METHOD AND DEVICE FOR VEHICLE-BASED CHARGING OF DRONES

Abstract

Vehicle-based charger (110) for drones, comprising: a charging device (120, 202) to be operationally coupled to a vehicle (102, 104, 106, 108), wherein the charging device (120, 202) is to charge a drone in response to the drone being operationally coupled to the charging device (120, 202), the vehicle (102, 104, 106, 108) being located at a first location; and a communication interface (212, 302, 402) that is operationally coupled to the vehicle (102, 104, 106, 108) and is configured to send usage information (234) associated with the charging device (120, 202), wherein the usage information (234) includes location information (236) associated with the initial location of the vehicle (102, 104, 106, 108), vehicle movement information, and charge information (238) associated with the cost of using the charging device (120, 202),wherein the first location is a current location of the vehicle (102, 104, 106, 108), wherein the vehicle movement information includes a route of the vehicle (102, 104, 106, 108), the route indicating that the vehicle (102, 104, 106, 108) will be at a second location at a first future time, the route indicating that the vehicle (102, 104, 106, 108) will be at a third location at a second future time, the second future time being after the first future time; and- to receive a reservation confirmation (246), wherein the reservation confirmation (246) contains time information (248) associated with a second indication that the drone is to use the charging device (120, 202) at a first future time at the second location, and authentication information (250) associated with a associated with an identifiable feature of the drone includes,at least one sensor (208) for detecting a variable associated with a charging process of the drone and outputting sensor information for comparison with the aforementioned authentication information (250), and a charging controller (222) operationally coupled to the charging device (120, 202) and configured to verify the drone by comparing the sensor information with the authentication information (25) and to enable charging of the drone via the charging device (120, 202) in response to the detection of verification of payment information (252) according to the cost of using the charging device (120, 202) and in response to the verification of the drone by comparing the sensor information with the authentication information (250).

Description

AREA OF REVELATION This disclosure generally relates to a method, a device and a machine-readable storage medium with instructions for charging drones, and in particular to a method, a device and a machine-readable storage medium with instructions for vehicle-based charging of drones. GENERAL STATE OF THE ART Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) or unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) are commonly referred to as drones and are widely used in both recreational and commercial activities (e.g., aerial reconnaissance, photography, package delivery, etc.). Recreational and commercial drones, referred to as "small" UAS, are typically battery-powered, with flight times limited by battery weight restrictions. This limited battery life and consequently restricted flight time impacts the drone's usability. A depleted and / or discharged drone battery must either be recharged or replaced with a previously charged battery to extend the drone's operational lifespan.Examples of known systems and procedures, which include a loading platform for a drone, can be found in documents US 2016 / 0196756A1, KR 101599423B1, US 2016 / 0011592A1, CN 104852475A, WO 2018 / 098113A2, and WO 2018 / 095528A1. SUMMARY This document discloses a method and a device for vehicle-based charging of drones. A vehicle-based charger for drones is disclosed. The charger includes a charging device that is intended to be operationally coupled to a vehicle. The charging device is intended to charge the drone in response to the drone being operationally coupled to the charging device. The vehicle-based charger for drones further includes a communication interface that is intended to be operationally coupled to the vehicle. The communication interface is intended to send usage information associated with the charging device. The usage information includes location information associated with the vehicle's location and fee information associated with the cost of using the charging device. Furthermore, a method for charging a drone via a vehicle-based drone charger is disclosed. The method involves transmitting usage information via a communication interface operationally coupled to a vehicle. This usage information is associated with a charging device operationally coupled to the vehicle. The usage information includes location information associated with the vehicle's location and fee information associated with the cost of using the charging device. In some disclosed examples, the method further involves charging the drone via the charging device in response to the drone being operationally coupled to the charging device. Furthermore, a physical, machine-readable storage medium is disclosed, which includes instructions. Upon execution, the instructions cause a processor to send usage information via a communication interface operationally coupled to a vehicle. The usage information is associated with a charging device operationally coupled to the vehicle. The usage information includes location information associated with the vehicle's location and charge information associated with the cost of using the charging device. In some disclosed examples, the instructions further cause the processor to charge the drone via the charging device in response to the drone being operationally coupled to the charging device. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. 1 illustrates an exemplary usage environment in which an exemplary vehicle-based drone charger of an exemplary vehicle is intended to charge a drone. Fig. 2 is a block diagram of the exemplary vehicle-based drone charger from Fig. 1, constructed according to the teachings of this disclosure. Fig. 3 is a block diagram of the exemplary remote server from Fig. 1, constructed according to the teachings of this disclosure. Fig. 4 is a block diagram of the exemplary mobile device from Fig. 1, constructed according to the teachings of this disclosure. Fig. 5 is a flowchart representative of an exemplary method that can be performed on the exemplary vehicle-based drone charger from Figs. 1 and 2 to charge a drone. Fig. 6 is a flowchart representative of an exemplary method that can be performed on the exemplary remote server from Figs. 1 and 2 to charge a drone.Figure 1 and Figure 3 are shown to generate and transmit an exemplary reservation confirmation for a drone charging session associated with the vehicle-based drone charger from Figures 1 and 2. Figure 7 is a flowchart representative of an exemplary method that can be performed on the exemplary mobile device from Figures 1 and 4 to generate and transmit an exemplary reservation request for a drone charging session associated with the vehicle-based drone charger from Figures 1 and 2. Figure 8 is an exemplary processor platform capable of executing instructions to implement the method from Figure 5 and the exemplary vehicle-based drone charger from Figures 1 and 2. Figure 9 is an exemplary processor platform capable of executing instructions to implement the method from Figure 5.6 and the exemplary remote server from Fig. 1 and Fig. 3. Fig. 10 is an exemplary processor platform capable of executing instructions to implement the method from Fig. 7 and the exemplary mobile device from Fig. 1 and Fig. 4. Certain examples are shown in the previously identified figures and described in detail below. Similar or identical reference symbols are used in the description of these examples to identify the same or similar elements. The figures are not necessarily to scale, and certain features and views of the figures may be enlarged or shown schematically for the sake of clarity and / or accuracy. DETAILED DESCRIPTION The disclosed methods and device provide new possibilities and advantages for drone operators. In some examples, operators seeking to extend flight time had to purchase and charge multiple battery packs while en route (e.g., charging numerous lithium-polymer (LiPo) batteries). In other examples, operators seeking to extend flight time had to purchase and carry charging stations featuring an AC inverter and deep-cycle batteries or generators (e.g., 1000 W or 2000 W, such as the Honda EU2000, etc.). While these solutions have enabled some drone operators to achieve longer flight times at considerable cost and effort, conventional options for drone operators remain expensive and cumbersome and still do not cover the potential applications that might be required by emerging autonomous drones.The disclosed methods and device provide a new solution for charging drones that can be used by both drone operators and autonomous drones, potentially reducing some of the costs or inconveniences of conventional charging solutions (e.g., carrying multiple battery packs or charging systems) and expanding the operating ranges of autonomous drones. Fig. 1 illustrates an exemplary use environment 100 in which an exemplary vehicle-based drone charger of an exemplary vehicle is intended to charge a drone. Fig. 1 shows a first exemplary vehicle 102, a second exemplary vehicle 104, a third exemplary vehicle 106, and a fourth exemplary vehicle 108. Each of the first, second, third, and fourth vehicles includes an exemplary vehicle-based drone charger 110, which has one or more exemplary charging devices 120 to charge a drone in response to the operational coupling of the drone to the charging device 120. In the illustrated example from Fig. 1, the first, second, and third vehicles 102, 104, and 106 are pickup trucks having cargo beds 112 on which one or more charging devices 120 are arranged.In the fourth vehicle 108, a car is equipped with a charging device 120 on the roof of the passenger compartment. As illustrated in the first, second, third, and fourth exemplary vehicles 102, 104, 106, and 108, the charging device 120 can be positioned on any surface of the vehicle accessible to the drone. For illustration, the first vehicle 102 includes two exemplary charging devices 120 on the cargo area 112 of the first vehicle 102. The second vehicle 104 has four exemplary charging devices 120 on the cargo area 112 of the second vehicle 104, and one charging device 120 is located on the roof of the second vehicle 104. The third vehicle 106 has a larger charging device 120 that occupies a large portion of the cargo area 112 of the third vehicle 106. The fourth vehicle 108 includes a loading device 120, which is located on the roof of the fourth vehicle 108. In some examples, the charging device 120 provides a matrix of addressable areas that is dynamically configurable to adapt to the size of a drone or drones requiring charging services. For example, the large charging device 120 of the third vehicle 106 is operationally configurable to serve a single larger drone or a multitude of smaller drones. In the illustrated example from Fig. 1, the first exemplary vehicle 102 is further shown to include an exemplary load receiving device 122 for safely storing a load carried by a drone requiring charging via the charging device 120. In some examples, the load receiving device 122 includes a movable cover 124 (e.g., a retractable cover, etc.) which is moved into an open position by a motor or actuating device (not shown) upon instruction from a charging controller of the vehicle-based drone charger 110, as indicated by the exemplary arrow, which specifies an exemplary opening direction for receiving a load from an arriving drone.After the payload is deployed, the movable cover 124 is moved into a closed position by means of the motor or actuating device (not shown) and locked according to an instruction from the charging control system. After the drone has been recharged, this process is reversed to allow the drone to pick up the payload again. In some examples, the pickup trucks, such as the first, second, and third example vehicles 102, 104, and 106, include a retractable bed cover 126 that is controllable by the charging controller. In some examples, the charging controller, using a security manager of the vehicle-based drone charger 110, closes and locks the bed cover 126 while a drone is charging, in order to protect the drone from weather, damage, or theft during charging. In the example illustrated in Fig. 1, the first, second, and third exemplary vehicles 102, 104, and 106 include exemplary battery compartments 128, which are provided, by way of example, on the loading platforms 112 of the vehicles. In some examples, the battery compartments 128 contain fully charged drone batteries that can be exchanged for empty drone batteries of any brand, model, and capacity (e.g., 1000 mAh, 2200 mAh, 3300 mAh, 10000 mAh, etc.) after purchasing the charged drone batteries or paying a rental fee for the use of a fully charged drone battery (e.g., nickel-metal hydride batteries, lithium-ion batteries, lithium-ion polymer batteries, lithium-polymer batteries (LiPo batteries), smart LiPo batteries, etc.) after purchase. In some examples, the battery compartment 128 is electronically locked and unlocked via the charging controller to provide selective access to an interior. In some examples, such as with the third exemplary vehicle 106, the battery compartment 128 includes internal sub-compartments 129. The internal sub-compartments 129 may, for example, contain a fully charged spare drone battery, arranged therein for purchase or use upon payment of the appropriate fee. Upon payment of the appropriate fee, the charging controller electronically unlocks the associated sub-compartment at a suitable time (e.g., after verified arrival of the drone according to payment, after local entry of a code to unlock a specific sub-compartment by a drone operator, etc.). In some examples, the battery compartment 128 includes high-capacity batteries 130 (e.g.,Vehicle batteries, deep-cycle batteries, ship batteries, traction batteries (electric vehicle battery), lead-acid batteries, etc.) to charge the drones via the appropriate cables and connecting elements 132. In the example illustrated in Fig. 1, the fourth exemplary vehicle 108 is shown to include exemplary solar cells 134 on the roof of the passenger compartment to provide power to one or more automotive systems, including the exemplary charging device 120. In the example illustrated in Fig. 1, the vehicle-based drone charger 110 transmits usage information from each of the first, second, third, and fourth vehicles 102, 104, 106, 108 either remotely and / or locally. The vehicle-based drone charger 110 communicates with an exemplary mobile network 140 (e.g., radio cells, terrestrial communication antenna, etc.) from each of the first, second, third, and fourth vehicles 102, 104, 106, 108. Usage information may include, for example, location information (e.g., vehicle location data, etc.), fee information (e.g., price / cost associated with a charging service, etc.), availability information (e.g., times when the charging device is available for use, including locations associated with such times, etc.), charging device type information (e.g., whether the charging device is a charging pad or a docking station, drone sizes / weight capacity associated with the charging device, etc.), and charging rate information (e.g., whether the charger is capable of providing 1C, 2C, etc., etc.). The exemplary mobile network 140 in turn communicates with the Internet 145 and the exemplary remote server 150 directly or via one or more intermediate communication devices (e.g. satellite, radio mast, switching center, T1 or T3 line, microwave antenna, etc.) and transmits the usage information to the remote server 150. Fig. 1 also shows an exemplary drone operator 160 wirelessly controlling an exemplary drone 175 using an exemplary drone controller 172. The exemplary drone operator 160 can select any of the available exemplary charging devices 120 to fully or partially recharge the exemplary drone 175 for a fee, or to replace an empty battery with a charged battery from an exemplary battery compartment 128. The exemplary drone operator 160 is also shown having an exemplary mobile device 170 (e.g., a mobile communication device, etc.) that is communicatively coupled to the exemplary mobile network 140, the internet 145, and the exemplary remote server 150 via the exemplary mobile network 140 and any intermediate communication devices (e.g., a mobile phone, a mobile phone, etc.).Satellite, radio masts, switching center, T1 or T3 line, microwave antenna, etc.). In some examples, the vehicle-based drone charger 110 sends usage information to a remote server 150, which receives usage information from other vehicle-based drone chargers and aggregates or otherwise organizes all usage data, or transmits it in some other way. In response to a usage information request received at the remote server 150 from an example mobile device 170, the remote server 150, in some examples, sends or otherwise transmits relevant usage information to the example mobile device 170, such as information relevant to the location of the mobile device 170, or information in response to a specific usage information request by the mobile device 170.After receiving the usage information, the example mobile device 170 transmits a reservation request to the remote server 150. The reservation request can select a specific charging device 120 and / or a specific vehicle, or there may be no match. If the reservation request is unmatched, the remote server 150 performs a matching operation and returns the reservation information to the example mobile device 170, which identifies / recommends a charging device 120 and / or the vehicle for charging a specific drone. The example mobile device 170 then transmits a matched reservation request to the remote server 150 (e.g., either based on a matching operation performed on the mobile device 170, or based on a matching operation by the remote server 150 and a return of the recommendation to the mobile device 170).The exemplary mobile device 170 also transmits payment information associated with the assigned reservation request to the remote server 150. Although the preceding example refers to an exemplary operator 160 using the exemplary mobile device 170 to communicate with the remote server 150 via the cellular network 140, the exemplary mobile device 170 could include a communication device carried by an automated drone. The remote server 150 verifies the payment information and confirms the availability of the assigned reservation request, transmitting a reservation confirmation to both the mobile device 170 and the vehicle-based drone charger 110. The reservation confirmation contains relevant information for coordinating and enabling the charging process, such as, among other things, time information (e.g.,a booked time for a charging session, etc.), authentication information (e.g. features and / or codes that can be used to authenticate the drone by the vehicle-based charger 110 for drones, etc.) and validated payment information (e.g. credit card information, etc.). After arranging the charging transaction at the vehicle-based charger 110 for drones, the vehicle-based charger 110 for drones detects the drone at the charging device 120. The vehicle-based charger 110 for drones then authenticates the drone based on the authentication information