SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR MONITORING THE INTERNAL STORAGE CONTENTS OF A SHIPMENT STORAGE USING ONE OR MORE INTERNAL MONITOR DRONES

• US 20180089622A1
• Filed: 09/21/2017
• Published: 03/29/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Federal Express Corporation (FedEx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Federal Express Corporation (FedEx Corporation)
• Inventors: Burch, V, Reuben F., Doyle, David A., Popp, Brian D.
• Granted Patent: US 10,664,791 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 47/08 Arrangements of cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 1/222 for storing aircraft, e.g. in hangars
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/14 with four distinct rotor axes, e.g. quadcopters
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/60 Tethered aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/17 for detecting, disrupting or countering communications
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/26 for manufacturing, inspections or repairs
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/30 for imaging, photography or videography
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/60 for transporting passengers; for transporting goods other than weapons
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/00 UAVs characterised by their flight controls
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/10 autonomous, i.e. by navigating independently from ground or air stations, e.g. by using inertial navigation systems [INS]
• 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: B64U 50/37 Charging when not in flight
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 80/82 Airborne vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0018 Transmission from mobile station to base station
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0094 involving pointing a payload, e.g. camera, weapon, sensor, towards a fixed or moving target
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/083 Shipping
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0832 : Special goods or special handling procedures, e.g. handling of hazardous or fragile goods
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0833 : Tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/40 : Business processes related to the transportation industry shipping G06Q10/083
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0069 : specially adapted for an unmanned aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/48 : for in-vehicle communication

Abstract

A drone-based monitored storage system includes a shipment storage with an interior storage area and a drone storage area, an internal docking station, and an internal monitor drone disposed within the shipment storage that aerially monitors the items being shipped within the interior storage area. The monitor drone includes an airframe, battery, onboard controller, lifting engines and lifting rotors responsive to flight control input, communication interface, sensor array that gathers sensory information as the drone moves within the interior shipment storage area of the shipment storage, and a drone capture interface that can selectively mate to the internal docking station to hold the monitor drone in a secure position. The monitor drone can gather the sensory information (such as environment information, image information, multidimensional mapping information, and scanned symbol information) and autonomously detect conditions of items being shipped based upon the sensory information from the sensor array.

Claims

1. A drone-based monitored storage system, comprising:

a shipment storage comprising

a closable entry providing access to within the shipment storage,

an interior shipment storage area within the shipment storage, the interior shipment storage area being accessible through the closable entry and operative to temporarily maintain custody of a plurality of items being shipped within the shipment storage, and

a drone storage area within the shipment storage, the drone storage area being accessible through the closable entry and separate from the interior shipment storage area;

an internal docking station fixed within the drone storage area of the shipment storage, the internal docking station further comprising

a physical docking interface,

an electronic charging connection interface, and

an electronic data connection interface; and

an internal monitor drone disposed within the shipment storage and operative to aerially monitor the items being shipped within the interior storage area, the internal monitor drone further comprising

an airframe,

an onboard controller disposed on the airframe,

a plurality of lifting engines coupled with respective lifting rotors, each of the lifting engines being fixed to a different portion of the airframe and responsive to flight control input generated by the onboard controller as part of maintaining a desired flight profile,

a communication interface coupled to the onboard controller, the communication interface being operative to transmit a monitoring update message in response to a transmission instruction from the onboard controller,

a sensor array coupled to the onboard controller, the sensor array being operative to (a) gather sensory information as the internal monitor drone moves from an initial airborne position along an airborne monitoring path within the interior shipment storage area of the shipment storage and (b) providing the sensory information to the onboard controller,

a drone capture interface responsive to the onboard controller, the drone capture interface being operative to selectively mate to the physical docking interface of the internal docking station in response to a docking command from the onboard controller, wherein the drone capture interface holds the internal monitor drone in a secure position when selectively mated to the physical docking interface of the internal docking station, and

an onboard battery providing electrical power to each of the onboard controller, the lifting engines, the communication interface, the sensor array, and the drone capture interface; and

wherein the onboard controller of the first internal monitor drone is operative, in response to receiving an activation command over the communication interface while in the secured position on the internal docking station, to

transition from at least a low power state to an active monitoring state as part of a logistics operation related to the shipment storage,

cause the drone capture interface to automatically uncouple the internal monitor drone from the physical docking interface of internal docking station once the internal monitor drone transitions to the active monitoring state,

change the desired flight profile to first cause the lifting engines to move the internal monitor drone from the secured position on the internal docking station to the initial airborne position within the shipment storage and then move internal monitor drone from the initial airborne position along the airborne monitoring path within the interior shipment storage area of the shipment storage,

receive the sensory information from the sensor array, and

autonomously detect a condition of the items being shipped based upon the sensory information provided by the sensor array.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensor array comprises an environmental sensor that detects environmental information as the sensory information, wherein the sensed environmental information is relative to a plurality of airborne locations within the shipment storage as the internal monitor drone transits the airborne monitoring path within the interior shipment storage area of the shipment storage;

