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Means of controlling large numbers of commercial drones over airports and populated areas

  • US 9,773,418 B1
  • Filed: 01/27/2017
  • Issued: 09/26/2017
  • Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2017
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A method for controlling the ingress and egress of drones into and out of an air traffic controlled space around an airport, said method comprising:

  • providing instructions to a fleet of drones each including one or more communications system and a controller configured to receive and follow the instructions, said controller;

    causing a plurality of drones from the fleet of drones to congregate at a congregation area as a group in the air traffic controlled space;

    signaling to aircraft traffic control that the plurality of drones at the congregation area are ready to depart the airport as a group;

    causing the plurality of drones to fly from the congregation area as a group out of the air traffic controlled space under air traffic control;

    causing individual drones from the plurality of drones to disperse from the group once the individual drones are out of the air traffic controlled space;

    causing the individual drones to fly to a package delivery location after they are dispersed to deliver a package;

    causing a plurality of return drones from the fleet of drones to fly to a return re-congregation area outside of the air traffic controlled space after they have delivered their package;

    signaling to the aircraft traffic control that the plurality of return drones at the re-congregation area are ready to return to the airport as a group; and

    causing the plurality of return drones to enter the air traffic controlled space as a group under air traffic control.

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