Parcel hold and release mechanism

Abstract

A gripping system for attaching a parcel to a drone, comprises: a gripper (2) to be part of or for mounting on the drone, and a handle (12) to be part of or for mounting on the parcel, wherein * the handle comprises a handle body, extending from which is a neck (16) and a head (18), wherein the head is wider than and projects outwardly from the neck, forming a flange; * the gripper comprises a gripper body (4) on which are mounted at least 2 jaws (6) moveable between gripping and releasing positions, * each jaw comprises a mating surface (8) complementary to a portion of the neck; * in the releasing position, the mating surfaces are retracted and the head can move freely into and out of the jaws; * in the gripping position, the mating surfaces are moved inwardly to mate with and grip the neck below the flange, thereby gripping the handle and preventing its release from the jaws of the gripper.

Description

[0001] PARCEL HOLD AND RELEASE MECHANISM

[0002] Introduction

[0003] The present invention relates to a parcel holding and releasing mechanism for a drone. In particular, the invention relates to a mechanism that allows a drone to grip and release a handle, e.g. attached to parcels for delivery or pick-up, or attached to a power source.

[0004] Background to the Invention

[0005] The use of drones to carry and deliver parcels is becoming very common. This is because of the increasing demand for efficiency and automation in the delivery space.

[0006] Parcel pick-up / drop-off mechanisms for drones are known. These include mechanisms for holding a parcel within the fuselage of the drone and mechanisms for carrying a parcel underslung of the drone chassis.

[0007] Existing mechanisms in which packages are stored within the fuselage of the drone, such as Amazon’s Prime Air® drones, have a number of limitations. Firstly, the size of the parcel is limited by the size of the space inside the fuselage. Secondly, the means for picking-up and releasing the parcel are not automatic since this mechanism requires a human or robot to place the parcel into the drone fuselage and remove the parcel once it has been delivered. Therefore, such mechanisms do not provide a fully automated parcel delivery system. They also require the drone to land in order to dropoff the parcel, placing the drone in danger of theft.

[0008] Mechanisms for carrying a parcel underslung may comprise mechanical grippers / claws to pick up parcels, or alternatively they may use a magnetic system, depending on the nature of the parcel being picked up.

[0009] Mechanical grippers, such as those disclosed in US 10,450,065 have a set of moveable arms or jaws that grip the parcel during flight. Such mechanisms are typically designed for parcels having a specific size, shape, and weight. Therefore, they are limited by the types of parcels they are able to carry, often only being useful for the delivery of light, uniform parcels. Further, they are often only able to successfully pick-up the parcel when the drone flies in at a very specific angle and the parcel is positioned in the correct orientation, i.e. very high levels of precision are required.

[0010] Magnetic grippers, such as the one disclosed in KR 2022 / 0007765, use powerful magnets / electromagnetics to pick up parcels. This mechanism is useful for an object made of metal, such as tools or machinery parts, however, again there is a limit to the weight of the parcels that may be carried and there is no guarantee that the magnetic grippers will not fail during flight and drop the metallic parcel from height. This is, of course, very dangerous.

[0011] Other mechanisms, such as winch mechanisms, exist so that parcels may be lowered down on a wire whilst the drone remains airborne. This, however, presents an array of problems such as the energy needed to power a winch to raise and lower heavy parcels and also the harsh environmental conditions which the winch needs to withstand, for example strong winds which could affect the winch as well as the parcel itself while it is in descent or ascent. Other known art includes KR 101780454 which relates to a drone delivery system that utilises a spring member for lowering and raising its delivery member. WO 2009 / 060255, WO 2008 / 093548, CN 113753565 and US 3790205 all describe grippers that are used for holding bottles by the neck, rather than a gripping mechanism mounted to a drone. CN 113185009 describes a clamping mechanism on heavy-duty drones which are used to carry oxygenation devices.

[0012] An object of the present invention is, therefore, to provide an improved parcel holding and releasing mechanism for a drone, which solves one or more problems with the existing mechanisms discussed above.

[0013] Summary of the Invention

[0014] Accordingly, the invention provides a gripping system for attaching a parcel to a drone, comprising: a gripper to be part of or for mounting on the drone, and a handle to be part of or for mounting on the parcel, wherein • the handle comprises a handle body, extending from which is a neck and a head, wherein the head is wider than and projects outwardly from the neck, forming a flange;

[0015] • the gripper comprises a gripper body on which are mounted at least 2 jaws moveable between gripping and releasing positions,

[0016] • each jaw comprises a mating surface complementary to a portion of the neck;

[0017] • in the releasing position, the mating surfaces are retracted and the head can move freely into and out of the jaws;

[0018] • in the gripping position, the mating surfaces are moved inwardly to mate with and grip the neck below the flange, thereby gripping the handle and preventing its release from the jaws of the gripper.

[0019] The invention also provides a method of attaching a parcel to a drone, comprising providing a parcel which incorporates or to which is attached a handle and providing a drone which incorporates or to which is attached a gripper, wherein the method comprises providing the gripper with its jaws in the releasing position, locating the handle between the jaws, and moving the jaws into the gripping position.

[0020] Detailed Description of the Invention

[0021] A gripping system of the invention, for attaching a parcel to a drone, comprises: a gripper to be part of or for mounting on the drone, and a handle to be part of or for mounting on the parcel, wherein

[0022] • the handle comprises a handle body, extending from which is a neck and a head, wherein the head is wider than and projects outwardly from the neck, forming a flange;

[0023] • the gripper comprises a gripper body on which are mounted at least 2 jaws moveable between gripping and releasing positions,

[0024] • each jaw comprises a mating surface complementary to a portion of the neck;

[0025] • in the releasing position, the mating surfaces are retracted and the head can move freely into and out of the jaws;

[0026] • in the gripping position, the mating surfaces are moved inwardly to mate with and grip the neck below the flange, thereby gripping the handle and preventing its release from the jaws of the gripper. The gripper is suitable to be part of, attached to, or mounted on a drone. Alternatively or additionally, it may be suitable to be part of, attached to or mounted on a structure for storage of an item comprising a handle or to which a handle is attached. Described in more detail below, for example is a storage unit comprising the gripper. Hence, items comprising handles can be passed between the drone and storage.