and

wherein the onboard controller autonomously detects the condition of the items being shipped by being further operative to automatically identify an environmental condition related to the items being shipped based upon the environmental information received as the sensory information from the sensor array.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the environmental condition comprises at least one of a movement condition as sensed by a motion sensor operating as the environmental sensor, a light condition as sensed by a light sensor operating as the environmental sensor, a sound condition as sensed by a microphone operating as the environmental sensor, a temperature condition as sensed by a temperature sensor operating as the environmental sensor, a smoke condition as sensed by a smoke sensor operating as the environmental sensor, a humidity condition as sensed by a moisture sensor operating as the environmental sensor, and a pressure condition as sensed by a pressure sensor operating as the environmental sensor.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensor array comprises an image sensor that captures a plurality of images of the items being shipped, the images captured from a plurality of airborne locations within the shipment storage as the internal monitor drone transits the airborne monitoring path within the interior shipment storage area of the shipment storage;

and

wherein the onboard controller autonomously detects the condition of the items being shipped by being further operative to automatically identify a configuration change as the condition of the items being shipped based upon a comparison of at least two of the captured images as performed by the onboard processor of the internal monitor drone.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the plurality of images captured includes one or more images from one airborne location at different times as the internal monitor drone repeatedly transits the airborne monitoring path within the interior shipment storage area of the shipment storage.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensor array comprises a depth sensor that maps a configuration of the interior shipment storage area of the shipment storage as the internal monitor drone transits the airborne monitoring path within the interior shipment storage area of the shipment storage, the configuration of the interior shipment storage area represented as a multi-dimensional mapping of at least the items being shipped within the interior shipment storage area of the shipment storage;

and

wherein the onboard controller autonomously detects the condition of the items being shipped by being further operative to automatically identify a change in the multi-dimensional mapping of at least the items being shipped over time to be the autonomously detected condition of the items being shipped as the internal monitor drone repeatedly transits the airborne monitoring path within the interior shipment storage area of the shipment storage.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensor array comprises a scanning sensor that scans an identification symbol fixed to one of the items being shipped as the internal monitor drone transits the airborne monitoring path within the interior shipment storage area of the shipment storage.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the identification symbol comprises a barcode symbol identifying shipping information related to the one item.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the identification symbol comprises a sign affixed to the one item, the sign identifying shipment loading information related to placement of the one item when being shipped within the shipment storage.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the internal monitor drone further comprises a memory storage coupled to the onboard controller, the memory storage maintaining a loading plan for the interior shipment storage area of the shipment storage;

and

wherein the onboard controller of the internal monitor drone is further operative to;

autonomously determine a loading status of the one item based by comparing the identification symbol as scanned by the scanning sensor to the loading plan, and

automatically cause the communication interface to transmit a loading warning when the loading status of the one item indicates the presence of the one item within the interior shipment storage area of the shipment storage is inconsistent with the loading plan.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the onboard controller of the internal monitor drone is further operative to download the loading plan and store the loading plan within the memory storage.

12. The system of claim 7, wherein the onboard controller of the internal monitor drone is further operative to:

autonomously determine a position status of the one item based upon the identification symbol as scanned by the scanning sensor, the identification symbol comprising a directional sign indicating a desired item orientation for the one item, wherein the position status of the one item reflecting whether a current orientation of the identification symbol as scanned is inconsistent with the desired item orientation; and

automatically cause the communication interface to transmit a positional warning when the position status indicates the current orientation of the identification symbol is inconsistent with the desired item orientation.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensor array comprises a radio-based receiver that receives a wireless signal broadcast from a broadcast-enabled one of the items being shipped as the internal monitor drone transits the airborne monitoring path within the interior shipment storage area of the shipment storage;

and

wherein the onboard controller autonomously detects the condition of the items being shipped by being further operative to automatically identify the condition of at least the broadcast-enabled one of the items being shipped based upon the wireless signal received by the radio-based wireless receiver.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the wireless signal received by the radio-based receiver is broadcast without interrogating the broadcast-enabled one of the items being shipped to prompt the broadcast of the wireless signal.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the onboard controller autonomously detects the condition of the items being shipped by being further operative to automatically identify the condition of at least a broadcast-enabled one of the items being shipped based upon a wireless signal transmitted by the broadcast enabled one of the items being shipped and received by the communication interface of the internal monitor drone as the internal monitor drone transits the airborne monitoring path within the interior shipment storage area of the shipment storage.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the wireless signal received by the communication interface of the internal monitor drone is broadcast without interrogating the broadcast-enabled one of the items being shipped to prompt the broadcast of the wireless signal.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the onboard controller is further operative to cause the communication interface to transmit a monitoring update message indicating the autonomously detected condition of the items being shipped.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein the internal monitor drone further comprises a memory storage coupled to the onboard controller;

and

wherein the onboard controller is further operative to;

cause the communication interface to transmit a monitoring update message to a shipment storage transceiver only if the onboard controller autonomously confirms a communication channel to the shipment storage transceiver is active, the monitoring update message indicating the autonomously detected condition of the items being shipped, and

store the monitoring update message on the memory of the internal monitor drone for later transmission to the shipment storage transceiver when the onboard controller cannot confirm the communication channel is active.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein the shipment storage comprises a storage compartment within an aircraft.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the items being shipped comprise at least a plurality of unit load device (ULD) containers.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein each of the ULD containers is operative to broadcast a signal for gathering as sensory information by the sensor array without a preliminary interrogation of the ULD container to prompt broadcast of the signal.