contained in the reservation confirmation and based on one or more characteristics of the detected drone. After successful authentication, the vehicle-based charger 110 for drones verifies the payment information or confirms that the remote server 150 has verified the payment information, and after successful verification of payment information, pairs the drone with the charging device 120 for operational charging.In some examples, successful operational pairing, in addition to one or more successful authentication and / or successful payment information verification, enables the start of a drone charging session. In the example shown in Fig. 1, the vehicle-based drone charger 110 of the first, second, third, and fourth vehicles 102, 104, 106, 108 sends usage information to the exemplary remote server 150 (e.g., a cloud server) via the exemplary cellular network 140. The cellular network 140 can be a multi-cellular radio network that provides and / or enables connections and / or communication among and / or between different mobile service providers and / or carriers (e.g., Verizon®, AT&T®, Sprint®, T-Mobile®, etc.). The usage data transmitted to the remote server 150 via the mobile network 140 may include usage information for the charging device 120. For example, the vehicle-based charger 110 for drones of the first vehicle 102 from Fig. 1 may transmit usage information, including location information (e.g., "Location 1" as shown in Fig. 1), associated with a location of the first vehicle 102, such as GPS coordinates, vehicle location on a map, or physical or electronic navigation markers, to the remote server 150 via the mobile network 140. The vehicle-based charger 110 for drones of the first vehicle 102 may also transmit usage information, including, for example, fee information associated with the cost of using the exemplary charging device 120 of the first vehicle 102, such as cost per mAh per charge, to the remote server 150 via the mobile network 140.The vehicle-based charger 110 for drones of the first vehicle 102 from Fig. 1 can send usage information via the mobile network 140 to the remote server 150, including, for example, usage conditions for the charging device 120 of the first vehicle 102, availability times for the use of one of the two charging devices 120 of the first vehicle 102, or vehicle movement information (e.g., between 12:00 and 13:00 the vehicle owner will run an errand and return, etc.). As another example, the vehicle-based charger 110 for drones of the second vehicle 104 from Fig. 1 can transmit usage information, including location information (e.g., “location 2” as shown in Fig. 1), associated with a location of the second vehicle 104, such as GPS coordinates, vehicle location on a map, or physical or electronic navigation markers, to the remote server 150 via the mobile network 140.The vehicle-based charger 110 for drones of the second vehicle 104 can transmit usage information to the remote server 150 via the cellular network 140, including, for example, fee information associated with the costs of using one of the charging devices 120 or the exemplary deep-cycle batteries 130 (via cables and connectors 132) of the second vehicle 104, such as the cost per mAh per charge for each of the charging devices 120 and the exemplary deep-cycle batteries 130. The vehicle-based charger 110 for drones of the second vehicle 104 can also send usage information to the remote server 150 via the cellular network 140, including, for example, terms of use for the charging device 120 of the second vehicle 104, availability times for using one of the five charging devices 120 of the second vehicle 104, or vehicle movement information. As another example, the vehicle-based charger 110 for drones of the third vehicle 106 from Fig. 1 can transmit usage information, including location information (e.g., "Location 3" as shown in Fig. 1), associated with a location of the third vehicle 106, such as GPS coordinates, vehicle location on a map, or physical or electronic navigation markers, to the remote server 150 via the mobile network 140. The vehicle-based charger 110 for drones of the third vehicle 106 can also transmit usage information to the remote server 150 via the mobile network 140, including, for example, fee information related to the costs of using the charging device 120 of the third vehicle 106 or sub-areas thereof (e.g., a fee per mAh per charge, a fee relative to a percentage of the occupied charging device 120, etc.).) or are associated with costs for each battery in a sub-compartment 129 of the third vehicle 106. The vehicle-based charger 110 for drones of the third vehicle 106 can send usage information via the mobile network 140 to the remote server 150, including, for example, terms of use for the charging device 120 of the third vehicle 106, availability times for the use of the charging device 120 of the third vehicle 106, or vehicle movement information. As another example, the vehicle-based charger 110 for drones of the fourth vehicle 108 from Fig. 1 can transmit usage information, including location information (e.g., "Location 4" as shown in Fig. 1), associated with a location of the fourth vehicle 108, such as GPS coordinates, vehicle location on a map, or physical or electronic navigation markers, to the remote server 150 via the mobile network 140. The vehicle-based charger 110 for drones of the fourth vehicle 108 can also send usage information, including, for example, fee information associated with the costs of using the charging device 120 of the fourth vehicle 108 (e.g., a fee per mAh per charge, etc.), to the remote server 150 via the mobile network 140.The vehicle-based charger 110 for drones of the fourth vehicle 108 can send usage information via the mobile network 140 to the remote server 150, including, for example, terms of use for the charging device 120 of the fourth vehicle 108, availability times for the use of the charging device 120 of the fourth vehicle 108, or vehicle movement information. Fig. 2 is a block diagram of the exemplary vehicle-based charger 110 for drones from Fig. 1, constructed according to the teachings of this disclosure. The block diagram from Fig. 2 can be used to implement the exemplary vehicle-based charger 110 for drones of any of the first, second, third and / or fourth exemplary vehicles 102, 104, 106, 108 from Fig. 1. In the diagram in Fig.In the illustrated example 2, the vehicle-based charger 110 for drones includes an exemplary charging device 202, an exemplary vehicle battery 204, exemplary pre-charged vehicle batteries 206, an exemplary sensor 208, an exemplary GPS receiver (global positioning system - GPS) 210, an exemplary communication interface 212, an exemplary payment verification device 214, an exemplary drone authentication device 216, an exemplary security manager 218, an exemplary user interface 220, an exemplary charging controller 222, and an exemplary memory 224. However, other exemplary implementations of the vehicle-based charger 110 for drones may include fewer or additional structures. The exemplary charging device 202 from Fig. 2 includes, in some examples, a wireless charging device or a wired charging device (e.g., a physical docking station with cables and connectors for coupling to a drone battery) for charging one or more types of drone batteries when a drone is operationally coupled to it (e.g., when a drone is near or touching a wireless charging pad, etc.). The charging device 202 from Fig. 2 can be implemented as any of the charging devices 120 from Fig. 1 described above. In some examples, the charging device 202 includes a wireless power transfer (WPT) device or a wireless short-range charging device for transferring power from the power source (e.g., vehicle batteries, solar cells 134, etc.) to depleted drone batteries.In some examples, this power transfer is carried out via magnetic fields using inductive coupling (e.g., inductive coupling, resonant inductive coupling, etc.) between coils of conductive material, or via electric fields using capacitive coupling between conductive electrodes integrated into or attached to the drone (e.g., the drone 175 from Fig. 1) and a corresponding charging device 202 on which the drone is mounted. In some examples, the charging device 202 includes a direct-contact charging surface with one or more conductive surfaces positioned to contact one or more conductors arranged in or around skids or the landing gear of the drone. In other examples, the charging device 202 includes a plug-in charging device, wherein an operator of the vehicle (e.g., 102 in Fig. 1)1) or an operator of the drone is physically present and physically inserts the drone into the charging device 202 to establish an electrical connection in order to initiate charging. As illustrated with respect to the exemplary charging devices 120 in Fig. 1, the exemplary charging device 202 can be positioned on any vehicle surface accessible to the drone (e.g., cargo bed, roof, hood, etc.) or on an extension or attachment thereto. The exemplary vehicle battery 204 from Fig. 2 provides a potential source of stored energy for charging one or more drones using the charging device 202 from Fig. 2. In some examples, the exemplary vehicle battery 204 includes the aforementioned batteries 130 (Fig. 1), which are arranged in a battery compartment 128 (Fig. 1), but also vehicle power sources (e.g., vehicle battery, power supply system of an electric vehicle (EV)). In some examples, the vehicle power source and power supply are regulated (e.g., power optimization of electrical loads or subsystems, load prioritization, etc.) by an onboard vehicle power management system to selectively provide a consistent power supply to the charging device 202 from Fig. 2 via a vehicle network. The exemplary pre-charged drone batteries 206 from Fig. 2 are provided by way of example in the exemplary battery compartment 128 or in the exemplary battery sub-compartments 129, or are available for purchase or rental by a drone owner. The exemplary pre-charged drone batteries 206 can include, for example, NiCd batteries, nickel-metal hydride batteries, lithium-ion batteries, lithium-ion polymer batteries, lithium-polymer batteries (LiPo batteries), or smart lithium-polymer batteries (LiPo batteries). The pre-charged drone batteries 206 can be of any brand, model, or battery capacity (e.g., 1000 mAh, 2200 mAh, 3300 mAh, 10000 mAh, etc.). The exemplary sensor 208 from Fig. 2 detects, measures, and / or senses a characteristic of an object (e.g., a drone), such as the weight of an object positioned on the charging device 202 from Fig. 2. In some examples, the sensor(s) 208 include a microphone, a capacitive sensor, an exemplary photoelectric sensor, a piezoelectric sensor, a piezocapacitive sensor, a piezocapacitive pressure sensor, a piezoelectric sensor, an infrared sensor (IR sensor), a photoswitch, a charge-coupled device (CCD) image sensor, a complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor image sensor (CMOS image sensor), a photodetector, a pressure sensor, a force sensor, a motion detector (optical, microwave, or acoustic sensor), or a proximity sensor.In some examples, the sensor 208 includes pressure-sensitive elements in or under the charging device 202 of Fig. 2 to detect the weight of a drone on it. For example, such sensor(s) 208 may include a matrix pressure sensor (pressure sensor array), a force sensor, or a position sensor at one or more locations around the charging device 202 of Fig. 2. In some examples, the sensor 208 may be implemented as a force cell. Characteristics acquired, measured, and / or detected by the sensor 208 may be associated with one or more of the time points (e.g., timestamps) at which the data were acquired, measured, and / or detected by the sensor 208.Data acquired, measured and / or detected by the sensor 208 can be of any type, form and / or format and can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium, such as the exemplary memory 224 described below. The exemplary GPS receiver 210 from Fig. 2 collects, acquires, and / or receives data and / or one or more signals from one or more GPS satellites (not shown). The data and / or signal(s) received by the GPS receiver 210 may include information based on which the current position and / or location of a vehicle, including the vehicle-based charger 110 for drones (e.g., the first vehicle 102 from Fig. 1 includes the vehicle-based charger 110 for drones from Fig. 1), can be identified and / or derived, including, for example, the current latitude and longitude of the vehicle. Vehicle location data identified and / or derived from a signal collected and / or received by the GPS receiver 210 can be linked to one or more points in time (e.g.,timestamps) to which the data and / or signal(s) were collected and / or received by the GPS receiver 210. Vehicle location data identified and / or derived from the signal(s) collected and / or received by the GPS receiver 210 can be of any type, form, and / or format and can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium, such as the exemplary memory 224 described below. The exemplary communication interface 212 from Fig. 2 enables communication between the vehicle-based charger 110 for drones from Figs. 1 and / or 2 and external machines (e.g., the remote server 150 from Figs. 1 and / or 3, the mobile device 170 from Figs. 1 and / or 4) via a network (e.g., the mobile network 140 from Fig. 1). In the example illustrated in Fig. 2, the communication interface 212 includes an exemplary radio transmitter 226 and an exemplary radio receiver 228. In some examples, the exemplary communication interface 212 includes a communication device (e.g., a GSM device (global system for mobile communication), a vehicle modem, etc.).) such as Ford Motor Company's SYNC® Connect with a 4G LTE cellular vehicle modem and an AT&T network connection, which allows the vehicle to communicate with services, remote systems, or remote devices, such as a user's smartphone, over the 140 cellular network. Example communication interface 212 may include, for example: a Ford Motor Company vehicle-to-network (V2N) system, a vehicle-to-person (V2P) system, a vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) system, a vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) system, a Bluetooth or other wireless device for AFH (adaptive frequency hopping) (e.g., a Bluetooth Smart (Low Energy) device, etc.), a WiFi (Wireless Fidelity) or WLAN (Wireless Local Network) communication system (e.g., an 802.11 system from the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)). The exemplary radio transmitter 226 from Fig. 2 transmits data and / or one or more signals to the remote server 150 from Fig. 1 and / or 3. In some examples, the data and / or the signal(s) that is / are transmitted via the radio transmitter 226 to the remote server 150 from Fig. 1 and / or 3 are communicated, for example, via a network, such as the exemplary mobile network 140 from Fig. 1. In some examples, the radio transmitter 226 can transmit usage information (e.g., usage data 234 from Fig. 2) including one or more of the vehicle location information (e.g., the location data 236 from Fig. 2), charge information (e.g., the charge data 238 from Fig. 2), availability information (e.g., the availability data 240 from Fig. 2), charging device type information (e.g., the charging device type data 242 from Fig. 2) and / or charge rate information (e.g., charge rate data 244 from Fig. 2).Data corresponding to the signal(s) to be transmitted via the radio transmitter 226 may be of any type, form and / or format and may be stored in a computer-readable storage medium, such as the exemplary memory 224 described below. In some examples, the usage information includes vehicle location information (e.g., GPS coordinates, location on a map, navigation markers, etc.) and fee information for using the charging device 202 (e.g., terms of use, charging fee information, charging times, battery replacement prices, etc.). For example, the first vehicle 102 in Fig. 1 transmits the vehicle location (e.g., 42.3152428 (latitude), -83.210479 (longitude)) and usage information (e.g., two chargers 120 are in use from 9:00 to 15:00) via the mobile network 140.Available at midnight, with chargers 120 offering a charge at 48 cents per kWh, and battery compartment 128 containing six charged 12000mAh 15C LiPo battery packs with AS150 and XT150 connectors, available for purchase at $275 each or exchangeable for an empty drone battery for a fee equal to the difference between the market value of the empty drone batteries and the fixed purchase price of a selected charged battery pack, etc., to server 150. Location information for a given vehicle need not be a current location or even a static location. For example, a vehicle might send an anticipated schedule or route, including one or more locations where a drone might board or disembark. Thus, an automated drone (e.g., a delivery drone, a commercial drone, etc.) can) take advantage of the anticipated movement of a vehicle providing a charging service to transport the drone closer to a specific destination or waypoint, thereby minimizing flight time. The exemplary radio receiver 228 from Fig. 2 collects, receives and / or receives data and / or one or more signals from the remote server 150 from Fig. 1 and / or 3. In some examples, the data and / or the signal(s) received by the radio receiver 228 from the remote server 150 are communicated via a network, such as the exemplary mobile network 140 from Fig. 1. In some examples, the radio receiver 228 can receive data and / or a signal that corresponds to a reservation confirmation and / or reservation information (e.g., reservation data 246 from Fig. 2-4) including time information (e.g., the time data 248 from Fig. 2-4), authentication information (e.g., the authentication data 250 from Fig. 2-4), and / or payment information (e.g., the payment data 252 from Fig. 2-4).Data identified and / or derived from the signal(s) collected and / or received by the radio receiver 228 may be of any type, form and / or format and may be stored in a computer-readable storage medium, such as the exemplary memory 224 described below. The exemplary payment verification device 214 from Fig. 2 verifies that the received payment information is valid or verifies data received via the radio receiver 228 from any source (e.g., the remote server 150 from Figs. 1 and / or 3, a payment clearing house, etc.), thereby establishing that the payment information is valid and / or that the payment has been made or that the payment of an amount corresponding to an expected charging service has been pre-authorized. For example, the payment verification device 214 authenticates payment information received with or after a drone charging request from a drone or drone operator (e.g., 160, Fig. 160).1) provided, such as payment authentication by a transaction processing clearing house, and by providing the charging controller 222 with authentication of the payment information regarding the use of the charging device 202. This information can be used by the charging controller 222, for example, to enable the charging of a drone using the charging device 202 after receiving the payment authentication, or to prevent charging if no payment authentication has been received. In particular, for an unattended high-value transaction, such as the purchase of a battery, the payment authorization via the payment verification device 214 can be used by the charging controller 222 to lock a corresponding locked compartment of a battery compartment (e.g., 129 in Fig. 1) at a relevant time (e.g., after