Method and system for delivery of temperature sensitive items

Abstract

Disclosed herein are methods and systems that can help an air transport service provider (ATSP) select an unmanned vehicle (UV) to deliver temperature-sensitive items. According to an example embodiment, the ATSP system can generate a transport task to fulfill a request to deliver a temperature-sensitive item, wherein the transport task involves delivering the item while keeping the temperature of the item within a preferred temperature range. The system can calculate the amount of energy required to perform the transport task for each available UV in a fleet of UVs. In addition, based on (i) the amount of energy required for each available UV and (ii) the corresponding remaining battery energy level of each available UV, the ATSP system can select a first UV to perform the task. In addition, the ATSP system can assign the transport task to the first UV.

Description

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This application claims priority to U.S. Patent Application No. 15 / 968,507, filed May 1, 2018, which is incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0003] The present application relates to systems and methods for the delivery of temperature sensitive items. Background Art

[0004] An unmanned system, also known as an autonomous vehicle, is a vehicle that is capable of traveling without the physical presence of a human operator. Unmanned systems can operate in remote-controlled mode, autonomous mode, or partially autonomous mode.

[0005] When an unmanned system is operated in a remote control mode, a navigator or driver at a remote location can control the unmanned vehicle by sending commands to the unmanned vehicle via a wireless link. When an unmanned system is operated in an autonomous mode, the unmanned system typically moves based on pre-programmed navigation waypoints, a dynamic automation system, or a combination of these. In addition, some unmanned systems can operate in both remote control mode and autonomous mode, and in some cases can do so simultaneously. For example, as an example, a remote navigator or driver may wish to hand over navigation to an autonomous system while manually performing another task (such as operating a mechanical system for picking up an object).

[0006] There are various types of unmanned systems for various different environments. For example, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are configured to operate (e.g., fly) in the air. Examples include quadrotors and tail-sitter UAVs, etc. There are also unmanned systems for hybrid operations, in which multiple environment operations can be performed. Examples of hybrid unmanned vehicles include amphibious aircraft that can operate on land and water or seaplanes that can land on water and on land. Other examples are also possible. Summary of the invention

[0007] An air transport service provider (ATSP) can provide aerial delivery services to third-party item providers, which may be provided using a fleet of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). In some cases, a third-party item provider may request the ATSP to deliver temperature-sensitive items. In order to avoid destroying or damaging the items, the temperature-sensitive items must be kept at a specific temperature during delivery. Therefore, in order to deliver such temperature-sensitive items without damaging the items, at least some of the UAVs in the fleet may include or be configured to receive a temperature control unit. The temperature control unit may include a temperature-controlled compartment in which temperature-sensitive items may be transported. For example, the temperature control unit may take the form of a temperature-controlled package that may be coupled to the UAV and in which items may be transported.

[0008] However, the operation of the temperature control unit consumes a large amount of UAV battery resources. In order to avoid any lapses (e.g., the UAV battery runs out before the item is delivered), the ATSP desires to assign the task of delivering temperature-sensitive items to UAVs that can deliver the items without encountering lapses. Therefore, a method for selecting a UAV from a fleet of UAVs that can successfully deliver a specific temperature-sensitive item to a specified delivery location is disclosed herein. Within the example, the UAV can be selected based on the preferred temperature range in which the item can be maintained, the estimated travel distance that the available UAVs will travel to perform the mission, the total weight of the available UAVs, and other factors.

[0009] In one aspect, a method is disclosed. The method includes generating a transport task to fulfill a request to deliver a temperature-sensitive item, wherein the transport task involves delivering the temperature-sensitive item while maintaining the temperature of the temperature-sensitive item within a preferred temperature range. The method also includes calculating, for each available unmanned vehicle (UV) in a fleet of UVs, an amount of energy required to perform the transport task. In addition, the method includes selecting a first UV to perform the transport task based on (i) the amount of electrical energy required for each available UV and (ii) the corresponding remaining battery energy level of each available UV. In addition, the method includes assigning the transport task to the first UV.

[0010] On the other hand, a system is disclosed. The system includes a fleet of unmanned vehicles (UVs) configured to transport temperature-sensitive items. The system also includes at least one communication interface that is operable to communicate with an item provider computing device; and at least one processor. In addition, the system includes program instructions stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium and executable by at least one processor to perform functions, the functions including: generating a transportation task in response to receiving a request to deliver a temperature-sensitive item from an item provider computing device, wherein the transportation task involves delivering the temperature-sensitive item while keeping the temperature of the temperature-sensitive item within a preferred temperature range. The function also includes calculating the amount of energy required to perform the transportation task for each available UV in the fleet of unmanned vehicles (UVs). In addition, the function includes selecting a first UV to perform the transportation task based on (i) the amount of electrical energy required for each available UV and (ii) the corresponding remaining battery energy level of each available UV. In addition, the function includes assigning the transportation task to the first UV.

[0011] On the other hand, a method is disclosed. The method includes generating a transport task to fulfill a request to deliver a temperature-sensitive item, wherein the transport task involves delivering the temperature-sensitive item while maintaining the temperature of the temperature-sensitive item within a preferred temperature range. The method also includes selecting a UV level of an unmanned vehicle (UV) from which to select to perform the transport task based on the transport task. In addition, the method includes calculating the amount of energy required to perform the transport task for each available UV in the selected UV level. In addition, the method includes selecting a first UV to perform the task based on (i) the amount of electrical energy required for each available UV and (ii) the corresponding remaining battery energy level of each available UV. In addition, the method includes assigning the transport task to the first UV.

[0012] These and other aspects, advantages and alternatives will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art by reading the following detailed description, with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013] Figure 1A is a simplified illustration of an unmanned aerial vehicle in accordance with an example embodiment.

[0014] Figure 1B is a simplified illustration of an unmanned aerial vehicle in accordance with an example embodiment.

[0015] Figure 1C is a simplified illustration of an unmanned aerial vehicle in accordance with an example embodiment.

[0016] Figure 1D is a simplified illustration of an unmanned aerial vehicle in accordance with an example embodiment.

[0017] Figure 1Eis a simplified illustration of an unmanned aerial vehicle in accordance with an example embodiment.

[0018] Figure 2A is a simplified block diagram showing components of an unmanned aerial system according to an example embodiment.

[0019] Figure 2B is a simplified block diagram illustrating components of a temperature control unit according to an example embodiment.

[0020] Figure 3 is a simplified block diagram illustrating a distributed UAV system according to an example embodiment.

[0021] Figure 4 is a block diagram illustrating an example arrangement of a transportation provider system according to an example implementation.

[0022] Figure 5 is a flow chart illustrating a method according to an example embodiment.

[0023] Figure 6 is a flow chart illustrating a method according to an example embodiment.

[0024] Figure 7 is a flow chart illustrating a method according to an example embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0025] Example methods and systems are described herein. It should be understood that the words "exemplary" and "example" are used herein to mean "serving as an example, instance, or illustration." Any embodiment or feature described herein as "exemplary" or "example" is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other embodiments or features. The example embodiments described herein are not meant to be limiting. It will be readily appreciated that certain aspects of the disclosed systems and methods may be arranged and combined in a variety of different configurations, all of which are contemplated herein.

[0026] In addition, the specific arrangements shown in the accompanying drawings should not be considered limiting. It should be understood that other embodiments may include more or less of each element shown in a given figure. In addition, some of the elements shown may be combined or omitted. Further, example embodiments may include elements not shown in the accompanying drawings.

[0027] I. Overview

[0028] An air transport service provider (ATSP) may be an entity separate from one or more entities that provide the transported items and / or interface with recipients requesting delivery of these items. For example, a company or entity that operates a fleet of UAVs configured for item delivery may provide delivery services to third-party entities (e.g., restaurants, clothing stores, grocery stores and other "brick and mortar" and / or online retailers and other possibilities). These third-party entities may have an account with a UAV transport service provider through which the third party may request and / or purchase UAV transport services from the transport service provider. In addition, the third-party entity may interface with a recipient (e.g., a customer) directly or through a computing system (e.g., an application and / or server system) provided by the UAV transport service provider.

[0029] In addition, an ATSP may be contracted by various third-party entities to deliver different types of items. In some cases, a third party may request the delivery of an item with certain characteristics that must be taken into account when delivering the item. To deliver such an item, an ATSP may include within its fleet of UAVs a UAV that is configured to deliver an item with the certain characteristics.

[0030] A common example of an item characteristic that must be considered during delivery is the temperature of the item. Many types of items, such as medicines, perishable foods, hot foods, etc., must be kept within a specific temperature range during delivery (i.e., when the temperature-controlled payload is on the way from the pick-up time and / or location to the drop-off time and / or location by the UAV). Otherwise, the item may be damaged, or the recipient may be dissatisfied with the delivery (e.g., when prepared foods are delivered cold). Therefore, in order to deliver temperature-sensitive items, the ATSP may include a UAV equipped with features that allow the UAV to deliver temperature-sensitive items. For example, the UAV may include a temperature control unit that can be used to actively control the temperature of the compartment within a specific temperature range during delivery.

[0031] However, the temperature control unit may consume a significant amount of battery resources from the UAV. In particular, the amount of battery resources that the unit may consume may depend on various factors, such as the temperature(s) at which the compartment operates, the distance the UAV will travel, and other factors. Due to these various factors, the UAV may encounter obstacles during delivery, which may prevent the UAV from delivering the temperature sensitive item. For example, due to the high consumption of the UAV battery energy, the temperature control unit may deplete the UAV battery before the UAV delivers the item, which may result in a failed delivery. Therefore, simply assigning a transport task to a UAV that includes a temperature control unit does not ensure the successful delivery of a temperature sensitive payload.

[0032] A method is disclosed herein that allows an ATSP to assign a temperature-sensitive transport task to a UAV that can successfully deliver a temperature-sensitive item. In an embodiment, the method may involve receiving a request to deliver a temperature-sensitive item. In addition to indicating a delivery location for the item, the request may also indicate a preferred temperature range at which the item is to be maintained during delivery (i.e., from pickup to drop-off). If the request does not include a preferred temperature range, the ATSP may determine the preferred temperature range for the item.

[0033] Then, based on the request, the ATSP may generate a transport mission that includes instructions for delivering the temperature-sensitive item to a delivery location while maintaining the temperature of the item within a preferred temperature range.

[0034] Once the transport mission is generated, the ATSP can calculate the amount of energy required to perform the transport mission for each available UAV in the fleet of unmanned vehicles (UVs). In addition, the ATSP can determine the corresponding remaining battery energy level of each available UAV. The ATSP can then use the determined information to select a UAV to perform the transport mission.

[0035] Note that in this document, a "transport mission" may generally involve a UAV picking up one or more items from one location (e.g., a source location specified by an item provider), delivering the one or more items to another location, and returning to a base location (e.g., a UAV nest or charging station) where the UAV may recharge and / or prepare for the next assigned transport mission. In addition, multi-delivery transport missions may be performed, which may include additional flight legs to deliver (one or more) items at multiple delivery locations before returning to the base location. More generally, a transport mission may be any sequence of flights performed by a given UAV to accomplish a particular mission (e.g., picking up and delivering one or more items).

[0036] Furthermore, it should be understood that "item provider(s)" may include any entity that causes an item to be delivered to any type of "recipient." An item recipient may be any entity or location capable of receiving an item delivery, such as a merchant, seller, distributor, retailer, vendor, shipper, customer, and other layperson, among other possibilities.

[0037] In addition, it should be understood that although the figures describe unmanned aerial vehicles, the methods and systems disclosed herein may also be applicable to other types of unmanned vehicles, such as unmanned ground vehicles and unmanned underwater vehicles. Other example vehicles include hybrid unmanned vehicles that can operate in multiple environments. Examples of hybrid unmanned vehicles include amphibious aircraft that can operate on land and water or seaplanes that can land on water and on land. Other examples are also possible.

[0038] II. Schematic Unmanned Vehicle

[0039] As used herein, the terms "unmanned aerial system" and "UAV" refer to any autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicle capable of performing certain functions without a physically present human pilot.