[0027] In use, with the handle located inside the open jaws, the jaws on the gripper move from the open or releasing position into the closed or gripping position such that the jaws mate with and grip the handle, e.g. in order to pick-up an associated parcel. The jaws then maintain the gripping position while the drone is operated to deliver the parcel to a remote destination and then move between the gripping position and the releasing position in order to release the parcel. With the jaws moved into the releasing position the jaws are opened outwards, and the gripper no longer grips the handle, which can exit the jaws longitudinally away from the gripper, as shown in embodiments illustrated in the examples below.

[0028] Preferably, the neck is substantially circular in cross section. Also preferably, the head is substantially circular. The flange formed as a protrusion from the head is also preferably substantially circular. An upper portion of the handle body may also be substantially circular.

[0029] Each jaw may be rotationally moveable between the gripping and releasing positions, such that the jaws move inwardly to adopt the gripping position and outwardly to adopt the releasing position. Each jaw is suitably mounted on a pivot about which it rotates between gripping and releasing positions. This movement may be powered by a single motor or actuator positioned in the centre of the gripper body, such that all jaws are operated in unison, or alternatively the movement of each jaw may be powered by a separate motor or actuator, such that optionally the jaws may be operated individually. Preferably, even with one motor per jaw, the jaws operate in unison through the coordinated operation of the motors. Preferably, the gripper comprises 3 or more jaws, 3 in particular, which are each evenly spaced around a central axis. Each jaw comprises a mating surface. The mating surface is complementary to a portion of the neck in the sense that it can engage and grip the neck. Suitably, an outer surface portion of the mating surface has a shape complementary to or corresponding to an outer surface portion of the neck. The mating surface may constitute a rotating bearing capable of engaging and rolling along a surface portion of the neck or sidewall of the handle to facilitate smooth movement of the jaws as they open and close. The rotating bearing on the jaw may be substantially circular and the corresponding surface on the handle, i.e. the sidewall of the handle, may be smooth and arced so the rotating bearing can move easily between the neck portion and the head portion when the jaws are opening and closing.

[0030] Alternatively, or additionally, each jaw may comprise a tooth or recess to engage one of a plurality of corresponding recesses or teeth on the handle, such that rotation (yaw) of the handle relative to the gripper is resisted when the jaws are closed. Suitably, the mating surface will be arc shaped and complementary to an outer face portion of the neck. In preferred embodiments shown below, the mating surfaces lie on circular bearings mounted for rotation on the jaws. As will be appreciated there is in any event some resistance to yaw by the gripping of the jaws onto the handle.

[0031] In embodiments of the invention, the jaws are adapted so that force axially urging the handle downwards and away from the gripper, typically parcel weight, does not urge the jaws towards the releasing position. Such force is encountered in use as a result of the parcel weight while being transported in mid-air. Accordingly, such axial force does not open the jaws; preferably the jaws and handle are adapted so that the force urges the jaws towards the gripping position.

[0032] As one option, the mating surface of each jaw can comprise an overhang that is configured to engage with an underside of the flange so that force axially urging the handle downwards and away from the gripper does not urge the jaws towards the releasing position.

[0033] Another option is to locate the centre of rotation of the gripping jaws closer to the axial centre of the gripper and handle than the contact point of the jaws with the handle neck. It is thus preferred that the weight or downward force causes the jaws to favour the gripping position or urges the jaws towards the gripping position and therefore to grip the handle tighter, as opposed to releasing the handle. In embodiments adapted to achieve this, and for example when viewed along the central axis of the gripper body with the handle centrally located, the pivot point of each jaw is positioned closer to the centre of the gripper body than the contact point between the mating surface of the jaw and the handle, such that downward force acting on the mating surface acts through the outside edge of the pivot point not through the centre or inside edge, resulting in the jaw rotating downwardly and inwardly as opposed to upwardly and outwardly. An advantage is that the gripping system may be suitable for carrying very heavy parcels, such as parcels weighing up to 50 kg or up to 100 kg, or even 150 kg or more. Separately, power failure does not result in the jaws opening under the weight of the parcel.

[0034] In embodiments described above and elsewhere herein, parcel weight does not urge the jaws open into the releasing position, and the system can operate with heavy parcels. Nevertheless, it is found that the force required to open the jaws from the gripping position to the releasing position is minimal; therefore, not much energy is needed to drive the motor which moves the jaws to release the parcel. The use of rotating bearings, as described in embodiments herein, facilitates easy opening of jaws even when heavy parcels are carried.

[0035] Parcels can be delivered by landing, reducing the weight of the parcel on the system, and the jaws then opened. Alternatively, and taking advantage of the ease with which the jaws can be opened when under load, the parcel may be released from a small height above the ground and dropped into a delivery area. This provides the advantage that the drone does not need to come to a stop on the ground, therefore it is not stationary for any period and is therefore less at risk of being stolen while delivering the parcel.

[0036] The gripping system may further comprise control electronics which fail in the gripping position or upon failure deploy the gripper into the gripping position, such that if the control electronics fail while the drone is in flight, the parcel will not be dropped from height. Accordingly, the gripping system may not require any power or energy in order to keep the jaws in the gripping position in flight.

[0037] The gripping system is suitable for mounting on a drone. As described elsewhere, it may be mounted onto a plate flexibly attached to an underside of a drone.

[0038] Gripping systems of the invention may also be mounted on other equipment used to move or transport or store parcels to which a handle of the invention has been attached. Such other equipment may include robots for moving parcels within a warehouse and static parcel storage facilities. Using a common gripper means multiple apparatuses can carry, handle, manipulate and / or store the same parcel, with the handle attached, without the need to change the handle. In embodiments, a robot comprises a gripper of the invention. In other embodiments, a gripper of the invention is mounted on a support, e.g. on a static support, e.g. within or part of a container, e.g. within a parcel locker. An item bearing a handle can then be attached to the gripper, e.g. a parcel with handle attached or (see below) a battery or power source with a handle attached can be stored attached to a gripper mounted in a container.

[0039] The gripping system may additionally be used for other purposes. For example, to attach one or more batteries or spare batteries for drones or to anchor drones or other items in a specific position (e.g. to anchor a drone to avoid damage when the drone is being transported; in such cases the handle may be on an anchoring surface, e.g. a floor or a shelf). Using a common handle means multiple items can have a handle, and then the drone can be attached to multiple apparatuses I equipment. In embodiments, the handle can be attached to or be part of any item to be gripped by the gripper. A handle firmly attached to a floor can be used to attach a drone to the floor, for example.