22. The system of claim 1, wherein the shipment storage comprises a trailer capable of being moved by a truck.

23. The system of claim 1, wherein the shipment storage comprises a train car capable of being moved on a railway system.

24. The system of claim 1, wherein the logistics operation related to the shipment storage comprises a loading operation of the internal shipment storage area of the shipment storage.

25. The system of claim 1, wherein the logistics operation related to the shipment storage comprises an unloading operation of the internal shipment storage area of the shipment storage.

26. The system of claim 1, wherein the logistics operation related to the shipment storage comprises an in-transit monitoring operation of the internal shipment storage area of the shipment storage while the shipment storage is moving.

27. The system of claim 1 further comprising a second internal monitor drone disposed within the interior shipment storage area and operative to aerially monitor the items being shipped within the interior storage area in conjunction with the aerial monitoring operation of the internal monitor drone.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the internal monitor drone is disposed on the airborne monitoring path within the interior shipment storage area to aerially monitor the items being shipped while the second internal monitor drone moves on a second airborne monitoring path within the internal shipment storage area of the shipment storage, wherein the second airborne monitoring path is different than the airborne monitoring path transited by the internal monitor drone.

29. The system of claim 27, wherein the airborne monitoring path transited by the internal monitor drone corresponds to airborne coverage of a first part of the interior shipment storage area;

and

wherein the second airborne monitoring path transited by the second internal monitor drone when aerially monitoring the items being shipped corresponds to a second part of the interior shipment storage area.

30. The system of claim 1, wherein the shipment storage further comprises a supplemental interior shipment storage area within which to temporarily maintain custody of a plurality of additional items being shipped;

and

further comprising a second internal monitor drone disposed within the supplemental interior shipment storage area of the shipment storage and operative to

aerially monitor the additional items being shipped within the supplemental interior shipment storage area of the shipment storage;

autonomously detect a condition of the additional items being shipped based upon aerially gathered sensory information when monitoring the additional items being shipped within the supplemental interior shipment storage area of the shipment storage.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein the shipment storage comprises an aircraft;

wherein the interior shipment storage area comprises a first aircraft belly section within which to store the items being shipped; and

wherein the supplemental interior shipment storage area comprises a second aircraft belly section within which to store the additional items being shipped.

32. The system of claim 1, wherein the communication interface comprises:

a first transceiver providing a wired connection configured to mate the onboard controller with the electronic data interface when the internal monitor drone is in the secured position on the internal docking station; and

a second transceiver part providing a wireless transceiver connection for transmitting a monitoring update message indicating the autonomously detected condition of the items being shipped.

33. The system of claim 1, wherein the onboard controller of the internal monitor drone comprises:

a flight controller operative responsible for generating the flight control input to at least change the desired flight profile to first cause the lifting engines to move the internal monitor drone from the secured position on the internal docking station to the initial airborne position within the shipment storage and then move internal monitor drone from the initial airborne position along the airborne monitoring path within the interior shipment storage area of the shipment storage; and

an onboard monitoring processor responsible for receiving the sensory information from the sensor array, and autonomously detecting the condition of the items being shipped based upon the sensory information provided by the sensor array.

34. An aerial drone-based method for monitoring the internal storage contents of a shipment storage, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving an activation command by an internal monitor drone while in a secured position on an internal docking station, the internal docking station being fixed to the shipment storage in a drone storage area of the shipment storage;

transitioning, by the internal monitor drone, from at least a low power state to an active monitoring state as part of a logistics operation related to the shipment storage;

automatically uncoupling the internal monitor drone from the internal docking station once the internal monitor drone transitions to the active monitoring state;

moving, by the internal monitor drone, from the secured position on the internal docking station to an initial airborne position within the shipment storage;

gathering, by a sensor array on the internal monitor drone, sensory information as the internal monitor drone moves from the initial airborne position along an airborne monitoring path within a shipment storage area of the shipment storage;

providing the sensory information from the sensor array to an onboard processor on the internal monitor drone;

autonomously detecting, using the onboard processor on the internal monitor drone, a condition of the internal storage contents based upon the sensory information provided by the sensor array.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein the gathering step further comprises:

sensing, with the sensor array, environmental information as the sensory information, wherein the sensed environmental information is relative to a plurality of airborne locations within the shipment storage as the internal monitor drone transits the airborne monitoring path within the shipment storage; and

wherein the autonomously detecting step further comprises automatically identifying an environmental condition as the condition of the internal storage contents.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein the environmental condition comprises at least one of a movement condition as sensed by a motion sensor operating as at least part of the sensor array, a light condition as sensed by a light sensor operating as at least part of the sensor array, a sound condition as sensed by a microphone operating as at least part of the sensor array, a temperature condition as sensed by a temperature sensor operating as at least part of the sensor array, a smoke condition as sensed by a smoke sensor operating as at least part of the sensor array, a humidity condition as sensed by a moisture sensor operating as at least part of the sensor array, and a pressure condition as sensed by a pressure sensor operating as at least part of the sensor array.