[0040] UAVs may take various forms. For example, UAVs may take the form of fixed-wing aircraft, gliders, stand-up aircraft, jet aircraft, ducted fan aircraft, lighter-than-air craft (e.g., blimps or steerable balloons), rotorcraft (e.g., helicopters or multirotors), and / or flapping-wing aircraft, among other possibilities. In addition, the terms "drone," "unmanned aerial vehicle system" (UAVS), or "unmanned aerial vehicle" (UAV) may also be used to refer to a UAV.

[0041] Figure 1A 1 is an isometric view of an example UAV 100. The UAV 100 includes wings 102, a boom 104, and a fuselage 106. The wings 102 can be stationary and can generate lift based on the wing shape and the forward airspeed of the UAV. For example, the two wings 102 can have a wing-shaped cross-section to generate aerodynamic forces on the UAV 100. In some embodiments, the wings 102 can carry horizontal propulsion units 108, and the boom 104 can carry vertical propulsion units 110. In operation, power for the propulsion units can be provided from a battery compartment 112 of the fuselage 106. In some embodiments, the fuselage 106 also includes an avionics compartment 114, an additional battery compartment (not shown), and / or a unit for handling payload delivery (not shown, such as a winch system). In some embodiments, the fuselage 106 is modular, and two or more compartments (e.g., the battery compartment 112, the avionics compartment 114, other payload and delivery compartments) are detachable from one another and can be secured (e.g., mechanically, magnetically, or otherwise) to one another to contact and form at least a portion of the fuselage 106.

[0042] In some embodiments, the boom 104 terminates in a rudder 116 to improve yaw control of the UAV 100. Additionally, the wings 102 may terminate in wing tips 117 to improve control of the lift of the UAV.

[0043] In the illustrated configuration, the UAV 100 includes a structural frame. The structural frame may be referred to as a "structural H-frame" or "H-frame" (not shown) of the UAV. The H-frame may include a wing spars (not shown) within the wing 102 and a boom carrier (not shown) within the boom 104. In some embodiments, the wing spars and boom carrier may be made of carbon fiber, hard plastic, aluminum, light metal alloys or other materials. The wing spars and boom carrier may be connected with a clamp. The wing spars may include pre-drilled holes for the horizontal propulsion unit 108, and the boom carrier may include pre-drilled holes for the vertical propulsion unit 110.

[0044] In some embodiments, the fuselage 106 can be removably attached to the H-frame (e.g., attached to the wing spar by a clamp configured with grooves, protrusions or other features to cooperate with corresponding H-frame features, etc.). In other embodiments, similarly, the fuselage 106 can be removably attached to the wing 102. The removable attachment of the fuselage 106 can improve the quality and / or modularity of the UAV 100. For example, the electrical / mechanical components and / or subsystems of the fuselage 106 can be tested separately from the H-frame and before being attached to the H-frame. Similarly, the printed circuit board (PCB) 118 can be tested separately from the boom frame and before being attached to the boom frame, thereby eliminating defective parts / subassemblies before completing the UAV. For example, before the fuselage 106 is mounted on the H-frame, the components of the fuselage 106 (e.g., avionics, battery cells, delivery units, additional battery compartments, etc.) can be electrically tested. In addition, the motors and electronic devices of the PCB 118 can also be electrically tested before final assembly. Generally speaking, identifying defective parts and subassemblies early in the assembly process reduces the overall cost and lead time of the UAV. In addition, different types / models of fuselages 106 can be attached to the H-frame, thus improving the modularity of the design. Such modularity allows various parts of the UAV 100 to be upgraded without a substantial overhaul of the manufacturing process.

[0045] In some embodiments, the wing shells and boom shells can be attached to the H-frame by adhesive elements (e.g., adhesive tape, double-sided adhesive tape, glue, etc.). Thus, multiple shells can be attached to the H-frame instead of spraying a monolithic body onto the H-frame. In some embodiments, the presence of multiple shells reduces stress caused by the coefficient of thermal expansion of the structural frame of the UAV. As a result, the UAV can have better dimensional accuracy and / or improved reliability.

[0046] Moreover, in at least some embodiments, the same H-frame can be used with wing shells and / or boom shells having different sizes and / or designs, thereby improving the modularity and versatility of the UAV design. The wing shells and / or boom shells can be made of a relatively light polymer (e.g., closed cell foam) that is covered by a relatively stiff but relatively thin plastic skin.

[0047] Power and / or control signals from the fuselage 106 can be routed to the PCB 118 via cables extending through the fuselage 106, the wings 102, and the boom 104. In the illustrated embodiment, the UAV 100 has four PCBs, but other numbers of PCBs are possible. For example, the UAV 100 may include two PCBs, one for each boom. The PCBs carry electronic components 119, which include, for example, power converters, controllers, memory, passive components, etc. In operation, the propulsion units 108 and 110 of the UAV 100 are electrically connected to the PCBs.

[0048] Many variations of the UAV shown are possible. For example, a fixed-wing UAV may include more or fewer rotor units (vertical or horizontal), and / or may utilize a ducted fan or multiple ducted fans for propulsion. Additionally, UAVs with more wings (e.g., an "x-wing" configuration with four wings) are also possible. Although Figure 1A Two wings 102, two booms 104, two horizontal propulsion units 108 per boom 104, and six vertical propulsion units 110 are illustrated, but it should be appreciated that other variations of the UAV 100 may be implemented with more or fewer of these components. For example, the UAV 100 may include four wings 102, four booms 104, and more or fewer propulsion units (horizontal or vertical).

[0049] Similarly, Figure 1B Another example of a UAV 120 is shown. The UAV 120 includes a fuselage 122, two wings 124 having a wing-shaped cross-section to provide lift for the UAV 120, a vertical stabilizer 126 (or fin) to stabilize the yaw (turning left or right) of the aircraft, a horizontal stabilizer 128 (also called an elevator or tailplane) to stabilize the pitch (tilting up or down), a landing gear 130, and a propulsion unit 132 (which may include a motor, shaft, and propeller).

[0050] Figure 1CAn example of a UAV 140 having propellers in a pusher configuration is shown. The term "pusher" refers to the fact that the propulsion unit 142 is mounted at the rear of the UAV and "pushes" the vehicle forward, as opposed to mounting the propulsion unit at the front of the UAV. Figure 1A and 1B Provide a description, Figure 1C A common structure used in a pusher plane is depicted, including a fuselage 144, two wings 146, a vertical stabilizer 148, and a propulsion unit 142 (which may include a motor, shaft, and propeller).

[0051] Figure 1D An example of a vertical take-off and landing UAV 160 is shown. In the example shown, the vertical take-off and landing UAV 160 has fixed wings 162 to provide lift and allow the UAV 160 to be horizontal (e.g., along the x-axis, approximately perpendicular to the Figure 1D However, the fixed wings 162 also allow the stand-up and landing UAV 160 to take off and land vertically on its own.

[0052] For example, at a launch site, a stand-up landing UAV 160 may be placed vertically (as shown) so that its fins 164 and / or wings 162 rest on the ground and stabilize the UAV 160 in a vertical position. The stand-up landing UAV 160 may then be taken off by operating its propellers 166 to generate an upward thrust (e.g., thrust generally along the y-axis). Once at a suitable altitude, the stand-up landing UAV 160 may use its flaps 168 to redirect itself in a horizontal position so that its fuselage 170 is more aligned with the x-axis than with the y-axis. The horizontally placed propellers 166 may provide forward thrust so that the stand-up landing UAV 160 may fly in a manner similar to a conventional aircraft.

[0053] Many variations on the fixed-wing UAV shown are possible. For example, the fixed-wing UAV may include more or fewer propellers, and / or may utilize a ducted fan or multiple ducted fans for propulsion. Additionally, UAVs with more wings (e.g., an "x-wing" configuration with four wings), fewer wings, or even no wings are possible.

[0054] As mentioned above, some embodiments may involve other types of UAVs in addition to or in lieu of fixed-wing UAVs. For example, Figure 1EAn example of a rotorcraft is shown, which is often referred to as a multicopter 180. Multicopter 180 may also be referred to as a quadcopter because it includes four rotors 182. It should be understood that example embodiments may relate to rotorcraft having more or fewer rotors than multicopter 180. For example, a helicopter typically has two rotors. Other examples with three or more rotors are also possible. As used herein, the term "multicopter" refers to any rotorcraft having more than two rotors, while the term "helicopter" refers to a rotorcraft having two rotors.

[0055] Referring to multirotor 180 in more detail, four rotors 182 provide propulsion and maneuverability for multirotor 180. More specifically, each rotor 182 includes a blade attached to a motor 184. Configured as such, rotors 182 can allow multirotor 180 to take off and land vertically, maneuver in any direction, and / or hover. Additionally, the pitch of the blades can be adjusted in groups and / or differently, and can allow multirotor 180 to control its pitch, roll, yaw, and / or altitude.

[0056] It should be understood that references to "unmanned" aircraft or UAVs herein may be equally applicable to autonomous and semi-autonomous aircraft. In autonomous implementations, all functions of the aircraft are automated; for example, pre-programmed or controlled by real-time computer functions that respond to inputs and / or predetermined information from various sensors. In semi-autonomous implementations, some functions of the aircraft may be controlled by a human operator, while other functions are performed autonomously. In addition, in some embodiments, the UAV may be configured to allow a remote operator to take over functions that would otherwise be autonomously controlled by the UAV. Further, a given type of function may be remotely controlled at one level of abstraction and autonomously performed at another level of abstraction. For example, a remote operator may control high-level navigation decisions of the UAV, such as by specifying that the UAV should move from one location to another (e.g., from a warehouse in the suburbs to a delivery address in a nearby city), while the UAV's navigation system autonomously controls more fine-grained navigation decisions, such as the specific route taken between the two locations, the specific flight controls used to achieve the route and avoid obstacles while navigating the route, and so on.

[0057] More generally, it should be appreciated that the example UAVs described herein are not intended to be limiting. Example embodiments may relate to, be implemented in, or take the form of any type of unmanned aerial vehicle.

[0058] III. Schematic UAV Components

[0059] Figure 2A2 is a simplified block diagram showing components of UAV 200 according to an example embodiment. UAV 200 may take the form of a reference Figures 1A-1E The UAV 200 is described in the form of or similar in form to one of the UAVs 100, 120, 140, 160, and 180. However, the UAV 200 may also take other forms.

[0060] UAV 200 may include various types of sensors and may include a computing system configured to provide the functionality described herein. In the illustrated embodiment, the sensors of UAV 200 include an inertial measurement unit (IMU) 202, (one or more) ultrasonic sensors 204, and GPS 206, as well as other possible sensors and sensing systems.

[0061] In the illustrated embodiment, the UAV 200 also includes one or more processors 208. The processor 208 may be a general purpose processor or a special purpose processor (e.g., a digital signal processor, an application specific integrated circuit, etc.). The one or more processors 208 may be configured to execute computer readable program instructions 212, which are stored in the data storage device 210 and executable to provide the functionality of the UAV described herein.

[0062] The data storage device 210 may include or take the form of one or more computer-readable storage media that may be read or accessed by the at least one processor 208. The one or more computer-readable storage media may include volatile and / or non-volatile storage components, such as optical, magnetic, organic, or other memory or disk storage devices, which may be integrated in whole or in part with at least one of the one or more processors 208. In some embodiments, the data storage device 210 may be implemented using a single physical device (e.g., one optical, magnetic, organic, or other memory or disk storage unit), while in other embodiments, the data storage device 210 may be implemented using two or more physical devices.

[0063] As described above, the data storage device 210 may include computer-readable program instructions 212 and possibly additional data, such as diagnostic data of the UAV 200. Thus, the data storage device 210 may include program instructions 212 to perform or facilitate some or all of the UAV functions described herein. For example, in the illustrated embodiment, the program instructions 212 include a navigation module 214 and a tether control module 216.

[0064] A. Sensor

[0065] In an illustrative embodiment, the IMU 202 may include both an accelerometer and a gyroscope, which may be used together to determine the orientation of the UAV 200. In particular, the accelerometer may measure the orientation of the vehicle relative to the earth, while the gyroscope measures the rate of rotation about an axis. IMUs are commercially available in low-cost, low-power packages. For example, the IMU 202 may take the form of or include a micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) or a nano-electromechanical system (NEMS). Other types of IMUs may also be utilized.

