Methods for parcel delivery and pickup via an unmanned aerial vehicle

• US 10,860,971 B2
• Filed: 12/11/2018
• Issued: 12/08/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: United Parcel Service Of America Incorporated (United Parcel Service Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: United Parcel Service Of America Incorporated (United Parcel Service Incorporated)
• Inventors: Gil, Julio, Cooper, Jeffrey
• Primary Examiner(s): Camby, Richard M
• Application Number:
  US16/216,782
• Publication Number:
  US 20190122172A1
• Time in Patent Office: 728 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 3/11 for carrying aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 2211/00 Modular constructions of airplanes or helicopters
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 1/00 Dropping, ejecting, releasing, or receiving articles, liquids, or the like, in flight with respect to weapon sights devices F41G takes precedence, parachutes per se B64D17/00; ejectable seats B64D25/10; ejectable capsules B64D25/12; refuelling during flight B64D39/00; launching apparatus for projecting projectiles or missiles F41F1/00, F41F7/00; rocket or torpedo launchers F41F3/00
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 1/22 Taking-up articles from earth's surface
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 45/04 Landing aids; Safety measures to prevent collision with earth's surface
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 9/00 Equipment for handling freight; Equipment for facilitating passenger embarkation or the like emergency equipment B64D17/00, B64D19/00, B64D25/00; structures integral with fuselage to facilitate loading, fuselage floors specially adapted for freight, steps mounted on and retractable within aircraft B64C; ground installations B64F
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 1/0299 characterized by the use of multiple devices
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 1/10 using self-propelled vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 1/22 for handling aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 1/32 for handling freight
• 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 20/40 Modular UAVs
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 20/70 Constructional aspects of the UAV body
• 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 2201/20 Remote controls
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/20 Rotors; Rotor supports
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/297 : Tilting rotors
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/299 : Rotor guards ducted or shrouded rotors B64U30/26; guards used as ground propulsion B64U60/60
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/39 : Battery swapping
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 70/00 : Launching, take-off or landing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 70/70 : Launching or landing using catapults, tracks or rails launching from storage containers B64U70/50
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 80/10 : with means for moving the UAV to a supply or launch location, e.g. robotic arms or carousels
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 80/86 : Land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/0435 : with pulling or pushing means on either stacking crane or stacking area
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/06 : with means for presenting articles for removal at predetermined position or level B65G1/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/77 : using wireless control
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/42 : Determining position
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/102 : specially adapted for vertical take-off of aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/083 : Shipping
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0832 : Special goods or special handling procedures, e.g. handling of hazardous or fragile goods
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0833 : Tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/006 : in accordance with predefined flight zones, e.g. to avoid prohibited zones
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0069 : specially adapted for an unmanned aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/025 : Navigation or guidance aids radar or analogous systems specially adapted for landing purposes G01S13/913
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/55 : Push-based network services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/70 : Services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC]

Abstract

Systems and methods include UAVs that serve to assist carrier personnel by reducing the physical demands of the transportation and delivery process. A UAV generally includes a UAV chassis including an upper portion, a plurality of propulsion members configured to provide lift to the UAV chassis, and a parcel carrier configured for being selectively coupled to and removed from the UAV chassis. UAV support mechanisms are utilized to load and unload parcel carriers to the UAV chassis, and the UAV lands on and takes off from the UAV support mechanism to deliver parcels to a serviceable point. The UAV includes computing entities that interface with different systems and computing entities to send and receive various types of information.

Claims

1. A method for picking up a parcel via an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), the method comprising:

navigating a UAV to a location that has a parcel, the UAV comprising;

a UAV chassis, a camera, and

a parcel carrier removably secured to the UAV chassis, the parcel carrier having an engagement housing and at least two parcel carrying arms extending from the engagement housing;

using the UAV, engaging the parcel with the parcel carrying arms of the parcel carrier by moving the parcel carrying arms to an engaged position;

utilizing the camera to position the parcel carrying arms of the parcel carrier around the parcel; and

navigating the UAV and the parcel away from the location.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the UAV chassis comprises an upper portion and a lower portion, the upper portion coupled to the lower portion at a reduced width area, the reduced width area having a width that is less than a width of the upper portion and that is less than a width of the lower portion.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

navigating the UAV and the parcel to a UAV support mechanism, the UAV support mechanism comprising two opposing rails;

engaging the UAV with the two opposing rails at the reduced width area; and

releasing the parcel carrier and the parcel from the UAV.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising releasing the parcel from the UAV.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein releasing the parcel from the UAV further comprises releasing the parcel carrier from the UAV.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising securing the parcel carrier to the UAV, wherein the parcel carrier comprises a power source for the UAV.

7. A method for picking up a parcel via an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), the method comprising:

navigating a UAV to a location that has a parcel, the UAV comprising;

a UAV chassis, a camera, and

a parcel carrier removably secured to the UAV chassis, the parcel carrier having at least two parcel carrying arms;

engaging the parcel with the parcel carrying arms;

utilizing the camera to position the parcel carrying arms of the parcel carrier around the parcel; and

navigating the UAV and the parcel away from the location.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the parcel carrier further comprises an engagement housing, and wherein the at least two parcel carrying arms extend outward from the engagement housing.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the engagement housing is sized to at least partially fit within a cavity of the UAV chassis.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising releasing the parcel from the UAV by disengaging the engagement housing from the UAV chassis.

11. A method of releasing a parcel using an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), the method comprising:

determining that a UAV is navigating to a serviceable point, the UAV comprising;

a UAV chassis, a camera, and

a parcel carrier having an engagement housing removably secured to the UAV chassis, and having a parcel carrying mechanism positioned below the engagement housing, the parcel carrying mechanism engaging a parcel;

receiving, via a UAV computing entity, a notification that the parcel is disengaged with the parcel carrying mechanism and released at the serviceable point; and

determining that the UAV is navigating away from the serviceable point.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the UAV further comprises a ground probe, and wherein the method further comprises receiving an indication that the ground probe is depressed, and receiving an indication that the parcel is released from the parcel carrying mechanism in response to depression of the ground probe.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the UAV further comprises a camera, and wherein the method further comprises receiving a recording of a photo or video captured by the camera of the UAV, the photo or the video indicative of the release of the parcel from the parcel carrying mechanism at the serviceable point.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising communicating a confirmation of delivery of the parcel to a user computing entity, wherein the confirmation comprises the video and the video is a 360°

video.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising communicating a confirmation of delivery of the parcel to a user computing entity, wherein the confirmation includes the photo or the video.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising communicating an indication to the user computing entity, the indication prompting a user to input a confirmation of the delivery of the parcel.

17. The method of claim 13, further comprising communicating a confirmation of delivery of the parcel to a user computing entity, wherein the confirmation comprises the video, and wherein the video is a live video feed captured by the camera of the UAV.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising communicating an indication to the user computing entity, the indication prompting a user to input a confirmation of the delivery of the parcel.

19. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

associating the parcel with the photo or the video recorded by the camera of the UAV; and

storing the photo or the video as associated with the parcel at a central computing entity.