37. The method of claim 34, wherein the gathering step further comprises capturing, with an image sensor as at least part of the sensor array, a plurality of images of the internal storage contents from one or more airborne locations within the shipment storage as the internal monitor drone transits the airborne monitoring path within the shipment storage;

and

wherein the autonomously detecting step further comprises automatically identifying a configuration change as the condition of the internal storage contents based upon a comparison of at least two of the captured images as performed by the onboard processor of the internal monitor drone.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein the plurality of images includes one or more images of a portion of the internal storage contents from one airborne location at different times as the internal monitor drone repeatedly transits the airborne monitoring path within the shipment storage.

39. The method of claim 34, wherein the gathering step further comprises mapping, with a depth sensor as at least part of the sensor array, a configuration of the shipment storage area of the shipment storage as the internal monitor drone transits the airborne monitoring path within the shipment storage, the configuration of the shipment storage area including a multi-dimensional mapping of the internal storage contents of the shipment storage;

and

wherein the autonomously detecting step further comprises automatically identifying a change in the multi-dimensional mapping of the internal storage contents over time as the internal monitor drone repeatedly transits the airborne monitoring path within the shipment storage to be the autonomously detected condition of the internal storage contents.

40. The method of claim 34, wherein the gathering step further comprises scanning, with a scanning sensor as at least part of the sensor array, an identification symbol fixed to an item of the internal storage contents as the internal monitor drone transits the airborne monitoring path within the shipment storage.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein the identification symbol comprises a barcode symbol identifying shipping information related to the item.

42. The method of claim 40, wherein the identification symbol comprises a sign affixed to the item, the sign identifying shipment loading information related to placement of the item when being shipped within the shipment storage.

43. The method of claim 40 further comprising the steps of:

autonomously determining, by the onboard processor of the internal monitor drone, a loading status of the item by comparing the identification symbol as scanned by the scanning sensor to a loading plan for the shipment storage maintained within a memory of the internal monitor drone; and

automatically transmitting, by the onboard processor of the internal monitor drone, a loading warning when the loading status of the item indicates the presence of the item within the shipment storage area of the shipment storage is inconsistent with the loading plan.

44. The method of claim 43 further comprising the step of downloading the loading plan into the memory of the internal monitor drone.

45. The method of claim 40 further comprising the steps of:

autonomously determining, by the onboard processor of the internal monitor drone, a position status of the item based upon the identification symbol as scanned by the scanning sensor, the identification symbol comprising a directional sign indicating a desired item orientation, and wherein the position status of the item reflecting whether a current orientation of the identification symbol as scanned is inconsistent with the desired item orientation; and

automatically transmitting, by the onboard processor of the internal monitor drone, a positional warning when the position status indicates the current orientation of the identification symbol is inconsistent with the desired item orientation.

46. The method of claim 34, wherein the gathering step further comprises receiving a wireless signal broadcast from a broadcast-enabled package of the internal storage contents, the wireless signal received by a radio-based receiver operating as at least part of the sensor array;

and

wherein the autonomously detecting step further comprises automatically identifying the condition of the internal storage contents based upon the received wireless signal broadcast from the broadcast-enabled package.

47. The method of claim 46, wherein the wireless signal received by the radio-based receiver is broadcast without interrogating the broadcast-enabled package to prompt the broadcast of the wireless signal.

48. The method of claim 34 further comprising the step of transmitting, by the onboard processor of the internal monitor drone, a monitoring update message indicating the autonomously detected condition of the internal storage contents.

49. The method of claim 48, wherein the step of transmitting further comprises:

transmitting, by the onboard processor of the internal monitor drone, the monitoring update message to a shipment storage transceiver only if the onboard processor autonomously confirms a communication channel to the shipment storage transceiver is active; and

storing, by the onboard processor of the internal monitor drone, the monitoring update message for later transmission to the shipment storage transceiver when the onboard processor cannot confirm the communication channel is active.

50. The method of claim 34, wherein the shipment storage comprises a storage compartment within an aircraft.

51. The method of claim 50, wherein the internal storage contents comprise at least one unit load device (ULD) container.

52. The method of claim 51, wherein the at least one ULD container is operative to broadcast a signal for gathering by the sensor array without a preliminary interrogation of the ULD container to prompt broadcast of the signal.

53. The method of claim 34, wherein the shipment storage comprises a trailer capable of being moved by a truck.

54. The method of claim 34, wherein the shipment storage comprises a train car capable of being moved on a railway system.

