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Landing of unmanned aerial vehicles on transportation vehicles for transport

  • US 9,809,305 B2
  • Filed: 03/02/2015
  • Issued: 11/07/2017
  • Est. Priority Date: 03/02/2015
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A computer implemented method to temporarily transport an unmanned aerial vehicle (“

  • UAV”

    ) on a transportation vehicle, the method comprising;

    under control of one or more computing systems configured with executable instructions, sending instructions to the UAV to begin flying toward a destination of the UAV;

    evaluating known routes that a plurality of transportation vehicles are travelling along, wherein the evaluating of each Known route includes evaluating at least one of a timing factor or an energy savings factor for the travel of the UAV, which includes comparing an expected timeframe for the UAV to reach the destination using each known route to a required timeframe for the UAV to reach the destination, and the plurality of transportation vehicles includes at least a first transportation vehicle and a second transportation vehicle;

    selecting the first transportation vehicle for the UAV to land on from the plurality of transportation vehicles based at least in part on the evaluation of the known route of the first transportation vehicle;

    not selecting the second transportation vehicle from the plurality of transportation vehicles based at least in part on the evaluation of the known route of the second transportation vehicle;

    sending instructions to the UAV to fly to a meeting location and to land on the first transportation vehicle for transport during a portion of the known route of the first transportation vehicle to bring the UAV to a departure location that is closer in distance than the meeting location to the destination of the UAV;

    sending instructions to the UAV to take off from the first transportation vehicle at the departure location along the known route that the first transportation vehicle continues to travel along; and

    sending instructions to the UAV to fly from the departure location toward the destination of the UAV.

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