Home delivery management system, control device, aircraft, location designation unit, terminal, and user device

Abstract

This home delivery management system comprises: an aircraft that delivers a package; a control device that instructs a destination to the aircraft; a location designation unit that instructs on a landing location; and a terminal that associates an identifier of the location designation unit with the package to be delivered. In addition, the home delivery management system uses the aircraft to deliver the package to the location from the location designation unit associated with the package of the delivery destination on the basis of a time or a time instructed from the delivery destination.

Description

Delivery management system, control device, flying object, position designation unit, terminal, user device

[0001] The present invention relates to a home delivery management system, a control device, an aircraft, a position designation unit, a terminal, and a user device.

[0002] For example, changes in social dynamics due to the COVID-19 pandemic have led to increased demand for mail-order shopping and other services, resulting in an increase in the volume of packages handled by the delivery industry. Meanwhile, the aging of the logistics industry's workforce is likely to lead to a shortage of delivery personnel, which could have an impact on social systems. To address this shortage of delivery personnel, expectations are rising for unmanned delivery services using robots and other technologies. Delivery services using aerial vehicles such as drones, in particular, are being actively tested, as they can be delivered efficiently and in a short time, regardless of traffic conditions.

[0003] However, switching all current parcel delivery operations to drone delivery would require the simultaneous operation of a large number of aircraft, which is not easy to achieve not only from the perspective of control to ensure safe flight but also from the perspective of procuring a large number of drones. Furthermore, many technologies use predetermined drone ports for drone landing sites, which does not fully utilize the freedom of movement that drone delivery offers. Patent Document 1 discloses technology that uses short-range signals from a terminal to guide a drone to its delivery destination, but because it is not possible to determine whether the drone can land, delivery can only be done by suspending the package from the air, which is not possible for heavy packages.

[0004] Another problem in home delivery services is the increase in redelivery packages due to recipients being absent. From the delivery side, delivering the same package multiple times is not only a physical burden but also a psychological burden for the delivery person. From the perspective of the recipient, there is also the problem that they must be at home at the time of the redelivery request, and the wide range of time options means they are tied up for long periods of time.

[0005] Special table 2018-525756 publication

[0006] In drone-based parcel delivery, recipients cannot freely set the drone's landing location, which causes inconvenience. Furthermore, when redelivering a package when the recipient is absent, for example, the delivery side must carry the same package multiple times, which places a heavy physical and psychological burden on the delivery side, and the recipient cannot freely set the pickup location or time, which places a heavy burden on them.

[0007] According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a home delivery management system as follows. This home delivery management system includes an aircraft that delivers packages, a control device that instructs the aircraft of a destination, a location designation unit that instructs a landing location, and a terminal that links an identifier of the location designation unit to the package to be delivered. The home delivery management system then uses the aircraft to deliver the package to the location in the location designation unit linked to the package at the delivery destination, based on a time or a time specified by the delivery destination.

[0008] According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a home delivery management system as follows. This home delivery management system includes an air vehicle that delivers packages, a control device that instructs the air vehicle of a destination, and a user device that stores an application used to instruct delivery. The user device uses the application to determine whether the air vehicle can land, and outputs the location of the delivery destination where it can land and the delivery time or delivery time to the control device. The home delivery management system then uses the air vehicle to deliver the package to the location communicated by the application, based on the delivery time or delivery time instructed by the delivery destination.

[0009] According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a home delivery management system as follows. This home delivery management system includes an air vehicle that delivers packages, a control device that instructs the air vehicle of the destination, a location designation unit that is located at the package pickup location, and a user device that is used to instruct delivery. The user device presents multiple package pickup locations to the package recipient and outputs the pickup location selected by the package recipient and the delivery time or delivery time to the control device. The control device sets the location designation unit linked to the pickup location as the delivery destination. The air vehicle delivers the package to the location set in the location designation unit at the instructed delivery time or delivery time.

[0010] According to the present invention, the delivery party can leave the redelivery of the package to the drone, so basically each package only needs to be delivered once, which significantly reduces the burden on the delivery party. The recipient can set the pickup time (or time of day) and pinpoint the location where the package will be received, improving convenience. Note that other issues, configurations, and effects will become clear from the following description of the embodiment of the invention.