[0040] The handle and I or the gripping system may also comprise current conducting or current induction components which allow power, sensing or data to be transmitted or transferred unidirectionally or bidirectionally between the item to which the gripper system is attached (e.g. the drone) and the handle and / or the item to which the handle is attached (e.g. the parcel, which may be or comprise a battery). Transfer I transmission can be galvanic or non-galvanic, for both power and data. For example, power, sensing information or data can be transferred from the gripper to the handle, or to the gripper from the handle. Conveniently, data can be transferred from the handle to the gripper, such as data relating to the status of the handle during transport of a parcel, described in more detail elsewhere herein. Similarly, data can be transferred from the gripper to the handle, such as data relating to the parcel and / or its intended destination.

[0041] In an example gripping system, the gripper body (or drone on which the gripper is mounted) and handle comprise mutually cooperating wireless connectors for the transfer of data and / or power between the handle and gripper. More specifically, the gripper body and handle can comprise a transmitter I receiver pair for the transfer of power from the handle to a drone (incorporating or being attached to the gripper). These can comprise wireless power transfer pads brought into operating range once the gripper and handle come into close proximity and are in alignment.

[0042] In an example gripping system, the gripper body and handle comprise mutually engaging electrical connectors for transfer of data and / or power between the handle and gripper. More specifically, the gripper body and handle can comprise a plug I socket pair for transfer of power from (or through) the handle to a drone (incorporating or being attached to the gripper). Another option is electrical connectors held together by magnets, such as MagSafe®; the connectors (usually pins) on the gripper and handle are then held in place magnetically once the connectors on the respective gripper and handle surfaces come into close proximity and are in alignment. One or more pins on the gripper and / or handle are suitably spring-loaded to promote good electrical contact.

[0043] In embodiments of the invention, the gripper comprises a plug and the handle comprises a corresponding socket (or vice versa). Engagement of the handle by the gripper can then connect the plug and socket to allow transfer of power and / or data.

[0044] In particular, the drone can thus connect to a battery, or to mains power. A drone can be attached using one gripping system to a parcel (via its handle) and another gripping system to a battery (via its handle). A drone can be connected through the gripping system-handle combination to mains power during storage. The drone may comprise a connector for connection to a battery, or to mains power, or the gripper may comprise a connector for connection to a battery via or through the handle.

[0045] In embodiments of the invention the electrical connectors, for power and / or data, whether on the gripper or handle or on both, comprise a first, central connector and a second, ring connector, the second connector being substantially concentric with the first. Alternatively, the electrical connectors comprise a first, ring connector and a second, ring connector, the second connector being substantially concentric with the first. Individual ring connectors are electrically spaced from each other. Examples below show each ring as a continuous, circular conducting ring on the handle / gripper surface. All connectors are preferably centrally mounted and concentric; this provides mutually engaging connectors between the handle and gripper that have rotational symmetry and hence are agnostic to relative rotation between handle and gripper when engaged. One advantage of using at least one ring connector is thus that the possibility of misalignment between the power / data connectors on the gripper and handle is reduced or eliminated (alignment is not orientation dependent). The electrical connectors may comprise up to five connectors, e.g. one central connector and up to four ring connectors or up to five ring connectors, or may comprise more typically two or three ring connectors.

[0046] In embodiments of the invention, both the gripper and handle comprise such first and second connectors. In other embodiments, one of the gripper I handle comprises first and second such connectors and the other comprises one or more connectors that mate with the ring connector(s) but are not in the form of a ring, for example are one or more individual pins. In preferred embodiments, the one or more pin connectors are spring loaded to promote contact between the gripper and handle.

[0047] The one or more pins may comprise one or a series of pins located on the circumference of a circle centred on the gripper or handle centre and aligned with a corresponding ring connector on the other of the handle or gripper.

[0048] Optionally, the peripheral pins may be arranged in multiple concentric layers surrounding the central pin. The connectors are electrically conducting and made of suitable materials, including for example copper, gold, silver, alloys of these or other metal or alloy with high electrical conductivity.

[0049] In further embodiments of the invention, the handle is provided with one or more sensors and (i) memory for sensing data or (ii) means to transmit and / or receive said data. Preferably, the handle comprises one or more sensors for environmental and / or haptic data relevant to the transportation of a parcel. Suitable sensors include a pressure sensor, a height sensor (e.g. comprising a barometer), a temperature sensor, a moisture sensor, a drop (or fall) detector, a tamper detector and a location tracker (such as GPS). During transit, data relating to a parcel journey can be detected, recorded and optionally transmitted. Recorded data can be downloaded on arrival to enable checking of the parcel journey. Location data against time is generally relevant for all parcels. For sensitive items, the relevant data (e.g. temperature for temperature sensitive items, fall detection data) can be used to check for the risk of damage during transit. Preferably, the sensors detect two or more of temperature, moisture sensor and location. A record of temperature during transit is useful for temperature sensitive items, e.g. items in a cool bar or an insulated bag, e.g. in particular for items such as organs, pathology samples, body fluid samples, pharmaceuticals, etc. The availability, e.g. ability to download a record, of such data from the handle on or after delivery can be used to give reassurance about the state of the item post transit.

[0050] The handle may further comprise a battery, preferably rechargeable. Having its own battery enables the handle to power internal components described elsewhere, such as one or more sensors, internal memory and data receiving and transmission apparatus. The battery can be recharged e.g. by the drone, through the gripper I handle mutually engaging connectors.

[0051] It is found by the inventors when using gripper systems with drones (or other equipment, but drones in particular) that (i) the handle attached to the parcel may not be oriented perfectly flat upon drone approach and / or (ii) the drone approach may not be perfectly vertical. This is generally due to the location of the item I parcel with handle on a non-horizontal surface. As a result, there can be initial misalignment of the gripper and handle and one jaw or two may engage(s) the handle before and out of sync with the other(s).

[0052] In embodiments of the invention, the mounting of the gripping system onto the drone may comprise a flexible joint, including a universal or gimbal joint, such that the mounting of the gripper relative to the drone body is flexible and allows the gripping system some degree of movement relative to the drone during the process of gripping the handle using the gripper. The flexible joint is preferably moveable between a first position in which the gripper can move relative to the drone and a second position in which it is locked. The gripper may suitably be attached to a mounting plate, with the plate in turn attached to the drone via the flexible joint. Wires transmitting data and / or power to / from the gripper body allow for movement of the gripper relative to the drone’s upper body while maintaining electrical connection. A suitable joint may comprise one or more pins extending from the drone on which the gripper is slidably mounted; an exemplary joint has three pins.