[0066] In addition to accelerometers and gyroscopes, the IMU 202 may also include other sensors, which may help better determine position and / or help increase the autonomy of the UAV 200. Two examples of such sensors are magnetometers and pressure sensors. In some embodiments, the UAV may include a low-power digital 3-axis magnetometer that can be used to implement an orientation-independent electronic compass for precise heading information. However, other types of magnetometers may also be utilized. Other examples are also possible. In addition, please note that the UAV may include some or all of the above-mentioned inertial sensors as components separate from the IMU.

[0067] The UAV 200 may also include a pressure sensor or barometer that may be used to determine the altitude of the UAV 200. Alternatively, other sensors such as a sonic altimeter or a radar altimeter may also be used to provide an indication of altitude, which may help improve the accuracy of the IMU and / or prevent it from drifting.

[0068] On the other hand, UAV 200 may include one or more sensors that allow the UAV to sense objects in the environment. For example, in the illustrated embodiment, UAV 200 includes (one or more) ultrasonic sensors 204. (One or more) ultrasonic sensors 204 can determine the distance to the object by generating sound waves and determining the time interval between the sending and receiving of the corresponding echoes from the object. Typical applications of ultrasonic sensors for unmanned vehicles or IMUs are low-level height control and obstacle avoidance. Ultrasonic sensors can also be used for vehicles that need to hover at a certain height or need to be able to detect obstacles. Other systems can be used to determine nearby objects, sense the presence of nearby objects, and / or determine the distance to nearby objects, such as light detection and ranging (LIDAR) systems, laser detection and ranging (LADAR) systems, and / or infrared or forward-looking infrared (FLIR) systems and other possibilities.

[0069] In some embodiments, the UAV 200 may also include one or more imaging systems. For example, the UAV 200 may utilize one or more static cameras and / or video cameras to capture image data from the UAV environment. As specific examples, a charge coupled device (CCD) camera or a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) camera may be used for an unmanned vehicle. Such (one or more) imaging sensors have many possible applications, such as obstacle avoidance, positioning techniques, ground tracking for more accurate navigation (e.g., by applying optical flow techniques to images), video feedback, and / or image recognition and processing, among other possibilities.

[0070] UAV 200 may also include a GPS receiver 206. GPS receiver 206 may be configured to provide general data of a known GPS system, such as GPS coordinates of UAV 200. UAV 200 may utilize such GPS data for various functions. Thus, the UAV may use its GPS receiver 206 to help navigate to the location of the caller, which is indicated at least in part by the GPS coordinates provided by its mobile device. Other examples are also possible.

[0071] B. Navigation and Position Determination

[0072] The navigation module 214 may provide functionality that allows the UAV 200 to move, for example, around its environment and reach a desired location. To this end, the navigation module 214 may control the altitude and / or direction of flight by controlling the mechanical features of the UAV that affect flight, such as its rudder(s), elevator(s), aileron(s), and / or the speed of its propeller(s).

[0073] In order to navigate the UAV 200 to the target location, the navigation module 214 can implement various navigation techniques, such as map-based navigation and positioning-based navigation. For map-based navigation, the UAV 200 may be provided with a map of its environment, which can then be used to navigate to a specific location on the map. For positioning-based navigation, the UAV 200 may be able to use positioning to navigate in an unknown environment. Navigation based on positioning may involve the UAV 200 establishing its own environmental map and calculating its position within the map and / or the position of an object in the environment. For example, as the UAV 200 moves throughout its environment, the UAV 200 may continuously use positioning to update its environmental map. This continuous map creation process may be referred to as simultaneous positioning and mapping (SLAM). Other navigation techniques may also be utilized.

[0074] In some embodiments, the navigation module 214 can use a technique that relies on waypoints for navigation. In particular, a waypoint is a set of coordinates that identifies a point in physical space. For example, an air navigation waypoint can be defined by a certain latitude, longitude, and altitude. Therefore, the navigation module 214 can move the UAV 200 from one waypoint to another to finally travel to a final destination (e.g., the final waypoint in a sequence of waypoints).

[0075] In another aspect, the navigation module 214 and / or other components and systems of the UAV 200 may be configured to perform a "positioning" to more precisely navigate to a scenario of a target location. More specifically, in some cases, it may be desirable for the UAV to be within a threshold distance of a target location for delivery of a payload 228 by the UAV (e.g., within a few feet of the target destination). To this end, the UAV may use a two-tiered approach that uses a more approximate position determination technique to navigate to a general area associated with the target location, and then uses a more refined position determination technique to identify and / or navigate to the target location within the general area.

[0076] For example, the UAV 200 can use waypoints and / or map-based navigation to navigate to the approximate area of ​​the target destination where the payload 228 is being delivered. The UAV can then switch to a mode in which it uses a positioning process to locate and travel to a more specific location. For example, if the UAV 200 is to deliver a payload to a user's home, the UAV 200 may need to be substantially close to the target location to avoid delivering the payload to an undesirable area (e.g., on a roof, in a swimming pool, on a neighbor's property, etc.). However, a GPS signal may only enable the UAV 200 to do this (e.g., within the neighborhood of the user's home). A more precise location determination technique can then be used to find the specific target location.

[0077] Once the UAV 200 has navigated to the general area of ​​the target delivery location, various types of position determination techniques may be used to achieve localization of the target delivery location. For example, the UAV 200 may be equipped with one or more sensor systems, such as ultrasonic sensors 204, infrared sensors (not shown), and / or other sensors, which may provide input to the navigation module 214 for autonomous or semi-autonomous navigation to a specific target location.

[0078] As another example, once the UAV 200 reaches the general area of ​​a target delivery location (or a mobile object such as a person or their mobile device), the UAV 200 may switch to a "fly-by-wire" mode in which it is at least partially controlled by a remote operator who may navigate the UAV 200 to the specific target location. To this end, sensory data from the UAV 200 may be sent to the remote operator to assist them in navigating the UAV 200 to the specific location.

[0079] As yet another example, the UAV 200 may include a module capable of signaling passersby to help reach a specific target delivery location; for example, the UAV 200 may display a visual message requesting such help in a graphical display, play an audio message or tone through a speaker to indicate the need for such help and other possibilities. Such a visual or audio message may indicate that help is needed when delivering the UAV 200 to a specific person or a specific location, and may provide information to help passersby deliver the UAV 200 to a person or location (e.g., a description or picture of the person or location, and / or the name of the person or location) and other possibilities. Such a feature may be useful in situations where the UAV cannot use sensing capabilities or other location determination techniques to reach a specific target location. However, the feature is not limited to such situations.

[0080] In some embodiments, once the UAV 200 arrives at the approximate area of ​​the target delivery location, the UAV 200 can use a beacon from a user's remote device (e.g., a user's mobile phone) to locate the person. Such a beacon can take various forms. As an example, consider the case where a remote device (e.g., a mobile phone of a person requesting UAV delivery) is able to send a directional signal (e.g., via an RF signal, a light signal, and / or an audio signal). In this case, the UAV 200 can be configured to navigate by "sourcing" such a directional signal—in other words, by determining the location where the signal is strongest and navigating accordingly. As another example, a mobile device can transmit a frequency within or outside the human range, and the UAV 200 can listen to the frequency and navigate accordingly. As a related example, if the UAV 200 is listening for a verbal command, the UAV 200 can use a verbal statement such as "I'm here!" to trace the specific location of the person requesting the delivery of the payload.

[0081] In an alternative arrangement, the navigation module may be implemented at a remote computing device that is in wireless communication with the UAV 200. The remote computing device may receive data indicating the operational state of the UAV 200, sensor data from the UAV 200 that allows the remote computing device to assess the environmental conditions that the UAV 200 is experiencing, and / or location information of the UAV 200. Provided with such information, the remote computing device may determine the altitude and / or directional adjustments that the UAV 200 should make and / or may determine how the UAV 200 should adjust its mechanical features (e.g., the speed of its rudder(s), elevator(s), aileron(s), and / or its propeller(s)) to achieve such motion. The remote computing system may then communicate such adjustments to the UAV 200, enabling it to move in a determined manner.

[0082] C. Communication system

[0083] On the other hand, the UAV 200 includes one or more communication systems 218. The communication system 218 may include one or more wireless interfaces and / or one or more wired interfaces that allow the UAV 200 to communicate over one or more networks. Such wireless interfaces may provide communication under one or more wireless communication protocols, such as Bluetooth, WiFi (e.g., IEEE 802.11 protocol), Long Term Evolution (LTE), WiMAX (e.g., IEEE 802.16 standard), Radio Frequency ID (RFID) protocol, Near Field Communication (NFC), and / or other wireless communication protocols. Such wired interfaces may include Ethernet interfaces, Universal Serial Bus (USB) interfaces, or similar interfaces to communicate via wires, twisted pairs, coaxial cables, optical links, fiber optic links, or other physical connections to a wired network.

[0084] In some embodiments, UAV 200 may include a communication system 218 that allows for both short-range and long-range communications. For example, UAV 200 may be configured for short-range communications using Bluetooth and long-range communications under a CDMA protocol. In such embodiments, UAV 200 may be configured to function as a "hotspot," or in other words, as a gateway or proxy between a remote support device and one or more data networks (e.g., a cellular network and / or the Internet). So configured, UAV 200 may facilitate data communications that a remote support device would not otherwise be able to perform on its own.

[0085] For example, UAV 200 can provide WiFi connectivity to remote devices and act as a proxy or gateway to a cellular service provider's data network to which the UAV can connect, for example, under LTE or 3G protocols. UAV 200 can also act as a proxy or gateway to high altitude balloon networks, satellite networks, or a combination of these networks, etc., which may not otherwise be accessible to remote devices.

[0086] D. Power system

[0087] In another aspect, the UAV 200 may include power system(s) 220. The power system 220 may include one or more batteries for providing power to the UAV 200. In one example, the one or more batteries may be rechargeable, and each battery may be recharged via a wired connection between the battery and a power source and / or via a wireless charging system (e.g., an inductive charging system that applies an external time-varying magnetic field to an internal battery).

[0088] E. Payload

[0089] UAV 200 may employ various systems and configurations to transport and deliver payload 228. In some embodiments, payload 228 may be attached to the UAV and substantially located outside of the UAV during some or all of the flight performed by the UAV. For example, payload 228 may be tethered or otherwise releasably attached beneath the UAV during flight to a target location.

[0090] In order to deliver the payload, the UAV may include a tether system 221, which may be controlled by a tether control module 216 to lower a payload 228 to the ground while the UAV is hovering above. The tether system 221 may include a tether, which may be coupled to a payload 228 (e.g., a package). The tether 224 may be wound around a spool of a motor 222 coupled to the UAV (but a passive implementation without a motor is also possible). The motor may be a DC motor (e.g., a servo motor) that may be actively controlled by a speed controller, but other motor configurations are also possible. In some embodiments, the tether control module 216 may control a speed controller to rotate the motor 222 to unwind or retract the tether and reduce or raise the payload coupling device. In practice, the speed controller may output a desired operating rate (e.g., desired RPM) of the spool, which may correspond to the speed at which the tether system should reduce the payload toward the ground. The motor may then rotate the spool so that it maintains a desired operating rate (or remains within a certain permissible range of the operating rate).

[0091] In order to control the motor through the speed controller, the tether control module 216 can receive data from a speed sensor (e.g., an encoder) configured to convert a mechanical position into a representative analog or digital signal. In particular, the speed sensor can include a rotary encoder that can provide information related to the rotational position (and / or rotational motion) of the shaft of the motor or the bobbin connected to the motor and other possibilities. In addition, the speed sensor can take the form of an absolute encoder and / or an incremental encoder, etc. Therefore, in an example embodiment, when the motor rotates the bobbin, a rotary encoder can be used to measure the rotation. In doing so, the rotary encoder can be used to convert the rotational position into an analog or digital electronic signal used by the tether control module 216 to determine the amount of rotation of the bobbin from a fixed reference angle, and / or to an analog or digital electronic signal representing a new rotational position and other examples. Other examples are also possible.