[0011] A diagram showing an example of the system configuration. A flowchart showing an example of the flow of package delivery. A diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of a control device. A diagram showing an example of the contents of a package management DB. A flowchart showing an example of the procedure for redelivery to a package recipient. A diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of a drone. A diagram showing an example of a redelivery method selection screen. A diagram showing an example of a location designation device. A diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of a location designation device. A diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of a terminal. A diagram showing an example of a specific system configuration. A diagram showing an example of a location designation unit. A flowchart showing an example of the procedure for redelivery to a package recipient. A diagram showing an example of the system configuration. A flowchart showing an example of the procedure for redelivery to a package recipient. A diagram showing an example of a landing location designation screen. A diagram showing an example of the system configuration. A flowchart showing an example of the procedure for redelivery to a package recipient. A diagram showing an example of a redelivery location designation screen.

[0012] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. The embodiments are merely examples for explaining the present invention, and appropriate omissions and simplifications have been made for clarity of explanation. The present invention can be implemented in various other forms. Unless otherwise specified, each component may be singular or plural. The position, size, shape, and range of each component shown in the drawings may not represent the actual position, size, shape, and range in order to facilitate understanding of the invention. Therefore, the present invention is not necessarily limited to the position, size, shape, and range disclosed in the drawings. While various types of information may be described using terms such as "table," "list," and "queue," various types of information may also be expressed using other data structures. For example, various types of information such as "XX table," "XX list," and "XX queue" may also be referred to as "XX information." When describing identification information, terms such as "identification information," "identifier," "name," "ID," and "number" are used, but these terms are interchangeable. When there are multiple components having the same or similar functions, they may be described using the same reference numeral with different subscripts. Furthermore, when it is not necessary to distinguish between these multiple components, the subscripts may be omitted. In some embodiments, processing performed by executing a program will be described. Here, a computer executes the program using a processor (e.g., a CPU or a GPU) and performs processing defined by the program using storage resources (e.g., memory) and interface devices (e.g., communication ports). Therefore, the entity performing the processing by executing the program may be the processor. Similarly, the entity performing the processing by executing the program may be a controller, device, system, computer, or node having a processor. The entity performing the processing by executing the program may be any computing unit, and may include a dedicated circuit that performs specific processing. Here, the dedicated circuit may be, for example, an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array), an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), or a CPLD (Complex Programmable Logic Device).A program may be installed on a computer from a program source. The program source may be, for example, a program distribution server or a computer-readable storage medium. When the program source is a program distribution server, the program distribution server may include a processor and storage resources for storing the program to be distributed, and the processor of the program distribution server may distribute the program to be distributed to other computers. In addition, in the embodiments, two or more programs may be realized as one program, or one program may be realized as two or more programs.

[0013] <First Embodiment> A first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 11. FIG. 1 shows an example of a system configuration. As shown in FIG. 1, the home delivery management system includes a control device 1 that instructs redelivery by drone, a drone 3 that delivers packages to recipients, a location designation device 4 that is an example of a location designation unit and designates a drone landing location, a terminal 5 that has the function of linking a package carried by a delivery person with the location designation device, and a user device that stores an application 6 (sometimes referred to as app 6) that the recipient uses to instruct the redelivery method. In this example, the control device 1 is installed in a redelivery center 2.

[0014] An example of the flow of parcel delivery will be described with reference to FIG. 2 . A delivery person delivers parcels within their assigned area (S101) and delivers parcels that the customer missed to the redelivery center 2 (S102). When the recipient requests redelivery of a parcel using the app 6 or other means, they specify whether the parcel should be delivered by drone 3 or by human delivery (S103). If human delivery is specified, the parcel is delivered again by a delivery person (S105). If delivery by drone 3 is specified, the redelivery center 2 loads the parcel for redelivery onto a delivery drone 3 (S104), and the drone 3 is placed at a port where it can take off and land. The control device 1 assigns a delivery destination and departure time to each drone 3 based on instructions from the customer (S106). The drone 3 departs based on the instructions (S107), delivers the parcel to the customer, and then returns to the redelivery center 2 (S108). After returning, the drone 3 undergoes maintenance such as charging and waits at the redelivery center 2 until it receives the next delivery instruction (S109).

[0015] An example of the functional configuration of the control device will be described with reference to Figure 3. The control device 1 includes, as an example, a communication function 11 that communicates with a customer app and a drone, a maintenance function 12 that performs maintenance such as charging the drone, a drone selection function 13 that selects a drone to deliver the package depending on the size of the package and the status of the delivery destination, a schedule formulation function 14 that formulates a travel route and a departure time based on the drone's travel time and a specified delivery time, a destination designation function 15 that designates the delivery destination of the package, an operation management function 16 that constantly manages the drone's departure instructions and operation status, a drone recovery function 17 that recovers a drone that has completed delivery and returned to a redelivery center, thereby marking the drone as recovered, and a package management DB 18 that manages the status of the package and the drone.