[0053] A suitable such joint comprises three pins, extending substantially vertically downwards from the drone and on which the gripping system may slide and / or tilt in two planes in three-dimensional space, but not rotate about a vertical axis passing through the drone. This enables the parcel to be picked up quickly and efficiently and, within reasonable limits, negates the need for a human or robot to position the parcel each time in any particular position.

[0054] Another suitable joint comprises a rod passing through a central aperture in a mounting plate, the rod having an enlarged head that engages with and locks into a complementary recess on one side of the aperture and can be displaced from the locking position to allow movement of the gripper relative to the drone. The joint generally permits limited horizontal rotation of the gripper relative to the drone but allows movement vertically in one or two planes. Suitably, the gripper is permitted to rotate about one or two axes, but not in three. For example, the joint preferably allows the gripper to roll or pitch or both roll and pitch with respect to the drone, but not yaw with respect to the drone. In use, a drone with a gripper attached approaches a handle on a parcel. The gripper axis is not perfectly aligned with the handle axis. One jaw engages with the handle, below the flange. Initial tightening of the jaws tilts the gripper relative to the drone, with the drone remaining more or less horizontal - this tiling movement of the gripper is permitted by the flexible joint. As the gripper tilts by rolling, pitching or both with respect to the drone the other jaw or jaws can now grip onto the handle and this continues until all jaws are closed shut around the handle. The drone can now rise and as it does it lifts the parcel and further movement about the flexible joint allows the gripper to move into central alignment with the handle, now oriented flat under the drone. Substantially in reverse a similar process allows, where necessary, for delivery of the parcel onto a non-horizontal surface.

[0055] The handle is suitable for mounting on the parcel. Typically, the handle comprises a body on which the neck and head are mounted, and the body is suitable for attachment to the parcel. The handle body may comprise one or more apertures, each suitable for receiving a strap or cable tie for fastening the parcel to the handle.

[0056] Preferred handles are substantially circular in shape. Preferably, the head and neck portion will both be circular while the body of the handle may be either circular or square or some other shape. The circular nature of the handle allows the parcel to be positioned at any rotational orientation relative to the drone and still be picked up successfully. In other words, the jaws do not need to line up perfectly with the edges of the handle (as might be the case if the handle were square), instead they are able to mate with any point around the circumference of the circular handle.

[0057] The gripper and handle may comprise one or more complementary features to aid alignment prior to and / or during gripping of the handle. The handle may comprise a protrusion which is complementary to a recess or cavity on the gripper body, to aid alignment of the gripper with respect to the handle. The handle may comprise a central protrusion to complement a central recess on the drone, such that the centre of the handle can be easily located by the gripper and the gripper can accurately align with the handle. The handle may comprise a concave indentation that cooperates with a protrusion from the drone to aid alignment. These complementary features are preferably substantially circular and rotationally symmetrical, hence tolerating more or less any variation in the rotational alignment of the gripper with the handle.

[0058] As another option to aid alignment, there may be a camera attached to the drone, e.g. the underside of the drone. This camera may have a view of the handle through an aperture in the centre of the gripper body. The centre of the handle may be marked, for example by a protrusion as mentioned above, or alternatively by a colour or pattern or other fiducial marker on its top surface, and such marking may be visible by a human or robot controller through use of the camera.

[0059] The camera can be used to give the controller an indication of whether the parcel has been successfully picked up. Another optional feature which may give the controller an indication that the parcel has been picked up is one or more micro-switches. Preferably, there will be three micro-switches located in the gripper body which provide a signal that the parcel has been picked up once all three micro-switches have been activated.

[0060] Another option to facilitate alignment of gripper and handle is to provide a tag or mark on one or both, such as a registration mark. An AprilTag (developed by University of Michigan) is a specific example. A QR code is another. A camera or sensor can identify one or more AprilTags using AprilTag detection software; this enables calculation of the 3D location of the gripper or handle due to known position and orientation and identity of the tag relative to the gripper I handle. A human can see a tag on the underside of the drone or gripper, as can a camera or sensor on a robot viewing the gripper I drone from underneath. A drone having a camera I sensor can see a tag on a handle from above.

[0061] For particularly large or heavy parcels, multiple gripper systems may be used. Accordingly, there may be more than one gripper mounted to the drone and more than one handle mounted to the parcel. Suitably, there will be an equal number of grippers and handles, such that each gripper mates with a corresponding handle. Another option is more than one gripper on the drone and multiple individual parcels each having their own handle attached. The invention also provides gripping systems more generally, not limited to attaching parcels to drones. Accordingly, a further gripping system of the invention, for attaching a first item to a second item, comprises: a gripper to be part of or for mounting on the first item, and a handle to be part of or for mounting on the second item, wherein

[0062] • the handle comprises a handle body, extending from which is a neck and a head, wherein the head is wider than and projects outwardly from the neck, forming a flange;

[0063] • the gripper comprises a gripper body on which are mounted at least 2 jaws moveable between gripping and releasing positions,

[0064] • each jaw comprises a mating surface complementary to a portion of the neck;

[0065] • in the releasing position, the mating surfaces are retracted and the head can move freely into and out of the jaws;

[0066] • in the gripping position, the mating surfaces are moved inwardly to mate with and grip the neck below the flange, thereby gripping the handle and preventing its release from the jaws of the gripper.

[0067] Optional and preferred features of the invention discussed in relation to drones and parcels are similarly optional and preferred features of the invention more generally relating to attachment of first items to second items.

[0068] The invention also provides a gripper for a gripper system according to the invention. The gripper is for use with the handle of the invention.

[0069] The invention also provides a handle for a gripping system according to the invention, e.g. for attachment to a parcel or a second item. The handle is for use with the gripper of the invention. The handle can be for attachment to an item to be transported and / or stored. The handle can be incorporated into an item. Many examples of items are included herein. Other items with which the handles can be used I incorporated include a camera, a movie camera, a munition, electrical apparatus, a machine, etc

[0070] The invention also provides a receptacle comprising one or more handles of the invention. The receptacle is suitably a receptacle for a parcel to be carried and delivered using the drone. Examples include a cage, a box, and a bag, all suitable to have a parcel secured within (meaning prevented from falling out during transit). Examples of bags include cool bags, refrigerated bags, insulated bags, and reinforced bags. The receptacle may comprise two handles. In an embodiment, an insulated carrying bag comprises one or two handles mounted on its top surface. In an embodiment, a metal cage comprises one or two handles mounted on its top surface - the cage suitably has an enlarged entrance or a closable door through which a parcel can be placed into the cage. In an embodiment, a metal box comprises one or two handles mounted on its top surface - the box suitably has an enlarged entrance or a closable door through which a parcel can be placed inside. In these embodiments, the one or more handles are preferably integral to the receptacle.

