AIRBORNE DRONE DELIVERY NETWORK AND METHOD OF OPERATING SAME

• US 20160107750A1
• Filed: 10/13/2015
• Published: 04/21/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Flight of the Century, Inc., W.Morrison Consulting Group, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Flight of the Century, Inc.
• Inventors: YATES, William M.
• Granted Patent: US 9,868,526 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/13 Flying platforms
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/25 Fixed-wing aircraft VTOL aircraft B64U10/20
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/60 for transporting passengers; for transporting goods other than weapons
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/102 adapted for flying in formations
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/104 using satellite radio beacon positioning systems, e.g. GPS
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 80/80 by vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 80/82 Airborne vehicles

Abstract

An airborne drone delivery network and method of operating same that provides an effective system to deliver items to a set number of delivery locations using drones in which the drone flight path is minimized and wherein the drones may be easily retrieved and reused for delivery of additional items.

Claims

1. A method for using an airborne drone to deliver a package to a delivery destination comprising:

affixing a delivery item to the drone and placing the drone inside of, or attaching it to, a mothership;

flying the mothership on a route in proximity to the delivery destination;

jettisoning the drone from the mothership;

wherein the drone navigates to the delivery destination.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the drone navigates to the delivery destination autonomously.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the drone navigation is accomplished by preprogrammed GPS coordinates.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the drone lands at the delivery destination.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the drone uses a parachute during one or more phases of flight.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the drone uses a thruster during one of more phases of flight.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the route of the mothership is optimized to minimize energy use for the jettisoning and collection of one or more delivery drones.

8. A method for using at least one airborne drone to deliver at least one package to at least one destination comprising:

affixing a package to the at least one drone and placing the at least one drone inside of, or attaching it to, a mothership;

flying the mothership on a route in proximity to the at least one delivery destination;

jettisoning the at least one drone from the mothership;

wherein the at least one drone navigates to the at least one delivery destination, lands to deliver the at least one package and takes-off thereafter; and

collecting the at least one drone mid-air.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the drone is collected mid-air by the mothership it was previously jettisoned from.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein the drone is collected mid-air by a cable.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein the drone is collected by a net.

12. A system for delivering a package to a delivery destination comprising:

one or more delivery drones with apparatus for attaching and releasing one or more packages;

a mothership with an apparatus for attaching and releasing the one or more delivery drones;

a processor for calculating points along a route for the mothership to jettison the one or more delivery drones; and

wherein the mothership flies along the route and jettisons the one or more delivery drones as determined by the processor.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein the one or more delivery drones is equipped with an on-board navigation system.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the on-board navigation system comprises GPS.

15. The system of claim 12 wherein the processor is located on-board the mothership.

16. The system of claim 12 wherein the processor is located in a dispatch center.

17. The system of claim 12 wherein the apparatus for attaching and releasing the one or more delivery drones includes an electrical connection.

18. The system of claim 12 wherein the mothership further comprises an apparatus for replacing the energy stores of at least one delivery drone.

19. The system of claim 12 wherein the mothership further comprises an apparatus for replacing the package to be delivered to a delivery destination on at least one delivery drone.