[0016] The control device 1 may implement these functions (11 to 17) by combining multiple modules. Alternatively, some functions may be implemented using external services. For example, the traffic management function 16 may be implemented using a service provided by a drone traffic management operator.

[0017] An example of the contents of the package management DB will be described with reference to Figure 4. The package management DB 18 records package information and delivery information required for normal home delivery services, as well as the delivery method selected by the customer and the ID of the delivery means assigned accordingly. In the case of drone delivery, the ID of the location designation device that designates the landing location is also recorded.

[0018] An example of the procedure for redelivery to a recipient of a package will be described with reference to Figure 5. When a package is delivered while the recipient is absent (S201), the deliverer delivers an absence notice and a location designation device 4 to the recipient. The location designation device 4 is placed in a mailbox or newspaper box, or in front of the door, just like an absence notice. If the recipient is unable to receive the location designation device 4 due to theft or other reasons, the redelivery center 2 is notified of this fact via the app 6 or the like, and the recipient takes measures such as redelivery of the package or location designation device 4.

[0019] When the recipient receives the location specification device 4 and the absence notification (S202), the recipient specifies the redelivery method, delivery time, etc. using the app 6 (S203). The app 6 runs on a user device (such as a smartphone or PC) owned by the customer and also serves as the recipient's identity verification.

[0020] When receiving the package, the recipient sets up the location designation device 4 in a position where the drone 3 can land (S205). The drone 3 lands at the position designated by the location designation device 4, and the recipient receives the package (S206). After receiving the package, the recipient loads the location designation device 4 onto the drone 3 (S207) and issues a command to launch the drone. The command to launch can be issued by pressing a button on the drone, by issuing a command using the app 6, or by loading the location designation device 4 and automatically launching the drone after a certain time has passed. The drone 3 retrieves the location designation device 4 and returns to the redelivery center 2 (S208).

[0021] If the recipient requests redelivery by hand, the recipient returns the location specification device 4 when the delivery person redelivers the parcel (S204).

[0022] An example of the functional configuration of a drone that performs redelivery will be described with reference to Figure 6. The drone 3 that performs redelivery has a luggage loading function 31 that loads the luggage to be delivered, a luggage handover function 32 that hands the loaded luggage over to the recipient, an automatic delivery function 33 that delivers the luggage to a location specified by the control device 1, an automatic return function 34 that returns to the redelivery center 2 after delivery, a communication function 35 that communicates with the redelivery center 2 and an organization that manages operations, and a landing site selection function 36 that selects and lands at a landing site specified by the location specification device 4.

[0023] By paying an additional fee, the recipient can select a delivery method and a delivery time specification method. Next, an example of this selection method will be explained with reference to Figure 7. Figure 7 shows an example of a redelivery method selection screen 19 in an application owned by the customer.

[0024] For example, if a customer is unsure about delivery by drone 3, they can choose delivery by a delivery person. However, in this case, an additional fee will be charged due to labor costs. Furthermore, while delivery times are usually specified as a time slot, such as 10:00 to 12:00, drone delivery allows for a more specific time (delivery time). However, in this case, an additional fee will be charged because the drone 3's launch schedule must be set as a priority. In this way, the app 6 screen clearly shows the recipient the options they can select and the associated costs, allowing the recipient to receive their packages flexibly.

[0025] The position designation device will be described with reference to Figures 8 and 9. An example of the position designation device 4 that determines the landing position of the drone in this embodiment is shown in Figure 8, and its functional configuration diagram is shown in Figure 9.

[0026] In this embodiment, the location designation device 4 includes, as an example, a landing point confirmation function 41 consisting of a shape sensor, a landing point display function 42 that shows the recipient the landing point using light, an aerial confirmation function 43 that confirms that the drone 3 can enter from the sky, and a beacon transmission function 44 that guides the drone 3 to the landing point.

