Aerial vehicle delivery shroud

• US 9,731,839 B1
• Filed: 12/18/2015
• Issued: 08/15/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Ko, Allan, Beckman, Brian C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Troost, Aaron L
• Application Number:
  US14/975,623
• Time in Patent Office: 606 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 19/00 Aircraft control not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 1/02 Dropping, ejecting, or releasing articles jettisonable fuel reservoirs B64D37/12
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 1/08 the articles being load-carrying devices
• 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 2101/64 for parcel delivery or retrieval
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/20 Rotors; Rotor supports
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/14 ducted or shrouded
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 70/30 for capturing UAVs in flight by ground or sea-based arresting gear, e.g. by a cable or a net

Abstract

Described is an aerial vehicle, such as an unmanned aerial vehicle (“UAV”) that includes a delivery shroud. The delivery shroud may be maintained in a retracted position while the aerial vehicle is in transit. The delivery shroud reduces the transmission of sound from the aerial vehicle to the delivery area. Likewise, the delivery shroud may also be used to facilitate delivery of a payload from the aerial vehicle to a delivery location within the delivery area.

Claims

1. An unmanned aerial vehicle (“

UAV”

) apparatus, comprising;

a plurality of propulsion mechanisms that generate a lift sufficient to enable aerial navigation of the UAV and a payload;

a frame that extends around a perimeter of the plurality of the propulsion mechanisms;

a payload engagement mechanism configured to selectively engage and disengage the payload such that the payload can be aerially transported by the UAV to a delivery area when the payload is engaged by the payload engagement mechanism and such that the payload can be delivered to a delivery location within the delivery area when the payload engagement mechanism releases the payload;

a delivery shroud coupled to the frame and positioned around the plurality of propulsion mechanisms; and

a delivery shroud controller configured to selectively;

retract the delivery shroud such that the delivery shroud occupies a first space around the plurality of propulsion mechanisms; and

extend the delivery shroud such that the delivery shroud extends downward from the aerial vehicle and occupies a second space below the plurality of propulsion mechanisms; and

wherein the delivery shroud reduces a transmission of a sound generated by the aerial vehicle toward the delivery area.

2. The UAV apparatus of claim 1, the delivery shroud including:

a sound dampening material positioned along an interior of the delivery shroud that reflects at least a portion of the sound upward toward the aerial vehicle and away from the delivery area.

3. The UAV apparatus of claim 1, the delivery shroud including:

a material that is extended when the delivery shroud occupies the second space, the material forming a cavity that extends below the aerial vehicle such that airflow from the plurality of propulsion mechanisms can pass through the cavity of the delivery shroud.

4. The UAV apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the payload includes an item ordered from an electronic commerce website.

5. The UAV apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the delivery shroud is formed of a material; and

the material is selected to at least one of absorb at least a portion of the sound, reflect at least a portion of the sound upward, or diffuse at least a portion of the sound into a plurality of directions.

6. An aerial vehicle apparatus, comprising:

a propulsion mechanism;

a frame that extends around at least a portion of a perimeter of the propulsion mechanism;

a delivery shroud coupled the frame and positioned around the propulsion mechanism; and

a delivery shroud controller configured to selectively;

retract the delivery shroud into a retracted position such that the delivery shroud is retracted toward the frame; and

extend the delivery shroud into an extended position such that the delivery shroud extends downward from the aerial vehicle; and

wherein the delivery shroud reduces a transmission of at least a portion of a sound generated by the propulsion mechanism toward an area below the aerial vehicle.

7. The aerial vehicle apparatus of claim 6, wherein the delivery shroud includes:

a flexible material that may be extended or retracted between the retracted position and the extended position; and

a cable coupled to the flexible material, the cable configured to be extended or retracted such that the cable will cause the flexible material to transition between the retracted position and the extended position.

8. The aerial vehicle apparatus of claim 6, wherein:

when the delivery shroud is in the retracted position the aerial vehicle has first aerodynamic properties; and

when the delivery shroud is in the extended position;

the transmission of the at least a portion of the sound toward the area below the aerial vehicle is reduced; and

the aerial vehicle has second aerodynamic properties that are less aerodynamic then the first aerodynamic properties.

9. The aerial vehicle of claim 6, wherein the delivery shroud includes a first material that is formed of at least one of a Kevlar material, a foam material, a fabric material, a plastic material, a synthetic material, a wool material, a cotton material, a fiber material, a feather, a polyethylene material, sawdust, a paper material, or a fiberglass material.

10. The aerial vehicle of claim 6, wherein:

the delivery shroud forms a column that extends below the propulsion mechanism when the delivery shroud is in the extended position; and

the column includes a cavity through which airflow from the propulsion mechanism may pass.

11. The aerial vehicle apparatus of claim 10, wherein:

an interior of the cavity includes a plurality of ridges oriented to cause the at least a portion of the sound to reflect off the plurality of ridges and upward toward the aerial vehicle.

12. The aerial vehicle apparatus of claim 10, wherein:

an interior of the cavity includes a plurality of baffles that absorb the at least a portion of the sound.

13. The aerial vehicle apparatus of claim 6, further comprising:

a second propulsion mechanism;

a second delivery shroud positioned below the second propulsion mechanism; and

wherein the delivery shroud controller is further configured to selectively;

retract the second delivery shroud into a second retracted position such that the second delivery shroud is retracted toward the frame; and

extend the second delivery shroud into a second extended position such that the second delivery shroud extends downward from the aerial vehicle; and

wherein the second delivery shroud reduces a transmission of at least a portion of a second sound generated by the second propulsion mechanism toward the area below the aerial vehicle.

14. The aerial vehicle apparatus of claim 13, wherein the delivery shroud and the second delivery shroud are independently controlled by the delivery shroud controller such that the delivery shroud may be placed in the extended position and the second delivery shroud may be placed in the second retracted position.

15. A method to reduce at least a portion of sound transmitted from an aerial vehicle toward a delivery area, the method comprising:

determining that an altitude of the aerial vehicle is below a defined altitude; and

causing a delivery shroud that is coupled to the aerial vehicle to be extended in a downward direction from the aerial vehicle, wherein;

the delivery shroud forms a column below the aerial vehicle;

the column includes a cavity through which airflow from the aerial vehicle can pass;

at least a portion of sound waves of the sound are influenced by the delivery shroud such that the at least a portion of the sound waves do not travel in a direction of the delivery area;

determining that the aerial vehicle is positioned above a delivery location within the delivery area;

causing a payload to be released from the aerial vehicle and positioned at the delivery location; and

causing the aerial vehicle to depart the delivery area.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

subsequent to causing the payload to be released;

determining that the aerial vehicle is above the defined altitude; and

causing the delivery shroud to be retracted toward the aerial vehicle.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein influence of the at least a portion of the sound waves includes at least one of reflecting the at least a portion of the sound waves, absorbing the at least a portion of the sound waves, or diffusing the at least a portion of the sound waves.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

subsequent to causing the delivery shroud to be extended, causing the aerial vehicle to continue a descent toward the delivery location within the delivery area.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein determining that the aerial vehicle is positioned above the delivery location includes determining that the aerial vehicle has reached a second defined altitude.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the payload travels through the cavity when released from the aerial vehicle.