[0071] The invention also provides a battery comprising a handle plus connectors for discharging power from the battery to a drone comprising a gripper of the invention.

[0072] The invention also provides a gripper of the invention comprising or provided with a human carry handle (e.g. rigid carry handle or carry strap). The gripper is for use with the handle of the invention. Hence, referring to the above, the first item can be a human carry handle. This enables a human to carry a second item by attaching the second item to a handle and then gripping it with the gripper attached to the human carry handle. In embodiments of the invention, rather than being mounted to a drone, the gripper of the invention may be mounted to a carry strap so that it may be held by a human user. The gripper, provided with a carry strap, can be attached to a handle of the invention, allowing the user to hold and manually transport items or receptacles to which the handle is attached. Alternatively, a carry strap may be attached between two handles or across one handle to allow the user to easily pick up and carry the item or receptacle to which the handle(s) are attached. Incorporating a carry strap into the gripper and / or handle(s) of the gripping system allows the items or receptacles for delivery to be manually adjusted or moved easily by the user.

[0073] The invention also provides a storage unit comprising a support structure that holds a gripper with a space below the gripper to store an item; suitably, the storage unit is or comprises a compartment comprising a roof and a gripper mounted on the underside of the roof. An item comprising a handle or to which a handle is attached can be stored attached to the gripper (in gripping position). In use, the gripper is mounted on the storage unit, for example on the underside of the roof, connected to power and a control system; it is generally left in the releasing or open position. The item is raised so its handle can be gripped, and the gripper is operated to move into the gripping position, holding the item from the gripper (e.g. attached to the roof). The item is now stored. It can be removed from storage in a process that comprises operating the gripper to move to the open or releasing position. It can be released into the hands of a human operator. It can be released into or onto a robot located below the item, which robot can transport it away from storage, e.g. to a drone for onwards delivery elsewhere. A preferred storage compartment comprises a roof and at least two sidewalls, preferably three sidewalls, and the gripper mounted on the underside of the roof, connected to power and control.

[0074] The invention also provides a gripping system for storage of a parcel in a storage unit, comprising a gripper to be part of or for mounting on the storage unit, and a handle to be part of or for mounting on the parcel, wherein

[0075] • the handle comprises a handle body, extending from which is a neck and a head, wherein the head is wider than and projects outwardly from the neck, forming a flange;

[0076] • the gripper comprises a gripper body on which are mounted at least 2 jaws moveable between gripping and releasing positions,

[0077] • each jaw comprises a mating surface complementary to a portion of the neck;

[0078] • in the releasing position, the mating surfaces are retracted and the head can move freely into and out of the jaws;

[0079] • in the gripping position, the mating surfaces are moved inwardly to mate with and grip the neck below the flange, thereby gripping the handle and preventing its release from the jaws of the gripper.

[0080] Optional and preferred features for the gripping system for storage of a parcel in a storage unit are as described elsewhere herein mutatis mutandis with respect to the gripping system of the invention for attaching a parcel to a drone. Still further provided by the invention are a drone depot comprising one or more storage units as described above and / or one or more gripping systems for storage of a parcel in a storage unit.

[0081] The invention also provides a method of attaching a parcel to a drone, comprising providing a parcel that incorporates or to which is attached a handle according to the invention and providing a drone that incorporates or to which is attached a gripper according to the invention, wherein the method comprises providing the gripper with its jaws in the releasing position, locating the handle between the jaws, and moving the jaws into the gripping position.

[0082] The invention also provides a method of delivering a parcel, comprising attaching a parcel to a drone according to a method of the invention, operating the drone to deliver the parcel to a remote destination, and moving the jaws into the releasing position at the remote destination to release the parcel.

[0083] Examples

[0084] The invention is now described in more specific detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0085] Fig. 1 shows a schematic perspective view of a gripping system of the invention with the jaws in the releasing position and the handle released;

[0086] Fig. 2 shows another schematic perspective view of the gripping system of Fig.

[0087] 1 with the jaws in the gripping position, gripping the handle;

[0088] Fig. 3 shows a schematic side view of Fig. 1 ;

[0089] Fig. 4 shows a schematic side view of Fig. 2;

[0090] Fig. 5 shows a schematic view from above of Fig. 1 ;

[0091] Fig. 6 shows a schematic view from below of Fig. 2;

[0092] Fig. 7 shows a schematic view of the forces acting on a handle of the invention during use;

[0093] Fig. 8 shows a schematic view of the force vector acting through a jaw of the invention during use;

[0094] Fig. 9 shows a schematic close-up view of the complementary mating surfaces of a handle and jaw of the invention;

[0095] Fig. 10 shows a schematic perspective view of a handle of the invention; Fig. 11 shows a schematic view from the front and side of a box with two handles attached;

[0096] Fig.12 shows a schematic close-up view of a handle showing screw fittings and electrical connectors;

[0097] Fig.13 shows a schematic view from below and to the side of the underneath of a gripper showing concentric electrical connections;

[0098] Fig.14 shows a schematic perspective view of a cage to which a handle is attached;

[0099] Fig.15 shows a schematic perspective view of an insulated carrying bag with two handles attached; and

[0100] Fig.s 16 and 17 show schematic perspective and side views of a flexible joint for a gripper.

[0101] Referring generally to Fig.s 1 -10, there is shown a gripper (2) which is configured for mounting to the underside of a drone. The gripper comprises a gripper body (4), attached to which are three jaws (6). The three jaws (6) are each mechanically moveable between a gripping position (shown for example in Figure 2) and a releasing position (shown for example in Figure 1 ).

[0102] There is also shown a parcel handle (12) which is suitable for mounting to a parcel. The handle (12) comprises a handle body, having neck (16) and head (18). The handle (12) is configured for attachment to the parcel, for example by a strap or cable tie (not shown in the drawings), while the neck (16) and head (18) are a circular shape, viewed from above, and adapted for mating with the jaws (6) on the gripper (2). The neck (16) and head (18) portion of the handle (12) together form a disc shape, with the diameter of the neck (16) being slightly smaller than that of the head (18), such that the sidewall between the neck and head portion of the handle forms a flange.