[0027] When the location designation device 4 is installed by the recipient, it indicates to the recipient the landing point at the installation location using a light or the like, and determines using a shape sensor whether the drone 3 can land at that landing point. If landing is possible, the location designation device 4 notifies the recipient, and when the drone 3 approaches, it guides the drone 3 to the landing point using a beacon. If it determines that landing is impossible, it notifies the recipient and encourages them to install the drone 3 in another location. The sky confirmation function 43 also checks whether the drone 3 can enter from above the landing point, and similarly notifies the recipient whether it is possible. Examples of methods for sky confirmation include using a camera to check for obstacles in the sky and also checking the reception status of GPS radio waves to confirm that the drone 3 is outdoors.

[0028] An example of a terminal carried by a delivery person will be described with reference to Fig. 10. Fig. 10 shows a functional configuration diagram of an example of a terminal carried by a delivery person. The terminal 5 has an ID reading function 51 that recognizes the ID of a package, a location designation device recognition function 52 that recognizes the ID of the location designation device 4, a linking function 53 that links the package with the location designation device 4, and a communication function 54 that notifies the control device 1 of the redelivery center 2 of the linking result.

[0029] When the recipient is absent and redelivery of the package is necessary, the delivery person delivers the location designation device 4 to the recipient. At this time, the delivery person reads the ID of the package to be delivered and the ID of the location designation device 4 delivered to the recipient using the terminal 5, and a process is performed to clarify the ID of the package to be delivered to this location designation device 4. The terminal 5 then notifies the control device 1 of the redelivery center 2 of the linking result.

[0030] The control device 1 records the linking result in the package management DB 18. This allows the redelivery center 2 to set which location designation device 4 the drone 3 should deliver the package to when issuing an instruction to redeliver the package by the drone 3.

[0031] Next, an example of a specific configuration of the home delivery management system of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 11 . The control device 1 is configured as an appropriate computer and includes, for example, a processor 101, a storage device 102, and a communication device 103. The processor 101 is the entity that executes predetermined processing and is configured using an appropriate semiconductor device (e.g., a CPU). The storage device 102 stores data such as programs used to execute the predetermined processing and is configured using, for example, a main storage device and an auxiliary storage device. The communication device 103 is configured for communication, and the control device 1 can input and output data via the communication device 103.

[0032] Each function (11 to 17) of the control device 1 can be realized by appropriately using the various configurations described above, as an example. Note that some functions may be realized using external services. For example, the traffic management function 16 may be realized using a service provided by a drone traffic management operator. Furthermore, the cargo management DB 18 may be built in an auxiliary storage device.

[0033] The drone 3 includes, for example, a processor 301, a storage device 302, a communication device 303, a flight device 304, a sensor device 305, a battery 306, and a beacon receiving device 307. The processor 301 is responsible for executing predetermined processes and is configured using an appropriate semiconductor device (e.g., a CPU). The storage device 302 stores data such as programs used to execute the predetermined processes and is configured using, for example, a main storage device and an auxiliary storage device. The communication device 303 is used for communication, and the drone 3 is capable of inputting and outputting data via the communication device 303. The flight device 304 may be configured, for example, to include multiple propellers and multiple motors for driving each propeller. The flight device 304 may also include a controller that performs flight control based on output from the processor 301. The sensor device 305 includes various sensors used for flight control, such as a GPS device, a camera, and a gyro sensor. The cargo is loaded as appropriate, and the drone 3 may be formed with, for example, a storage section for storing the cargo.

[0034] Each function (31 to 36) of the drone 3 can be realized by appropriately using the various configurations described above, for example. The drone 3 may also have a function to detect receipt of the package by the recipient. The drone 3 may have, for example, a weight sensor, and the processor 301 may determine receipt of the package by the recipient based on data detected by the weight sensor before and after receipt of the package.

[0035] The position designation device 4 includes, for example, a processor 401, a storage device 402, a sensor device 403, an illumination device 404, a battery 405, and a beacon transmission device 406. The processor 401 is a device that executes predetermined processing and is configured using an appropriate semiconductor device (e.g., a CPU). The storage device 402 stores data such as programs used to execute the predetermined processing and is configured using, for example, a main storage device and an auxiliary storage device. The sensor device 403 includes, for example, a shape sensor, a GPS device, a camera, etc. The illumination device 404 is configured using, for example, an LED light source and emits light indicating the landing position to the recipient. The position designation device 4 may also indicate that the landing position is appropriate and that landing is possible, for example, by the illumination mode of the illumination device 404. The position designation device 4 may also prompt the recipient to install the position designation device 4 in another location, by the illumination mode of the illumination device 404.