[0092] In some embodiments, a payload coupling component (e.g., a hook or another type of coupling component) can be configured to secure payload 228 as it is lowered from the UAV via a tether. The coupling device or component can be further configured to release payload 228 upon reaching ground level via electrical or electromechanical features of the coupling component. The payload coupling component can then be retracted back into the UAV by retracting the tether using a motor.

[0093] In some embodiments, once the payload 228 is lowered to the ground, it can be released passively. For example, the payload coupling component can provide a passive release mechanism, such as one or more swing arms adapted to be retracted into the housing and extended from the housing. The extended swing arm can form a hook to which the payload 228 can be attached. When the release mechanism and the payload 228 are lowered to the ground by the tether, the gravity on the release mechanism and the downward inertial force can cause the payload 228 to disengage from the hook, thereby allowing the release mechanism to rise upward toward the UAV. The release mechanism can further include a spring mechanism that biases the swing arm to retract into the housing when there is no other external force on the swing arm. For example, the spring can apply a force on the swing arm that pushes or pulls the swing arm toward the housing so that the swing arm retracts into the housing once the weight of the payload 228 no longer forces the swing arm to extend from the housing. When delivering the payload 228, when the release mechanism is lifted toward the UAV, retracting the swing arm into the housing can reduce the possibility of the release mechanism snag the payload 228 or other nearby objects.

[0094] In another embodiment, the payload coupling component may include a hook feature that passively releases the payload when the payload contacts the ground. For example, the payload coupling component may be a hook feature that is sized and shaped to interact with a corresponding attachment feature (e.g., a handle or hole) on a payload in the form of a container or a tote bag or include the hook feature. The hook can be inserted into the handle or hole of the payload container so that the weight of the payload keeps the payload container fixed to the hook feature during flight. However, the hook feature and the payload container can be designed so that when the container contacts the ground and is supported from below, the hook feature slides out of the attachment feature of the container, thereby passively releasing the payload container. Other passive release configurations are also possible.

[0095] Active payload release mechanisms are also possible. For example, sensors such as barometric altimeters and / or accelerometers can help detect the position of the release mechanism (and payload) relative to the ground. Data from the sensors can be transmitted back to the UAV and / or control system via a wireless link and used to help determine when the release mechanism reaches ground level (e.g., by utilizing an accelerometer to detect measurements that characterize ground impact). In other examples, the UAV can determine that the payload has reached the ground based on a weight sensor detecting a threshold low downward force on the tether and / or based on a threshold low measurement of the power drawn by the winch when lowering the payload.

[0096] In addition to or as an alternative to a tethered delivery system, other systems and techniques for delivering a payload are possible. For example, UAV 200 may include an airbag drop system or a parachute drop system. Alternatively, UAV 200 carrying a payload may simply land on the ground at a delivery location. Other examples are possible.

[0097] F. Temperature Control Unit

[0098] In an embodiment, UAV 200 may include a temperature control unit. The temperature control unit may include a temperature controlled compartment in which one or more items may be transported. In particular, the temperature control unit may actively control the temperature of the compartment. By actively controlling the temperature of the compartment, the temperature control unit may control the temperature of the (one or more) items being transported in the temperature controlled compartment.

[0099] In an embodiment, the temperature control unit may be a "smart" unit that includes one or more electronic devices, such as a processor, a data storage device, a sensor, a communication system, a power system (e.g., a battery), etc. Such "smarts" enable the unit to have various functions and may allow the unit to operate as a stand-alone device that can be coupled to the UAV 200.

[0100] Figure 2B is a simplified block diagram showing components of the intelligent temperature control unit 230 according to an example embodiment. In an example, the temperature control unit 230 may include Figure 2B One or more components are shown, such as sensor(s) 232, temperature control component(s) 234, processor(s) 236, communication system(s) 238, coupling module 240, power system(s) 242, data storage device 244, program instructions 246, temperature control module 248, and payload 250. Intelligent temperature control unit 230 need not include all of these components and may include additional components.

[0101] In embodiments, the temperature control unit 230 may employ various systems and configurations to transport the payload 250 while maintaining the temperature of the payload 250 at a specific temperature or within a specific temperature range. For example, the temperature control unit may take the form of a device that is integrated within the UAV 200 and includes a compartment in which items may be transported.

[0102] In another example, the temperature control unit 230 may take the form of a "package" or "packaging" in which the payload 250 may be placed to transport various goods to a target delivery location. In this example, the package may include various features that may protect its contents from the environment, reduce aerodynamic drag on the system, and prevent displacement of the package contents during flight of the UAV.

[0103] In addition, the package may include an outer shell made of waterproof cardboard, plastic or any other lightweight and waterproof material. In addition, the package may include one or more materials that can insulate the compartments of the package. For example, the package may include manufactured insulation blankets or liners, molded expanded polystyrene foams (e.g., EPS, styrofoam, etc.), molded foams (e.g., polyurethane, polyethylene), foam plastic sheets, vacuum insulation panels (VIP), bubble wrap or other gas-filled panels and other packaging materials and structures.

[0104] In addition, in order to reduce drag, the package can have a smooth surface, which has a front portion that reduces the front cross-sectional area according to aerodynamic shaping. In addition, the side of the package can taper from a wide bottom to a narrow top, which allows the package to act as a narrow pylon, which reduces the interference effect on the (one or more) wings of the UAV. This can make some front areas and volumes of the package move away from the (one or more) wings of the UAV, thereby preventing the lift reduction to the (one or more) wings caused by the package. In addition, in some embodiments, the shell of the package can be made of a single piece of material to reduce air gaps or additional materials, which may increase the resistance to the system. Additionally or alternatively, the package can include a stabilizer to suppress the vibration of the package. The reduction of this vibration can allow the package to have a less rigid connection to the UAV, and can make the package contents less displaced during flight.

[0105] In an embodiment, the connection module 240 can be used to connect the temperature control unit 230 to the UAV 200. The connection module 240 can include various electrical and / or mechanical connectors or elements that electrically and / or mechanically connect the temperature control unit 230 to the UAV 200. For example, the connection module 240 can include an electrical pin that can be used to engage a complementary retaining pin in the UAV 200 to electrically connect to the UAV 200. Electrically connecting to the UAV 200 allows the temperature control unit 230 to dock with the UAV 200. For example, as explained below, the payload 228 can send various signals, such as communication or power signals, through the connection module 240. Other example connection modules include docks, plugs, sockets, jacks, and other types of connectors. In an example, a person or robotic device that wants to connect the temperature control unit 230 to the UAV 200 can use the connection module 240 to electrically and / or mechanically connect the temperature control unit 230 to the UAV 200.

[0106] The communication system 238 may include one or more wireless interfaces and / or one or more wired interfaces that allow the temperature control unit 230 to communicate through one or more networks. Such a wireless interface can provide communication under one or more wireless communication protocols, such as Bluetooth, WiFi (e.g., IEEE802.11 protocol), long term evolution (LTE), WiMAX (e.g., IEEE 802.16 standard), radio frequency ID (RFID) protocol, near field communication (NFC) and / or other wireless communication protocols. In some examples, the temperature control unit 230 may include a low-power communication protocol, such as Bluetooth low energy (BLE). The wired interface may include an Ethernet interface, a universal serial bus (USB) interface, or a similar interface to communicate through a wire, twisted pair, coaxial cable, optical link, optical fiber link, or other physical connection to a wired network. In an example, the communication system 238 can establish a communication link with the communication system 218 of the UAV 200. For example, the wired communication interface can exchange signals with the UAV 200 through an electrical interface provided by the connection module 240.

[0107] The one or more processors 236 may be general purpose processors or special purpose processors (e.g., digital signal processors, application specific integrated circuits, etc.). The one or more processors 236 may be configured to execute computer readable program instructions 246 that are stored in the data storage device 244 and that may be executed to provide various functions for the temperature control unit 230, such as the temperature control functions described herein.

[0108] The data storage device 244 may include or take the form of one or more computer-readable storage media that may be read or accessed by the at least one processor 236. The one or more computer-readable storage media may include volatile and / or non-volatile storage components, such as optical, magnetic, organic, or other memory or disk storage devices, which may be integrated in whole or in part with at least one of the one or more processors 208. In some embodiments, the data storage device 244 may be implemented using a single physical device (e.g., one optical, magnetic, organic, or other memory or disk storage unit), while in other embodiments, the data storage device 244 may be implemented using two or more physical devices.

[0109] As described above, the data storage device 244 may include computer-readable program instructions 246 and possibly additional data, such as temperature, battery usage, and / or location data of the temperature control unit 230. The program instructions 246 may be used to perform or facilitate some or all of the functions described herein. For example, in the illustrated embodiment, the program instructions 246 include a temperature control module 248 that may be used to perform or facilitate the temperature control functions described herein.

[0110] In addition, the temperature control unit 230 may include (one or more) power systems 242. In an embodiment, the (one or more) power systems may include one or more energy storage devices (e.g., batteries) that can provide power to the temperature control unit 230. In one example, one or more energy storage devices may be rechargeable. In this example, each energy storage device can be recharged via a wired connection between the energy storage device and a power source and / or via a wireless charging system (e.g., an inductive charging system that applies an external time-varying magnetic field to an internal energy storage device). In some examples, the energy storage device can be used to power various components of the temperature control unit 230. In other examples, the temperature control unit 230 may not include (one or more) power systems 242 and may rely on the battery power of the UAV 200.

[0111] In an example, the power system(s) 242 may include a standard charging port (e.g., a USB port) so that an individual receiving the UAV 200 (e.g., a recipient of the item) can easily charge the energy storage device for further use by the temperature control unit 230. For example, as described below, in an example where the temperature control unit 230 is in package form, the individual can use the temperature control unit 230 to return the item (e.g., a temperature sensitive item) to the item provider via the UAV 200 after recharging the temperature control unit 230.

[0112] In an embodiment, one or more energy storage devices can be used to provide power to the UAV 200, either through a wired connection via the connection module 240 or through a wireless power system (e.g., an inductive system). The power of the energy storage device can be used to directly power the UAV 200, or can be used to recharge the battery of the UAV 200. In this way, the temperature control unit 230 can be used as a backup power source or auxiliary power source for the UAV 200.

[0113] In an embodiment, different temperature control units may have energy storage devices with different energy capacities. For example, the temperature control units may be organized into multiple tiers based on energy capacity, wherein each tier has a specific energy storage capacity or a range of energy storage capacity. In addition, different tiers may have different characteristics, which may be due to having different energy storage capacities. For example, since energy storage devices of different capacities have different weights, the weights of temperature control units of different tiers may also be different. As described below, due to different tiers with different attributes, the tier of temperature control units selected for a particular mission may depend on one or more factors. In this way, a temperature control unit from one of the different tiers may be determined for a particular transport mission using ATSPs of different tiers.

[0114] As described above, one of the functions of the temperature control unit 230 is to temperature control the compartments of the temperature control unit 230 and / or to temperature control the items transported in the compartments of the temperature control unit 230. To achieve this function, the temperature control unit 230 may include a temperature control component. In addition to controlling the temperature of the compartments, the temperature control function may also involve monitoring the temperature of the compartments and / or the temperature of the items transported in the compartments. One or more components that facilitate the temperature control function of the payload include a sensor 232 and a temperature control component 234.

[0115] In embodiments, the temperature control component 234 may include components that may cool or heat a compartment of the temperature control unit 230 or items transported in the compartment. For example, the temperature control element 234 may include components such as cooling elements, wire mesh heating elements, phase change materials, thermal insulation materials, evaporative coolers, thermoelectric coolers (e.g., Peltier coolers), vapor compression refrigeration elements, and other examples.

[0116] The sensor(s) 232 may include temperature sensors such as thermistors, thermocouples, semiconductor-based sensors, resistance temperature detectors, probe-type sensors, non-contact sensors (e.g., infrared sensors), and other examples. In an example, the sensor(s) 232 may be mounted inside and / or outside the temperature control unit 230. The sensor(s) 232 may be used to monitor the environment of the UAV 200 and / or the temperature of a compartment of the temperature control unit 230. Additionally and / or alternatively, the sensor(s) 232 may be used to monitor the temperature of items transported in the compartment.