55. The method of claim 34, wherein the logistics operation related to the shipment storage comprises a loading operation of the shipment storage area of the shipment storage.

56. The method of claim 34, wherein the logistics operation related to the shipment storage comprises an unloading operation of the shipment storage area of the shipment storage.

57. The method of claim 34, wherein the logistics operation related to the shipment storage comprises an in-transit monitoring operation of the shipment storage area of the shipment storage while the shipment storage is moving.

58. A multiple drone-based monitored storage system, comprising:

a shipment storage comprising

a closable entry providing access to within the shipment storage,

an interior shipment storage area within the shipment storage, the interior shipment storage area being accessible through the closable entry and operative to temporarily maintain custody of a plurality of items being shipped within the shipment storage, and

a plurality of drone storage areas respectively disposed at different locations within the shipment storage;

a plurality of internal docking stations fixed within respectively different ones of the drone storage areas;

a plurality of internal monitor drones initially disposed on respective ones of the internal docking stations, wherein each of the internal monitor drones having a sensor array that gathers sensory information as the respective internal monitor drone moves within a part of the interior shipment storage area of the shipment storage; and

wherein a first of the internal monitor drones is operative, as part of the system, to

move from a first of the internal docking stations to a first initial airborne position within the shipment storage as part of a first airborne monitoring path within a first part of the interior shipment storage area of the shipment storage, and

aerially monitor a first part of the items being shipped within the interior shipment storage area using the sensor array on the first of the internal monitor drones as the first of the internal monitor drones transits the first airborne monitoring path within the shipment storage from the first initial airborne position;

wherein a second of the internal monitor drones is operative, as part of the system, to

move from a second of the internal docking stations to a second initial airborne position within the shipment storage as part of a second airborne monitoring path within a second part of the interior shipment storage area within the shipment storage, and

aerially monitor a second part of the items being shipped within the interior shipment storage area using the sensor array on the second of the internal monitor drones as the second of the internal monitor drones transits the second airborne monitoring path within the shipment storage from the second initial airborne position; and

wherein one of the first of the internal monitor drones and the second of the internal monitor drones autonomously detects a condition of the items being shipped based upon sensory information generated when monitoring the items being shipped within the interior shipment storage area by the first of the internal monitor drones and the second of the internal monitor drones.

59. The system of claim 58, wherein the sensor array of at least the first of the internal monitor drones comprises an environment sensor that detects environmental information as the gathered sensory information, wherein the sensed environmental information is relative to a plurality of airborne locations within the shipment storage as the first of the internal monitor drones transits the first airborne monitoring path;

and

wherein the first of the internal monitor drones autonomously detects the condition of the of the items being shipped by being further operative to automatically identify an environmental condition related to the first part of the items being shipped based upon the sensed environmental information.

60. The system of claim 59, wherein the sensor array of the second of the internal monitor drones comprises a second environment sensor that detects environmental information as the gathered sensory information, wherein the environmental information sensed by the second environment sensor is relative to a second plurality of airborne locations within the shipment storage as the second of the internal monitor drones transits the second airborne monitoring path;

and

wherein the second of the internal monitor drones autonomously detects the condition of the items being shipped by being further operative to automatically identify an environmental condition related to the second part of the items being shipped based upon the environmental information sensed by the second environment sensor.

61. The system of claim 59, wherein the environmental condition related to the first part of the items being shipped comprises at least one of a movement condition as sensed by at least three from a group consisting of a motion sensor operating as part of the environmental sensor, a light condition as sensed by a light sensor operating as part of the environmental sensor, a sound condition as sensed by a microphone operating as part of the environmental sensor, a temperature condition as sensed by a temperature sensor operating as part of the environmental sensor, a smoke condition as sensed by a smoke sensor operating as part of the environmental sensor, a humidity condition as sensed by a moisture sensor operating as part of the environmental sensor, and a pressure condition as sensed by a pressure sensor operating as part of the environmental sensor.

62. The system of claim 58, wherein the sensor array of at least the first of the internal monitor drones comprises an image sensor that captures a plurality of images of the first part of the items being shipped while the first of the internal monitor drones transits the first airborne monitoring path;

and

wherein the first of the internal monitor drones autonomously detects the condition of the items being shipped by being further operative to automatically identify a configuration change as the condition of the first part of the items being shipped based upon a comparison of at least two of the captured images as performed by the first of the internal monitor drones.

63. The system of claim 58, wherein the sensor array of at least the first of the internal monitor drones comprises a depth sensor that maps a configuration of at least the first part of the interior shipment storage area of the shipment storage as the first of the internal monitor drones transits the first airborne monitoring path within the first part of the interior shipment storage area of the shipment storage, the configuration of the first part of the interior shipment storage area represented as a multi-dimensional mapping of at least the first part of the items being shipped within the first part of the interior shipment storage area of the shipment storage;

and

wherein the first of the internal monitor drones autonomously detects the condition of the items being shipped by being further operative to automatically identify a change in the multi-dimensional mapping of at least the first part of the items being shipped over time as the first of the internal monitor drones repeatedly transits the first airborne monitoring path.