[0036] The functions (41 to 44) of the position designation device 4 can be realized by appropriately using the various configurations described above, as an example. The position designation device 4 includes a communication device, and outputs position information to the control device 1 using the communication device, and the control device 1 may output instructions to the drone 3 based on the acquired position information of the position designation device 4. The position designation device 4 may also output data on the address of the delivery destination from data in the package management DB 18 to the drone 3, and the drone 3 may confirm the landing position above the address of the delivery destination and land.

[0037] The terminal 5 used by the delivery person includes, for example, a processor 501, a storage device 502, and a communication device 503. The functions (53, 54) of the terminal 5 can be realized, for example, by appropriately using the various configurations described above. The terminal 5 may also include an input device through which the delivery person inputs information, and this input device may be used to realize an ID reading function 51 that recognizes the ID of a package and a location designation device recognition function 52 that recognizes the ID of the location designation device 4. The terminal 5 may also include a reader that reads data stored in a code, and this reader may be used to realize the functions (51, 52) for packages and location designation devices 4 that have codes with IDs stored therein.

[0038] The user device on which the app 6 used by the recipient is installed includes, for example, a processor 601, a storage device 602, a communication device 603, an input device 604, and an output device 605. The terminal 5 used by the delivery person and the user device may be, for example, a smartphone, a tablet, etc. Here, the input device and output device of the smartphone, tablet, etc. may be integrated into one device such as a touch panel.

[0039] Second Embodiment Next, a second embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 12 and 13. Note that descriptions of content similar to those described above may be omitted. In the second embodiment, a sheet is used as the position designation unit instead of the position designation device 4. This sheet has an ID and a code corresponding to this ID.

[0040] An example of the location designation unit in this embodiment is shown in Figure 12. When a sheet with a two-dimensional code is used as the location designation unit, it is lightweight and inexpensive, which can reduce damage caused by theft and other factors. It also reduces the burden on the delivery person. After delivery is completed, the recipient can dispose of the two-dimensional code sheet 7, eliminating the need for collection. In addition, to avoid confusion between recipients, by writing an ID on each two-dimensional code sheet 7 in a format that can be recognized by the recipient, the recipient can individually specify the pickup location for each package even if multiple packages are delivered and multiple two-dimensional code sheets 7 are received.

[0041] An example of the procedure for a recipient to receive a package in this embodiment is shown in Fig. 13. A package is delivered when the recipient is not at home (S301), and the delivery person delivers a notice of absence and a two-dimensional code sheet 7. When the recipient is not at home, the delivery person uses the terminal 5 to link the ID of the package to be delivered with the ID of the two-dimensional code sheet 7 delivered to the recipient.

[0042] The recipient then receives the two-dimensional code sheet 7 along with the absence notice as a means for specifying the drone landing location (S302). If the recipient wishes to use drone delivery, they specify this (S303) and place the two-dimensional code sheet 7 at the desired delivery location (S305).

[0043] Next, the recipient uses the app 6 to determine whether the drone 3 can land at the seat installation location. First, the recipient reads the shape of the seat installation location using the app 6 and determines whether landing is possible (S306). Next, the recipient uses the app 6 to determine whether the drone 3 can enter from above the seat installation location (S307). The method of determination by the app in S306 and S307 can be, for example, a method of determination by image recognition based on data acquired by a camera. Note that this camera may be provided in the user device, and the user device may make the determination by image recognition. Alternatively, data acquired by the camera may be output to the user device, and the user device may make the determination by image recognition.

[0044] The drone 3 lands on the sheet and the recipient receives the package (S308), and after the drone returns, the recipient discards the two-dimensional code sheet 7. If drone delivery is not selected and the delivery person delivers the package (S304), the two-dimensional code sheet 7 may be returned to the delivery person or disposed of by the recipient.

[0045] Although a sheet using a two-dimensional code has been described, appropriate modifications may be made. For example, a sheet having a one-dimensional code (barcode) instead of a two-dimensional code may be used as the position designation section.

[0046] The specific configurations of the control device 1, drone 3, etc. in this embodiment can be the same as those in the first embodiment. However, the configuration may be changed as appropriate. For example, a sheet with a code attached is used as the position designation unit, and the position designation device 4 is not used, so the configuration related to the position designation device 4 may be omitted. In this embodiment, the drone 3 can select a landing location by recognizing an image of the code on the position designation unit using a camera. Therefore, the configuration related to sending and receiving a beacon may be omitted.