[0117] In an embodiment, the temperature control unit 230 may receive instructions from the UAV 200, possibly via the communication system(s) 238, to set the temperature of the compartment to a specified temperature or to maintain the temperature of the compartment within a specified temperature range. In response to receiving the instructions, the one or more processors 236 may execute program instructions 246 to enable a temperature control module 248. The temperature control module 248 may maintain the temperature of the compartment at a specified temperature or at a temperature within a specified temperature range. In an example, the temperature control module 248 may use a temperature control feedback loop that feeds back the current temperature of the compartment to the temperature control module 248. Specifically, the temperature control module 248 may use the current temperature of the compartment to determine how to adjust the temperature control component 234 to maintain the temperature at a specified temperature or within a specified temperature range.

[0118] In some examples, the temperature control unit 230 can be configured to couple to one or more modular components, which can be imaging devices. By having the ability to couple to modular components, the temperature control unit 230 can be equipped with components useful for specific tasks (e.g., specific transportation tasks). For example, in addition to transporting items, the temperature control unit 230 can also be equipped with an imaging device to capture images of the environment (e.g., below the UAV 200) along the delivery path of the UAV 200.

[0119] IV. Schematic UAV Deployment System

[0120] UAV systems can be implemented to provide various UAV-related services. In particular, UAVs can be provided at multiple different launch sites with infrastructure that communicates with regional and / or central control systems. Such a distributed UAV system can allow UAVs to be quickly deployed to provide services over a large geographic area (e.g., much larger than the flight range of any single UAV). For example, UAVs capable of carrying payloads can be distributed at multiple launch sites over a large geographic area (possibly even throughout the country, or even the world) to provide on-demand transportation of various items to locations around a geographic area. Figure 3 is a simplified block diagram illustrating a distributed UAV system 300 according to an example embodiment.

[0121] In the exemplary UAV system 300, the access system 302 may allow for interaction with, control of, and / or utilization of the network of the UAV 304. In some embodiments, the access system 302 may be a computing system that allows for human-controlled scheduling of the UAV 304. Thus, the control system may include or otherwise provide a user interface through which a user may access and / or control the UAV 304.

[0122] In some embodiments, the dispatching of UAVs 304 may additionally or alternatively be accomplished through one or more automated processes. For example, the access system 302 may dispatch one of the UAVs 304 to transport a payload to a target location, and the UAV may autonomously navigate to the target location by utilizing various onboard sensors (e.g., a GPS receiver and / or other various navigation sensors).

[0123] In addition, the access system 302 can provide remote operation of the UAV. For example, the access system 302 can allow the operator to control the flight of the UAV through its user interface. As a specific example, the operator can use the access system 302 to dispatch the UAV 304 to a target location. Then, the UAV 304 can autonomously navigate to the approximate area of ​​the target location. At this point, the operator can use the access system 302 to obtain control of the UAV 304 and navigate the UAV to the target location (e.g., navigate to a specific person to whom the payload is being transported). Other examples of remote operation of the UAV are also possible.

[0124] In the illustrative embodiment, UAV 304 can take various forms. For example, each UAV 304 can be a UAV such as those shown in Figures 1, 2, 3 or 4. However, without departing from the scope of the present invention, UAV system 300 can also utilize other types of UAVs. In some embodiments, all UAVs 304 can have the same or similar configuration. However, in other embodiments, UAV 304 can include multiple different types of UAVs. For example, UAV 304 can include multiple types of UAVs, and each type of UAV is configured for one or more different types of payload delivery capabilities.

[0125] The UAV system 300 may also include a remote device 306 that may take various forms. In general, the remote device 306 may be any device through which a direct or indirect request to dispatch a UAV may be made. (Note that an indirect request may involve any communication that may be responded to by dispatching a UAV, such as a request for package delivery). In an example embodiment, the remote device 306 may be a mobile phone, a tablet computer, a laptop computer, a personal computer, or any networked computing device. In addition, in some cases, the remote device 306 may not be a computing device. As an example, a standard telephone that allows communication over plain old telephone service (POTS) may be used as the remote device 306. Other types of remote devices are also possible.

[0126] Additionally, the remote device 306 may be configured to communicate with the access system 302 via one or more types of communication networks 308. For example, the remote device 306 may communicate with the access system 302 (or a human operator of the access system 302) by communicating over a POTS network, a cellular network, and / or a data network such as the Internet. Other types of networks may also be utilized.

[0127] In some embodiments, the remote device 306 can be configured to allow a user to request to pick up one or more items from a specific source location and / or to deliver one or more items to a desired location. For example, a user can request a UAV to deliver a package to their home through their mobile phone, tablet computer, or laptop computer. As another example, a user can request dynamic delivery to anywhere they are at the time of delivery. In order to provide such dynamic delivery, the UAV system 300 can receive location information (e.g., GPS coordinates, etc.) from the user's mobile phone or any other device on the user's personal computer so that the UAV can navigate to the user's location (as indicated by their mobile phone).

[0128] In some embodiments, a business user (e.g., a restaurant) may utilize one or more remote devices 306 to request that a UAV be dispatched to pick up one or more items (e.g., a food order) from a source location (e.g., the address of the restaurant) and then deliver the one or more items to a target location (e.g., the address of the customer). In addition, in such embodiments, there may be multiple remote devices 306 associated with a common item provider account (e.g., an account used by multiple employees and / or owners of a particular restaurant). In addition, in such embodiments, a remote device 306 may be utilized to send an item provider submission to a transportation provider computing system (e.g., a central scheduling system 310 and / or a local scheduling system 312), wherein the item provider submissions each indicate a corresponding quantitative measure for a given amount of UAV transportation service at a given future time. For example, an item provider submission may be generated and sent using a remote device 306, wherein the item provider submission specifies an expected UAV transportation service level (e.g., the number and / or frequency (rate) of expected UAV delivery flights) and / or a monetary value corresponding to the item provider's need for UAV transportation services at a specific time in the future or during a specific time period.

[0129] In the exemplary arrangement, the central dispatch system 310 may be a server or group of servers configured to receive dispatch message requests and / or dispatch instructions from the access system 302. Such dispatch messages may request or instruct the central dispatch system 310 to coordinate the deployment of the UAVs to various target locations. The central dispatch system 310 may be further configured to route such requests or instructions to one or more local dispatch systems 312. To provide such functionality, the central dispatch system 310 may communicate with the access system 302 via a data network (e.g., the Internet or a dedicated network established for communication between the access system and the automated dispatch system).

[0130] In the illustrated configuration, the central dispatch system 310 may be configured to coordinate the dispatch of UAVs 304 from a plurality of different local dispatch systems 312. Thus, the central dispatch system 310 may track which UAVs 304 are located at which local dispatch systems 312, which UAVs 304 are currently available for deployment, and / or (in the case where the UAV fleet includes multiple types of UAVs configured for different services and / or operations) which services or operations each UAV 304 is configured for. Additionally or alternatively, each local dispatch system 312 may be configured to track which of its associated UAVs 304 are currently available for deployment and / or are currently in the process of transporting items.

[0131] In some cases, when the central dispatch system 310 receives a request for a UAV-related service (e.g., transportation of an item) from the access system 302, the central dispatch system 310 may select a specific UAV 304 for dispatch. The central dispatch system 310 may accordingly instruct the local dispatch system 312 associated with the selected UAV to dispatch the selected UAV. The local dispatch system 312 may then operate its associated deployment system 314 to launch the selected UAV. In other cases, the central dispatch system 310 may forward the request for a UAV-related service to a local dispatch system 312 near the location where support is requested, and leave the selection of a specific UAV 304 to the local dispatch system 312.

[0132] In an example configuration, the local dispatch system 312 may be implemented as a computing system at the same location as the deployed system(s) 314 that it controls. For example, the local dispatch system 312 may be implemented by a computing system installed in a building, such as a warehouse, where the deployed system(s) 314 and UAV(s) 304 associated with the particular local dispatch system 312 are also located. In other embodiments, the local dispatch system 312 may be implemented at a location remote from its associated deployed system(s) 314 and UAV(s) 304.

[0133] A variety of variations and alternatives to the illustrated configuration of the UAV system 300 are possible. For example, in some embodiments, a user of a remote device 306 can request a package be delivered directly from the central dispatch system 310. To do so, an application can be implemented on the remote device 306 that allows the user to provide information about the requested delivery, and generates and sends a data message to request the UAV system 300 to provide the delivery. In such an embodiment, the central dispatch system 310 may include automated functionality to process requests generated by such an application, evaluate such requests, and, if appropriate, coordinate with the appropriate local dispatch system 312 to deploy a UAV.

[0134] In addition, some or all of the functionality attributed herein to the central dispatch system 310, (one or more) local dispatch systems 312, the access system 302 and / or the (one or more) deployment systems 314 may be combined in a single system, implemented in a more complex system (e.g., having more control layers), and / or reallocated in various ways among the central dispatch system 310, (one or more) local dispatch systems 312, the access system 302 and / or the (one or more) deployment systems 314.

[0135] Still further, while each local dispatch system 312 is shown as having two associated deployment systems 314, a given local dispatch system 312 may alternatively have more or fewer associated deployment systems 314. Similarly, while the central dispatch system 310 is shown as communicating with two local dispatch systems 312, the central dispatch system 310 may alternatively communicate with more or fewer local dispatch systems 312.

[0136] In another aspect, deployment systems 314 can take various forms. In some embodiments, some or all of deployment systems 314 can be structures or systems that passively facilitate takeoff of a UAV from a resting position to commence flight. For example, some or all of deployment systems 314 can take the form of a landing pad, hangar, and / or runway, among other possibilities. Thus, a given deployment system 314 can be arranged to facilitate deployment of one UAV 304 at a time, or to deploy multiple UAVs (e.g., a landing pad large enough to be utilized by multiple UAVs simultaneously).

[0137] Additionally or alternatively, some or all of the deployment systems 314 may take the form of or include a system for actively launching one or more UAVs 304. Such a launch system may include features that provide for automatic UAV launches and / or features that allow for human-assisted UAV launches. Furthermore, a given deployment system 314 may be configured to launch one specific UAV 304, or to launch multiple UAVs 304.

[0138] Note that the deployment system 314 can also be configured to passively facilitate and / or actively assist the UAV when landing. For example, the same helipad can be used for takeoff and landing. Additionally or alternatively, the deployment system can include a robotic arm that can be operated to receive an incoming UAV. The deployment system 314 can also include other structures and / or systems that assist and / or facilitate the UAV landing process. In addition, the structures and / or systems that assist and / or facilitate the UAV landing process can be implemented as separate structures and / or systems, as long as the UAV can be moved to the deployment system 314 or moved from the landing structure or system to the deployment system 314 for redeployment.

[0139] The deployment system 314 can also be configured to provide additional functionality, including, for example, diagnostic-related functionality, such as verifying system functionality of the UAV, verifying functionality of equipment housed within the UAV (e.g., payload delivery equipment), and / or maintaining equipment or other items housed within the UAV (e.g., by monitoring the status of the payload, such as its temperature, weight, etc.).

[0140] In some embodiments, local dispatch systems 312 and their corresponding deployment system(s) 314 may be strategically distributed throughout an area, such as a city. For example, local dispatch systems 312 may be strategically distributed such that each local dispatch system 312 is proximate to one or more payload pickup locations (e.g., near a restaurant, store, or warehouse). However, local dispatch systems 312 may be distributed in other ways, depending on the particular implementation.

[0141] As an additional example, kiosks that allow users to ship packages via UAVs may be installed at various locations. Such kiosks may include a UAV launch system and may allow users to provide their packages for loading onto the UAV and make payments for UAV shipping services, among other possibilities. Other examples are also possible.

[0142] In another aspect, the UAV system 300 may include or have access to a user account database 316. The user account database 316 may include data for a plurality of user accounts, each of which is associated with one or more persons. For a given user account, the user account database 316 may include data relevant to or useful for providing services associated with the UAV. Typically, the user data associated with each user account is optionally provided by the associated user and / or collected with the associated user's permission.

