TRANSPORTATION USING NETWORK OF UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES
First Claim
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1. A delivery system comprising:
- one or more unmanned delivery vehicles configured for autonomous navigation;
a plurality of ground stations configured to communicate with the one or more unmanned delivery vehicles and provide location information to the one or more unmanned delivery vehicles to aid in locating a ground station location; and
a processor configured to identify a route from a first of the plurality of ground stations to a second of the plurality of ground stations based on geographic data and providing the route to the one or more unmanned delivery vehicles for use in the autonomous navigation from the first to the second ground station.
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Abstract
Embodiments described herein include a delivery system having unmanned aerial delivery vehicles and a logistics network for control and monitoring. In certain embodiments, a ground station provides a location for interfacing between the delivery vehicles, packages carried by the vehicles and users. In certain embodiments, the delivery vehicles autonomously navigate from one ground station to another. In certain embodiments, the ground stations provide navigational aids that help the delivery vehicles locate the position of the ground station with increased accuracy.
1039 Citations
35 Claims
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1. A delivery system comprising:
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one or more unmanned delivery vehicles configured for autonomous navigation; a plurality of ground stations configured to communicate with the one or more unmanned delivery vehicles and provide location information to the one or more unmanned delivery vehicles to aid in locating a ground station location; and a processor configured to identify a route from a first of the plurality of ground stations to a second of the plurality of ground stations based on geographic data and providing the route to the one or more unmanned delivery vehicles for use in the autonomous navigation from the first to the second ground station. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A ground station for use in a delivery system comprising unmanned aerial vehicles, the ground station comprising:
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a landing location configured to receive one or more unmanned aerial delivery vehicles; a communications interface configured to communicate with the one or more unmanned delivery vehicles and at least one additional ground station; and a guidance measure configured to assist the one or more unmanned delivery vehicles in locating the landing location. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. A computer system for managing a delivery system of unmanned aerial vehicles comprising:
one or more hardware processors in communication with a computer readable medium storing software modules including instructions that are executable by the one or more hardware processors, the software modules including at least; a vehicle routing module that determines a route between a first ground station and a second ground station for an unmanned aerial vehicle; a vehicle tracking module that provides the current location of an unmanned aerial vehicle; a package routing module that determines a delivery path for a package, the delivery path including the first and second plurality of ground stations; a package tracking module providing the current location of the package on the delivery path; and a route authorization module that conditionally authorizes the unmanned aerial vehicle to fly the route between the first and second ground stations to move the package along the delivery path for the package. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35)
Specification