64. The system of claim 58, wherein the sensor array of at least the first of the internal monitor drones comprises a scanning sensor that scans an identification symbol fixed to one of the first part of the items being shipped as the first of the internal monitor drones transits the first airborne monitoring path.

65. The system of claim 64, wherein the identification symbol comprises a barcode symbol identifying shipping information related to the one item.

66. The system of claim 64, wherein the identification symbol comprises a sign affixed to the one item, the sign identifying shipment loading information related to placement of the one item when being shipped within the shipment storage.

67. The system of claim 64, wherein the first of the internal monitor drones is further operative to:

autonomously determine a loading status of the one item based by comparing the identification symbol as scanned by the scanning sensor to a loading plan for the first part of the interior shipment storage area of the shipment storage; and

automatically transmit a loading warning to a transceiver related to the shipment storage when the loading status of the one item indicates the presence of the one item within the interior shipment storage area of the shipment storage is inconsistent with the loading plan.

68. The system of claim 64, wherein the first of the internal monitor drones is further operative to:

autonomously determine a position status of the one item based upon the identification symbol as scanned by the scanning sensor, the identification symbol comprising a directional sign indicating a desired item orientation for the one item, wherein the position status of the one item reflecting whether a current orientation of the identification symbol as scanned is inconsistent with the desired item orientation; and

automatically transmit a positional warning to a transceiver related to the shipment storage when the position status indicates the current orientation of the identification symbol is inconsistent with the desired item orientation.

69. The system of claim 58, wherein the sensor array on the first of the internal monitor drones comprises a radio-based receiver that receives a wireless signal broadcast from a broadcast-enabled item from the first part of the items being shipped as the first of the internal monitor drones transits the first airborne monitoring path;

and

wherein the first of the internal monitor drones autonomously detects the condition of the items being shipped by being further operative to automatically identify the condition of at least the broadcast-enabled item based upon the wireless signal received by the radio-based wireless receiver on the first of the internal monitor drones.

70. The system of claim 69, wherein the wireless signal received by the first of the internal monitor drones is broadcast without interrogating the broadcast-enabled item to prompt the broadcast of the wireless signal.

71. The system of claim 58, wherein each of the first of the internal monitor drones and the second of the monitor drones is further operative to transmit a monitoring update message to a transceiver related to the shipment storage, the monitoring update message indicating the autonomously detected condition of the items being shipped.

72. The system of claim 58, wherein at least the first of the internal monitor drones is further operative to:

transmit a monitoring update message to a shipment storage transceiver only if the first of the internal monitor drones autonomously confirms a communication channel to the shipment storage transceiver is active, the monitoring update message indicating the autonomously detected condition of the items being shipped, and

store the monitoring update message within the first of the internal monitor drones for later transmission to the shipment storage transceiver when the first of the internal monitor drones cannot confirm the communication channel is active.

73. The system of claim 58, wherein the shipment storage comprises a storage compartment within an aircraft.

74. The system of claim 73, wherein the storage compartment

wherein the interior shipment storage area comprises a first aircraft belly section within which to store the items being shipped;

and

wherein the supplemental interior shipment storage area comprises a second aircraft belly section within which to store the additional items being shipped.

75. The system of claim 74, wherein the items being shipped comprise at least a plurality of unit load device (ULD) containers.

76. The system of claim 75, wherein each of the ULD containers is operative to broadcast a signal for gathering as sensory information by the sensor array without a preliminary interrogation of the ULD container to prompt broadcast of the signal.

77. The system of claim 58, wherein the shipment storage comprises a trailer capable of being moved by a truck.

78. The system of claim 58, wherein the shipment storage comprises a train car capable of being moved on a railway system.

79. The system of claim 58, wherein the logistics operation related to the shipment storage comprises a loading operation of the internal shipment storage area of the shipment storage.

80. The system of claim 58, wherein the logistics operation related to the shipment storage comprises an unloading operation of the internal shipment storage area of the shipment storage.

81. The system of claim 58, wherein the logistics operation related to the shipment storage comprises an in-transit monitoring operation of the internal shipment storage area of the shipment storage while the shipment storage is moving.

82. A multiple aerial drone-based method for monitoring the internal storage contents of a shipment storage, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) moving a first internal monitor drone to a first initial airborne position within the shipment storage as part of a first airborne monitoring path within the shipment storage, the first internal monitor drone being disposed within a first drone storage area of the shipment storage, the first airborne monitoring path corresponding to a first part of an interior shipment storage area within the shipment storage;

(b) moving a second internal monitor drone to a second initial airborne position within the shipment storage as part of a second airborne monitoring path within the shipment storage, the second internal drone being disposed within a second drone storage area of the shipment storage, the second airborne monitoring path corresponding to a second part of the interior shipment storage area within the shipment storage;

(c) aerially monitoring a first part of the internal storage contents of the shipment storage with a first sensor array on the first internal monitor drone as the first internal monitor drone transits the first airborne monitoring path within the shipment storage from the first initial airborne position;

(d) aerially monitoring a second part of the internal storage contents of the shipment storage with a second sensor array on the second internal monitor drone as the second internal monitor drone transits the second airborne monitoring path within the shipment storage from the second initial airborne position; and

(e) detecting a condition of the internal storage contents based upon at least one of (1) first sensory information generated when monitoring with the first sensor array of the first internal monitor drone and (2) second sensory information generated when monitoring with the second sensor array of the second internal monitor drone.