[0103] Positioned within the gripper body (4) are three motors (not shown in the drawings). Each motor drives rotation of a cog (20), each of which is fixedly connected to a first end of a rod (22). A second end of each rod (22) is attached to one of the jaws (6) and functions such that when the cog (20) is rotated by the motor, the rod (22) is pulled towards the centre of the gripper (2), which in turn pulls the part of the corresponding jaw (6) which is connected to the rod (22) towards the centre of the gripper (2). This has the effect of retracting a gripping end of the jaw (6) outwardly and upwardly, causing it to transition between positions, from the gripping position shown in Figure 2, usually gripping the handle, to the releasing position shown in Figure 1.

[0104] Once the jaws (6) are in the releasing position, the drone can hover above the parcel such that the gripper (2) is positioned to enable it to pick-up the parcel. In order to pick up the parcel, the gripper (2) should preferably be positioned directly above the parcel, such that the centre of the gripper (2) is aligned with the centre of the parcel handle (12).

[0105] The position of the gripper (2) relative to the parcel handle (12) can be checked using a camera (not shown) which is located on the underside of the drone. An aperture (24) extends through the centre of the gripper (2) allowing a view of the parcel handle (12) from the camera and the centre of the parcel handle (12) is marked on the top surface of the handle (12) so that it can be easily detected by the camera. A controller may then use the feedback from the camera to align the gripper (2) with the centre of the handle (12) to enable the parcel to be picked up.

[0106] In order to align the gripper (2), there is some degree of slack or flexibility in the position of the gripper (2) relative to the drone. This is facilitated by three pins which act as a gimble or universal joint to flexibly connect the gripper (2) to the drone. The gripper (2) is mounted on the three pins (not shown in the drawings) and is therefore able to slide on the pins independently of the drone, allowing the gripper (2) to tilt and / or translate slightly relative to the position of the drone. This enables the gripper (2) to rotate about 2 axes in three dimensional space, such that it may roll and pitch but not yaw with respect to the position of the drone.

[0107] Once the gripper (2) is correctly aligned with the parcel handle (12), the drone can be lowered to bring the jaws (6) into position around the neck of the handle. The jaws (6) can then transition from the releasing position to the gripping position. To achieve this transition, each of the three motors drive the corresponding cog (20) in the opposite direction to the direction used to close the jaws (6), this in turn pushes each of the rods (22) towards the corresponding jaws (6) which in turn causes the end gripping portions of the jaws (6) to move downwardly and inwardly until the mating surface (8) of each jaw (6) makes contact with the neck (16) of the handle (12).

[0108] The jaws (6) mate with the neck portion (16) below the flange, such that the mating surface on roller bearing (8) of each jaw (6) tucks underneath the flange. The roller bearing or, if present, another projection (not shown) inserts into a recess (not shown) in the handle to resist rotation of the handle with respect to the gripper (and thus drone). The jaw end thus slots into a concave surface on the sidewall of the neck and head portion of the handle (12). This allows the jaws (6) to lock into place when in the gripping position, and the relative distance of the jaw pivot and the mating surface from the central axis of the gripper I handle combination is such that no power / energy is required to ensure that the jaws remain in the gripping position. Therefore, the mechanism used to hold the parcel in position while the drone is in flight is entirely passive. This works because the weight of the parcel acts as a downward force on the jaws (6), which has the effect of pushing the mating surfaces (8) of the jaws (6) closer to the neck portion (16) of the handle (12), in turn locking the jaws (6) in place.

[0109] As shown in Figure 8, the mating surface (8) of the jaw (6) is located further from the centre of the handle than the pivot point of the jaw (6), in other words the mating surface and the pivot point do not align axially. This means that the force vector (shown by the arrow in Figure 8) acting downwards through the mating surface (8) of the jaw (6) acts through the outside edge of the pivot point, (i.e. the edge furthest from the centre of the gripper (2). Accordingly, the weight of the parcel causes the jaw (6) to rotate downwardly and inwardly as opposed to upwardly and outwardly, in turn resulting in the jaw (6) locking more tightly to the handle (12) rather than opening. The overall effect being that as the weight of the parcel increases the upward force of the jaws (6) on the handle (12), shown in Figure 7, also increases.

[0110] The mating surface (8) of each jaw (6) comprises a rotating bearing, this facilitates smooth opening and closing of the jaws as it allows the mating surface (8) of the jaw (6) to roll along the sidewall between the neck and head portion (i.e. the underside of the flange) of the handle (12). As a result, less force is needed to open and close the jaws (6) and the handle is not damaged or scraped by the jaws (6) when they move. As shown in Figure 9, the surface of the handle (12) along which the rotating bearing of the jaw (6) rolls, is substantially curved. If the shaded area shown in Figure 9 were not curved, i.e. if the flat surface between the neck (16) and head (18) portion of the handle (12) extended significantly away from the contact point at the top of the bearing, the gripper (6) would be blocked from rotating and would not be able to pass over the head portion (18) of the handle (12) in order to open and release the parcel. Therefore, the surface of the sidewall of the handle (12) should be substantially curved (i.e. with the shaded section shown in Figure 9 cut out) in order to allow smooth opening and closing of the jaws (6).

[0111] The curvature of the sidewall of the handle (12) does not cause the jaws (6) to open unintentionally (i.e. while the drone is in flight) as explained. It merely means that the jaws (6) can be opened easily and efficiently when horizontal force is applied, in other words the horizontal force required to open the jaws (6) is significantly less than the downward force being applied by the weight of the parcel, meaning that not much energy is required to open the jaws (6) once the parcel is ready to be released.

[0112] The sidewall of the disk-shaped head and neck portion of the handle comprises a ribbed surface (11 ) as shown in Fig. 10 (purposely not shown in the other drawings as the ribbing obscures the curved contours of the handle sidewall) wherein gaps between the ribs are configured to receive teeth (e.g. projecting roller bearings) on the jaws (6) to resist rotation of the handle relative to the gripper (2). This prevents the parcel from rotating whilst the drone is in flight.

[0113] There are a number of methods for detecting whether a parcel has been picked up successfully. The first is a camera fixed to the underside of the drone and the second is micro-switches. There are three micro-switches, each of which must be activated to confirm that the parcel has been picked up.

[0114] In order to release the parcel, the motors are used to rotate the corresponding cogs (20) in the direction which pulls the rods (22) back towards the centre of the gripper (2), in turn pulling the jaws (6) upwardly and outwardly, causing them to transition from the gripping position back to the releasing position. Although the motors must be engaged in order to facilitate dropping of the parcel, there is little power required to open the grippers. This is because, although the downward force required to cause the jaws (6) to open (e.g. during flight) is very large, the sideways force required to open them is much smaller. Therefore, this mechanism is suitable for carrying very large / heavy parcels using only a small amount of power / energy.