the drone arrives, etc.).) to unlock electronically or to send a unique usage code to the operator of a drone, enabling the operator to open a corresponding locked sub-compartment 129 of a battery compartment 128 and retrieve the purchased or leased battery. In some examples, prepayment authorization may be required before the remote server 150 from Figures 1 and / or 3 sends the relevant usage information to the drone or the drone operator. This prepayment authorization request could, for example, be included in the transmission of usage data 234 to the remote server 150 from Figures 1 and / or 3. The prepayment authorization could, for example, involve sending the payment information, which is sent by the remote server 150 from Figures 1 and / or 3 from the drone or the drone operator, to a clearinghouse for pre-approval.In some examples, successful pre-authorization via the payment verification device 214 is used as a prerequisite for a charging service, such as charging the drone using the charging device 202. The exemplary drone authentication device 216 from Fig. 2 verifies that the drone at the charging device matches the drone associated with a reservation confirmation. In some examples, the exemplary drone authentication device 216 assigns one or more characteristics (e.g., size, shape, weight, a reservation confirmation code, etc.) of the drone with respect to the authentication data 250 contained in the reservation data 246. In some examples, authentication data 250 obtained from the drone and / or the drone operator is used by the drone authentication device 216 to authenticate the identity of the drone before the use of the charging device 202 is enabled.As an example, the authentication data 250 can include any physical or electronic information needed to identify the drone, such as, but not limited to, the drone's make and model, its weight, and its optical characteristics (e.g., its color, geometry, markings, etc.). For example, when a drone arrives at the charging device 202, one or more sensors 208 of the vehicle-based drone charger 110 are able to authenticate the drone's identity before the charging service begins. For instance, one of the sensors 208 can verify whether the drone's weight is within a predefined range (e.g., + / - 5 grams, + / - 10 grams, etc.).) of an expected weight, while a second of the sensor(s) 208 can represent the drone (or part of it) to enable the drone authentication device 216 to identify the drone based on its optical properties. In another example, the drone authentication device 216 authenticates the drone by wirelessly pairing it with the charging controller 222, in which drone-identifying authentication data 250 is provided. The exemplary security manager 218 from Fig. 2 is used to selectively enable vehicle security features to provide security during drone charging. For example, the security manager 218 activates one or more alarms (e.g., an audible alarm, a visual alarm such as a flashing light, an electronic alarm such as a text message to a vehicle owner and / or drone operator, etc.) when the charging device 202 is approached. The exemplary security manager 218 can utilize vehicle security features (e.g., a door intrusion alarm, a glass break alarm, etc.) and / or features of the charging device 202 (e.g., a camera that detects the presence of a person, a sensor 208 that registers the removal of a drone from a force cell via a zero-weight indicator before the charging process is substantially complete by the charging controller, etc.).In other examples, the Security Manager 218 monitors the opening, closing, locking, and unlocking of various vehicle compartments (e.g., battery compartment 128, sub-compartments 129, etc.) to allow access to the drone, the charging device 202, and / or the previously charged drone batteries. In some examples, an automated and lockable cargo bed cover is closed and locked by the Security Manager 218 while a drone is charging to protect it from the elements, damage, or theft. After charging, the Security Manager 218 unlocks and opens the cargo bed cover to allow the drone to be removed from the vehicle. The exemplary user interface 220 from Fig. 2 enables interaction and / or communication between an end user and the vehicle-based charger 110 for drones from Figs. 1 and / or 2. The user interface 220 includes one or more input devices 230 through which the user can input information and / or data to the vehicle-based charger 110 for drones. The input device(s) 230 can be, for example, a button, a microphone, and / or a touchscreen, which allows the user to transmit data and / or commands to the vehicle-based charger 110 for drones. The user interface 220 from Fig. 2 also includes one or more output devices 232 through which the user interface 220 and / or, more generally, the vehicle-based charger 110 for drones presents information and / or data to the user in visual and / or audible form.For example, the output device(s) 232 may include a light-emitting diode, a touchscreen, and / or a liquid crystal display to present visual information, and / or a loudspeaker to output audible information. Data and / or information displayed and / or received via the user interface 220 may be of any type, form, and / or format and may be stored in a computer-readable storage medium, such as the exemplary memory 224 described below. The exemplary charging controller 222 from Fig. 2 can be implemented by a semiconductor device, such as a processor, a microprocessor, a controller, or a microcontroller. The charging controller 222 manages and / or controls the operation of the vehicle-based charger 110 for drones from Figs. 1 and / or 2 based on data, information, and / or one or more signals that the charging controller 222 receives from one or more of the charging device 202, the vehicle battery 204, the sensor 208, the GPS receiver 210, the communication interface 212, the payment verification device 214, the drone authentication device 216, the security manager 218, the user interface 220, and / or the memory 224 from Fig. 1 and / or 2.2 will be received and / or accessed, and / or based on data, information and / or one or more signals provided by the charging controller 222 to one or more of the charging device 202, the vehicle battery 204, the communication interface 212, the payment verification device 214, the drone authentication device 216, the security manager 218 and / or the user interface 220. The charging controller 222 from Fig. 2 manages the charging of the drones coupled to the charging device 202 from Fig. 2 and performs functions that enable the charging device 202 to charge the drone. For example, the charging controller 222 determines an appropriate charging rate (e.g., a 1C charging rate, a 2C charging rate, etc.) for a specific battery to be charged (e.g., a 2200 mAh LiPo cell). In some examples, the charging controller 222 ensures LiPo battery balancing during charging and discharging to maintain essentially the same voltage across all cells in the multi-cell battery at all times (e.g., cell deviations of less than approximately 5 mV–10 mV). For illustration, a 1C charging rate indicates a charging rate at 2.2 A for an example 2200 mAh LiPo battery and a charging rate at 5 A for an example 5000 mAh LiPo battery.A given battery may be rated for a charging rate greater than 1C, and in some examples, the charging controller 222 provides a charging rate corresponding to the battery charge (e.g., 15 A for a 3C 5000 mAh LiPo battery, etc.). In some examples, the charging controller 222 balances the drone battery (e.g., the LiPo battery) during charging to equalize the voltage of each cell in the battery. In some examples, the charging controller 222 controls the charging rate or voltage until the LiPo reaches a charge peak (e.g., 4.2 V per cell in a battery pack), at which point the exemplary charging controller 222 disconnects the charging device 202 from the drone. In some examples, the charging controller 222 from Fig. 2 can only allow the charging of the drone by the charging device 202 after one or more conditions have been met. In some examples, the charging controller 222 from Fig. 2 operationally pairs the drone with the charging device 202 via a wireless pairing of the drone with the charging device 202 and / or with the vehicle associated with the charging device 202, and enables the charging of the drone via the charging device 202 in response to such a wireless pairing. For example, the charging controller 222 from Fig. 2 can condition the charging of a drone via the charging device 202 when it is confirmed that the operational pairing has been successfully performed. In some examples, the charging controller 222 from Fig. 2 can further condition the charging process when it is confirmed that the drone has been successfully authenticated. The vehicle-based charger 110 for drones includes one or more sensors 208 to detect one or more variables associated with a drone charging process and to output the sensor information to the charging controller 222 for comparison with stored authentication data 250. For example, the sensor 208 can measure the weight of a drone at the charging device 202 and transmit this information to the charging controller 222, which accesses the drone weight for the charging transaction from the stored authentication data 250 to compare it with the measured weight. If there is a match or a significant correlation (e.g., + / - 2 grams, + / - 5 grams, etc.), the charging controller 222 can initiate the charging process.The charging controller 222 then enables the charging of the drone that is operationally coupled to the charging device 202. For example, if it is known that a drone expected to be received at the charging device 202 has a weight of approximately 1280 grams according to the authentication data 250 stored in memory 224, a sensor 208 that outputs a reading of approximately 1280 grams can be used by the charging controller 222 to verify that the correct drone has been operationally associated with the charging device 202.The sensor or sensors 208, which are / are used by the charging controller 222 to authenticate a drone and accordingly, in some examples, to enable the charging of the drone via the charging device 202, may include any sensor capable of providing confirmation of the authentication data 250 received as part of the reservation data 246 and stored in memory 224, including, but not limited to, a make and model of the drone, a weight of the drone, a skid type, a color, markings on the drone, or an electronic signature of the drone. In some examples, the charging controller 222 from Fig. 2 enables the drone to be charged via the exemplary charging device 120 in response to the detection of a verification of payment information or data 252, according to the cost of using the charging device. The detection of a verification of payment information 252 may, for example, involve receiving and confirming a payment authentication received from a transaction processing clearing house, a payment authentication from a transaction processing clearing house received via the exemplary remote server 150, a payment authentication from a payment processor, or some other type of payment authorization or verification of a money transfer. The charging controller 222 enables the charging of a drone using the charging device 202, followed by the receipt of the payment authentication 252.In some examples where the use of the charging device involves an unattended, high-value transaction, such as the purchase of a battery, the detection of payment information verification by the exemplary charging controller 222 is used to electronically unlock a corresponding locked compartment of an exemplary battery compartment 128 or to send a one-time usage code to the exemplary operator 160 (e.g., via the exemplary remote server 150, via the exemplary cellular network 140, etc.) to open a corresponding locked compartment of a battery sub-compartment (e.g., 129). The charging controller 222 then enables the drone operator to retrieve the purchased battery from the corresponding locked compartment of the battery sub-compartment (e.g., 129) after entering the one-time usage code. If the aforementioned authentications are unsuccessful, in some examples the charging controller 222 will not allow the drone to be charged via the charging device 202. In some examples, multiple authentications are required before the charging controller 222 can allow the drone to be charged via the charging device 202. For example, in one instance, the charging controller 222 requires an initial authentication of the drone via the sensor 208, a second authentication of the drone by verifying payment information 252 using the charging device 222, and a third authentication that the drone is operationally paired with the charging device 202. The exemplary memory 224 from Fig. 2 can be implemented by any type(s) and / or any number(s) of storage devices, such as a storage drive, flash memory, read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), buffer memory, and / or any other storage medium on which information is stored for any duration (e.g., for extended periods, permanently, for short periods, for temporary buffering, and / or for intermediate storage of information). The information stored in the memory 224 can be stored in any file and / or data structure format, organizational scheme, and / or arrangement. In some examples, the memory 224 stores usage information and / or data (e.g., the usage data 234 from Fig. 2).In some examples, the usage information and / or data includes vehicle location information and / or data (e.g., location data 236 from Fig. 2). In some examples, the usage information and / or data includes charge information and / or data (e.g., charge data 238 from Fig. 2). In some examples, the usage information and / or data includes usage information and / or data (e.g., availability data 240 from Fig. 2). In some examples, the usage information and / or data includes charging device type information and / or data (e.g., charging device type data 242 from Fig. 2). In some examples, the usage information and / or data includes charging rate information and / or data (e.g., charging rate data 244 from Fig. 2). In some examples, memory 224 stores reservation information and / or data (e.g., the reservation data 246 from Fig. 2-4).In some examples, the reservation information and / or data includes time information and / or data (e.g., the time data 248 from Fig. 2-4). In some examples, the reservation information and / or data includes authentication information and / or data (e.g., the authentication data 250 from Fig. 2-4). In some examples, the reservation information and / or data includes payment information and / or data (e.g., the payment data 252 from Fig. 2-4). Memory 224 is accessible to the exemplary charging device 202, the exemplary sensor 208, the exemplary GPS receiver 210, the exemplary communication interface 212, the exemplary payment verification device 214, the exemplary drone authentication device 216, the exemplary security manager 218, the exemplary user interface 220, and the exemplary charging controller 222 from Fig.2 , and / or more generally for the exemplary vehicle-based charger 110 for drones from Fig. 1 and / or 2. Although an exemplary way of implementing the exemplary vehicle-based drone charger 200 is illustrated in Fig. 2, one or more of the elements, processes, and / or devices illustrated in Fig. 2 can be combined, separated, rearranged, omitted, eliminated, and / or implemented in any other way. Furthermore, the exemplary charging device 202, exemplary sensor 208, exemplary GPS receiver 210, exemplary communication interface 212, exemplary payment verification device 214, exemplary drone authentication device 216, exemplary security manager 218, exemplary user interface 220, exemplary charging controller 222, and / or exemplary memory 224 from Fig. 2 can be implemented as hardware, software, firmware, and / or any combination thereof.Thus, any of the exemplary charging device 202, the exemplary sensor 208, the exemplary GPS receiver 210, the exemplary communication interface 212, the exemplary payment verification device 214, the exemplary drone authentication device 216, the exemplary security manager 218, the exemplary user interface 220, the exemplary charging controller 222 and / or the exemplary memory 224 from Fig. 2 could be implemented by one or more analog or digital circuit(s), programmable processor(s), application-specific integrated circuit(s) (ASIC), programmable logic device(s) (PLD) and / or field programmable logic device(s) (FPLD).If any of the device or system claims of this patent are read as covering a pure software and / or firmware implementation, at least one of the exemplary charging device 202, the exemplary sensor 208, the exemplary GPS receiver 210, the exemplary communication interface 212, the exemplary payment verification device 214, the exemplary drone authentication device 216, the exemplary security manager 218, the exemplary user interface 220, the exemplary charging controller 222 and / or the exemplary memory 224 from Fig. 2 is hereby expressly defined as including a physical computer-readable storage device or storage disk, such as a memory, a Digital Versatile Disk (DVD), a Compact Disk (CD), a Blu-ray Disk, etc., which stores the software and / or firmware.Furthermore, the exemplary vehicle-based charger 110 for drones from Fig. 1 and / or 2 may include one or more elements, processes and / or devices in addition to or instead of those illustrated in Fig. 2 and / or may include more than one of any or all of the illustrated elements, processes and devices. Figure 3 is a block diagram of the exemplary remote server 150 from Figure 1, constructed according to the teachings of this disclosure. In the example illustrated in Figure 3, the remote server 150 includes an exemplary communication interface 302, an exemplary user interface 304, an exemplary data aggregator 306, an exemplary load service allocation device 308, an exemplary reservation manager 310, an exemplary payment verification device 312, and an exemplary memory 314. However, other exemplary implementations of the remote server 150 may include fewer or additional structures. The exemplary communication interface 302 from Fig. 3 enables communication between the remote server 150 from Figs. 1 and / or 3 and external machines (e.g., the vehicle-based charger 110 for drones from Figs. 1 and / or 2 and / or the mobile device 170 from Figs. 1 and / or 4) via a network (e.g., the mobile network 140 from Fig. 1). In the example illustrated in Fig. 3, the communication interface 302 includes an exemplary radio transmitter 316 and an exemplary radio receiver 318. The exemplary radio transmitter 316 from Fig. 3 transmits data and / or one or more signals to the vehicle-based charger 110 for drones from Figs. 1 and / or 2 and / or the mobile device 170 from Figs. 1 and / or 4. In some examples, the data and / or signal(s) transmitted via the radio transmitter 316 are communicated via a network, such as the exemplary mobile network 140 from Fig. 1. In some examples, the radio transmitter 316 can transmit aggregated usage information (e.g., the aggregated usage data 324 from Fig. 3), including one or more of the aggregated vehicle location information (e.g., the aggregated location data 326 from Fig. 3), aggregated charge information (e.g., the aggregated charge data 328 from Fig. 3), aggregated availability information (e.g., the aggregated availability data 330 from Fig. 3), aggregated charging device type information (e.g.,The radio