[0143] Furthermore, in some embodiments, if a person wishes to have UAV-related services provided by a UAV 304 in the UAV system 300, the person may be required to register a user account with the UAV system 300. As such, the user account database 316 may include authorization information (e.g., a user name and password) for a given user account and / or other information that may be used to authorize access to a user account.

[0144] In some embodiments, an entity (e.g., a person or business) may associate one or more of its devices with its user account so that they can access the services of the UAV system 300. For example, when someone uses an associated mobile phone to, for example, place a call to an operator of the access system 302 or send a message to a dispatch system requesting UAV-related services, the phone may be identified by the unique device identification number, and the call or message may then be attributed to the associated user account. Other examples are possible.

[0145] Additionally or alternatively, item providers who wish to deliver their products using the UAV transportation service provided by the ATSP for delivery may register an item provider account with the UAV system 300. As such, the user account database 316 may include authorization information (e.g., one or more username and password combinations) for a given item provider account and / or other information that may be used to authorize access to a given item provider account. Alternatively, data for an item provider account may be stored in a database separate from a recipient user account. Other data structures and storage configurations for storing such account data are also possible.

[0146] V. UAV Transportation Services Utilizing Separate Locations of Item Providers and UAV Hubs

[0147] As described above, an ATSP can be an entity separate from one or more entities that provide the items being transported and / or interface with recipients requesting delivery of these items. For example, a company that operates a fleet of UAVs configured for item delivery can provide delivery services to third-party entities (e.g., restaurants, clothing stores, grocery stores and other "brick and mortar stores" and / or online retailers and other possibilities). These third-party entities can have an account with a UAV transportation service provider through which the third party can request and / or purchase UAV transportation services from the transportation service provider. In addition, the third-party entity can interface with a recipient (e.g., a customer) directly or through a computing system (e.g., an application and / or server system) provided by the UAV transportation service provider.

[0148] Figure 44 is a block diagram illustrating an example arrangement for an air transport provider control system 402 that coordinates UAV transportation services for multiple item providers that are located remotely from a dispatch location of a service provider and served by multiple UAV hubs at various locations. As shown, an air transport service provider (ATSP) 402 may be communicatively coupled to UAV nests 404a to 404d and to item provider computing systems 406a to 406d. Various types of wired and / or wireless communication protocols and networks may be used to implement such communicatively coupling.

[0149] Each UAV nest 404a to 404d is a facility where a UAV can be stored for at least a short period of time and from which a UAV can start to perform a UAV transport mission (e.g., a UAV can take off from it). In some embodiments, some or all of the UAV nests 404a to 404d can be, for example, the above reference Figure 3 The local dispatch system and one or more deployment systems of those described are in the form of. Of course, some or all of the UAV nests 404a to 404d may also take other forms and / or perform different functions.

[0150] Each item provider computing system 406a-406d may be associated with a different item provider account. Thus, a given item provider computing system 406a-406d may include one or more computing devices that are authorized to access the corresponding item provider account of the ATSP 402. In addition, the ATSP 402 may store data for the item provider account in the item provider account database 407.

[0151] In practice, a given item provider computing system 406a-406d may include one or more remote computing devices (e.g., such as reference 406a-406d) that are logged into the same item provider account or otherwise authorized to access the same item provider account. Figure 3 The one or more remote devices 306 described above (e.g., cell phones, laptops, and / or computing devices of enterprise employees). Additionally or alternatively, item provider computing systems 406a to 406d may be implemented in a less ad-hoc approach; for example, installing one or more dedicated user interface terminals at an item provider's facility. Other types of item provider computing systems are also possible.

[0152] In order to provide UAV transportation services to various item providers in an efficient and flexible manner, the UAV transportation service provider 402 can dynamically assign different UAVs to transportation tasks for different item providers based on demand and / or other factors, rather than permanently assigning each UAV to a specific item provider. In this way, the specific UAV or UAVs performing transportation tasks for a given third-party item provider may change over time.

[0153] Dynamically assigning UAVs to flights for multiple different item providers can help the UAV transportation service provider utilize the UAV fleet more efficiently (e.g., by reducing unnecessary UAV downtime) compared to an arrangement in which a particular UAV is permanently assigned to a particular item provider. More specifically, to dynamically assign UAVs to transportation requests from third-party item providers, the UAV transportation service provider 402 can dynamically redistribute UAVs among multiple UAV deployment locations (which can be referred to as, for example, “hubs” or “nests”) across a service area based on time-varying demand levels at various locations or sub-areas within the service area.

[0154] With such an arrangement, a delivery flight may involve an additional flight segment from the UAV hub to the location of the item provider to pick up one or more items for transport prior to flying to the delivery location, compared to an arrangement in which the delivery UAV is stationed at the source location of the item (e.g., a distributor or retailer warehouse or restaurant). While there are costs associated with the flight segments between the UAV hub and the loading location, these costs may be offset by more efficient use of each UAV (e.g., more flights in a given time period and less unnecessary ground time), which in turn may allow a smaller number of UAVs to be used for a given number of transport missions.

[0155] VI. UAV Tiers Based on Battery Capacity

[0156] In a fleet of UAVs, different UAVs may have different specifications or features. For example, some of the UAVs in the fleet may each include a temperature control unit. And in an embodiment, the UAVs in the fleet may be classified into multiple tiers, where each tier includes UAVs that share specific features. For example, in an example where some UAVs have a temperature control unit, a possible tier is a tier that includes UAVs with a temperature control unit.

[0157] In an embodiment, the ATSP may include tiers of UAVs based on battery capacity of the UAVs, where each tier includes UAVs whose battery capacity falls within a specified range. For example, a fleet may include two tiers of UAVs: a first tier with "large" battery capacities greater than a threshold battery capacity; and a second tier with "small" battery capacities greater than or equal to the threshold battery capacity. Note that in some examples, the number of tiers based on battery capacity may be greater than two tiers, perhaps three tiers or four tiers.

[0158] In an embodiment, the UAVs of the first level may be configured to travel longer distances than the UAVs of the second level. That is, the UAVs of the first level may be configured for long-distance item delivery, while the UAVs of the second level may be configured for close-range item delivery. In some cases, the additional weight of the larger battery in the UAVs of the first level may be balanced by having a smaller maximum load weight than the UAVs of the second level. Thus, in some examples, the UAVs of the first level may deliver items up to a threshold maximum weight, while the UAVs of the second level may deliver items with a weight greater than or equal to the maximum weight of the first level but less than the threshold maximum weight of the second level. In addition, the UAVs of the second level may have a threshold maximum range, while the UAVs of the first level may have a threshold maximum range greater than the maximum range of the UAVs of the second level. Therefore, in such an example, the UAVs of the first level may be configured for long-distance item delivery of lightweight items, while the UAVs of the second level may be configured for close-range delivery of heavy items.

[0159] VII. Assigning Temperature-Sensitive Tasks

[0160] As explained above, the ATSP may receive a request to perform a task involving the delivery of temperature-sensitive items. Such tasks involving the delivery of temperature-sensitive items are also referred to herein as temperature-sensitive tasks. In response to receiving the request, the ATSP may select an available UAV from the ATSP's UAV fleet to perform the task. As explained above, the UAV fleet may include multiple UAVs with different specifications and possibly different battery capacities. In addition, when the ATSP selects a UAV to perform a task, different UAVs may be located in different locations and / or may have different battery energy levels. In order to take into account the differences in battery specifications, current UAV position, and current UAV battery energy levels when selecting a UAV for performing a transport task, it is desirable to select a method for the UAV.

[0161] Figure 5is a flow chart illustrating a method 500 for assigning a temperature-sensitive mission to a UAV that can successfully perform the mission according to an exemplary embodiment. The method 500 may be implemented by an ATSP to select a UAV from a fleet of UAVs to successfully perform a temperature-sensitive mission without experiencing a failure event (e.g., the UAV battery runs out before delivering an item). The method 500 is described as being implemented by a computing system of the ATSP by way of example. However, it should be understood that the method 500 may be implemented by other entities, other types of computing systems, or a combination of multiple computing systems without departing from the scope of the present invention. In addition, although the method is described below in the context of an unmanned aerial vehicle, the method may also be applicable to other types of unmanned vehicles.

[0162] As shown in box 502, method 500 may involve the ATSP computing system generating a transportation task to fulfill a request to deliver a temperature-sensitive item. In some examples, the transportation task may include keeping the temperature of the temperature-sensitive item within a preferred temperature range during delivery. In an example, the ATSP may receive a request from a third-party entity (which may be an item provider that provides the item). The request may include a pickup location, a delivery location, a delivery time frame, or more or less information that the ATSP computing system can use to generate a temperature-sensitive transportation task. In some examples, the request may include an indication that the item is temperature sensitive. In addition, in some examples, the request may include a preferred temperature range for the item. The preferred temperature range is a temperature range that the item is preferably kept in during the delivery of the item. And the preferred temperature range may be specified by the item provider, or may be specified by the manufacturer or producer of the item.

[0163] In an example where the request does not include a preferred temperature range, the ATSP computing system may determine the preferred temperature range for the item in response to determining that the item identified in the request is temperature sensitive. In one example, the ATSP computing system may determine that the item is temperature sensitive based on determining that the type of item is temperature sensitive. For example, if the item is a medication, the ATSP computing system may determine that the item is temperature sensitive based on, for example, publicly available information, a proprietary database, or other source of preferred temperature ranges for delivering the item. Once the ATSP computing system determines that the item is temperature sensitive, the ATSP computing system may determine the preferred temperature range for the item, which may be determined by looking up the preferred temperature range in a database (a remote database or a local database) that lists preferred temperature ranges based on the type of item.

[0164] In another example, the ATSP computing device can determine that the item is temperature sensitive by determining that the request was sent by a third-party entity that is designated as a third-party entity that provides temperature sensitive items. For example, a restaurant can be designated as an item provider that provides temperature sensitive items. When the ATSP computing system receives a request from an entity that is designated as an entity that provides temperature sensitive items, the ATSP computing system can determine that the item to be delivered is temperature sensitive. Once the ATSP computing system determines that the item is temperature sensitive, the ATSP computing system can determine a preferred temperature range for the item, which can be determined by searching a database (local database or remote database) that classifies temperature ranges based on the type of entity that provides the item and / or based on the type of item.

[0165] Once the ATSP computing system determines the pickup location, delivery location, delivery time frame, and preferred temperature range for the item, the ATSP computing system can use the determined information to generate a transportation task to fulfill the request. A temperature-sensitive transportation task can include instructions to deliver the item to the delivery location within the delivery time frame while maintaining the temperature of the item within the preferred temperature range.

[0166] As shown in block 504, once the ATSP computing system generates a transport mission, the ATSP computing system can calculate the amount of energy (e.g., electrical energy) required to perform the transport mission for each available UAV in the fleet of unmanned vehicles (UVs). An available UAV is a UAV that is not currently performing a mission or is not scheduled to perform a mission within a threshold time period. For each available UAV, the ATSP computing system can calculate the amount of energy required to be consumed by the UAV to pick up and deliver the item while maintaining the temperature of the item within a preferred temperature range for the item.

[0167] In an embodiment, the ATSP computing system can use the distance that the UAV will travel to deliver the item to calculate the corresponding amount of energy that the UAV will consume to perform the transportation mission. The distance (also referred to as the travel distance) can include the distance from the current location of the UAV to the pick-up location of the item (e.g., a warehouse), the distance from the pick-up location to the delivery location, and / or the distance from the delivery location to a nearby UAV base location (e.g., a UAV nest). In particular, the ATSP computing system can calculate an estimated amount of energy that the UAV will consume to travel the travel distance.

[0168] In an embodiment, the amount of energy that the UAV will consume when traveling the travel distance may also depend on the total weight of the UAV. Thus, the ATSP computing system may take the weight of the UAV into account when calculating the amount of energy that the UAV will consume when traveling the travel distance. However, the total weight of the UAV may change depending on whether the UAV is carrying items.