[0047] <Third Embodiment> Next, a third embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 14 to 16. Note that explanations of content similar to those described above may be omitted. In the third embodiment, a case will be described in which a redelivery location is specified using the recipient's app. When a redelivery location is specified using the app, the delivery person does not need to deliver the location specification unit to the recipient. This eliminates the risk of theft and reduces delivery and collection costs.

[0048] An example of the system configuration of this embodiment is shown in Fig. 14. As shown in Fig. 14, the home delivery management system includes a control device 1 that instructs redelivery by drone, a drone 3 that delivers packages to customers, and a user device that stores an application 6 that allows the customer to instruct the redelivery method and the drone landing position. The control device 1 is installed in a redelivery center 2.

[0049] An example of the procedure for receiving a package by the recipient in this embodiment is shown in Fig. 15. An example of a landing location designation screen of the recipient's application 6 is shown in Fig. 16.

[0050] When a package is delivered while the recipient is not at home (S401), a delivery person will deliver a notice of absence. The recipient then receives the notice of absence (S402) and, if the recipient wishes to use drone delivery, will specify this (S403). If the recipient does not wish to use drone delivery, the recipient will receive the package from the delivery person who will redeliver it (S404).

[0051] When the recipient specifies a redelivery location using the app 6 (S405), they take an image of the desired pickup location. At that time, the app acquires the location coordinates from a GPS or other device and displays them on a map, which the recipient can confirm and correct. From the captured image, the app determines whether landing is possible and whether the drone can enter from the air, and notifies the recipient of the possibility.

[0052] Specifically, as shown in FIG. 16 , the screen of the app 6 (more specifically, the screen of the user device, which is a smartphone on which the app 6 is installed in this embodiment) includes map information 61 including the acquired location coordinates and a captured image 62. The recipient takes a picture of the desired pickup location and displays the captured image 62. The recipient then aligns a frame 63 with the desired landing location on the captured image 62 and presses a confirm button 64. Note that the user device may be equipped with a camera, and the captured image 62 may be acquired using the camera. Alternatively, data acquired by the camera may be output to the user device, and the captured image 62 may be acquired.

[0053] The shape within the frame 63 is then read, and the app 6 determines whether landing is possible. If it is determined that landing is impossible, the app 6 outputs a message prompting the recipient to reset the landing position. If it is determined that landing is possible, the app 6 outputs a message to that effect, and the recipient takes a photograph of the sky. Here, the user device may be equipped with a camera, and the camera may be used to take a photograph of the sky. Alternatively, the recipient may use an appropriate camera to take a photograph of the sky, and the data acquired by the camera may be output to the user device.

[0054] The app 6 then determines whether the drone can enter the area, and outputs the result. If the app 6 determines that the drone cannot enter the area, the app 6 outputs an instruction to reset the landing position. Note that the app 6 can make this determination based on, for example, known image recognition.

[0055] If the app 6 determines that the location is appropriate as a pickup location, the app 6 notifies the control device 1 of the redelivery center 2 of the coordinate information of the photography location and the photographed image 62. The control device 1 outputs the coordinate information and image information to the drone 3 and instructs the drone 3 on the landing location. The drone uses image recognition technology to search for (determine) a location at the specified coordinates that matches the photographed image 62 instructed as the landing location, and lands at that location (S406). Then, after delivering the package, the drone 3 returns to the redelivery center 2 (S407).

[0056] The specific configurations of the control device 1, drone 3, etc. in this embodiment can be the same as those in the first embodiment. However, the configurations may be changed as appropriate. For example, since the location is specified using the app 6 and the location specification device 4 is not used, the configuration related to the location specification device 4 may be omitted. In this embodiment, the landing location can be selected by image recognition using an image acquired by the drone 3 using a camera and a captured image 62 acquired from the app 6. Therefore, the configuration related to the transmission and reception of beacons may be omitted.

[0057] <Fourth embodiment> Next, a fourth embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 17 to 19. Note that explanations of content similar to those described above may be omitted. In the fourth embodiment, a case will be described in which a desired redelivery location is selected from selectable locations.

[0058] In this embodiment, the delivery company reserves a location within the delivery area where the drone 3 can land and installs a location designation unit (e.g., a location designation device 4, a coded sheet) in advance. The recipient selects a convenient location from the available landing locations and notifies the control device 1 of this location along with information such as the desired pickup time (or time zone).