[0115] The releasing process may occur either when the parcel is on the ground or on a parcel drop-off platform, or alternatively from a small height above the ground / parcel drop-off platform, for example 50 cm above the ground. This option provides the advantage that the drone does not need to come to a full stop to drop-off the parcel, since there is a risk that the drone may be stolen or damaged while stationary on the ground.

[0116] Referring to Fig. 11 , a cuboidal box (30) is shown schematically, on an upper surface of which are mounted two handles (12a and 12b), each for engagement with a gripper of the invention. The box houses a battery, and electrical connections for discharging the battery into, and thus providing power to, the drone via the gripper are provided by electrical connections on the handles, described in more detail with reference to Fig. 12.

[0117] Referring now to Fig. 12, a handle (12), described in detail elsewhere, comprises four screw fittings (38) to attach it to mounting plate (32) which, in turn, has two slots (34) (one obscured by the handle) for attachment of the mounted handle onto an item such as a box via bolt fittings (35 - not individually labelled). An alternative attachment of the plate to another item is via a flexible strap passing through the slots. A centrally located, spring-loaded electrical connector (36) is shown in the middle of the concave recess of the handle, surrounded by four smaller but similarly spring-loaded electrical connectors (37). The four connectors (37) are located on an imaginary circle, centred on central connector (36). In use, when the handle (12) engages with gripper (102) of Fig. 13 central connector (36) engages electrically with respective central connector

[0118] (131 ) and outer pins (37) engage electrically with first outer concentric ring connector

[0119] (132). Turning now to Fig. 13, a second gripping system of the invention comprises gripper (102) on which are mounted three evenly spaced jaws (106), each having a mating surface (108) and tooth (110) for engaging the underside of a corresponding handle (not shown, but e.g. as in Fig. 12). A rounded central protrusion on the gripper bears central electrical connector (131 ), first concentric ring connector (132) and second concentric ring connector (133), all connectors being made of electrically conductive material, in this case tightly spaced copper rings. Central connector (131 ) can engage electrically in use with central pin 36 as shown in the handle of Fig. 12 and first ring connector (132) can engage electrically with pins (37) as shown in the handle of Fig. 12 when the handle (12) is attached to the gripper (102). Second ring (133) is for electrical connection to a further set of electrical pins or a further, outer ring connector on another variant of the handle (not shown).

[0120] Fig. 14 schematically shows a cage (141 ) to which is attached a handle (12) of the invention with electrical central and outer pin connectors. A parcel can be inserted into and withdrawn from a cage via opening (143). An AprilTag (142) is attached to the top of the cage.

[0121] In Fig. 15, an insulated bag (145) is schematically shown, having handles (12a and 12b) mounted on its upper surface (147). A carrying strap (146) is included on each side for carrying by humans.

[0122] In Fig.s 16 and 17, a joint for use between a gripper of a gripping system of the invention and a drone is schematically shown. A gripper (not shown) is mounted onto gripper plate (150) and drone plate (151 ) is attached to or part of a drone (also not shown). The joint comprises rod (152) attached at one end to and extending from the gripper mounting plate (150) and having at its other end an enlarged head (153) of inverted frustoconical form, the rod passing through the plate (151 ) and the head fitting snugly into complementary locking recess (154) in that plate. On both figures the head is shown spaced from and disengaged with the locking recess. Flexible control and power cables (not shown) connect the gripper to the drone. In operation, a gripper is mounted on the plate (150) and hangs approximately vertically from the drone in flight. Head (153) is located inside and engaged with the locking recess; in this position, movement in two axes is permitted by the head in the recess, but rotation about a vertical axis is not. When the drone descends towards, and the gripper contacts, a handle attached to a parcel to be collected, and the handle is not horizontal, then partial engagement of the gripper, say via one jaw or two jaws of a 3-jawed gripper, pushes the head out of the recess, displaces the rod from the vertical and allows sideways movement of the drone relative to the handle and parcel and tilting of the gripper relative to the drone so that all 3 jaws can engage the handle and move into the gripping position. When the drone then rises it lifts the parcel, now attached using the gripping system, and the head re-engages with its locking recess, the rod returns towards the vertical with the handle now substantially horizontal and the parcel is held below the drone with the joint locked against rotation in the vertical axis. Upon arrival at a destination, disengagement of the head from the locking recess can facilitate delivery of the parcel, especially to a non-horizonal delivery surface.

[0123] Parts List

[0124] Gripper (2)

[0125] Gripper body (4)

[0126] Jaws (6)

[0127] Mating surface (8) on roller bearing

[0128] Tooth (10)

[0129] Ribbed surface (11 )

[0130] Handle (12); handles (12a, 12b)

[0131] Handle neck (16)

[0132] Handle head (18)

[0133] Cogs (20)

[0134] Rods (22)

[0135] Aperture (24)

[0136] Box (30)

[0137] Mounting plate (32)

[0138] Slot (34)

[0139] Bolt fittings (35)

[0140] Central pin connector (36)

[0141] Outer pin connectors (37)

[0142] Screw fittings (38) Gripper, second embodiment (102)

[0143] Jaws (106)

[0144] Mating surface (108)

[0145] Tooth (110) Central connector (131 )

[0146] First ring connector (132)

[0147] Second ring connector (133)

[0148] Cage (141 )

[0149] AprilTag (142) Cage entrance(143)

[0150] Insulated bag (145)

[0151] Carrying strap(146)

[0152] Bag upper surface (147)

[0153] Gripper plate (150) Drone plate (151 )

[0154] Joint rod (152)

[0155] Enlarged head (153)

[0156] Locking recess (154)

Claims

CLAIMS1 . A gripping system for attaching a parcel to a drone, comprising(i) a gripper to be part of or for mounting on the drone, and(ii) a handle to be part of or for mounting on the parcel, wherein• the handle comprises a handle body, extending from which is a neck and a head, wherein the head is wider than and projects outwardly from the neck, forming a flange;• the gripper comprises a gripper body on which are mounted at least 2 jaws moveable between gripping and releasing positions,• each jaw comprises a mating surface complementary to a portion of the neck;• in the releasing position, the mating surfaces are retracted and the head can move freely into and out of the jaws;• in the gripping position, the mating surfaces are moved inwardly to mate with and grip the neck below the flange, thereby gripping the handle and preventing its release from the jaws of the gripper.

