle to generate electricity, wherein the second condition is related to the second relative airflow at the second location; and

determining that the automated aerial vehicle will perform the first electricity generation procedure at the first location and will not perform the second electricity generation procedure at the second location based at least in part on the indicated first and second conditions.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, wherein the first electricity generation procedure that is executed at the first location includes altering an orientation of at least one propeller of the automated aerial vehicle so as to allow an airflow to rotate the at least one propeller for generating electricity.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, further comprising:

receiving a third communication indicating a third condition at a third location along the flight path where the automated aerial vehicle may execute a third electricity generation procedure that includes utilizing a third relative airflow at the third location to rotate a propeller of the automated aerial vehicle to generate electricity, wherein the third condition is related to the third relative airflow at the third location, and

wherein the determining that the automated aerial vehicle will perform the first electricity generation procedure at the first location and will not perform the second electricity generation procedure at the second location further includes determining that the automated aerial vehicle will perform the third electricity generation procedure at the third location based at least in part on the first, second and third conditions.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, wherein the first electricity generation procedure that is executed at the first location includes flying the automated aerial vehicle toward a ground and utilizing kinetic energy from flying the automated aerial vehicle toward the ground to generate electricity.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 9, wherein the flying of the automated aerial vehicle toward the ground includes at least one of reversing a direction of one or more propellers of the automated aerial vehicle to propel toward the ground, changing a pitch of one or more propellers of the automated aerial vehicle to propel toward the ground, or flipping the automated aerial vehicle over to propel toward the ground.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, wherein as part of the flight path to the destination the automated aerial vehicle increases elevation to fly over one or more objects or structures and the first electricity generation procedure that is executed at the first location includes generating electricity utilizing a relative airflow from a descent of the automated aerial vehicle after the automated aerial vehicle has passed over the one or more objects or structures.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, wherein the first condition is a wind at the first location that is sufficient for performing the first electricity generation procedure and the first location corresponds to at least one of a location in the air that the automated aerial vehicle will fly to or a location where the automated aerial vehicle will park for executing the first electricity generation procedure.

13. The computer implemented method of claim 8, wherein the automated aerial vehicle has limited time for performing electricity generation procedures due to a deadline for reaching the destination, and the computer-implemented method further comprises determining how long the first electricity generation procedure will be performed at the first location and how long the third electricity generation procedure will be performed at the third location based at least in part on the limited time.

14. A system for operating an automated aerial vehicle, the system comprising:

a first automated aerial vehicle, comprising;

a plurality of motors, each motor coupled to a propeller and configured to rotate the propeller; and

a power supply connected to the plurality of motors and configured to provide electricity to the plurality of motors; and

a computing system, comprising;

one or more processors; and

a memory coupled to the one or more processors and storing program instructions that when executed by the one or more processors cause the one or more processors to at least;

determine a destination that the automated aerial vehicle will travel to by navigating along a flight path;

receive a first communication indicating a first condition at a first location along the flight path where the automated aerial vehicle may execute a first electricity generation procedure that includes utilizing a first relative airflow at the first location to rotate a propeller of the automated aerial vehicle to generate electricity, wherein the first condition is related to the first relative airflow at the first location;

receive a second communication indicating a second condition at a second location along the flight path where the automated aerial vehicle may execute a second electricity generation procedure that includes utilizing a second relative airflow at the second location to rotate a propeller of the automated aerial vehicle to generate electricity, wherein the second condition is related to the second relative airflow at the second location; and

determine that the automated aerial vehicle will perform the first electricity generation procedure at the first location and will not perform the second electricity generation procedure at the second location based at least in part on the indicated first and second conditions.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the program instructions when executed by the one or more processors further cause the one or more processors to:

receive a third communication indicating a third condition at a third location along the flight path where the automated aerial vehicle may execute a third electricity generation procedure that includes utilizing a third relative airflow at the third location to rotate a propeller of the automated aerial vehicle to generate electricity, wherein the third condition is related to the third relative airflow at the third location, and

wherein the determination that the automated aerial vehicle will perform the first electricity generation procedure at the first location and will not perform the second electricity generation procedure at the second location further includes determining that the automated aerial vehicle will perform the third electricity generation procedure at the third location based at least in part on the first, second and third conditions.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the automated aerial vehicle has limited time for performing one or more electricity generation procedures due to a deadline for reaching the destination, and the program instructions when executed by the one or more processors further cause the one or more processors to determine how long the first electricity generation procedure will be performed at the first location and how long the third electricity generation procedure will be performed at the third location based at least in part on the limited time.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein the first electricity generation procedure utilizes a wind for rotating at least one of the propellers of the first automated aerial vehicle for generating electricity and the first condition indicates that there is a sufficient wind at the first location for rotating at least one of the propellers for generating electricity.

19. The system of claim 14, wherein the first electricity generation procedure includes the first automated aerial vehicle performing an aerial maneuver to increase the kinetic energy of the first automated aerial vehicle so as to increase an airflow for rotating at least one of the propellers of the first automated aerial vehicle for generating electricity and the first condition indicates that the first location is a sufficient distance away from a populated area to enable the aerial maneuver to be safely performed.

20. The system of claim 14, further comprising a second automated aerial vehicle, wherein the first communication indicating the first condition at the first location is received from the second automated aerial vehicle.