Drone transport system

• US 10,207,805 B2
• Filed: 03/10/2017
• Issued: 02/19/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Michael Steward Evans
• Original Assignee: Michael Steward Evans
• Inventors: Evans, Michael Steward
• Primary Examiner(s): Ellis, Christopher P
• Application Number:
  US15/456,311
• Publication Number:
  US 20180194469A1
• Time in Patent Office: 711 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 1/12 Releasing
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 1/22 Taking-up articles from earth's surface
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/00 Passenger or crew accommodation; Flight-deck installations not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/06 Arrangements of seats, or adaptations or details specially adapted for aircraft seats crew seat constructions for emergency purposes B64D25/04
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 9/00 Equipment for handling freight; Equipment for facilitating passenger embarkation or the like emergency equipment B64D17/00, B64D19/00, B64D25/00; structures integral with fuselage to facilitate loading, fuselage floors specially adapted for freight, steps mounted on and retractable within aircraft B64C; ground installations B64F
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/13 Flying platforms
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/60 for transporting passengers; for transporting goods other than weapons
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/20 Remote controls
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/20 Rotors; Rotor supports
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/19 using electrically powered motors
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events

Abstract

A drone transport system has a carrier pod adapted for carrying a passenger or parcels with the passenger or parcels enclosed, the carrier pod having a first attachment interface at an uppermost extremity, the attachment interface having one or first physical attachment elements, and a flight-enabled drone having a downward-facing second attachment interface having one or more second physical attachment elements compatible with the first physical attachment elements of the carrier pod. The flight-enabled drone is controllable to approach the carrier pod from above, to align and engage the second physical attachment elements with the first physical attachment elements, to lift and carry the pod from one place to another, and to land and disengage the first and second physical attachment elements, leaving the carrier pod at a new place.

Claims

1. A drone transport system, comprising:

a carrier pod adapted for carrying a passenger or parcels with the passenger or parcels enclosed, the carrier pod having a first attachment interface at an uppermost extremity, the first attachment interface comprising first physical attachment elements;

a flight-enabled drone comprising a plurality of electric motors driving a plurality of propeller rotors providing propulsion, a first battery in the drone adapted to power the electric motors, and having a downward-facing second attachment interface comprising second physical attachment elements compatible for joining with the first physical attachment elements of the carrier pod;

a second battery in the carrier pod of capacity sufficient to power the plurality of electric motors of the drone;

a carrier pod power cable from the battery in the carrier pod to a first power connector in the first attachment interface connectors; and

a drone power cable from a second power connector in the second attachment interface, providing power to the electric motors of the drone;

wherein the flight-enabled drone is controllable to approach the carrier pod from above, aligning and engaging the second physical attachment elements with the first physical attachment elements, engaging as well the first and second power connectors, to lift and carry the pod from one place to another, and to land and disengage the first and second physical attachment elements, leaving the carrier pod at a new place, and wherein, with the power connectors and the attachment elements engaged, the electric motors of the drone are powered by the second battery in the carrier pod, and with the power connectors and attachment elements disengaged, the electric motors of the drone are powered by the first battery in the drone.

2. The drone transport system of claim 1 wherein the first and the second attachment interfaces comprise at least two physical attachment elements each, providing redundancy.

3. The drone transport system of claim 2 wherein there are four attachment elements in each of the first and the second attachment interfaces.

4. The drone transport system of claim 1 wherein the carrier pod is a passenger pod accommodating one person and includes a seat for the one person.

5. The drone transport system of claim 1 wherein the carrier pod is a parcel carrier pod, has the same attachment interface as a passenger pod, but has no seat for a passenger.

6. The drone transport system of claim 1 wherein the flight-enabled drone is enabled to attach to and carry a plurality of passenger pods, or parcel pods, or a mixture of each.

7. The drone transport system of claim 6 wherein the flight-enabled drone carries the plurality of passenger or parcel pods arranged in a line in the direction of flight.

8. The drone transport system of claim 6 wherein the flight enabled drone is adapted to attach to and carry four passenger or parcel pods.

9. The drone transport system of claim 1 wherein the carrier pod is a passenger pod accommodating a plurality of persons, and includes seats for each of the persons carried.

10. The drone transport system of claim 9 wherein the passenger pod accommodates four persons in seats one behind the other.

11. The drone transport system of claim 9 wherein the passenger pod accommodates eight people in two rows of four each.

12. The drone transport system of claim 1 wherein the flight-enabled drone further comprises a control system with wireless connectivity to one or more remote control stations, enabling the flight-enabled drone to be piloted remotely to transport carrier pods from place to place.

13. The drone transport system of claim 4 wherein the second battery is located beneath the seat.

14. The drone transport system of claim 1 wherein the carrier pod comprises a control panel having I/O capability for a passenger to input and access data and information.

15. The drone transport system of claim 1 further comprising surface-located exchange stations at different geographic locations, enabling exchange of carrier pods by flight enabled drones, such that carrier pods may be efficiently routed from and to a wide variety of surface locations.

16. The drone transport system of claim 15 wherein exchange stations comprise facilities for passengers to embark and disembark to carrier pods, and for flight-enabled drones to engage and lift, and land and disengage carrier pods.

17. The drone transport system of claim 16 further comprising computerized control scheduling flights, ticketing and booking.