Item delivery with an unmanned aerial vehicle and unmanned aerial vehicle retrieval system

• US 9,828,092 B1
• Filed: 02/16/2015
• Issued: 11/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Navot, Amir, Ben-Israel, Elad
• Primary Examiner(s): O'Hara, Brian M
• Application Number:
  US14/623,465
• Time in Patent Office: 1,016 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/10 Rotorcrafts
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/14 with four distinct rotor axes, e.g. quadcopters
• 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 2201/00 UAVs characterised by their flight 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: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08355 Routing methods

Abstract

Described is a system and method for utilizing unmanned aerial vehicles (“UAV”) to facilitate delivery of ordered items to user specified delivery destinations. In one implementation, the UAV may be configured as a one-way UAV that is designed to transport ordered items to the user specified delivery destination but not return to a materials handling facility under its own power. Instead, the one-way UAV may remain at the delivery destination for later retrieval by a retrieval unit (e.g., truck).

Claims

1. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions, the instructions when executed by one or more processors causing the one or more processors to at least:

receive an order for an item, wherein the order is associated with a user;

determine a delivery destination for the item;

instruct an unmanned aerial vehicle (“

UAV”

) to aerially navigate with the item to the delivery destination and terminate aerial navigation at the delivery destination; and

cause a request to be sent to one or more devices, the request indicating that the UAV be placed at a retrieval location by at least one of a retrieval time or a retrieval date, wherein the one or more devices are associated with the user.

2. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the instructions when executed by the one or more processors further cause the one or more processors to at least:

determine the retrieval location from which the UAV is to be retrieved; and

instruct a retrieval unit to navigate to the retrieval location and retrieve the UAV.

3. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 2, wherein the retrieval location is at least one of the delivery destination or a UAV retrieval container.

4. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the instructions when executed by the one or more processors further cause the one or more processors to at least:

determine a plurality of retrieval locations, each retrieval location corresponding to at least one UAV, wherein the plurality of retrieval locations includes the retrieval location;

plan a retrieval route that includes each of the plurality of retrieval locations; and

instruct a retrieval unit to navigate the retrieval route and retrieve UAVs from the plurality of retrieval locations.

5. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 4, wherein the instructions when executed by the one or more processors further cause the one or more processors to at least:

plan the retrieval route to further include a location corresponding to a second item; and

instruct the retrieval unit to retrieve or deliver the second item as it navigates the retrieval route.

6. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein:

the UAV includes a payload container into which the item is placed;

the payload container includes a lid; and

the instructions when executed by the one or more processors further cause the one or more processors to at least;

cause a signal to be transmitted from the UAV when the lid of the payload container is opened to confirm a delivery of the item.

7. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the instructions when executed by the one or more processors further cause the one or more processors to at least:

determine a UAV configuration for delivery of the item, wherein the UAV configuration is based at least in part on one or more of;

a lifting capacity of the UAV;

a weight of the item;

a size of the item;

a shape of the item;

a distance between a materials handling facility containing the item and the delivery destination;

a weather between the materials handling facility containing the item and the delivery destination;

or

a power requirement for the UAV to aerially navigate from the materials handling facility to the delivery destination.

8. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the instructions when executed by the one or more processors further cause the one or more processors to at least:

send a request to the one or more devices that the UAV be returned using a ground based carrier service.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the instructions when executed by the one or more processors further cause the one or more processors to at least:

subsequent to a selection of a retrieval option being received from the one or more devices,

cause a retrieval unit to navigate to the retrieval location in accordance with the selected retrieval option.

10. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

under control of one or more computing systems configured with executable instructions;

receiving an order for an item, wherein the order is associated with a user;

determining a delivery destination for the item;

instructing a vehicle to navigate with the item to the delivery destination and terminate navigation at the delivery destination; and

causing a request to be sent to one or more devices, the request indicating that the vehicle be placed at a retrieval location by at least one of a retrieval time or a retrieval date, wherein the one or more devices are associated with the user.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 10, further comprising:

determining the retrieval location from which the vehicle is to be retrieved; and

instructing a retrieval unit to navigate to the retrieval location and retrieve the vehicle.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, wherein the retrieval location is at least one of:

the delivery destination or a retrieval container.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 10, further comprising:

determining a plurality of retrieval locations, each retrieval location corresponding to at least one vehicle, wherein the plurality of retrieval locations includes the retrieval location;

planning a retrieval route that includes each of the plurality of retrieval locations; and

instructing a retrieval unit to navigate the retrieval route and retrieve vehicles from the plurality of retrieval locations.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 13, further comprising:

planning the retrieval route to further include a location corresponding to a second item; and

further instructing the retrieval unit to retrieve or deliver the second item as it navigates the retrieval route.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, wherein:

the vehicle includes a payload container into which the item is placed;

the payload container includes a lid; and

in response to the lid of the payload container being opened, a signal is transmitted from the vehicle to confirm a delivery of the item.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, wherein the vehicle is an aerial vehicle and configured to aerially transport items having a weight of no more than approximately one pound.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, further comprising:

determining a vehicle configuration for delivery of the item, wherein the vehicle configuration is based at least in part on one or more of;

a capacity of the vehicle;

a weight of the item;

a size of the item;

a shape of the item;

a distance between a materials handling facility containing the item and the delivery destination;

a weather between the materials handling facility containing the item and the delivery destination;

or

a power requirement for the vehicle to navigate from the materials handling facility to the delivery destination.

18. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, further comprising:

causing a request to be sent to the one or more devices that the vehicle be returned using a ground based carrier service.

19. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, further comprising:

instructing a retrieval unit to navigate to the retrieval location after the vehicle has been placed at the retrieval location.

20. The computer-implemented method of claim 19, further comprising:

receiving a selection of a retrieval option from the one or more devices; and

causing the retrieval unit to navigate to the retrieval location in accordance with the selected retrieval option.

21. The computer-implemented method of claim 10, further comprising:

subsequent to the vehicle navigating to the delivery destination, receiving information from the vehicle indicating that the item has been delivered.

22. The computer-implemented method of claim 10, further comprising:

determining that the item has been delivered to the delivery destination; and

wherein the request is sent in response to the determination that the item has been delivered to the delivery destination.