[0059] The control device 1 links the package to be delivered with a location designation unit installed at a location designated by the recipient, and instructs the drone 3 to deliver the package based on, for example, a time (or time period) designated by the recipient. The recipient receives the package from the drone 3 at that location at the designated time (or time period). Because the recipient does not need to set a landing point for the drone 3 themselves, they can quickly receive their redelivered package even in areas where it is difficult to secure a landing place for the drone 3, such as urban areas or apartment complexes.

[0060] An example of the system configuration of this embodiment is shown in Fig. 17. As shown in Fig. 17, the home delivery management system includes a control device 1 that instructs redelivery by drone, a drone 3 that delivers packages to customers, and a location designation device 4, which is an example of a location designation unit and designates a landing position for the drone. The control device 1 is installed in a redelivery center 2. In this system, the location designation device 4 may be replaced with a two-dimensional code sheet 7 (or a one-dimensional code sheet), which is also a location designation unit.

[0061] An example of the procedure for the recipient to receive the package in this embodiment is shown in Fig. 18. An example of a redelivery location specification screen is shown in Fig. 19.

[0062] When a package is delivered while the recipient is not at home (S501), a delivery person will deliver a notice of absence. The recipient then receives the notice of absence (S502). If the recipient wishes to use drone delivery, the recipient will specify this and specify the desired time using the redelivery location specification screen 8 (S503). The recipient will also select a redelivery location from the specification screen (S505). If the recipient does not wish to use drone delivery, the recipient will receive the package from the redelivery person (S504).

[0063] The redelivery location designation screen 8 can be accessed from the recipient's app 6, PC (personal computer), etc. The recipient designates a convenient location for receiving the package from available delivery spots 81 displayed on the designation screen, and inputs the package ID listed on the absence notice and the desired delivery date and time. The input information is then sent to the control device 1, which instructs the drone 3 to deliver the package according to the input information.

[0064] The recipient then goes to the location at the specified date and time to receive the package from the drone 3 (S506). After delivering the package, the drone 3 returns to the redelivery center 2 (S507).

[0065] The specific configurations of the control device 1, drone 3, etc. in this embodiment may be the same as those in the first embodiment. Note that the configurations may be changed as appropriate. For example, the configuration of the system may be changed as appropriate depending on the configuration of the position designation unit.

[0066] According to the above-described embodiment, the delivery party can leave the redelivery of the package to the drone, so basically each package only needs to be delivered once, which significantly reduces the burden on the delivery party. The recipient can set the pickup time (or time) and pinpoint the location where the package will be picked up, which improves convenience.

[0067] In addition, by limiting the use of drones to redelivery, the number of drones required to launch the service can be reduced. Also, by handing over packages after the drone has landed, a wider variety of packages can be transported compared to air delivery.

[0068] Furthermore, by reducing the psychological burden on delivery personnel, it can contribute from a social perspective, and by reducing the cost of redelivery, it can also contribute from an economic perspective.

[0069] According to the above embodiment, the following delivery management system is provided as an example: This delivery management system includes an air vehicle (drone 3) that delivers packages, a control device 1 that instructs the air vehicle of its destination, a location designation unit (e.g., a location designation device 4, a coded sheet) that instructs the landing position, and a terminal 5 that links an identifier of the location designation unit to the package to be delivered, and the air vehicle 3 delivers the package to the location of the location designation device 4 linked to the package based on the time (or time zone) instructed by the delivery destination.

[0070] According to this system, when a recipient is absent during a delivery service, the recipient secures a landing position for the drone, and the delivery person delivers a location designation unit for guiding the drone to the recipient along with a missed delivery notice, thereby realizing an automatic redelivery system using drones.

[0071] As an example, the following delivery management system is provided: This delivery management system includes an air vehicle (drone 3) that delivers packages, a control device 1 that instructs the air vehicle on its destination, and a location designation application 6 that instructs the air vehicle on its landing location, in which the application 6 held by the recipient of the package determines whether the air vehicle can land and notifies the control device 1 of the location of the delivery destination where it can land and the desired delivery time (or desired delivery time zone), the control device 1 instructs the air vehicle to take off based on the time (or time zone) instructed by the delivery destination, and the air vehicle delivers the package to the delivery destination communicated by the application 6.

[0072] This will realize an automatic redelivery system that allows recipients to set the landing location and delivery time (or delivery time) using a location-specifying app.