transmitter 316 transmits the aggregated charging device type data 332 from Fig. 3) and / or aggregated charging rate information (e.g., the aggregated charging rate data 334 from Fig. 3). In some examples, the radio transmitter 316 can transmit a reservation confirmation and / or reservation information (e.g., the reservation data 246 from Figs. 2-4) including time information (e.g., the time data 248 from Figs. 2-4), authentication information (e.g., the authentication data 250 from Figs. 2-4), and / or payment information (e.g., the payment data 252 from Figs. 2-4). Data corresponding to the signal(s) to be transmitted via the radio transmitter 316 may be of any type, form and / or format and may be stored in a computer-readable storage medium, such as the exemplary memory 314 described below. The exemplary radio receiver 318 from Fig. 3 collects, receives and / or receives data and / or one or more signals from the vehicle-based charger 110 for drones from Figs. 1 and / or 2 and / or the mobile device 170 from Figs. 1 and / or 4. In some examples, the data and / or signal(s) received by the radio receiver 318 are communicated via a network, such as the exemplary mobile network 140 from Fig. 1. In some examples, the radio receiver 318 can receive data and / or a signal(s) containing usage information (e.g., usage data 234 from Fig. 2), including one or more of the following: vehicle location information (e.g., the location data 236 from Fig. 2), charge information (e.g., the charge data 238 from Fig. 2), availability information (e.g., the availability data 240 from Fig. 2), charging device type information (e.g., the charging device type data 242 from Fig. 2).2) and / or charging rate information (e.g., charging rate data 244 from Fig. 2). In some examples, the radio receiver 318 can receive data and / or a signal that corresponds to a reservation request and / or reservation information (e.g., reservation data 246 from Figs. 2-4), including time information (e.g., the time data 248 from Figs. 2-4), authentication information (e.g., the authentication data 250 from Figs. 2-4), and / or payment information (e.g., the payment data 252 from Figs. 2-4). Data identified and / or derived from the signal(s) collected and / or received by the radio receiver 318 may be of any type, form and / or format and may be stored in a computer-readable storage medium, such as the exemplary memory 314 described below. The exemplary user interface 304 from Fig. 3 enables interaction and / or communication between an end user and the remote server 150 from Figs. 1 and / or 3. The user interface 304 includes one or more input devices 320 through which the user can input information and / or data to the remote server 150. The input device(s) 320 can be, for example, a button, a microphone, and / or a touchscreen, which allows the user to transmit data and / or commands to the remote server 150. The user interface 304 from Fig. 3 also includes one or more output devices 322 through which the user interface 304 and / or, more generally, the remote server 150, presents information and / or data to the user in visual and / or audible form.For example, the output device(s) 322 may include a light-emitting diode, a touchscreen, and / or a liquid crystal display to present visual information, and / or a loudspeaker to output audible information. Data and / or information displayed and / or received via the user interface 304 may be of any type, form, and / or format and may be stored in a computer-readable storage medium, such as the exemplary memory 314 described below. The exemplary data aggregator 306 from Fig. 3 aggregates or organizes usage information received via the various communication interfaces of the vehicle-based charger 110 for drones from Figs. 1 and / or 2. The exemplary data aggregator 306 stores usage data 234 (usage information) and / or reservation data 246 (reservation information) in a manner that enables use by persons (e.g., drone operators, etc.) or computers or processors (e.g., automated drone, mobile device 170, remote server 150, etc.). The usage data 234 and / or reservation data 246 can, for example, be aggregated in a list, a table, a matrix, or an addressable record. The exemplary charging service assignment device 308 from Fig. 3 accesses the exemplary data aggregator 306 to analyze the usage data 234 and the reservation data 246 in order to determine whether an assignment can be made between a charging device 202 (via the usage data 234) and a drone (via the reservation data 246). In some examples, the charging service allocation device 308 from Fig. 3 compares usage data (e.g., the aggregated usage data 324 from Fig. 3) and reservation data 246 (e.g., a request to charge a drone, a general location where the drone should preferably be charged, etc.) with a first criterion, such as a location. For example, a first determination can be the identification of the locations of all charging devices 120 within a selected area of ​​a drone's location (e.g., within an operating area of ​​the drone, within a remaining flight area of ​​the drone, etc.).), include the positions of all charging devices 120 within a selected area of ​​a mobile device 170 location, or the positions of all charging devices 120 within a selected area of ​​a location specified in the reservation data 246, which may not be a current drone location. In some examples, charging devices 120 that are outside the drone's operating range may not be considered. Any charging device(s) 120 that are determined by the exemplary charging service mapping device 308 to be within the drone's operating range may then be considered for additional mapping levels between the usage data and the reservation data.Alternatively, the exemplary charging service assignment device 308 can compare each record in the usage data with each record in the reservation data to determine assignments. In some examples, the charging service allocation device 308 from Fig. 3 determines, simultaneously or subsequently, whether the identified locations of all charging devices 120 within a selected area for a location of the drone, a mobile device 170, or the location specified in the reservation data 246 also correspond to a time or time period specified in the reservation data 246 (e.g., immediately, within 5 minutes, within 30 minutes, within a certain period, etc.) or not. This comparison would, for example, eliminate charging devices 120 that may be located within the area of ​​a selected location specified for the charging service to be provided, but are not located within this area of ​​the selected location at the time when the charging service is to be provided. In some examples, a further determination by the charging service allocation device 308 of Fig. 3 can also include an evaluation of the received usage data (e.g., availability of one or more charging devices, location information for the vehicle, size of the charging devices, size of a drone that can be accommodated, weight of a drone that can be accommodated, available charging device type(s), battery purchase options, battery exchange options, battery rental options, etc.) to determine which of the potentially available charging devices can actually be used by the drone and match the reservation data 246. As a further improvement, a determination of available charging devices 120 that are usable can be subdivided into available charging devices 120 that, for example, have a desired charging rate capacity (e.g.,the rate(s) at which the charging device can safely charge the drone) or other charging features (e.g., matching functions, etc.). In some examples, a further determination by the charging service allocation device 308 from Fig. 3 regarding the usable charging device(s) 120 within an operating range of the drone may involve an evaluation of the received usage information (e.g., fee information) to determine which of the usable charging device(s) 120 is to be selected for providing the charging service, for example, based on the cost of a charging service or a battery exchange service. Acceptable fees or fee ranges may be specified in the reservation data 246. In other examples, where the reservation data 246 does not include any previously approved acceptable fees or acceptable fee ranges, the exemplary charging service allocation device 308 is intended to be used with the mobile device 170 from Fig.1 and / or 4 communicate via the mobile network 140 to verify acceptance of the charge information for one or more selected assigned charging device(s) 120. The exemplary reservation manager 310 from Fig. 3 is intended to process the reservation requests and reservation data 246 received by the mobile device 170 from Figs. 1 and / or 4 and to arrange the reservations between an assigned drone and an assigned charging device 120 identified by the exemplary charging service assignment device 308. After assigning a charging device 120 and a drone, the exemplary reservation manager 310 sends the usage data 234 (e.g., the vehicle location, vehicle coordinates, vehicle characteristics such as make, model, color, etc.) to the drone or the drone operator to enable the drone or the drone operator to navigate to the charging device 120. In some examples, the sending is performed via the communication interface 302 of the remote server 150.In some examples, the exemplary reservation manager 310 enables the corresponding charging device 120 to send the relevant usage data 234 to the assigned drone itself via the communication interface 212 from Fig. 2 of the vehicle. The exemplary payment verification device 312 from Fig. 3 is intended to verify that the received payment data 252 is valid. In some examples, the exemplary payment verification device 312 uses the payment data 252 to perform payment verification authorization, such as by sending the payment data 252 via the communication interface 302 to a pre-authorization clearinghouse. The pre-authorization may, for example, include confirmation that the payment information is valid and / or that the payment has been made, or that the payment of an amount corresponding to an expected charging service is authorized. In some examples, after payment authorization, the exemplary payment verification device 312 then sends the payment data 252, including the pre-authorization, to the corresponding charging device 120.In some examples, the exemplary payment verification device 312 sends the payment data 252 to the corresponding charging device 120, and the charging device 120 is to perform a payment verification authorization, such as by sending the payment data 252 via the communication interface 212 to a clearing house for pre-approval. The exemplary memory 314 from Fig. 3 can be implemented by any type(s) and / or any number(s) of storage devices, such as a storage drive, flash memory, read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), buffer memory, and / or any other storage medium on which information is stored for any duration (e.g., for extended periods, permanently, for short periods, for temporary buffering, and / or for intermediate storage of information). The information stored in memory 314 can be stored in any file and / or data structure format, organizational scheme, and / or arrangement. In some examples, memory 314 stores usage information and / or data (e.g., the usage data 234 from Fig. 2).In some examples, the usage information and / or data includes vehicle location information and / or data (e.g., location data 236 from Fig. 2). In some examples, the usage information and / or data includes charge information and / or data (e.g., charge data 238 from Fig. 2). In some examples, the usage information and / or data includes usage information and / or data (e.g., availability data 240 from Fig. 2). In some examples, the usage information and / or data includes charging device type information and / or data (e.g., charging device type data 242 from Fig. 2). In some examples, the usage information and / or data includes charging rate information and / or data (e.g., charging rate data 244 from Fig. 2). In some examples, memory 314 stores aggregated usage information and / or data (e.g., the aggregated usage data 324 from the Fig.3 and Fig. 4). In some examples, the aggregated usage information and / or data includes aggregated vehicle location information and / or data (e.g., the aggregated location data 326 from Fig. 3 and Fig. 4). In some examples, the aggregated usage information and / or data includes aggregated charge information and / or data (e.g., the aggregated charge data 328 from Fig. 3 and Fig. 4). In some examples, the aggregated usage information and / or data includes aggregated availability information and / or data (e.g., the aggregated availability data 330 from Fig. 3 and Fig. 4). In some examples, the aggregated usage information and / or data includes aggregated charging device type information and / or data (e.g., the aggregated charging device type data 332 from Fig. 3 and Fig. 4).In some examples, the aggregated usage information and / or data includes aggregated charging rate information and / or data (e.g., the aggregated charging rate data 334 from Figures 3 and 4). In some examples, memory 314 stores a reservation confirmation and / or reservation information and / or data (e.g., the reservation data 246 from Figures 2-4). In some examples, the reservation information and / or data includes time information and / or data (e.g., the time data 248 from Figures 2-4). In some examples, the reservation information and / or data includes authentication information and / or data (e.g., the authentication data 250 from Figures 2-4). In some examples, the reservation information and / or data includes payment information and / or data (e.g., the payment data 252 from Figures 2-4).Memory 314 is accessible to the exemplary communication interface 302, the exemplary user interface 304, the exemplary data aggregator 306, the exemplary load service allocation device 308, the exemplary reservation manager 310 and the exemplary payment verification device 312 from Fig. 3 and / or more generally to the exemplary remote server 150 from Fig. 3. Although an exemplary way of implementing the exemplary remote server 150 is illustrated in Fig. 3, one or more of the elements, processes, and / or devices illustrated in Fig. 3 can be combined, separated, rearranged, omitted, eliminated, and / or implemented in any other way. Furthermore, the exemplary communication interface 302, the exemplary user interface 304, the exemplary data aggregator 306, the exemplary load service allocation device 308, the exemplary reservation manager 310, the exemplary payment verification device 312, and / or the exemplary memory 314 from Fig. 3 can be implemented by hardware, software, firmware, and / or any combination thereof.Thus, for example, any of the exemplary communication interface 302, the exemplary user interface 304, the exemplary data aggregator 306, the exemplary charging service allocation device 308, the exemplary reservation manager 310, the exemplary payment verification device 312 and / or the exemplary memory 314 from Fig. 3 could be implemented by the following: one or more analog or digital circuit(s), programmable processor(s), application-specific integrated circuit(s) (ASIC), programmable logic device(s) (PLD) and / or field programmable logic device(s) (FPLD).If any of the device or system claims of this patent are read as covering a pure software and / or firmware implementation, at least one of the exemplary communication interface 302, the exemplary user interface 304, the exemplary data aggregator 306, the exemplary load service allocation device 308, the exemplary reservation manager 310, the exemplary payment verification device 312, and / or the exemplary memory 314 from Fig. 3 is hereby expressly defined as including a physical, computer-readable storage device or storage disk, such as a memory device, a Digital Versatile Disk (DVD), a Compact Disk (CD), a Blu-ray Disk, etc., which stores the software and / or firmware. Furthermore, the exemplary remote server 150 from Fig. 1 and / or 3 may include one or more elements, processes, and / or devices in addition to those shown in Fig.3 illustrated or include instead of them and / or may include more than one of any or all of the illustrated elements, processes and devices. Fig. 4 is a block diagram of the exemplary mobile device 170 from Fig. 1, constructed according to the teachings of this disclosure. In the example illustrated in Fig. 3, the mobile device 170 includes an exemplary communication interface 402, an exemplary user interface 404, an exemplary GPS receiver 406, an exemplary charging service allocation device 408, an exemplary reservation manager 410, and an exemplary memory 412. However, other exemplary implementations of the mobile device 170 may include fewer or additional structures. The exemplary communication interface 402 from Fig. 4 enables communication between the mobile device 170 from Figs. 1 and / or 4 and external machines (e.g., the remote server 150 from Figs. 1 and / or 3) via a network (e.g., the mobile network 140 from Fig. 1). In the example illustrated in Fig. 4, the communication interface 402 includes an exemplary radio transmitter 414 and an exemplary radio receiver 416. The exemplary radio transmitter 414 from Fig. 4 transmits data and / or one or more signals to the remote server 150 from Figs. 1 and / or 3. In some examples, the data and / or the signal(s) transmitted via the radio transmitter 414 are communicated via a network, such as the exemplary mobile network 140 from Fig. 1. In some examples, the radio transmitter 414 can make a request regarding aggregated usage information (e.g., the aggregated usage data 324 from Fig. 3 and Fig. 4) including one or more of the aggregated vehicle location information (e.g., the aggregated location data 326 from Fig. 3 and Fig. 4), aggregated charge information (e.g., the aggregated charge data 328 from Fig. 3 and Fig. 4), aggregated availability information (e.g., the aggregated availability data 330 from Fig. 3 and Fig. 4), aggregated charging device type information (e.g.,The aggregated charging device type data 332 from Figs. 3 and 4) and / or aggregated charging rate information (e.g., the aggregated charging rate data 334 from Figs. 3 and 4). In some examples, the radio transmitter 414 can transmit a reservation request and / or reservation information (e.g., the reservation data 246 from Figs. 2-4) including time information (e.g., the time data 2448 from Figs. 2-4), authentication information (e.g., the authentication data 250 from Figs. 2-4), and / or payment information (e.g., the payment data 252 from Figs. 2-4). Data corresponding to the signal(s) to be transmitted via the radio transmitter 414 may be of any type, form and / or format and may be stored in a computer-readable storage medium, such as the exemplary memory 412 described below. The exemplary radio receiver 416 from Fig. 4 collects, receives and / or receives data and / or one or more signals from the remote server 150 from Figs. 1 and / or 3. In some examples, the data and / or signal(s) received by the radio receiver 416 are communicated via a network, such as the exemplary mobile network 140 from Fig. 1. In some examples, the radio receiver 416 can receive data and / or a signal(s) containing aggregated usage information (e.g., the aggregated usage data 324 from Figs. 3 and 4), including one or more aggregated vehicle location information (e.g., the aggregated location data 326 from Figs. 3 and 4), aggregated charge information (e.g., the aggregated charge data 328 from Figs. 3 and 4), aggregated availability