Package delivery by means of an automated multi-copter UAS/UAV dispatched from a conventional delivery vehicle

• US 9,915,956 B2
• Filed: 01/07/2016
• Issued: 03/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/09/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aero Velocity Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Workhorse Group Inc.
• Inventors: Bokeno, Elliot T., Bort, Jr., Thaddeus M., Burns, Stephen S., Rucidlo, Martin, Wei, Wei, Wires, Donald L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Davis, Richard G
• Application Number:
  US14/989,870
• Publication Number:
  US 20160200438A1
• Time in Patent Office: 796 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/10 Air crafts
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/36 Vehicles designed to transport cargo, e.g. trucks
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/622 by satellite navigation
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/00 Methods of charging batteries, specially adapted for electric vehicles; Charging stations or on-board charging equipment therefor; Exchange of energy storage elements in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/53 Batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 1/362 Installations for supplying conditioned air to parked aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/13 Flying platforms
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/16 with five or more distinct rotor axes, e.g. octocopters
• 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 2201/10 autonomous, i.e. by navigating independently from ground or air stations, e.g. by using inertial navigation systems [INS]
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/104 using satellite radio beacon positioning systems, e.g. GPS
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/15 using combustion exhausts other than turbojets or turbofans, e.g. using rockets, ramjets, scramjets or pulse-reactors
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/19 using electrically powered motors
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 70/00 Launching, take-off or landing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 70/93 for use on a land or nautical vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 70/97 Means for guiding the UAV to a specific location on the platform, e.g. platform structures preventing landing off-centre
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 80/25 for recharging batteries; for refuelling
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 80/86 Land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/102 : specially adapted for vertical take-off of aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 : Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 : Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 : Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/80 : Energy efficient operational measures, e.g. ground operations or mission management
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 : Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 : Plug-in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 : Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles

Abstract

Methods and associated systems for autonomous package delivery utilize a UAS/UAV, an infrared positioning senor, and a docking station integrated with a package delivery vehicle. The UAS/UAV accepts a package for delivery from the docking station on the delivery vehicle and uploads the delivery destination. The UAS/UAV autonomously launches from its docked position on the delivery vehicle. The UAS/UAV autonomously flies to the delivery destination by means of GPS navigation. The UAS/UAV is guided in final delivery by means of a human supervised live video feed from the UAS/UAV. The UAS/UAV is assisted in the descent and delivery of the parcel by precision sensors and if necessary by means of remote human control. The UAS/UAV autonomously returns to the delivery vehicle by means of GPS navigation and precision sensors. The UAS/UAV autonomously docks with the delivery vehicle for recharging and preparation for the next delivery sequence.

Claims

1. A method of delivering a package to a delivery destination comprising the steps of:

reading location data of the delivery destination off of the package;

loading the location data into a flight control system onboard of a UAS/UAV;

loading the package onto a package holding mechanism of the UAS/UAV while onboard a delivery vehicle;

launching the UAS/UAV and package from the delivery vehicle at a first location into a flight pattern based on the location data;

guiding the UAS/UAV and package to the delivery destination;

landing the UAS/UAV and package at the delivery destination;

unloading the package from the UAS/UAV at the delivery destination;

re-locating the delivery vehicle to a second location which is different from the first location;

returning the UAS/UAV to the delivery vehicle at the second location; and

docking the UAS/UAV with the delivery vehicle.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the reading step further comprises:

scanning at least one of a barcode and a QR code displayed on the package.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the delivery vehicle is an electrically powered ground vehicle and the UAS/UAV is an electrically powered flight vehicle.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising:

electrically charging the UAS/UAV from the delivery vehicle.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the launching, returning and docking steps are each automated.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

driving the delivery vehicle from a depot to the first location which is remote from the delivery destination, the package and UAS/UAV being onboard the delivery vehicle.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising:

driving the delivery vehicle from the second location back to the depot.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the delivery vehicle has a plurality of packages initially onboard, each package having a distinct delivery destination and the UAS/UAV serially delivering each of the packages from the delivery vehicle to the associated delivery destination.

9. The method of claim 6 wherein the delivery vehicle has a plurality of packages initially onboard, each package having a distinct delivery destination, the UAS/UAV serially delivering each of the packages of a first set of the packages from the delivery vehicle at the first location to the respective delivery destination, the method further comprising:

driving the delivery vehicle from the first location to the second location with a second set of the packages onboard, the UAS/UAV serially delivering each of the packages of the second set from the delivery vehicle at the second location to the respective delivery destination.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the guiding and unloading steps are controlled and supervised from a control center remote from both the delivery vehicle and the delivery destination.

11. A method of delivering a package from a depot to a delivery destination comprising the steps of:

driving an electrically powered ground delivery vehicle from the depot to a first location remote from the delivery destination, the package and an electrically powered UAS/UAV flight vehicle being onboard the delivery vehicle;

scanning at least one of a barcode and a QR code displayed on the package for location data of the delivery destination;

loading the location data into a flight control system onboard of the UAS/UAV;

loading the package onto a package holding mechanism of the UAS/UAV while onboard the delivery vehicle;

launching the UAS/UAV and package from the delivery vehicle while at the first location into a flight pattern based on the location data;

re-locating the delivery vehicle to a second location which is different from the first location;

guiding the UAS/UAV and package to the delivery destination;

landing the UAS/UAV and package at the delivery destination;

unloading the package from the UAS/UAV at the delivery destination;

returning the UAS/UAV to the delivery vehicle at the second location;

docking the UAS/UAV with the delivery vehicle;

electrically charging the UAS/UAV from the delivery vehicle;

wherein the launching, returning and docking steps are each automated;

wherein the guiding and unloading steps each further comprises intervention and supervision from a control center remote from both the delivery vehicle and the delivery destination; and

driving the delivery vehicle from the second location back to the depot.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the delivery vehicle has a plurality of packages initially onboard, each package having a distinct delivery destination and the UAS/UAV serially delivering each of the packages from the delivery vehicle to the associated delivery destination.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein the delivery vehicle has a plurality of packages initially onboard, each package having a distinct delivery destination, the UAS/UAV serially delivering each of the packages of a first set of the packages from the delivery vehicle at the first location to the respective delivery destination, the method further comprising:

driving the delivery vehicle from the first location to the second location with a second set of the packages onboard, the UAS/UAV serially delivering each of the packages of the second set from the delivery vehicle at the second location to the respective delivery destination.

14. A method of delivering a first package to a first delivery destination, the method comprising the steps of:

loading the first delivery destination into a flight control system of a UAS/UAV;

loading the first package into a package holding mechanism of the UAS/UAV while onboard a delivery vehicle;

launching the UAS/UAV and the first package from the delivery vehicle at a first location;

flying the UAS/UAV and the first package toward the first delivery destination;

unloading the first package from the UAS/UAV at the first delivery destination;

re-locating the delivery vehicle to a second location which is different from the first location;

returning the UAS/UAV to the delivery vehicle at the second location; and

docking the UAS/UAV with the delivery vehicle at the second location.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising:

delivering a second package to a second delivery destination while the delivery vehicle is at the second location.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein a plurality of the UAS/UAV'"'"'s are onboard the delivery vehicle for package delivery.

17. The method of claim 14 wherein the UAS/UAV autonomously returns to the delivery vehicle at the second location.