UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLE DELIVERY SYSTEM
First Claim
1. An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) delivery system, for delivering articles between at least one first UAV zone and at least one second UAV zone, comprising:
- at least one computing system having a non-transient memory with executable instructions, the executable instructions including a flight management system;
a first UAV zone;
a second UAV zone;
wherein the computing system is operable with said instructions;
a) to provide an article delivery portal, to receive at the portal at least one delivery request to deliver at least one article from the first zone to the second zone;
b) to assign a UAV to the delivery request;
c) if a UAV is not at the first UAV zone, to dispatch a UAV to the first zone, including providing the UAV with a flight path to the first UAV zone;
d) providing a flight path to the UAV, from the first zone to the second zone, at least part of the flight path being predetermined;
e) to communicate the UAV flight path to the UAV; and
f) to monitor the flight of the UAV from the first zone to the second zone and the delivery of the article.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) delivery system, for delivering articles between UAV zones has a computing system having a non-transient memory with executable instructions, the executable instructions including a flight management system to receive at a portal a delivery request to deliver an article from one zone to another. The Instructions are operable: to assign a UAV to the delivery request; if a UAV is not at a first zone, to dispatch a UAV to the first zone; to provide a flight path to the UAV,I at least part of the flight path being predetermined; to communicate the UAV flight path to the UAV; and to monitor the flight of the UAV from the first zone to the second zone and the delivery of the article. A method of planning a route for an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is also provided.
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Citations
59 Claims
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1. An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) delivery system, for delivering articles between at least one first UAV zone and at least one second UAV zone, comprising:
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at least one computing system having a non-transient memory with executable instructions, the executable instructions including a flight management system; a first UAV zone; a second UAV zone; wherein the computing system is operable with said instructions; a) to provide an article delivery portal, to receive at the portal at least one delivery request to deliver at least one article from the first zone to the second zone; b) to assign a UAV to the delivery request; c) if a UAV is not at the first UAV zone, to dispatch a UAV to the first zone, including providing the UAV with a flight path to the first UAV zone; d) providing a flight path to the UAV, from the first zone to the second zone, at least part of the flight path being predetermined; e) to communicate the UAV flight path to the UAV; and f) to monitor the flight of the UAV from the first zone to the second zone and the delivery of the article. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) delivery system, for delivery of articles between locations, the system comprising:
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at least one UAV; at each of at least two locations a secure zone for UAV landing and taking off; a portal for receiving a request from a customer for a delivery of an article between two locations; a computer platform, for checking on the status of the customer, and if the customer is in good standing, further executing a customer request. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A method of delivering an article with an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) between two locations, and the method comprising:
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receiving a request from customer to deliver the article between the two locations; checking on the customer status, and if the customer is in good standing, executing the customer'"'"'s request; checking for the availability of a UAV at the departure location and the availability of the landing zone at the destination location, and further executing the customer request when these are available; and securing the article to the UAV and executing a mission to deliver the article from the departure location to the destination location. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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40. A method of planning a route for an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), the method comprising:
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providing a plurality of locations, each of which may serve as at least one of a departure location including a departure zone and a destination location including a destination zone; establishing a route network comprising a database of route sections connected between nodes at waypoints and UAV zones at the locations in the route network; obtaining advance regulatory approval of the route network; selecting a UAV to fly between two locations; checking the database for an existing flight path, comprising at least one route section, between the two locations suitable for the selected UAV; and when existing flight path is available, verifying the flight path. - View Dependent Claims (41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46)
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47. A flight route network comprising:
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a plurality of UAV zones where UAVs can land and take off; a plurality of way points and nodes at the waypoints; a plurality of route sections providing connections between the nodes and the UAV zones, with each route section providing a connection between one node or one UAV zone and another node or another UAV zone; and for each route section, minimum and maximum altitudes, and a lateral width of the route section, wherein the route network has been subject to regulatory approval. - View Dependent Claims (48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58)
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59. A method of establishing a flight route network, the method comprising:
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identifying a plurality of UAV zones where UAVs can land and take off; identifying and selecting a plurality of way points and defining nodes at the waypoints; identifying and selecting a plurality of route sections providing connections between the nodes and the UAV zones, with each route section providing a connection between one node or one UAV zone and another node or another UAV zone; and for each route section, defining minimum and maximum altitudes, and defining a lateral width of the route section; and obtaining regulatory approval for the route network, whereby when a route is late selected that extends entirely over at least part of the route network, no further regulatory approval is required.
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Specification