information (e.g., the aggregated availability data 330 from Figs. 3 and 4).4), aggregated charging device type information (e.g., the aggregated charging device type data 332 from Figs. 3 and 4) and / or aggregated charging rate information (e.g., the aggregated charging rate data 334 from Figs. 3 and 4). In some examples, the radio receiver 416 can receive data and / or a signal corresponding to a reservation confirmation and / or reservation information (e.g., reservation data 246 from Figs. 2-4), including time information (e.g., the time data 2448 from Figs. 2-4), authentication information (e.g., the authentication data 250 from Figs. 2-4), and / or payment information (e.g., the payment data 252 from Figs. 2-4).Data identified and / or derived from the signal(s) collected and / or received by the radio receiver 416 may be of any type, form and / or format and may be stored in a computer-readable storage medium, such as the exemplary memory 412 described below. The exemplary user interface 404 from Fig. 4 enables interaction and / or communication between an end user and the mobile device 170 from Figs. 1 and / or 4. The user interface 404 includes one or more input devices 418 through which the user can input information and / or data to the mobile device 170. The input device(s) 418 may be, for example, a button, a microphone, and / or a touchscreen, which allows the user to transmit data and / or commands to the mobile device 170. The user interface 404 from Fig. 4 also includes one or more output devices 420 through which the user interface 404 and / or, more generally, the mobile device 170 presents information and / or data to the user in visual and / or audible form.For example, the output device(s) 420 may include a light-emitting diode, a touchscreen, and / or a liquid crystal display to present visual information, and / or a loudspeaker to output audible information. Data and / or information displayed and / or received via the user interface 404 may be of any type, form, and / or format and may be stored in a computer-readable storage medium, such as the exemplary memory 412 described below. The exemplary GPS receiver 406 from Fig. 4 collects, records and / or receives data and / or one or more signals from one or more GPS satellites (not shown). The data and / or signal(s) received by the GPS receiver 406 may contain information based on which the current position and / or location of the mobile device 170 can be identified and / or derived from Figures 1 and / or 4, including, for example, the current latitude and longitude of the mobile device 170. Location data for the mobile device identified and / or derived from a signal collected and / or received by the GPS receiver 406 may be associated with one or more timestamps (e.g., timestamps) at which the data and / or signal(s) were collected and / or received by the GPS receiver 406.Location data for the mobile device identified and / or derived from the signal(s) and collected and / or received by the GPS receiver 406 may be of any type, form and / or format and may be stored in a computer-readable storage medium, such as the exemplary memory 412 described below. The exemplary charging service assignment device 408 from Fig. 4 analyzes the usage data 324 and the reservation data 246, which are stored in the memory 412, to determine whether an assignment can be carried out between a charging device 120 (via the usage data 324) and a drone (via the reservation data 246). In some examples, the charging service allocation device 408 from Fig. 4 compares usage data (e.g., the aggregated usage data 324 from Figs. 3 and 4) and reservation data 246 (e.g., a request to charge a drone, a general location where the drone should preferably be charged, etc.) with a first criterion, such as a location. For example, a first determination can be the identification of the locations of all charging devices 120 within a selected area of ​​a drone's location (e.g., within an operating area of ​​the drone, within a remaining flight area of ​​the drone, etc.).), include the positions of all charging devices 120 within a selected area of ​​a mobile device 170 location, or the positions of all charging devices 120 within a selected area of ​​a location specified in the reservation data 246, which may not be a current drone location. In some examples, charging devices 120 that are outside the drone's operating range may not be considered. Any charging device(s) 120 that are determined by the exemplary charging service mapping device 408 to be within the drone's operating range may then be considered for additional mapping levels between the usage data and the reservation data. In some examples, the charging service allocation device 408 from Fig. 4 determines, simultaneously or subsequently, whether the identified locations of the charging devices 120 within a selected area for a location of the drone, a mobile device 170, or the location specified in the reservation data 246 also correspond to a time or time period specified in the reservation data 246 (e.g., immediately, within 5 minutes, within 30 minutes, within a certain period, etc.) or not. This comparison would, for example, eliminate charging devices 120 that may be located within the area of ​​a selected location specified for the charging service to be provided, but are not located within this area of ​​the selected location at the time when the charging service is to be provided. In some examples, a further determination by the charging service allocation device 408 of Fig. 4 can also include an evaluation of the received usage data (e.g., availability of one or more charging devices, location information for the vehicle, size of the charging devices, size of a drone that can be accommodated, weight of a drone that can be accommodated, available charging device type(s), battery purchase options, battery exchange options, battery rental options, etc.) to determine which of the potentially available charging devices can actually be used by the drone and match the reservation data 246. As a further improvement, a determination of available charging devices 120 that are usable can be subdivided into available charging devices 120 that, for example, have a desired charging rate capacity (e.g.,the rate(s) at which the charging device can safely charge the drone) or other charging features (e.g., matching functions, etc.). In some examples, a further determination by the charging service allocation device 408 from Fig. 4 regarding the usable charging device(s) 120 within an operating range of the drone may involve an evaluation of the received usage information 324 (e.g., fee information) to determine which of the usable charging device(s) 120 is to be selected for providing the charging service, for example, based on the cost of a charging service or a battery exchange service. Acceptable fees or fee ranges may be specified in the reservation data 246. In other examples, where the reservation data 246 does not include any previously approved acceptable fees or acceptable fee ranges, the exemplary charging service allocation device 408 is intended to be used with the mobile device 170 from Fig.1 and / or 4 communicate via the mobile network 140 to verify acceptance of the charge information for one or more selected assigned charging device(s) 120. The exemplary reservation manager 410 from Fig. 4 is to process the reservation requests and reservation data 246, which are to be provided to the remote server 150 from Figs. 1 and / or 3, and is to receive a reservation confirmation regarding an assigned charging device 120 and relevant usage data 324. The exemplary reservation manager 410 sends the reservation data 246 (e.g., a drone's make and model, drone's weight, skid type, color, markings on the drone, drone's electronic signature, a drone charging request, a general location where the drone should preferably be charged, etc., acceptable fees or fee ranges, an estimated charging start time, a period in which the charging should be carried out, etc.) via the communication interface 402 to the remote server 150 from Figs. 1 and / or 3.After the drone is assigned to a charging device 120, the exemplary reservation manager 410 receives a reservation confirmation and / or usage information (e.g. location of the charging device 120, make and model of the vehicle, etc.) from the remote server 150 from Fig. 1 and / or 3 via the communication interface 402, which makes it possible to navigate the drone to the charging device 120. The exemplary memory 412 from Fig. 4 can be implemented by any type(s) and / or any number(s) of storage devices, such as a storage drive, flash memory, read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), buffer memory, and / or any other storage medium on which information is stored for any duration (e.g., for extended periods, permanently, for short periods, for temporary buffering, and / or for intermediate storage of information). The information stored in the memory 412 can be stored in any file and / or data structure format, organizational scheme, and / or arrangement. In some examples, the memory 412 stores aggregated usage information and / or data (e.g., the aggregated usage data 324 from Figs. 3 and 4).In some examples, the aggregated usage information and / or data includes aggregated vehicle location information and / or data (e.g., the aggregated location data 326 from Figures 3 and 4). In some examples, the aggregated usage information and / or data includes aggregated charge information and / or data (e.g., the aggregated charge data 328 from Figures 3 and 4). In some examples, the aggregated usage information and / or data includes aggregated availability information and / or data (e.g., the aggregated availability data 330 from Figures 3 and 4). In some examples, the aggregated usage information and / or data includes aggregated charging device type information and / or data (e.g., the aggregated charging device type data 332 from Figures 3 and 4).In some examples, the aggregated usage information and / or data includes aggregated charging rate information and / or data (e.g., the aggregated charging rate data 334 from Figures 3 and 4). In some examples, memory 412 stores a reservation confirmation and / or reservation information and / or data (e.g., the reservation data 246 from Figures 2-4). In some examples, the reservation information and / or data includes time information and / or data (e.g., the time data 248 from Figures 2-4). In some examples, the reservation information and / or data includes authentication information and / or data (e.g., the authentication data 250 from Figures 2-4). In some examples, the reservation information and / or data includes payment information and / or data (e.g., the payment data 252 from Figures 2-4).The memory 412 is accessible for the exemplary communication interface 402, the exemplary user interface 404, the exemplary GPS receiver 406, the exemplary charging service allocation device 408 and the exemplary reservation manager 410 from Fig. 4 and / or more generally for the exemplary mobile device 170 from Fig. 1 and / or 4. Although an exemplary way of implementing the exemplary mobile device 170 is illustrated in Fig. 4, one or more of the elements, processes, and / or devices illustrated in Fig. 4 can be combined, separated, rearranged, omitted, eliminated, and / or implemented in any other way. Furthermore, the exemplary communication interface 402, the exemplary user interface 404, the exemplary GPS receiver 406, the exemplary charging service allocation device 408, the exemplary reservation manager 410, and / or the exemplary memory 412 from Fig. 4 can be implemented by hardware, software, firmware, and / or any combination thereof.Thus, for example, any of the exemplary communication interface 402, the exemplary user interface 404, the exemplary GPS receiver 406, the exemplary charging service allocation device 408, the exemplary reservation manager 410 and / or the exemplary memory 412 from Fig. 4 could be implemented by the following: one or more analog or digital circuit(s), programmable processor(s), application-specific integrated circuit(s) (ASIC), programmable logic device(s) (PLD) and / or field programmable logic device(s) (FPLD).If any of the device or system claims of this patent are read as covering a pure software and / or firmware implementation, at least one of the exemplary communication interface 402, the exemplary user interface 404, the exemplary GPS receiver 406, the exemplary charging service allocation device 408, the exemplary reservation manager 410, and / or the exemplary memory 412 from Fig. 4 is hereby expressly defined as including a physical, computer-readable storage device or storage disk, such as a memory device, a Digital Versatile Disc (DVD), a Compact Disc (CD), a Blu-ray Disc, etc., which stores the software and / or firmware. Furthermore, the exemplary mobile device 170 from Figs. 1 and / or 4 may include one or more elements, processes, and / or devices in addition to those shown in Fig.4 illustrated or include instead of them and / or may include more than one of any or all of the illustrated elements, processes and devices. Figures 5-7 show flowcharts illustrating exemplary methods for charging a drone using a vehicle-based drone charger, for generating and transmitting a reservation confirmation for a drone charging session associated with the vehicle-based drone charger, and for generating and transmitting a reservation request for a drone charging session associated with the vehicle-based drone charger. In these examples, the methods can be implemented using machine-readable instructions comprising one or more programs for execution by a processor, such as the exemplary processor 802 of the exemplary processor platform 800, discussed below in conjunction with Figure 8, and the exemplary processor 902 of the exemplary processor platform 900, discussed below in conjunction with Figure 90.9 discussed, and / or the exemplary processor 1000 of the exemplary processor platform 1000, discussed below in conjunction with Fig. 10. The one or more program(s) may be executed in software stored on a physical, computer-readable storage medium, such as a CD-ROM, floppy disk, hard disk, Digital Versatile Disk (DVD), Blu-ray Disk, or memory associated with the processor 802, the processor 902, and / or the processor 1002, but alternatively, all of the program(s) and / or parts thereof could be executed by a device other than the processor 802, the processor 902, or the processor 1002, and / or in firmware or dedicated hardware. Although the exemplary program(s) with respect to the one(s) in Fig.In addition to the flowcharts illustrated in sections 5-7, many other methods can be used to charge a drone via a vehicle-based drone charger, to generate and transmit a reservation confirmation for a drone charging session associated with the vehicle-based drone charger, and to generate and transmit a reservation request for a drone charging session associated with the vehicle-based drone charger. For example, the execution order of the blocks can be changed, and / or some of the described blocks can be modified, omitted, or combined. As mentioned above, the exemplary methods from Figs. 5-7 can be implemented using coded instructions (e.g., computer- and / or machine-readable instructions) stored on a physical computer-readable storage medium, such as a hard disk drive, flash memory, read-only memory (ROM), compact disk (CD), digital versatile disk (DVD), buffer memory, random access memory (RAM), and / or any other storage device or disk on which information is stored for any duration (e.g., for extended periods, permanently, for short periods, for temporary buffering, and / or for intermediate storage of information).As used herein, the term “physical computer-readable storage medium” is expressly defined to include any type of computer-readable storage device and / or storage disk, excluding signal propagation and transmission media. As used herein, “physical computer-readable storage medium” and “physical machine-readable storage medium” are used interchangeably. Additionally or alternatively, the exemplary methods from Figures 5-7 may be used with coded instructions (e.g.,computer- and / or machine-readable instructions) are implemented, which are stored on a non-volatile computer- and / or machine-readable medium, such as a hard disk drive, flash memory, read-only memory, compact disk, digital versatile disk, buffer memory, random-access memory, and / or any other storage device or disk on which information is stored for any duration (e.g., for extended periods, permanently, for short periods, for temporary buffering, and / or for intermediate storage of information). As used herein, the term "non-volatile computer-readable medium" is expressly defined to include any type of computer-readable storage device and / or disk and excludes signal propagation and transmission media.When the term “at least”, as used in this document, is employed as a transitional term within a superordinate term of a claim, it is just as open as the terms “comprehensive” and “including”. Figure 5 is a flowchart representative of an exemplary method 500 that can be executed on the exemplary vehicle-based drone charger 110 from Figures 1 and / or 2 to charge a drone. The method 500 begins when the exemplary communication interface 212 from Figure 2 sends usage information associated with a vehicle charging device (block 502). The communication interface 212 can, for example, send usage information (e.g., usage data 234 from Figure 2) associated with the charging device 202 from Figure 2. Following block 502, the control of the exemplary method 500 from Figure 5 proceeds to block 504. At block 504, the exemplary charging controller 222 from Fig. 2 determines whether a reservation confirmation has been received (block 504). For example, the charging controller 222 can determine that a reservation confirmation (e.g., the reservation data 246 from Fig. 2) has been received at the vehicle-based charger 110 for drones from Figs. 1 and / or 2 via the communication interface 212 from Fig. 2. If the charging controller 222 determines at block 504 that no reservation confirmation has been received, the controller of the exemplary method 500 from Fig. 5 returns to block 502. If the charging controller 222 determines at block 504 that no reservation confirmation has been received, the controller of the exemplary method 500 from Fig. 5 returns to block 506. At block 506, the exemplary charging controller 222 from Fig. 2 determines whether a drone has been detected at the charging device 202 from Fig. 2 (block 506). The charging controller 222 can, for example, determine that a drone has been positioned at the charging device 202 based on weight data acquired, measured, and / or detected by the sensor 208 from Fig. 2. If the charging controller 222 determines at block 506 that no drone has been detected at the charging device 202, the control of the exemplary method 500 from Fig. 5 remains at block 506. If, instead, the charging controller 222 determines at block 506 that a drone has been detected at the charging device 202, the control of the exemplary method 500 from Fig. 5 passes to block 508. At block 508, the exemplary drone authentication device 216 from Fig. 2 authenticates the drone (block 508). The drone authentication device 216 can, for example, verify that the drone at the charging device 202 matches the drone associated with the reservation data 246. In some examples, the drone authentication device 216 can compare one or more drone characteristics (e.g., size, shape, weight, a reservation