83. The method of claim 82, wherein step (a) further comprises selectively uncoupling the first internal monitor drone from a first internal docking station disposed at a first fixed location within the first drone storage area of the shipment storage prior to moving the first internal monitor drone from a first secured position on the first internal docking station to the first initial airborne position;

and

wherein step (b) further comprises selectively uncoupling the second internal monitor drone from a second internal docking station disposed at a second fixed location within a second drone storage area of the shipment storage prior to moving the second internal monitor drone from a second secured position on the secured internal docking station to the second initial airborne position.

84. The method of claim 82, wherein step (c) comprises sensing, with the first sensor array, first environmental information as the first sensory information, wherein the first environmental information is relative to a plurality of airborne locations within the shipment storage as the first internal monitor drone transits the first airborne monitoring path within the shipment storage;

wherein step (d) comprises sensing, with the second sensor array, second environmental information as the second sensory information, wherein the second environmental information is relative to a plurality of airborne locations within the shipment storage as the second internal monitor drone transits the second airborne monitoring path within the shipment storage; and

wherein step (e) further comprises automatically identifying an environmental condition as the condition of the internal storage contents based upon at least one of the first environmental information and the second environmental information.

85. The method of claim 84, wherein the environmental condition comprises at least one of a movement condition as sensed by a motion sensor operating as at least part of the first sensor array or the second sensor array, a light condition as sensed by a light sensor operating as at least part of the first sensor array or the second sensor array, a sound condition as sensed by a microphone operating as at least part of the first sensor array or the second sensor array, a temperature condition as sensed by a temperature sensor operating as at least part of the first sensor array or the second sensor array, a smoke condition as sensed by a smoke sensor operating as at least part of the first sensor array or the second sensor array, a humidity condition as sensed by a moisture sensor operating as at least part of the first sensor array or the second sensor array, and a pressure condition as sensed by a pressure sensor operating as at least part of the first sensor array or the second sensor array.

86. The method of claim 82, wherein aerially monitoring the first part of the internal storage contents with the first sensor array in step (c) further comprises capturing, with a first image sensor part of the first sensor array, at least one image of the first part of the internal storage contents from each of a first plurality of airborne locations within the shipment storage as the first internal monitor drone transits the first airborne monitoring path within the shipment storage;

wherein aerially monitoring the second part of the internal storage contents with the second sensor array in step (d) further comprises capturing, with a second image sensor part of the second sensor array, at least one image of the second part of the internal storage contents from each of a second plurality of airborne locations within the shipment storage as the second internal monitor drone transits the second airborne monitoring path within the shipment storage; and

wherein step (e) further comprises automatically identifying the condition of the internal storage contents based upon at least one of the at least one image captured by the first image sensor or the at least one image captured by the second image sensor.

87. The method of claim 86, wherein step (e) further comprises automatically identifying a configuration change as the condition of the internal storage contents based upon at least one of (1) a comparison of multiple images over time from the first image sensor as the first internal monitor drone repeatedly transits the first airborne monitoring path and (2) a comparison of multiple images over time from the second image sensor as the second internal monitor drone repeatedly transits the second airborne monitoring path.

88. The method of claim 82, wherein aerially monitoring the first part of the internal storage contents with the first sensor array in step (c) further comprises mapping, with a first depth sensor part of the first sensor array, a first configuration of a first storage area within the shipment storage that maintains the first part of the internal storage contents as the first internal monitor drone transits the first airborne monitoring path within the shipment storage, the first configuration represented as a multi-dimensional mapping of at least the first part of the internal storage contents;

wherein aerially monitoring the second part of the internal storage contents with the second sensor array in step (d) further comprises mapping, with a second depth sensor part of the second sensor array, a second configuration of a second storage area within the shipment storage that maintains the second part of the internal storage contents as the second internal monitor drone transits the second airborne monitoring path within the shipment storage, the second configuration represented as a multi-dimensional mapping of at least the second part of the internal storage contents; and

wherein step (e) further comprises automatically identifying the condition of the internal storage contents based upon at least one of the multi-dimensional mapping of at least the first part of the internal storage contents and the multi-dimensional mapping of at least the second part of the internal storage contents.

89. The method of claim 88, wherein step (e) further comprises automatically identifying a configuration change as the condition of the internal storage contents based upon at least one of (1) a comparison of the multi-dimensional mapping of the first part of the internal storage contents over time and (2) a comparison of the multi-dimensional mapping of the second part of the internal storage contents over time.