[0169] Specifically, once the UAV picks up the item, the total weight of the UAV is the sum of the weight of the UAV and the weight of the item. Therefore, the ATSP computing system can use the weight of the UAV to calculate the amount of energy that the UAV will consume when traveling from the UAV's current location and from the delivery location to a nearby UAV nest. And the ATSP computing system can use the total weight of the UAV and the item to calculate the amount of energy that the UAV will consume when traveling from the pickup location to the delivery location. The total amount of energy that the UAV will consume when traveling this travel distance is the sum of the energy that will be consumed during each leg of the trip.

[0170] In addition, the ATSP computing system can calculate the amount of energy that the UAV will consume by operating the temperature control unit at a temperature within the preferred temperature range during delivery. For calculation purposes, the ATSP computing system can select the temperature based on one or more factors, such as the external temperature during delivery, the desired temperature to be maintained during delivery, and the desired temperature can be based on the median temperature of the preferred temperature range or a higher temperature or a lower temperature within the preferred temperature range. Additionally and / or alternatively, the ATSP computing system can select different temperatures at which the temperature control unit is operated at different stages of flight. For example, the UAV can operate the temperature control unit at a first temperature during the first part of the flight (e.g., from the starting position of the UAV to the pickup position), and can operate the temperature control unit at a second temperature during the second part of the flight (e.g., from the pickup position to the delivery position).

[0171] Once the ATSP computing system selects the temperature(s) for calculation, the ATSP can calculate an estimated amount of energy that the UAV will consume to operate the temperature control unit at the selected temperature(s) during delivery. In an example, to perform the calculation, the ATSP computing system can determine an estimated length of time that the temperature control unit needs to be operated during delivery. The ATSP computing system can then determine the amount of energy that will be required to operate the temperature-controlled payload at the selected temperature for the estimated length of time.

[0172] Thus, the amount of required energy that the UAV will consume to perform the mission may be the sum of: (i) the amount of energy that the UAV will consume to travel the travel distance, and (ii) the amount of electrical energy that the UAV will consume to operate the temperature control unit. In an example, when selecting a UAV to perform a transport mission, the ATSP computing system may perform this calculation for each available UAV in the fleet of UAVs.

[0173] As indicated at block 506 , the ATSP computing system may select a first UAV to perform the task based on (i) the amount of energy required for each available UAV, and (ii) the respective remaining battery energy level of each available UAV.

[0174] In an embodiment, the ATSP computing system can communicate with each available UAV to determine the corresponding remaining battery energy level of each UAV. Additionally and / or alternatively, the ATSP computing system can maintain a dynamic record of the battery energy level of the UAV fleet. The ATSP computing system can continuously or periodically update the dynamic record. Then, based on the corresponding remaining battery energy level, the ATSP computing system can determine the corresponding energy remaining amount in the battery of each UAV. In order to do so, the ATSP can determine the specifications of the battery of each UAV, which can be determined by determining the battery level in which each UAV is included.

[0175] In an embodiment, the ATSP computing system can select a first UAV by calculating the difference between the amount of energy required to perform the transport mission for each UAV and the corresponding amount of energy remaining in the battery of the UAV. Based on the difference calculated for the UAV, the ATSP computing system can determine a subset of UAVs that can deliver the item. In an example, the subset of UAVs may include UAVs whose difference between (i) the amount of energy required and (ii) the corresponding remaining battery energy is greater than zero. In this way, the subset of UAVs includes UAVs in the fleet that have the battery energy required to perform the transport mission.

[0176] In an embodiment, the ATSP computing system may use one or more factors to select a first UAV from a subset of UAVs. In one example, the ATSP computing system may use an estimated delivery time to select a first UAV. In particular, the ATSP computing system may determine the corresponding estimated delivery time of each UAV in the subset. Then, the ATSP computing system may select the UAV with the shortest delivery time (i.e., the fastest delivery), in which example, the UAV is the first UAV. In another example, the ATSP computing system may use an estimated delivery efficiency to select the first UAV. In particular, the ATSP computing system may calculate the estimated delivery efficiency of each UAV in the subset. For example, the delivery efficiency may be calculated based on the percentage of UAV resources (e.g., battery energy, time) used during delivery. Then, the ATSP computing system may select the UAV with the highest efficiency, in which example, the UAV is the first UAV. Other example factors are also possible.

[0177] Once the ATSP computing system has selected the first UAV to perform the transport mission, the ATSP computing system may assign the mission to the first UAV, as shown in block 508. Once the first UAV receives the transport mission, the first UAV may perform the transport mission.

[0178] Note that the ATSP computing system may also use method 500 or a similar method to select a UAV to deliver more than one temperature sensitive item. In an example, a third-party entity may request delivery of more than one item from the same pickup location. The items may have the same or different delivery locations. In another example, a third-party entity may request to pick up more than one item from different pickup locations and have the items delivered to the same or different delivery locations.

[0179] In still other examples, the fleet may include one UV, and the method may be used to determine whether the one UV is capable of performing the transport mission.

[0180] As explained above, in some cases, the UAVs of the ATSP may be classified into multiple tiers. In some examples, it may be computationally more efficient to first determine which tier of UAVs is more suitable for performing the transport mission. The ATSP computing system may then select an available UAV from the UAVs of the selected tier.

[0181] Figure 6 6 is a flow chart illustrating a method 600 for assigning a temperature sensitive mission to a UAV that can successfully perform the mission according to an exemplary embodiment. The method 600 may be implemented by an ATSP to select a UAV from a fleet of UAVs to successfully perform a temperature sensitive mission without experiencing a failure event (e.g., the UAV battery runs out before delivering an item). The method 600 is described as being implemented by a computing system of the ATSP by way of example. However, it should be understood that the method 600 may be implemented by other entities, other types of computing systems, or a combination of multiple computing systems without departing from the scope of the present invention.

[0182] As shown in box 602, method 600 may involve the ATSP computing system generating a transportation task to fulfill a request for delivering temperature-sensitive items. In some examples, the transportation task may include keeping the temperature of the temperature-sensitive items within a preferred temperature range during delivery. As shown in box 604, method 600 may involve the ATSP computing system selecting a UAV level based on the transportation task, and selecting the UAV to perform the transportation task from the UAV level. As explained above, in an example, the ATSP may include two levels of UAVs based on the battery capacity of the UAVs. The first level may include UAVs with large batteries, so these UAVs can be configured for long-distance delivery. In some examples, the UAVs in the first level may be limited to transporting items that do not exceed a maximum weight. The second level may include UAVs with small batteries, so the UAVs can be configured for close-range delivery. In addition, the UAVs in the second level can transport heavier items than the UAVs in the first level.

[0183] In an embodiment, selecting the UAV level from which to select the UAV to perform the transport mission may involve the ATSP computing system determining at least one of the weight of the item and the delivery location of the item. Based on the weight and / or delivery location of the item, the ATSP computing system may select the first level or the second level as the level that will be more suitable for delivering the item. In an example, if the weight of the item is less than the threshold weight of the second level and / or within the range of the UAV in the second level, the ATSP computing system may select the second level. In another example, if the weight of the item exceeds the threshold weight of the second level, but is less than the maximum weight of the first level, the ATSP computing system may determine whether the delivery location is within the range of the UAV of the first level. If the delivery location is within the range, the ATSP may select the first level. In yet another example, the weight of the item may be less than the threshold maximum weight of the first level and the second level. In this example, the ATSP may determine the delivery location of the item. If the delivery location is within the range of the UAV of the first level, the ATSP computing system may select the first level. Otherwise, the ATSP computing system may select the second level. Other examples are also possible.

[0184] As shown in block 606, the method involves the ATSP computing system calculating the amount of energy required to perform the transport task for each available UAV in the selected tier. As shown in block 608, the method further involves selecting a first UAV to perform the task based on (i) the amount of energy required for each available UAV, and (ii) the corresponding remaining battery energy level of each available UAV. And as shown in block 610, the method involves the ATSP computing system assigning the transport task to the first UAV.

[0185] As described above, in some examples, the temperature control unit can take the form of a package that includes a power system that can be used to power the temperature control unit. For example, the power system can include a power source (e.g., an energy storage device) that can power the temperature control components of the temperature control unit. In some examples, the self-powered package can be used to provide power to the UAV by directly powering the UAV or by recharging the UAV battery. Such functionality allows the self-powered package to operate effectively as a backup power source for the UAV. The UAV can use this backup power source to extend the range of the UAV.

[0186] In an example, an ATSP may include multiple self-powered packaging levels based on energy storage capacity, wherein each level includes packaging with a specific energy storage capacity or includes packaging with an energy storage capacity that falls within a specific range. Because packages at different levels have different energy storage capacities, packages at different levels may also have different characteristics, such as weight. Typically, the weight of an energy storage device is proportional to the capacity of the energy storage device. Therefore, a package with a larger energy storage capacity is typically heavier than a package with a smaller energy storage capacity.

[0187] Because of the different characteristics, packages from different tiers can be configured for different types of missions. For example, a package with a large energy storage capacity can be used for long-distance item delivery, because the UAV that is delivering the item can use the energy storage device to extend the range of the UAV to reach the long-distance delivery location. However, because large energy storage devices come with the caveat of heavy weight, packages with larger energy storage capacities can have smaller weight restrictions than packages with smaller energy storage capacities. Note that referring to an energy storage device as having a "large" energy storage capacity can mean that the energy storage capacity is greater than or equal to a threshold capacity. Conversely, referring to an energy storage device as having a "small" energy storage capacity can mean that the energy storage capacity is less than a threshold capacity.

[0188] Because different packages can be configured for different types of missions, the ATSP computing system can select a specific package to be used in a specific transport mission. However, in order to account for the specification differences between different packages, a method of selecting a package to be used in a transport mission is desired.

[0189] Figure 7 is a flow chart illustrating a method 700 for selecting a package to be used in a temperature-sensitive mission according to an exemplary embodiment. The method 700 may be implemented by an ATSP to select a package from a plurality of packages that can be used by a UAV to successfully perform a temperature-sensitive mission without experiencing a failure event (e.g., the UAV battery runs out before the item is delivered). In particular, the method 700 may balance the weight of the payload (i.e., the package and items being transported) with the desired range that can be achieved by the UAV transporting the payload. The method 700 is described by way of example as being implemented by a computing system of the ATSP. However, it should be understood that the method 700 may be implemented by other entities, other types of computing systems, or a combination of multiple computing systems without departing from the scope of the present invention.

[0190] As shown in block 702, method 700 involves the ATSP computing system generating a transport task to fulfill a request to deliver a temperature-sensitive item, wherein the transport task includes maintaining the temperature of the temperature-sensitive item within a preferred temperature range during delivery. In an example, the request may indicate a pick-up location for the item, a delivery location for the item, a delivery time range, a weight of the item, and other information that may be useful for the delivery of the item (e.g., a preferred temperature range for the item).

[0191] As shown in block 704, method 700 also involves the ATSP computing system selecting a UAV to perform the transport mission. In one example, the ATSP computing system may select any available UAV in the ATSP's fleet of UAVs. In another example, the ATSP computing system may select one of the available UAVs based on one or more factors, such as the current UAV battery energy level, the location of the UAV, the UAV's schedule, and other factors.

[0192] As shown in block 706, the ASTP computing system can then calculate the shortage of UAV battery energy required to deliver the item based on the battery energy level of the selected UAV and the delivery location of the item. For example, the amount of energy required to deliver the item can be estimated based on the total travel distance, the preferred temperature range, and / or the weight of the item. The shortage in the UAV battery energy can then be calculated by subtracting the amount of energy required to deliver the item from the amount of energy stored in the battery of the selected UAV. By calculating the shortage of battery energy, the ASTP computing system can determine the amount of energy required to enable the UAV to have enough energy to deliver the item while maintaining the temperature of the item at a temperature within the preferred temperature range.

[0193] As shown in box 708, once the ATSP computing system calculates the shortage of UAV battery energy, the ATSP computing system can select packaging for transporting the item to the delivery location based on (i) the shortage of UAV battery energy and (ii) the weight of the item. In an example, the ATSP computing system can determine packaging with an energy storage capacity greater than the insufficient energy of the UAV battery. For example, the ATSP computing system can determine which packaging levels have an energy storage capacity greater than the insufficient energy. Then, the ATSP computing system can determine which packaging levels can carry the item without exceeding the weight limit of the UAV. If more than one packaging level can carry the item without exceeding the weight limit of the selected UAV, the UAV can be selected from more than one packaging level based on one or more factors. For example, the ATSP computing system can select the packaging level with the lightest weight. Other factors are also possible.