confirmation code, etc.) included in the reservation data 246 with corresponding authentication data 250 (e.g., size, shape, weight, a reservation confirmation code, etc.). As another example, the exemplary drone authentication device 216 can authenticate the identity of the drone via a wireless pairing of the drone with the charging controller 222 from Fig. 2, in which the drone's identifying authentication data 250 is provided.Following block 508, the control of the exemplary process 500 from Fig. 5 passes to block 510. In block 510, the exemplary charging controller 222 from Fig. 2 determines whether the drone authentication was successful (block 510). For example, the charging controller 222 can determine that the drone authentication was successful based on data and / or one or more signals, one or more messages, and / or one or more commands received, retrieved, and / or provided by the drone authentication device 216, which indicates a mapping between one or more elements of the authentication information and / or data stored in the exemplary memory 224 from Fig. 2 (e.g., the authentication data 250 from Fig. 2) and one or more features of the drone in contact with the charging device 202 from Fig. 2.If the charging controller 222 determines at block 510 that the drone authentication was successful, the control of exemplary procedure 500 from Fig. 5 transitions to block 512. If, instead, the charging controller 222 determines at block 510 that the drone authentication was unsuccessful, exemplary procedure 500 from Fig. 5 terminates. In block 512, the exemplary payment verification device 214 from Fig. 2 verifies the payment information associated with charging the drone (block 512). The exemplary payment verification device 214 can, for example, verify that the received payment information is valid, and / or verify that the data received via the radio receiver 228 from Fig. 2 from a source (e.g., the remote server 150 from Figs. 1 and / or 3, a payment clearing house, etc.) determines that the payment information is valid and / or that the payment has been made, or that the payment of an amount corresponding to an expected charging service has been pre-authorized.For example, the payment verification device 214 can authenticate payment information provided with or after a reservation request and / or reservation confirmation for a drone charging session, such as payment authentication by a transaction processing clearinghouse, and by providing the charging controller 222 with authentication of the payment information regarding the use of the charging device. Following block 512, the controller of the exemplary method 500 from Fig. 5 transitions to block 514. At block 514, the exemplary charging controller 222 from Fig. 2 determines whether the verification of payment information was successful (block 514). For example, the charging controller 222 may determine that payment information associated with charging the drones has been successfully verified based on data and / or one or more signals, messages, and / or commands received, retrieved, and / or provided by the payment verification device 214. If the charging controller 222 determines at block 514 that the verification of payment information was successful, the control of exemplary procedure 500 from Fig. 5 proceeds to block 516. If, instead, the charging controller 222 determines at block 514 that the verification of payment information was unsuccessful, exemplary procedure 500 from Fig. 5 terminates. In block 516, the exemplary charging controller 222 from Fig. 2 operationally couples the drone to the charging device (block 516). For example, the charging controller 222 can operationally couple the drone to the charging device 202 from Fig. 2 by wirelessly pairing the drone with the vehicle associated with the charging device 202. Following block 516, the exemplary method 500 from Fig. 5 transitions to block 518. At block 518, the exemplary charging controller 222 from Fig. 2 determines whether the drone has been successfully operationally paired with the charging device (block 518). For example, the charging controller 222 can determine that the drone has been successfully operationally paired with the charging device 202 from Fig. 2 based on data and / or one or more signals, messages, and / or commands received, retrieved, and / or provided by the charging controller 222 and / or the charging device 202, indicating that the drone is wirelessly paired with the charging device 202. If, at block 518, the charging controller 222 determines that the operational pairing of the drone with the charging device was successful, the control of the exemplary method 500 from Fig. 5 proceeds to block 520.If, instead, the charging control 222 determines at block 518 that the operational coupling of the drone with the charging device was unsuccessful, the exemplary method 500 from Fig. 5 ends. In block 520, the exemplary charging device 202 from Fig. 2 charges the drone (block 520). For example, the charging device 202 can charge a drone battery by supplying energy stored in the vehicle battery 204 from Fig. 2 to the drone battery. Following block 520, the exemplary method 500 from Fig. 5 proceeds to block 522. At block 522, the exemplary charging controller 222 from Fig. 2 determines whether a charging session for the drone has been completed (block 522). For example, the charging controller 222 can determine that the charging session for the drone is complete based on data and / or one or more signals, one or more messages, and / or one or more commands received, retrieved, and / or provided by the charging controller 222 and / or the charging device 202 from Fig. 2, indicating that the drone's battery has been charged for a predetermined duration and / or to a predetermined capacity. If, at block 522, the charging controller 222 determines that the charging session for the drone is not complete, the controller of the exemplary method 500 from Fig. 5 returns to block 522.If, instead, the charging controller 222 determines at block 522 that the charging session for the drone has been completed, the exemplary procedure 500 from Fig. 5 ends. Fig. 6 is a flowchart representative of an exemplary method 600 that can be executed on the exemplary remote server 150 from Figs. 1 and / or 3 to generate and transmit a reservation confirmation for a drone charging session associated with the vehicle-based drone charger 110 from Figs. 1 and 2. Method 600 begins when the exemplary communication interface 302 from Fig. 3 receives usage information associated with a vehicle charging device (block 602). The communication interface 302 can, for example, receive usage information (e.g., Usage data 234 (from Fig. 2) is received, which is associated with the charging device 202 of the vehicle-based charger 110 for drones from Fig. 2. Following block 602, the exemplary method 600 from Fig. 6 proceeds to block 604. In block 604, the exemplary data aggregator 306 from Fig. 3 aggregates the received information (block 604). For example, the data aggregator 306 can generate aggregated usage information (e.g., the aggregated usage information 324 from Fig. 3) by combining and / or aggregating the usage information associated with the charging device 202 with other usage information associated with other charging devices. Following block 604, the exemplary method 600 from Fig. 6 transitions to block 606. In block 606, the exemplary communication interface 302 from Fig. 3 sends aggregated usage information associated with the vehicles' charging devices (block 606). The communication interface 302 can, for example, send aggregated usage information (e.g., the aggregated usage data 324 from Fig. 3) associated with the charging devices, including the exemplary charging device 202 from Fig. 2. Following block 606, the exemplary method 600 from Fig. 6 transitions to block 608. At block 608, the exemplary reservation manager 310 from Fig. 3 determines whether a reservation request has been received (block 608). For example, the reservation manager 310 can determine that a reservation request has been received at the remote server 150 of Fig. 1 and / or 3 via the communication interface 302 from Fig. 3. If the reservation manager 310 determines at block 608 that no reservation request has been received, the control of the exemplary procedure 600 from Fig. 6 returns to block 602. If, instead, the reservation manager 310 determines at block 608 that a reservation request has been received, the control of the exemplary procedure 600 from Fig. 6 passes to block 610. At block 610, the exemplary reservation manager 310 from Fig. 3 determines whether a reservation request is associated with a specific charging device and / or a specific vehicle (block 610). For example, the reservation manager 310 may determine that the reservation request is associated with the exemplary charging device 202 from Fig. 2. If, at block 610, the reservation manager 310 determines that no reservation request has been associated with a specific charging device and / or a specific vehicle, the control of the exemplary procedure 600 from Fig. 6 returns to block 612. If, instead, the reservation manager 310 determines at block 610 that the reservation request is associated with a specific charging device and / or a specific vehicle, the control of the exemplary procedure 600 from Fig. 6 passes to block 616. In block 612, the exemplary charging service allocation device 308 from Fig. 3 assigns the reservation request to a specific charging device and / or a specific vehicle (block 612). For example, the exemplary charging service allocation device 308 can access the exemplary data aggregator 306 from Fig. 3 to analyze the usage data (e.g., the aggregated usage data 324 from Fig. 3) and the reservation data (e.g., the reservation data 246 from Fig. 3) to determine whether an allocation can be made between a charging device 120 (via the usage data 324) and a drone (via the reservation data 246). In some examples, the charging service allocation device 308 from Fig. 3 can sort the usage data and reservation data according to initial criteria, such as location.For example, an initial determination might involve identifying the locations of all charging devices 120 within a selected area of ​​a drone location (e.g., within an operational area of ​​the drone, within a remaining flight area of ​​the drone, etc.), the positions of all charging devices 120 within a selected area of ​​a mobile device 170 location, or the locations of all charging devices 120 within a selected area of ​​a location specified in the reservation data 246, which may not be a current drone location. In some examples, charging devices 120 located outside the drone's operational area may not be considered.Any charging device(s) 120, which are determined by the exemplary charging service assignment device 308 to be located within an operating area of ​​the drone, can then be considered for additional assignment levels between the usage data and the reservation data. In some examples, the charging service assignment device 308 from Fig. 3 determines simultaneously or subsequently whether the identified locations of all charging devices 120 within a selected area for a location of the drone, a mobile device 170, or the location specified in the reservation data 246 also correspond to a time or time period specified in the reservation data 246 (e.g., immediately, within 5 minutes, within 30 minutes, within a certain period, etc.) or whether this is not the case.This comparison would, for example, eliminate charging devices 120 that may be located within the area of ​​a selected location specified for the charging service to be provided, but not within that area of ​​the selected location at the time the charging service is to be provided. In some examples, a further determination by the charging service allocation device 308 of Fig. 3 may also include an evaluation of the received usage data (e.g., availability of one or more charging devices, location information for the vehicle, size of the charging devices, size of a drone that can be accommodated, weight of a drone that can be accommodated, available charging device type(s), battery purchase options, battery exchange options, battery rental options, etc.).) to determine which of the potentially available charging devices can actually be used by the drone and match the reservation data 246. As a further improvement, a determination of available charging devices 120 that are usable can be subdivided into available charging devices 120 that can provide, for example, a desired charging rate capacity (e.g., the rate(s) at which the charging device can safely charge the drone) or other charging characteristics (e.g., matching functions, etc.). In some examples, a further determination by the charging service allocation device 308 from Fig. 3 regarding the usable charging device(s) 120 within an operating range of the drone can include an evaluation of the received usage information (e.g.,The charging service allocation device 308 from Fig. 3 communicates with the mobile device 170 from Figs. 1 and / or 4 via the cellular network 140 to verify acceptance of the charging information for one or more selected allocated charging devices 120. Following block 612, the control of the exemplary procedure 600 from Fig. 6 proceeds to block 614. In block 614, the exemplary communication interface 302 from Fig. 3 transmits associated reservation information to the requesting device associated with that reservation information (block 614). For example, the communication interface 302 can transmit reservation information to the exemplary mobile device 170 from Figs. 1 and / or 4, specifying a particular charging device (e.g., the charging device 202 from Fig. 2) or a specific vehicle for which a reservation for charging the drone is to be confirmed. Following block 614, the control of the exemplary method 600 from Fig. 6 transitions to block 616. At block 616, the exemplary payment verification device 312 from Fig. 3 determines whether the payment information associated with the reservation request has been received (block 616). For example, the payment verification device 312 may determine that the payment information associated with the reservation request has been received by the remote server 150 from Figs. 1 and / or 3 via the communication interface 302 from Fig. 3. If the payment verification device 312 determines at block 616 that no payment information associated with the reservation request has been received, control of the exemplary procedure 600 from Fig. 6 remains at block 616. If, instead, the payment verification device 312 determines at block 616 that payment information associated with the reservation request has been received, control of the exemplary procedure 600 from Fig. 6 passes to block 618. In block 618, the exemplary payment verification device 312 from Fig. 3 verifies the payment information associated with charging the drone (block 618). The payment verification device 312 can, for example, verify that the received payment data 252 is valid. In some examples, the payment verification device 312 can use the payment data 252 to perform payment verification authorization, such as by sending the payment data 252 via the communication interface 302 to a pre-authorization clearing house. The pre-authorization can, for example, include confirmation that the payment information is valid and / or that the payment has been made, or that the payment of an amount corresponding to an expected charging service is authorized. Following block 618, the control of the exemplary procedure 600 from Fig. 6 transitions to block 620. At block 620, the exemplary reservation manager 310 from Fig. 3 determines whether the verification of payment information was successful (block 620). For example, the reservation manager 310 may determine that payment information associated with recharging the drones has been successfully verified based on data and / or one or more signals, messages, and / or commands received, retrieved, and / or provided by the payment verification device 312. If, at block 620, the reservation manager 310 determines that the verification of payment information was successful, control of the exemplary procedure 600 from Fig. 6 proceeds to block 622. If, instead, the reservation manager 310 determines at block 620 that the verification of payment information was unsuccessful, the exemplary procedure 600 from Fig. 6 terminates. In block 622, the exemplary communication interface 302 from Fig. 3 transmits a reservation confirmation to the requesting device associated with the reservation confirmation (block 622). For example, the communication interface 302 can transmit a reservation confirmation (e.g., the reservation data 246 from Figs. 2-4) to the exemplary mobile device 170 from Figs. 1 and / or 4, specifying a particular time and a specific charging device (e.g., the charging device 202 from Fig. 2) with respect to which the drone is to be charged. Following block 622, the control of the exemplary method 600 from Fig. 6 transitions to block 624. In block 624, the exemplary communication interface 302 from Fig. 3 transmits the reservation confirmation to the charging device and / or vehicle associated with the reservation confirmation (block 624). For example, the communication interface 302 can send the reservation confirmation (e.g., the reservation data 246 from Figs. 2-4) to the charging device 202 from Fig. 2 and / or, more generally, to the vehicle-based charger 110 for drones from Fig. 2, specifying a particular time at which a particular drone is to be charged. Following block 624, the exemplary method 600 from Fig. 6 terminates. Figure 7 is a flowchart representative of an exemplary method 700 that can be performed on the exemplary mobile device 170 from Figures 1 and / or 4 to generate and transmit an exemplary reservation request for a drone charging session associated with the vehicle-based drone charger 110 from Figures 1 and / or 2. The exemplary method 700 begins when the exemplary communication interface 402 from Figure 4 transmits a request for usage information associated with one or more charging devices of the vehicle(s) (Block 702). The communication interface 402 can, for example, transmit a request to the remote server 150 from Figures 1 and / or 3, requesting usage information associated with the vehicle's charging devices.Following block 702, the exemplary process 700 from Fig. 7 transitions to block 704. In block 704, the exemplary communication interface 402 from Fig. 4 receives aggregated usage information associated with vehicle charging devices (block 704). The communication interface 402 can, for example, receive aggregated usage information (e.g., the aggregated usage data 324 from Figs. 3 and 4) associated with vehicle charging devices, including the charging device 202 of the vehicle-based charger 110 for drones from Fig. 2. Following block 704, the exemplary method 700 from Fig. 7 transitions to block 706. In block 706, the exemplary reservation manager 410 from Fig. 4 determines whether a specific charging device and / or a specific vehicle is to be identified to be associated with a reservation request (block 706). For example, the reservation manager 410 can determine that the exemplary charging device 202 from Fig. 2 is to be identified and / or associated with a reservation request to be transmitted through the exemplary communication interface 402 from Fig. 4. If, in block 706, the reservation manager 410 is to identify a specific charging device and / or a specific vehicle to be associated with a reservation request, the exemplary method 700 