[0073] As an example, the following delivery management system is provided: This delivery management system includes an air vehicle (drone 3) that delivers packages, a control device 1 that instructs the air vehicle on its destination, and a location designation unit (e.g., a location designation device 4, a coded sheet) that instructs the landing location, whereby the recipient of the package selects a desired pickup location from options presented on the delivery management system, the control device 1 sets the location designation unit linked to the selected pickup location as the delivery destination, and the air vehicle delivers the package to the location specified in the location designation unit based on the instructed time (or time zone).

[0074] This will realize an automatic redelivery system that can use drones to deliver packages from a receiving location where a location designation unit has been installed in advance to a receiving location selected by the recipient.

[0075] Although the embodiments have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments and includes various modifications and equivalent configurations within the spirit of the appended claims. For example, the above-described embodiments have been described in detail to clearly explain the present invention, and the present invention is not necessarily limited to those including all of the described configurations. Furthermore, for example, other configurations may be added, deleted, or replaced with part of the configuration of the embodiment.

[0076] 1 Control device 2 Redelivery center 3 Drone 4 Location designation device 5 Terminal 6 Application 7 Two-dimensional barcode sheet 8 Redelivery location designation screen 18 Package management DB 19 Redelivery method selection screen

Claims

1. A home delivery management system comprising: an aircraft that delivers packages; a control device that instructs the aircraft of a destination; a location designation unit that instructs a landing position; and a terminal that links an identifier of the location designation unit to the package to be delivered, wherein the home delivery management system delivers the package to the location of the location designation unit linked to the package at the delivery destination using the aircraft based on the time or time specified by the delivery destination.

2. A home delivery management system as described in claim 1, characterized in that the position designation unit is a position designation device that determines whether the aircraft is able to land and guides the aircraft to a landing position.

3. A home delivery management system as described in claim 1, wherein the location designation unit has a code corresponding to an identifier, and the flying object confirms the code from the sky, recognizes it as its own landing location, lands there, and delivers the package.

4. A home delivery management system as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that after the package is delivered, the recipient can mount a location designation unit on the aircraft, enabling the aircraft to return.

5. A delivery management system comprising: an aircraft that delivers packages; a control device that instructs the aircraft of a destination; and a user device that stores an application used to give delivery instructions, wherein the user device uses the application to determine whether the aircraft can land, and outputs the location of the delivery destination where landing is possible and the delivery time or delivery deadline to the control device, and the delivery management system delivers the package using the aircraft to the location communicated by the application based on the delivery time or delivery deadline instructed by the delivery destination.

6. A home delivery management system comprising: an aircraft that delivers packages; a control device that instructs the aircraft of the destination; a location designation unit that is placed at the package receipt location; and a user device used to give delivery instructions, wherein the user device presents a plurality of package receipt locations to a package recipient and outputs the package receipt location selected by the package recipient and the delivery time or delivery instant to the control device, the control device sets the location designation unit linked to the package receipt location as the delivery destination, and the aircraft delivers the package to the location set in the location designation unit at the instructed delivery time or delivery instant.

7. A control device included in the home delivery management system according to claim 1, which instructs the flying object on the delivery destination and departure time of the package and manages the process from the destination to the return of the flying object.

8. A control device included in the home delivery management system according to claim 5, which instructs the flying object on the delivery destination and departure time of the package, and manages the process from the destination to the return of the flying object.

9. A control device included in the home delivery management system according to claim 6, which instructs the flying object on the delivery destination and departure time of the package, and manages the process from the destination to the return of the flying object.

10. An air vehicle included in the home delivery management system of claim 5, which automatically delivers the package to the destination in accordance with instructions from the control device and automatically returns after delivery is completed.

11. An air vehicle included in the home delivery management system according to claim 6, which automatically delivers the package to the destination in accordance with instructions from the control device and automatically returns after the delivery is completed.

12. A location designation unit included in the home delivery management system according to claim 1, which can be installed at any location and is used to guide an aircraft that delivers packages to the installation location.

13. A terminal included in the home delivery management system according to claim 1, which links the parcel with a location designation unit at which the parcel is to be delivered to the recipient.

14. A user device included in the home delivery management system described in claim 5, storing an application having a function for determining whether an aircraft is able to land and whether the aircraft is able to enter when specifying delivery of a package, and for determining the landing position of the aircraft and notifying the control device.

15. A control device included in the home delivery management system according to claim 6, which sets the location designation unit installed at the receiving location selected by the recipient of the package as the delivery destination for the flying object.

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