90. The method of claim 89 further comprising the step of transmitting a configuration change notification by the first internal monitor drone to a shipment storage transceiver in response to identifying the configuration change when the identified configuration change is based upon the comparison of the multi-dimensional mapping of the first part of the internal storage contents over time.

91. The method of claim 90, wherein the configuration change notification provides a prompted intervention request message related to the configuration change identified.

92. The method of claim 89 further comprising the step of transmitting a configuration change notification by the first internal monitor drone when the identified configuration change is based upon the comparison of the multi-dimensional mapping of the first part of the internal storage contents over time.

93. The method of claim 92, wherein the configuration change notification provides a prompted intervention request message related to the configuration change identified.

94. The method of claim 82, wherein aerially monitoring the first part of the internal storage contents with the first sensor array in step (c) further comprises scanning a first identification symbol fixed to a first item within the first part of the internal storage contents using a first scanner part of the first sensor array of the first internal monitor drone as the first internal monitor drone transits the first airborne monitoring path within the shipment storage;

wherein aerially monitoring the second part of the internal storage contents with the second sensor array in step (d) further comprises scanning a second identification symbol fixed to a second item within the second part of the internal storage contents using a second scanner part of the second sensor array of the second internal monitor drone as the second internal monitor drone transits the second airborne monitoring path within the shipment storage; and

wherein step (e) further comprises automatically identifying the condition of the internal storage contents based upon at least one of the first identification symbol scanned by the first scanner or the second identification symbol scanned by the second scanner.

95. The method of claim 94, wherein the first identification symbol comprises a first barcode symbol identifying shipping information related to the first item and the second identification symbol comprises a second barcode symbol identifying shipping information related to the second item.

96. The method of claim 94, wherein the first identification symbol comprises a first sign affixed to the first item where the first sign identifies shipment loading information related to placement of the first item when being shipped within the shipment storage;

and

wherein the second identification symbol comprises a second sign affixed to the second item where the second sign identifies shipment loading information related to placement of the second item when being shipped within the shipment storage.

97. The method of claim 94 further comprising the steps of:

determining, by the first internal monitor drone, a loading status of the first item based upon comparing the first identification symbol as scanned by the first internal monitor drone to a loading plan for the shipment storage maintained within memory of the first internal monitor drone; and

generating a first loading warning by the first internal monitor drone when the loading status of the first item indicates the presence of the first item within the shipment storage is inconsistent with the loading plan.

98. The method of claim 97 further comprising the step of downloading the loading plan in to the memory of the first internal monitor drone.

99. The method of claim 98 further comprising the step of transmitting the first loading warning by the first internal monitor drone to a shipment storage transceiver.

100. The method of claim 97 further comprising the steps of:

determining, by the second internal monitor drone, a loading status of the second item based upon comparing the second identification symbol as scanned by the second internal monitor drone to the loading plan for the shipment storage maintained within memory of the second internal monitor drone; and

generating a second loading warning by the second internal monitor drone when the loading status of the second item indicates the presence of the second item within the shipment storage is inconsistent with the loading plan.

101. The method of claim 100 further comprising the step of downloading the loading plan into the memory of the second internal monitor drone.

102. The method of claim 101 further comprising the step of transmitting the second loading warning by the second internal monitor drone to a shipment storage transceiver.

103. The method of claim 94 further comprising the steps of:

determining, by the first internal monitor drone, a position status of the first item based upon the first identification symbol as scanned by the first internal monitor drone, the first identification symbol comprising a first directional sign indicating a desired item orientation for the first item, and where the position status of the first item reflects whether a current orientation of the first item is inconsistent with the desired item orientation for the first item; and

generating a first positional warning by the first internal monitor drone when the position status of the first item indicates the current orientation of the first item is inconsistent with the desired item orientation for the first item; and

transmitting the first positional warning by the first internal monitor drone to a shipment storage transceiver.

104. The method of claim 103 further comprising the steps of:

determining, by the second internal monitor drone, a position status of the second item based upon the second identification symbol as scanned by the second internal monitor drone, the second identification symbol comprising a second directional sign indicating a desired item orientation for the second item, and where the position status of the second item reflects whether a current orientation of the second item is inconsistent with the desired item orientation for the second item; and

generating a second positional warning by the second internal monitor drone when the position status of the second item indicates the current orientation of the second item is inconsistent with the desired item orientation for the second item; and

transmitting the second positional warning by the second internal monitor drone to the shipment storage transceiver.

105. The method of claim 82 further comprising the step of transmitting a monitoring update message to a shipment storage transceiver, wherein the monitoring update message indicates the detected condition of the internal storage contents, the transmitting of the monitoring update message being performed by (1) the first internal monitor drone when the detected condition is based upon the first sensory information and (2) the second internal monitor drone when the detected condition is based upon the second sensory information.

106. The method of claim 82, wherein the shipment storage comprises a storage compartment within an aircraft.

107. The method of claim 82, wherein the shipment storage comprises a trailer capable of being moved by a truck.

108. The method of claim 82, wherein the shipment storage comprises a train car capable of being moved on a railway system.