from Fig. 7 proceeds to block 708.If, instead, the reservation manager 410 at block 706 determines that no specific loading device and / or vehicle should be identified to be associated with a reservation request, the exemplary procedure 600 from Fig. 6 proceeds to block 710. In Block 708, the exemplary charging service assignment device 408 from Fig. 4 assigns a specific charging device and / or a specific vehicle to a reservation request (Block 708). The charging service assignment device 408 can, for example, compare usage data (e.g., the aggregated usage data 324 from Figs. 3 and 4) and reservation data 246 (e.g., a request to charge a drone, a general location where the drone should preferably be charged, etc.) with a first criterion, such as a location. For example, a first determination can be the identification of the locations of all charging devices 120 within a selected area of ​​a drone's location (e.g., within an operating area of ​​the drone, within a remaining flight area of ​​the drone, etc.).), include positions of all charging devices 120 within a selected area of ​​a location of the mobile device 170, or locations of all charging devices 120 within a selected area of ​​a location specified in the reservation data 246, which may not be a current location of a drone. In some examples, charging devices 120 that are outside the operating area of ​​the drone may not be considered. Any charging device(s) 120 that are determined by the charging service assignment device 408 in Fig. 4 to be within an operating area of ​​the drone may then be considered for additional assignment levels between the usage data and the reservation data. Alternatively, the charging service assignment device 408 from Fig.4. Compare each record in the usage data with each record in the reservation data to determine assignments. In some examples, the charging service assignment device 408 from Fig. 4 determines simultaneously or subsequently whether the identified locations of all charging devices 120 within a selected area for a location of the drone, a mobile device 170, or the location specified in the reservation data 246 also correspond to a time or time period specified in the reservation data 246 (e.g., immediately, within 5 minutes, within 30 minutes, within a certain period, etc.) or not.This comparison would, for example, eliminate charging devices 120 that may be located within the area of ​​a selected location specified for the charging service to be provided, but not within that area of ​​the selected location at the time the charging service is to be provided. In some examples, a further determination by the charging service allocation device 408 of Fig. 4 may also include an evaluation of the received usage data (e.g., availability of one or more charging devices, location information for the vehicle, size of the charging devices, size of a drone that can be accommodated, weight of a drone that can be accommodated, available charging device type(s), battery purchase options, battery exchange options, battery rental options, etc.).) to determine which of the potentially available charging devices can actually be used by the drone and match the reservation data 246. As a further improvement, a determination of available charging devices 120 that are usable can be subdivided into available charging devices 120 that can provide, for example, a desired charging rate capacity (e.g., the rate(s) at which the charging device can safely charge the drone) or other charging characteristics (e.g., matching functions, etc.). In some examples, a further determination by the charging service allocation device 408 from Fig. 4 regarding the usable charging device(s) 120 within an operating range of the drone can include an evaluation of the received usage information (e.g.,Fee information) to determine which of the available charging device(s) 120 to select for providing the charging service, for example, based on the cost of a charging service or a battery swapping service. Acceptable fees or fee ranges may be specified in the reservation data 246. Following block 708, the exemplary procedure 700 from Fig. 7 proceeds to block 714. In block 710, the exemplary communication interface 402 from Fig. 4 transmits an unassigned reservation request (block 710). The communication interface 402 can, for example, transmit an unassigned reservation request to the remote server 150 from Figs. 1 and / or 3, which prompts the remote server 150 to specify (e.g., assign) a charging device and / or vehicle on which a drone can be charged. Following block 710, the exemplary method 700 from Fig. 7 transitions to block 712. In block 712, the exemplary communication interface 402 from Fig. 4 receives associated reservation information (block 712). The communication interface 402 can, for example, receive associated reservation information from the remote server 150 from Figs. 1 and / or 3, which associates a specific charging device (e.g., the charging device 202 from Fig. 2) or a specific vehicle with a drone to be charged. Following block 712, the exemplary method 700 from Fig. 7 transitions to block 714. In block 714, the exemplary communication interface 402 from Fig. 4 transmits an associated reservation request (block 714). The communication interface 402 can, for example, transmit an associated reservation request to the remote server 150 from Figs. 1 and / or 3, which prompts the remote server 150 to confirm a reservation for a charging session with the charging device (e.g., the charging device 202 from Fig. 2) and / or the vehicle associated with the associated reservation request. Following block 714, the exemplary method 700 from Fig. 7 transitions to block 716. In block 716, the exemplary communication interface 402 from Fig. 4 transmits payment information associated with the assigned reservation request (block 716). The communication interface 402 can, for example, transmit payment information associated with the assigned reservation request to the remote server 150 from Figs. 1 and / or 3. Following block 716, the exemplary procedure 700 from Fig. 7 transitions to block 718. At block 718, the exemplary communication interface 402 from Fig. 4 receives a reservation confirmation (block 718). The communication interface 402 can, for example, receive a reservation confirmation (e.g., the reservation data 246 from Figs. 2-4) from the remote server 150 from Figs. 1 and / or 3, specifying a particular time and a particular charging device (e.g., the charging device 202 from Fig. 2) with respect to which the drone is to be charged. Following block 718, the exemplary method 700 from Fig. 7 terminates. Figure 8 is an exemplary processor platform 800 capable of executing instructions to implement the method from Figure 5 and the exemplary vehicle-based drone charger 110 from Figures 1 and / or 2. The processor platform 800 of the illustrated example includes a processor 802. The processor 802 of the illustrated example is hardware. For example, the processor 802 can be implemented by one or more integrated circuits, logic circuits, one or more processors, microprocessors, one or more controllers, or one or more microcontrollers of any desired series or from any desired manufacturer. The processor 802 of the illustrated example includes a local memory 804 (e.g., a buffer).In the illustrated example, the processor 802 includes the exemplary payment verification device 214, the exemplary drone authentication device 216, the exemplary security manager 218 and the exemplary charging controller 222 from Fig. 2. The processor 802 of the illustrated example communicates with one or more exemplary sensors 806 via a bus 808. The exemplary sensors 806 include the exemplary sensor 208 and the exemplary GPS receiver 210 from Fig. 2. The 802 processor of the illustrated example also communicates with main memory via the 808 bus, including volatile memory 810 and non-volatile memory 812. The volatile memory 810 can be implemented as Synchronous Dynamic Random Access Memory (SDRAM), Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM), RAMBUS Dynamic Random Access Memory (RDRAM), and / or any other type of direct-access memory device. The non-volatile memory 812 can be implemented as flash memory and / or any other desired type of memory device. Access to the volatile memory 810 and the non-volatile memory 812 is controlled by a memory controller. The processor 802 of the illustrated example also communicates with one or more mass storage devices 814 for storing software and / or data. Examples of such mass storage devices 814 include floppy disk drives, hard disk drives, Blu-ray disc drives, RAID systems, and Digital Versatile Disk drives (DVD drives). In the illustrated example, the mass storage device 814 includes the exemplary memory 224 from Fig. 2. The 800 processor platform of the illustrated example also includes a user interface circuit 816. The 816 user interface circuit can be implemented using any type of interface standard, such as an Ethernet interface, a Universal Serial Bus (USB), and / or a PCI Express interface. In the illustrated example, one or more input devices 230 are connected to the 816 user interface circuit. The input device(s) 230 enable a user to input data and commands into the 802 processor. The input device(s) 230 can be implemented, for example, as an audio sensor, a camera (still image or video), a keyboard, a button, a mouse, a touchscreen, a trackpad, a trackball, an isopoint, a speech recognition system, a microphone, and / or a liquid crystal display.One or more output devices 232 are connected to the user interface circuit 816 of the illustrated example. The output device(s) 232 can be implemented, for example, as a light-emitting diode, an organic light-emitting diode, a liquid crystal display, a touchscreen, and / or a loudspeaker. The user interface circuit 816 of the illustrated example can thus include a graphics driver, such as a graphics driver chip and / or processor. In the illustrated example, the input device(s) 230, the output device(s) 232, and the user interface circuit 816 together form the exemplary user interface 220 shown in Fig. 2. The processor platform 800 of the illustrated example also includes a network interface circuit 818. The network interface circuit 818 can be implemented by any type of interface standard, such as an Ethernet interface, a Universal Serial Bus (USB), and / or a PCI Express interface. In the illustrated example, the network interface circuit 818 includes the exemplary radio transmitter 226 and the exemplary radio receiver 228 from Fig. 2 to enable the exchange of data and / or signals with external machines (e.g., the remote server 150 from Figs. 1 and / or 3) via a network 820 (e.g., a cellular network, a wireless local area network (WLAN), etc.), such as the exemplary cellular network 140 from Fig. 1.In the illustrated example, the radio transmitter 226, the radio receiver 228 and the user interface circuit 818 together form the exemplary user interface 212 from Fig. 2. Coded instructions 822 for implementing the method from Fig. 5 can be stored in the local memory 804, in the volatile memory 810, in the non-volatile memory 812, in the mass storage device 814 and / or on a removable physical computer-readable storage medium, such as a CD or DVD. Figure 9 is an exemplary processor platform 900 capable of executing instructions to implement the method from Figure 6 and the exemplary remote server 150 from Figures 1 and / or 3. The processor platform 900 of the illustrated example includes a processor 902. The processor 902 of the illustrated example is hardware. For example, the processor 902 can be implemented by one or more integrated circuits, logic circuits, one or more processors, microprocessors, one or more controllers, or one or more microcontrollers of any desired series or from any desired manufacturer. The processor 902 of the illustrated example includes a local memory 904 (e.g., a buffer).In the illustrated example, the processor 902 includes the exemplary data aggregator 306, the exemplary load service allocation device 308, the exemplary reservation manager 310 and the exemplary payment verification device 312 from Fig. 3. The processor 902 of the illustrated example communicates with main memory via a bus 910, including volatile memory 906 and non-volatile memory 908. The volatile memory 906 can be implemented as Synchronous Dynamic Random Access Memory (SDRAM), Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM), RAMBUS Dynamic Random Access Memory (RDRAM), and / or any other type of direct-access memory device. The non-volatile memory 908 can be implemented as flash memory and / or any other desired type of memory device. Access to the volatile memory 906 and the non-volatile memory 908 is controlled by a memory controller. The processor 902 of the illustrated example also communicates with one or more mass storage devices 912 for storage software and / or data. Examples of such mass storage devices 912 include floppy disk drives, hard disk drives, Blu-ray disc drives, RAID systems, and Digital Versatile Disk drives (DVD drives). In the illustrated example, the mass storage device 912 includes the exemplary memory 314 from Fig. 3. The processor platform 900 of the illustrated example also includes a user interface circuit 914. The user interface circuit 914 can be implemented using any type of interface standard, such as an Ethernet interface, a Universal Serial Bus (USB), and / or a PCI Express interface. In the illustrated example, one or more input devices 320 are connected to the user interface circuit 914. The input device(s) 320 enable a user to input data and commands into the processor 902. The input device(s) 320 can be implemented, for example, by an audio sensor, a camera (still image or video), a keyboard, a button, a mouse, a touchscreen, a trackpad, a trackball, an isopoint, a speech recognition system, a microphone, and / or a liquid crystal display.One or more output devices 322 are connected to the user interface circuit 914 of the illustrated example. The output device(s) 322 can be implemented, for example, as a light-emitting diode, an organic light-emitting diode, a liquid crystal display, a touchscreen, and / or a loudspeaker. The user interface circuit 914 of the illustrated example can thus include a graphics driver, such as a graphics driver chip and / or processor. In the illustrated example, the input device(s) 320, the output device(s) 322, and the user interface circuit 914 together form the exemplary user interface 304 from Fig. 3. The processor platform 900 of the illustrated example also includes a network interface circuit 916. The network interface circuit 916 can be implemented using any type of interface standard, such as an Ethernet interface, a Universal Serial Bus (USB), and / or a PCI Express interface. In the illustrated example, the network interface circuit 916 includes the exemplary radio transmitter 316 and the exemplary radio receiver 318 from Fig. 3 to enable the exchange of data and / or signals with external machines (e.g., the vehicle-based charger 110 for drones from Figs. 1 and / or 2, or the mobile device 170 from Figs. 1 and / or 4) via a network 918 (e.g., a cellular network, a wireless local area network (WLAN), etc.), such as the exemplary cellular network 140 from Fig. 1.In the illustrated example, the radio transmitter 316, the radio receiver 318 and the user interface circuit 916 together form the exemplary user interface 302 from Fig. 3. Coded instructions 920 for implementing the method from Fig. 6 can be stored in the local memory 904, in the volatile memory 906, in the non-volatile memory 908, in the mass storage device 912 and / or on a removable physical computer-readable storage medium, such as a CD or DVD. Fig. 10 is an exemplary processor platform 1000 capable of executing instructions to implement the method from Fig. 7 and the exemplary mobile device 170 from Figs. 1 and / or 4. The processor platform 1000 of the illustrated example includes a processor 1002. The processor 1002 of the illustrated example is hardware. For example, the processor 1002 can be implemented by one or more integrated circuits, logic circuits, one or more processors, microprocessors, one or more controllers, or one or more microcontrollers of any desired series or from any desired manufacturer. The processor 1000 of the illustrated example includes a local memory 1004 (e.g., a buffer).In the illustrated example, the processor includes the exemplary load service allocation device 408 and the exemplary reservation manager 410 from Fig. 4. The processor 1002 of the illustrated example communicates with one or more exemplary sensors 1006 via a bus 1008. The exemplary sensors 1006 include the exemplary GPS receiver 406 from Fig. 4. The processor 1000 of the illustrated example also communicates with main memory via bus 1008, including volatile memory 1010 and non-volatile memory 1012. The volatile memory 1010 can be implemented as Synchronous Dynamic Random Access Memory (SDRAM), Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM), RAMBUS Dynamic Random Access Memory (RDRAM), and / or any other type of direct-access memory device. The non-volatile memory 1012 can be implemented as flash memory and / or any other desired type of memory device. Access to the volatile memory 1010 and the non-volatile memory 1012 is controlled by a memory controller. The processor 1000 of the illustrated example also communicates with one or more mass storage devices 1014 for storing software and / or data. Examples of mass storage devices 1014 include SD cards. In the illustrated example, the mass storage device 1014 includes the exemplary memory 412 from Fig. 4. The processor platform 1000 of the illustrated example also includes a user interface circuit 1016. The user interface circuit 1016 can be implemented using any type of interface standard, such as an Ethernet interface, a Universal Serial Bus (USB), and / or a PCI Express interface. In the illustrated example, one or more input devices 418 are connected to the user interface circuit 1016. The input device(s) 418 enable a user to input data and commands into the processor 1002. The input device(s) 418 can be implemented, for example, by an audio sensor, a camera (still image or video), a keyboard, a button, a mouse, a touchscreen, a trackpad, a trackball, an isopoint, a speech recognition system, a microphone, and / or a liquid crystal display.One or more output devices 420 are connected to the user interface circuit 1016 of the illustrated example. The output device(s) 420 can be implemented, for example, as a light-emitting diode, an organic light-emitting diode, a liquid crystal display, a touchscreen, and / or a loudspeaker. The user interface circuit 1016 of the illustrated example can thus include a graphics driver, such as a graphics driver chip and / or processor. In the illustrated example, the input device(s) 418, the output device(s) 420, and the user interface circuit 1016 together form the exemplary user interface 404 from Fig. 4. The processor platform 1000 of the illustrated example also includes a network interface circuit 1018. The network interface circuit 1018 can be implemented using any type of interface standard, such as an Ethernet interface, a Universal Serial Bus (USB), and / or a PCI Express interface. In the illustrated example, the network interface circuit 1018 includes the exemplary radio transmitter 414 and the exemplary radio receiver 416 from Fig. 4 to enable the exchange of data and / or signals with external machines (e.g., the remote server 150 from Figs. 1 and / or 3) via a network 1020 (e.g., a cellular