2. A gripping system according to claim 1 , wherein the neck and head of the handle are substantially circular in shape.

3. A gripping system according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the handle comprises a concave indentation that cooperates with a protrusion from the gripper to aid alignment.

4. A gripping system according to any preceding claim, comprising 3 jaws, evenly spaced around a central axis.

5. A gripping system according to any preceding claim, wherein the jaws are rotationally moveable between the gripping and releasing positions.

6. A gripping system according to any preceding claim, wherein each jaw comprises a tooth or recess to engage one of a plurality of corresponding recesses orteeth on the neck when in the gripping position, to resist rotation of the handle relative to the gripper.

7. A gripping system according to any preceding claim, wherein the jaws and handle are adapted so that weight e.g. of a parcel attached to the handle or other downwards force on the handle while attached to the gripper urges the jaws towards the gripping position.

8. A gripping system according to any preceding claim, wherein the gripper body comprises(i) a centrally located actuator that operates all jaws simultaneously; or(ii) a separate actuator for operating each jaw individually.

9. A gripping system according to any preceding claim, comprising control electronics which fail in the gripping position or upon failure deploy the gripper into gripping position.

10. A gripping system according to any preceding claim, wherein each mating surface comprises a rotating bearing complementary to an outer surface portion of the neck.11 . A gripping system according to any preceding claim, comprising a flexible joint for mounting the gripper to the drone, e.g. by one or more pins, which allows the gripper to roll and / or pitch with respect to the drone.

12. A gripping system according to any preceding claim, wherein the gripper body and handle comprise mutually engaging connectors for transfer of data and / or power between the handle and gripper.

13. A gripping system according to claim 12, wherein the gripper body and handle comprise a plug I socket pair for transfer of power from or through the handle to a drone attached to the gripper.

14. A gripping system according to any of claims 12 to 13, wherein the mutually engaging connectors are for transfer of data from the handle to the gripper, such as data from one or more handle-mounted sensors relating to status of the handle during transport of a parcel.

15. A gripping system according to any of claims 12 to 14, wherein the mutually engaging connectors are for transfer of data from the gripper to the handle, such as data relating to the parcel and / or its intended destination.

16. A gripping system according to any of claims 12 to 15, wherein the gripper (or drone on which the gripper is mounted) and handle comprise mutually cooperating wireless connectors for transfer of data and / or power between the handle and gripper.

17. A gripping system according to any of claims 12 to 16, wherein the electrical connectors, for power and / or data, whether on the gripper or handle or on both, comprise a first, central connector and a second, ring connector, the second connector being substantially concentric with the first.

18. A gripping system according to any of claims 12 to 16, wherein the electrical connectors, for power and / or data, whether on the gripper or handle or on both, comprise a first, ring connector and a second, ring connector, the second ring being substantially concentric with the first ring.

19. A gripping system according to claims 17 or 18, wherein the ring connectors are centrally mounted and concentric.

20. A gripping system according to any of claims 17 to 19, wherein one of the gripper I handle comprises a ring connector and the other comprises one or more connectors that mate with the ring connector but are not in the form of a ring, for example are one or more individual pins located on the circumference of a ring.

21. A gripping system according to any preceding claim, wherein the drone comprises a connector for connection to a battery, or to mains power, or the grippercomprises a connector for connection to a battery, or to mains power, via or through the handle.

22. A gripping system according to any preceding claim, wherein the handle is provided with one or more sensors and (i) memory for sensor data and I or (ii) means to transmit said data.

23. A gripping system according to any preceding claim, wherein the handle comprises one or more sensors for environmental and / or haptic data relevant to the transportation of a parcel.

24. A gripping system according to claim 22 or 23, wherein the handle comprises one or more of a pressure sensor, a height sensor (e.g. comprising a barometer), a temperature sensor, a moisture sensor, a drop (or fall) detector, a tamper detector and a location sensor (e.g. GPS).

25. A gripping system according to claim 24, wherein the handle comprises two or more of a temperature sensor, a moisture sensor and a location sensor.

26. A gripper for a gripping system according to any preceding claim.

27. A handle for a gripping system according to any of claims 1 to 25, for attachment to a parcel.

28. A handle according to claim 27, comprising a sensor selected from one or more of one or more of a pressure sensor, a height sensor (e.g. comprising a barometer), a temperature sensor, a moisture sensor, a drop (or fall) detector, a tamper detector and a location sensor (e.g. GPS).

29. A handle according to claim 27 or 28, comprising a battery.

30. A handle according to claim 29, wherein the battery is rechargeable through electrical connections with the gripper.31 . A receptacle comprising one or handles according to any of claims 27 to 30.

32. A receptacle according to claim 31 , for a parcel to be carried and delivered using the drone.

33. A receptacle according to claim 31 or claim 32, selected from a cage, a box and a bag.

34. A battery comprising a handle according to any of claims 27 to 30 and connectors for discharging power from the battery to a drone comprising a gripper according to claim 26.

35. A storage unit comprising support structure on which is mounted a gripper according to claim 26 and a space below the gripper to store an item.

36. A storage unit according to claim 35, comprising a compartment comprising a roof and a gripper mounted on the underside of the roof.

37. A storage unit according to claim 35 or claim 36, wherein the gripper is connected to power and a control system.

38. A storage unit according to any of claims 35 to 37, comprising a roof and at least two sidewalls, preferably three sidewalls, and the gripper mounted on the underside of the roof, connected to power and a control system.

39. A method of attaching a parcel to a drone, comprising providing a parcel which incorporates or to which is attached a handle according to any of claims 27 to 30 and providing a drone which incorporates or to which is attached a gripper according to claim 26, wherein the method comprises providing the gripper with its jaws in the releasing position, locating the handle between the jaws and moving the jaws into the gripping position.

40. A method of delivering a parcel, comprising attaching a parcel to a drone according to claim 39, operating the drone to deliver the parcel to a remote destination,and moving the jaws into the releasing position at the remote destination to release the parcel.41 . A gripping system according to any of claims 1 to 25, for storage of a parcel in a storage unit, comprising(i) a gripper according to any of claims 1 to 25, to be part of or for mounting on the storage unit, and(ii) a handle according to any of claims 1 to 25 and 27 to 30, to be part of or for mounting on the parcel.

42. A drone depot comprising one or more storage units according to claims 35 to 38 and / or one or more gripping systems according to claim 41 .

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