[0194] Once the ATSP has selected a package, the ATSP computing system may cause the selected UAV to pick up the item with the selected package. In an example, the package may be supplied to the item provider and thus may be obtained at the pick-up location. In another example, the selected UAV may pick up the package from a nest or other location before picking up the item from the pick-up location.

[0195] VIII. Additional Embodiments

[0196] As explained above, the self-powered packaging can include a rechargeable energy storage device. Among other features, this feature allows the packaging to be reused for transportation tasks, such as temperature-sensitive tasks. In certain cases where the UAV delivery mission may involve transporting one or more items to a recipient at a specified delivery location and also transporting one or more items back from the delivery location, such a feature may be very useful. For example, when food is delivered by UAV, the recipient can eat their food and then put the reusable or recyclable utensils, tableware, dishes or food packaging back into the UAV so that the UAV can carry it back for reuse for subsequent delivery and / or recycling.

[0197] As another example, the UAV may provide a product exchange, wherein the UAV transports a new product to a recipient's designated delivery location (e.g., the recipient's home or work address). After delivering the new product, the UAV may allow the recipient a period of time to place a previously ordered product (of the same or different type) into the UAV's bay, or otherwise secure the previously ordered product in packaging, in order to return the previously ordered product to the seller.

[0198] In the above and other scenarios, rather than sending another UAV with another package to retrieve the item from the delivery location, it may be more efficient to utilize the already used package in the item return scenario. More specifically, the UAV may initiate or request initiation of a recipient-assisted recharging process at the delivery location so that the package can recharge its battery or batteries to allow for the return of items such as temperature-sensitive items.

[0199] On the other hand, when a group of battery-powered unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are used for item transportation services (e.g., delivery of cargo), the amount of transportation flights that can be completed in a period of time varies depending on when and how often the UAVs need to recharge their batteries. In addition, the range or coverage will vary depending on the battery life, which largely determines how far the UAVs can fly to deliver items. Therefore, methods and systems for improving battery capacity, reducing battery weight, using battery power more efficiently, and recharging batteries more quickly and efficiently are beneficial.

[0200] In a typical delivery scenario using an electric vehicle without receiver-assisted recharging, the delivery range is limited to half the distance the vehicle could travel with the UAV's charge and package (to allow travel to and from the delivery location). By utilizing such a receiver-assisted recharging process at the delivery location, the example methods can help extend the delivery range for a UAV transport mission to more than half the distance the UAV could otherwise travel. In particular, by utilizing a receiver-assisted recharging process that allows the package to be (partially or fully) recharged at the delivery location, the UAV does not need to conserve as much (or potentially any) battery power for the return flight.

[0201] IX. Conclusion

[0202] Although various aspects and embodiments have been disclosed herein, other aspects and embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art. The various aspects and embodiments disclosed herein are for purposes of illustration and are not intended to be limiting, with the true scope and spirit being indicated by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for the delivery of temperature sensitive items, comprising: generating a transport task to fulfill the request to deliver the temperature-sensitive item, wherein the transport task includes maintaining the temperature of the temperature-sensitive item within a preferred temperature range during delivery; calculating, for each available UV in the fleet of unmanned vehicle UVs, an amount of energy required to perform the transport mission, wherein the amount of energy required for each available UV to perform the transport mission is based on an amount of energy that would be consumed by operating a temperature control unit of the UV within the preferred temperature range during delivery and an amount of energy estimated to be consumed in traveling a total travel distance for traveling the transport mission, wherein the temperature control unit is provided as a self-powered packaging unit comprising a power system for powering a temperature control component of the self-powered packaging unit; selecting a first UV to perform the transport task based on (i) an amount of required energy for each available UV and (ii) a corresponding remaining battery energy level for each available UV; Allocating the transport task to the first UV; determining that a remaining battery energy level of the first UV is energy deficient relative to an amount of energy required by the first UV to perform the transport mission; selecting a self-powered packaging unit from a plurality of self-powered packaging units to contain the temperature sensitive item and electrically couple to the first UV, the selection being based on (i) the selected self-powered packaging unit having an energy capacity greater than an energy deficit of a remaining battery energy level of the first UV and (ii) a corresponding weight of the temperature sensitive item; and Control the first UV to use the selected self-powered packaging unit to perform the transportation task.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein: Generate a shipping job to fulfill a request to deliver a temperature-sensitive item including: The preferred temperature range for the temperature sensitive item is determined.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein: The preferred temperature range is based on the type of temperature sensitive item.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein: The respective remaining battery energy level of each UV indicates the respective remaining amount of battery energy, and wherein selecting the first UV to perform the transport task comprises: For each available UV, comparing the amount of energy required with the corresponding remaining amount of battery energy of the UV; Based on the comparison, determining a subset of UVs from the available UVs that are capable of performing the transport task; and The first UV is selected from a subset of the UVs.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein: The subset of UVs that are determined to be able to perform the transport task include: Based on the comparison, one or more UVs whose corresponding battery energy remaining amounts exceed the amount of required energy are included in the subset of UVs.

6. The method according to claim 4, wherein: Selecting the first UV from the subset of UVs includes: calculating a corresponding delivery efficiency for each UV in the subset; and Based on the respective delivery efficiencies of the UVs in the subset, the first UV is selected, wherein the first UV has a maximum respective delivery efficiency among the respective delivery efficiencies of the UVs in the subset.

7. The method according to claim 4, wherein: Selecting the first UV from the subset of UVs includes: calculating a corresponding delivery time for each UV in the subset; and Based on the respective delivery times of the respective UVs in the subset, the first UV is selected, wherein the first UV has a fastest respective delivery time among the respective delivery times of the UVs in the subset.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein: The amount of energy required for each available UV to perform the transport task is calculated based on at least one of: (i) the respective estimated travel distance of the UV to perform the transport task, (ii) the respective weight of the UV, and (iii) the preferred temperature range of the temperature-sensitive item.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein: The corresponding estimated travel distance includes: (i) a first distance from the corresponding current position of the UV to the pick-up location of the temperature-sensitive item, (ii) a second distance from the pick-up location to the delivery location of the temperature-sensitive item, and (iii) a third distance from the delivery location to a UV charging station near the delivery location.

10. A system for the delivery of temperature-sensitive items, comprising: a fleet of unmanned vehicles UV configured to transport said temperature-sensitive items; at least one communication interface operable to communicate with an item provider computing device; at least one processor; and Program instructions stored on a non-transitory computer readable medium and executable by the at least one processor to perform functions, the functions comprising: generating a transport task in response to receiving a request to deliver a temperature-sensitive item from an item provider computing device, wherein the transport task involves delivering the temperature-sensitive item while maintaining a temperature of the temperature-sensitive item within a preferred temperature range; calculating, for each available unmanned vehicle, an amount of energy required to perform the transport mission, wherein the amount of energy required for each available UV to perform the transport mission is based on an amount of energy that would be consumed by operating a temperature control unit of the UV within the preferred temperature range during delivery and an amount of energy estimated to be consumed in traveling a total travel distance for traveling the transport mission, wherein the temperature control unit is provided as a self-powered packaging unit, the self-powered packaging unit comprising a power system for powering a temperature control component of the self-powered packaging unit; selecting a first UV to perform the transport task based on (i) the amount of the required energy of each available UV and (ii) the corresponding remaining battery energy level of each available UV; Allocating the transport task to the first UV; determining that a remaining battery energy level of the first UV is energy deficient relative to an amount of energy required by the first UV to perform the transport mission; selecting a self-powered packaging unit from a plurality of self-powered packaging units to contain the temperature sensitive item and electrically couple to the first UV, the selection being based on (i) the selected self-powered packaging unit having an energy capacity greater than an energy deficit of a remaining battery energy level of the first UV and (ii) a corresponding weight of the temperature sensitive item; and Control the first UV to use the selected self-powered packaging unit to perform the transportation task.

11. The system according to claim 10, wherein: Each respective UV includes a respective temperature control unit.

12. The system according to claim 11, wherein: The respective temperature control unit comprises one of the following: a heating element or a cooling element.

13. The system according to claim 11, wherein: The respective temperature control unit comprises one or more temperature sensors configured to monitor at least the temperature of a compartment of the respective temperature control unit.

14. The system according to claim 11, wherein: The respective temperature control unit comprises a rechargeable energy storage device, wherein the rechargeable energy storage device is configured to provide power to at least one of: the respective temperature control unit or the respective UV.

15. The system according to claim 11, wherein: The respective temperature control units are electrically coupled to the respective UV via electrical coupling elements.

16. The system according to claim 11, wherein: The corresponding temperature control unit includes a communication module configured to establish a communication link between the corresponding temperature control unit and the corresponding UV.

17. The system according to claim 10, wherein: Generate a shipping job to fulfill a request to deliver a temperature-sensitive item including: A preferred temperature range for the temperature sensitive item is determined.

18. The system of claim 10, wherein: The respective remaining battery energy level of each UV indicates the respective remaining amount of battery energy, and wherein selecting the first UV to perform the transport task comprises: For each available UV, comparing the amount of energy required with the corresponding remaining amount of battery energy of the UV; Based on the comparison, determining a subset of UVs that can perform the transport task; and The first UV is selected from a subset of the UVs.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein: The subset of UVs that are determined to be able to perform the transport task include: Based on the comparison, one or more UVs whose corresponding battery energy remaining amounts exceed the amount of required energy are included in the subset of UVs.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein: Selecting the first UV from the subset of UVs includes: calculating a corresponding delivery efficiency for each UV in the subset; and Based on the respective delivery efficiencies of the UVs in the subset, the first UV is selected, wherein the first UV has a maximum respective delivery efficiency among the respective delivery efficiencies of the UVs in the subset.

21. The system of claim 18, wherein: Selecting the first UV from the subset of UVs includes: calculating a corresponding delivery time for each UV in the subset; and Based on the respective delivery times of the UVs in the subset, the first UV is selected, wherein the first UV has a fastest respective delivery time among the respective delivery times of the UVs in the subset.

22. A computer-implemented method for delivery of temperature sensitive items, comprising: generating a transport task to fulfill the request to deliver the temperature sensitive item, wherein the transport task involves delivering the temperature sensitive item while maintaining the temperature of the temperature sensitive item within a preferred temperature range; Based on the transport mission, selecting a UV level of an unmanned vehicle UV from which to select to perform the transport mission; calculating, for each available UV in the selected UV tier, an amount of energy required to perform the transport mission, wherein the amount of energy required for each available UV to perform the transport mission is based on an amount of energy that would be consumed by a temperature control unit of the UV to operate the UV within the preferred temperature range during delivery and an amount of energy estimated to be consumed in traveling a total travel distance for traveling the transport mission, wherein the temperature control unit is provided as a self-powered packaging unit, the self-powered packaging unit comprising a power system for powering a temperature control component of the self-powered packaging unit; selecting a first UV to perform the transport task based on (i) the amount of the required energy of each available UV and (ii) the corresponding remaining battery energy level of each available UV; Allocating the transport task to the first UV; determining that a remaining battery energy level of the first UV is energy deficient relative to an amount of energy required by the first UV to perform the transport mission; selecting a self-powered packaging unit from a plurality of self-powered packaging units to contain the temperature sensitive item and electrically couple to the first UV, the selection being based on (i) the selected self-powered packaging unit having an energy capacity greater than an energy deficit of a remaining battery energy level of the first UV and (ii) a corresponding weight of the temperature sensitive item; and Control the first UV to use the selected self-powered packaging unit to perform the transportation task.

23. The computer-implemented method of claim 22, wherein: The corresponding remaining battery energy level of each unmanned vehicle UV indicates the corresponding remaining amount of battery energy, and wherein selecting the first UV to perform the transportation task includes: For each available UV, comparing the amount of energy required with the corresponding remaining amount of battery energy of the UV; Based on the comparison, determining a subset of UVs that can perform the transport task; and The first UV is selected from a subset of the UVs.

Images