network, a wireless local area network (WLAN), etc.), such as the exemplary cellular network 140 from Fig. 1.In the illustrated example, the radio transmitter 414, the radio receiver 416 and the user interface circuit 1018 together form the exemplary user interface 402 from Fig. 4. Coded instructions 1022 for implementing the method from Fig. 7 can be stored in the local memory 1004, in the volatile memory 1010, in the non-volatile memory 1012, in the mass storage device 1014 and / or on a removable physical computer-readable storage medium, such as a CD or DVD. Based on the foregoing, it is understood that the disclosed methods and device for vehicle-based drone charging offer advantages over known approaches to drone charging. The disclosed methods and device open up new possibilities for drone charging and for drone operators, enabling drones and drone operators to extend flight time, reduce overhead, shorten preparation time (e.g., pre-charging multiple LiPo batteries and monitoring the charging process), fly with less weight, and even extend the operating range for some drones (e.g., autonomous drones). In some examples, a vehicle-based charger for drones is disclosed. In some disclosed examples, the charger includes a charging device that is intended to be operationally coupled to a vehicle. In some disclosed examples, the charging device is intended to charge the drone in response to the drone being operationally coupled to the charging device. In some disclosed examples, the vehicle-based charger for drones further includes a communication interface that is intended to be operationally coupled to the vehicle. In some disclosed examples, the communication interface of the charging device is intended to send associated usage information. In some disclosed examples, the usage information includes location information associated with the location of the vehicle and fee information associated with the cost of using the charging device. In some disclosed examples, the charging device includes a charging platform for wirelessly charging the drone. In some disclosed examples, the charging platform is positioned on a vehicle surface accessible to the drone. In some disclosed examples, the usage information further includes availability information associated with a time when the charging device is available for use, charging device type information associated with a type of charging device, and charging rate information associated with a rate at which the charging device can charge a battery. In some disclosed examples, the communication interface is intended to receive a reservation confirmation. In some disclosed examples, the reservation confirmation includes time information associated with a time at which the drone is scheduled to use the charging device, and authentication information associated with an identifiable feature of the drone. In some disclosed examples, the vehicle-based drone charger further includes a weight sensor that is operationally coupled to the charging device. In some disclosed examples, the weight sensor is intended to detect an object that is positioned on the charging device. In some disclosed examples, the vehicle-based drone charger further includes a charging controller that is operationally coupled to the charging device. In some disclosed examples, the charging controller is intended to enable charging of the drone via the charging device in response to the detection of verification of payment information according to the costs of using the charging device. In some disclosed examples, the charging controller is intended to operationally couple the drone to the charging device by wirelessly pairing the drone with the vehicle. In some disclosed examples, this pairing is intended to enable charging of the drone via the charging device. In some examples, a method for charging a drone via a vehicle-based drone charger is disclosed. In some disclosed examples, the method involves sending usage information via a communication interface that is operationally coupled to a vehicle. In some disclosed examples, the usage information is associated with a charging device that is operationally coupled to the vehicle. In some disclosed examples, the usage information includes location information associated with the vehicle's location and fee information associated with the cost of using the charging device. In some disclosed examples, the method further involves charging the drone via the charging device in response to the drone being operationally coupled to the charging device. In some disclosed examples of the method, the charging device includes a charging platform for wirelessly charging the drone. In some disclosed examples, the charging platform is positioned on a vehicle surface accessible to the drone. In some disclosed examples of the method, the usage information further includes availability information associated with a time when the charging device is available for use, charging device type information associated with a type of charging device, and charging rate information associated with a rate at which the charging device can charge a battery. In some disclosed examples, the method further involves receiving a reservation confirmation via the communication interface. In some disclosed examples, the reservation confirmation includes time information associated with a time at which the drone is to use the charging device and authentication information associated with an identifiable feature of the drone. In some disclosed examples, the method further includes detecting an object positioned at the charging device via a weight sensor operationally coupled to the charging device. In some disclosed examples, the method further includes enabling the charging of the drone via the charging device in response to the detection of verification of payment information according to the costs of using the charging device, via a charging controller operationally coupled to the charging device. In some disclosed examples, the method further includes operationally coupling the drone to the charging device by wirelessly pairing the drone with the vehicle via the charging controller. In some disclosed examples, this pairing is intended to enable charging of the drone via the charging device. In some examples, a physical, machine-readable storage medium containing instructions is disclosed. In some disclosed examples, the instructions, upon execution, cause a processor to send usage information via a communication interface operationally coupled to a vehicle. In some disclosed examples, the usage information is associated with a charging device operationally coupled to the vehicle. In some disclosed examples, the usage information includes location information associated with the vehicle's location and charge information associated with the cost of using the charging device. In some disclosed examples, the instructions further cause the processor to charge the drone via the charging device in response to the drone being operationally coupled to the charging device. In some disclosed examples of the physical machine-readable storage medium, the charging device includes a charging pad for wirelessly charging the drone. In some disclosed examples, the charging pad is positioned on a vehicle surface accessible to the drone. In some disclosed examples of the physical machine-readable storage medium, the usage information further includes availability information associated with a time at which the charging device is available for use, charging device type information associated with a type of charging device, and charging rate information associated with a rate at which the charging device can charge a battery. In some disclosed examples, the instructions, upon execution, further cause the processor to receive a reservation confirmation via the communication interface. In some disclosed examples, the reservation confirmation includes time information associated with a time at which the drone is to use the charging device and authentication information associated with an identifiable feature of the drone. In some disclosed examples, the instructions, when executed, are further intended to cause the processor to detect an object being positioned on the charging device via a weight sensor operationally coupled to the charging device. In some disclosed examples, the instructions, upon execution, are intended to further cause the processor, via a charging controller operationally coupled to the charging device, to enable the charging of the drone via the charging device in response to the detection of verification of payment information according to the costs for using the charging device. In some disclosed examples, the instructions, upon execution, are further intended to cause the processor to operationally couple the drone to the charging device by wirelessly pairing the drone with the vehicle via the charging controller. In some disclosed examples, this pairing is intended to enable the charging of the drone via the charging device. Although certain exemplary processes, devices, and articles have been disclosed herein, the scope of this patent is not limited to these. On the contrary, this patent covers all processes, devices, and articles that are lawfully within the scope of the claims of this patent.

Claims

Vehicle-based charger (110) for drones, comprising: a charging device (120, 202) to be operationally coupled to a vehicle (102, 104, 106, 108), wherein the charging device (120, 202) is to charge a drone in response to the drone being operationally coupled to the charging device (120, 202), the vehicle (102, 104, 106, 108) being located at a first location; and a communication interface (212, 302, 402) that is operationally coupled to the vehicle (102, 104, 106, 108) and is configured to send usage information (234) associated with the charging device (120, 202), wherein the usage information (234) includes location information (236) associated with the initial location of the vehicle (102, 104, 106, 108), vehicle movement information, and charge information (238) associated with the cost of using the charging device (120, 202),wherein the first location is a current location of the vehicle (102, 104, 106, 108), wherein the vehicle movement information includes a route of the vehicle (102, 104, 106, 108), the route indicating that the vehicle (102, 104, 106, 108) will be at a second location at a first future time, the route indicating that the vehicle (102, 104, 106, 108) will be at a third location at a second future time, the second future time being after the first future time; and- to receive a reservation confirmation (246), wherein the reservation confirmation (246) contains time information (248) associated with a second indication that the drone is to use the charging device (120, 202) at a first future time at the second location, and authentication information (250) associated with a associated with an identifiable feature of the drone includes,at least one sensor (208) for detecting a variable associated with a charging process of the drone and outputting sensor information for comparison with the aforementioned authentication information (250), and a charging controller (222) operationally coupled to the charging device (120, 202) and configured to verify the drone by comparing the sensor information with the authentication information (25) and to enable charging of the drone via the charging device (120, 202) in response to the detection of verification of payment information (252) according to the cost of using the charging device (120, 202) and in response to the verification of the drone by comparing the sensor information with the authentication information (250). Vehicle-based charger (110) for drones according to claim 1, wherein the charging device (120, 202) comprises a charging surface (112) for wirelessly charging the drone, wherein the charging surface (112) is to be positioned on a vehicle surface accessible to the drone. Vehicle-based charger (110) for drones according to claim 1, wherein the usage information (234) includes availability information (240) associated with the first future time at which the charging device (120, 202) is available for use, charging device type information (242) associated with a type of charging device (120, 202), and charging rate information (244) associated with a rate at which the charging device (120, 202) can charge a battery. Vehicle-based charger for drones according to claim 1, further comprising a weight sensor operationally coupled to the charging device, wherein the weight sensor is intended to detect an object that is positioned on the charging device. Vehicle-based charger (110) for drones according to claim 1, wherein the reservation confirmation (246) includes a third indication that the drone is to embark on the vehicle (102, 104, 106, 108) at the first future time at the second location and is to disembark from the vehicle (102, 104, 106, 108) at the second future time at the third location. Vehicle-based charger (110) for drones according to claim 1, wherein the charging controller (222) is intended to operationally couple the drone with the charging device (120, 202) by wirelessly pairing the drone with the vehicle (102, 104, 106, 108), wherein the pairing is intended to enable the charging of the drone via the charging device (120, 202). Method for replacing a drone battery (206) of a drone via a vehicle (102, 104, 106, 108), the method comprising: transmitting usage information (234) via a communication interface (212, 302, 402) operationally coupled to the vehicle (102, 104, 106, 108), wherein the usage information (234) is associated with a spare battery carried by the vehicle (102, 104, 106, 108), wherein the usage information (234) includes location information (236) associated with an initial location of the vehicle (102, 104, 106, 108), vehicle movement information, and charge information (238) associated with the cost of replacing the drone battery (206) with the spare battery, wherein the vehicle movement information includes a route of the vehicle (102, 104, 106, 108) include, where the route indicates that the vehicle (102, 104, 106,108) will be at a second location at a first future time, wherein the route indicates that the vehicle (102, 104, 106, 108) will be at a third location at a second future time, the second future time being after the first future time; receiving a reservation confirmation (246), wherein the reservation confirmation (246) includes time information (248) associated with a second indication that the drone is to reach the vehicle (102, 104, 106, 108) at a second location at a first future time, and authentication information (250) associated with an identifiable feature of the drone; and via a control system operationally coupled to the vehicle (102, 104, 106, 108),Enabling the replacement of the drone battery (206) with a spare battery in response to the detection of a verification of payment information (252) according to the cost of the spare battery, wherein enabling includes unlocking a compartment of the vehicle (102, 104, 106, 108) including the spare battery. Method according to claim 7, wherein the vehicle comprises a surface, wherein the surface is to be positioned on a vehicle surface accessible to the drone. Method according to claim 7, wherein the usage information (234) includes availability information (240) associated with a time at which the vehicle (102, 104, 106, 108) is available for use and a battery type available on the vehicle (102, 104, 106, 108). The method according to claim 8, further comprising detecting an object positioned on the surface via a weight sensor operationally coupled to the vehicle. Method according to claim 7, further comprising pairing the drone with the vehicle (102, 104, 106, 108) via the control (222), wherein the pairing is intended to enable the replacement of the drone battery (206). Method according to claim 7, wherein the reservation confirmation (246) includes a third statement that the drone is to embark on the vehicle (102, 104, 106, 108) at the first future time at the second location and is to disembark from the vehicle (102, 104, 106, 108) at the second future time at the third location. Non-volatile machine-readable storage medium (224, 314, 412) comprising instructions which, when executed, cause a processor (802, 902, 1002) to at least the following: transmit usage information (234) via a communication interface (212, 302, 402) operationally coupled to a vehicle (102, 104, 106, 108), wherein the usage information (234) is associated with a spare battery carried by the vehicle (102, 104, 106, 108), wherein the usage information (234) is associated with location information (236) associated with an initial location of the vehicle (102, 104, 106, 108), vehicle movement information, and charge information (238) associated with the cost of replacing a drone battery (206) of a drone. are associated with a spare battery, where the first location is a current location of the vehicle (102, 104, 106, 108), where the vehicle movement information is a route of the vehicle (102, 104, 106,108) including the route, wherein the route indicates that the vehicle (102, 104, 106, 108) will be at a second location at a first future time, wherein the route indicates that the vehicle (102, 104, 106, 108) will be at a third location at a second future time, the second future time being after the first future time; receiving a reservation confirmation (246), wherein the reservation confirmation (246) includes time information (248) associated with a second indication that the drone is to reach the vehicle (102, 104, 106, 108) at a second location at a first future time, and authentication information (250) associated with an identifiable feature of the drone; and via a control (222) operationally coupled to the vehicle (102, 104, 106, 108),Enabling the replacement of the drone's battery (206) with a spare battery in response to the detection of a verification of payment information (252) according to the cost of the spare battery, wherein enabling includes unlocking a compartment of the vehicle (102, 104, 106, 108) including the spare battery. Non-volatile machine-readable storage medium according to claim 13, wherein the vehicle comprises a surface which is to be positioned on a vehicle surface accessible to the drone. Non-volatile machine-readable storage medium (224, 314, 412) according to claim 13, wherein the usage information (234) includes availability information (240) associated with a time at which the vehicle (102, 104, 106, 108) is available for use and a battery type available on the vehicle (102, 104, 106, 108). Non-volatile machine-readable storage medium according to claim 14, wherein the instructions, upon execution, further cause the processor to detect an object positioned on the surface via a weight sensor operationally coupled to the vehicle. Non-volatile machine-readable storage medium (224, 314, 412) according to claim 13, wherein the instructions, upon execution, further cause the processor (802, 902, 1002) to pair the drone with the vehicle (102, 104, 106, 108) via the controller (222), wherein the pairing is intended to enable the replacement of the drone battery (206). Non-volatile machine-readable storage medium (224, 314, 412) according to claim 13, wherein the reservation confirmation (246) includes a third indication that the drone is to embark on the vehicle (102, 104, 106, 108) at the first future time at the second location and is to disembark from the vehicle (102, 104, 106, 108) at the second future time at the third location.

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