Payload and aerial transport system

Abstract

The present invention relates to a payload comprising a body having two or more coupling means mounted on the same side of the body of the payload such as to be capable of entering into releasable engagement with the bodies of unmanned aerial vehicles such that the propellers of said unmanned aerial vehicles can be disposed in parallel planes on different sides of the body of the payload or at a set angular offset about the perimeter of the body of the payload. The present invention further relates to a transport system comprising two or more unmanned aerial vehicles and the proposed embodiment of a payload.

Description

PAYLOAD AND AIR TRANSPORT SYSTEM AREA OF TECHNOLOGY

[0001] The present invention relates to transport technology, in particular to vehicles capable of flying or moving through the air to deliver a user or cargo to a target location, namely to a payload with an improved design and an air transport system that includes said payload and unmanned aerial vehicles designed with the possibility of docking with said payload. LEVEL OF TECHNOLOGY

[0002] Currently, many different payload designs have been developed for transporting passengers and / or cargo of various types, as well as many different automated or semi-automated air transport systems based on the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) designed with the ability to releasably dock with the payload for its movement through the air to a target location.However, although modern payload designs and modern air transport systems designed to move said payload by air using unmanned aerial vehicles docked to the payload body make it possible to relatively quickly deliver or move a user or cargo by air to a target location, they have a significant drawback, which is the insufficient stability of the payload body in the airspace when unmanned aerial vehicles are docked to it or when replacing unmanned aerial vehicles docked to the payload body.

[0003] Therefore, in view of at least the above-mentioned shortcomings of current payload designs and air transport systems based on the use of unmanned aerial vehicles for transporting such payloads through the air, the development of an improved payload design and an improved air transport system is a pressing issue.

[0004] In particular, US Patent Application Publication No. 2023294849 (US 2023294849), published on September 21, 2023, describes a payload comprising a body provided with one or more docking means mounted on the same side of the payload body with the ability to enter into releasable interaction with the bodies of unmanned aerial vehicles, and describes an aerial transport system that includes a payload according to US 2023294849 and an unmanned aerial vehicle docked with the payload body.

[0005] It should be noted that the payload and air transport system disclosed in US 2023294849 also do not eliminate the above-mentioned disadvantage, which consists in the insufficient stability of the payload body in airspace when docking unmanned aerial vehicles with the payload body.

[0006] Thus, there is an obvious need for further improvement of the designs of known payloads and improvement of air transport systems that include such payloads, in particular to increase the stability of the payload body in airspace when docking unmanned aerial vehicles with the payload body.

[0007] Therefore, the main technical problem solved by the present invention consists in creating a payload structure and creating an air transport system that would provide the possibility of moving such a payload through the air using unmanned aerial vehicles and in which the above-mentioned disadvantage of the prior art, which consists in the insufficient stability of the payload body in airspace when docking unmanned aerial vehicles with the payload body, would be at least partially eliminated.

[0008] An additional technical problem solved by the present invention is to expand the range of vehicles capable of transporting or delivering a user / cargo by air to a target location. DISCLOSURE

[0009] The main objective of the present invention is to create a payload and an air transport system that solve at least each of the above-mentioned technical problems of the prior art, as well as to expand the arsenal of vehicles for transporting cargo / passengers by air.

[0010] Another object of the present invention is to provide an alternative payload design and an alternative air transport system incorporating such payload, in relation to the corresponding technical solutions known in the prior art.

[0011] Each of the stated objectives is solved in the first aspect of the present invention due to the fact that in the proposed payload, comprising: (i) a body equipped with two or more docking means installed on the same side of the payload body with the possibility of entering into a detachable interaction with the bodies of unmanned aerial vehicles, as a result of the entry of the docking means of the payload body into a detachable interaction with the bodies of unmanned aerial vehicles, the possibility of placing the air movers of the said unmanned aerial vehicles in parallel planes on different sides of the body or with a given angular offset along the perimeter of the payload body is ensured

[0012] In addition, each of the stated problems is solved in the second aspect of the present invention due to the fact that in the proposed air transport system, comprising: (i) a payload, the body of which is provided with two or more docking means; and (ii) two or more unmanned aerial vehicles, the body of each of which is provided with two or more air movers and is configured to enter into a detachable interaction with at least one of the said docking means of the payload, as a result of the entry of the bodies of the unmanned aerial vehicles into a detachable interaction with the corresponding docking means of the payload body, the possibility of placing the air movers of the said unmanned aerial vehicles in parallel planes on different sides of the body or with a given angular offset along the perimeter of the payload body is ensured.

[0013] The first and second aspects of the present invention described above each provide a technical result consisting of increased payload versatility. It should be noted that this increased payload versatility is due to the ability to position the propulsion units of unmanned aerial vehicles, whose bodies are releasably engaged with the payload body's docking means, in parallel planes on opposite sides of the body or at a predetermined angular offset along the payload body's perimeter.

[0014] Furthermore, the first and second aspects of the present invention described above each provide an additional technical result, namely, increased payload flight safety. It should be noted that increased payload flight safety is also due to the ability to position the unmanned aerial vehicle's propulsion units in parallel planes on opposite sides of the body or at a predetermined angular offset along the payload's body perimeter.It should be noted that the placement of the air movers of unmanned aerial vehicles, introduced into detachable interaction with the docking means of the payload body, in parallel planes on different sides of the body or with a given angular offset along the perimeter of the payload body allows for better stabilization of the payload body in the air during the implementation of the said process of detachable interaction with the payload body, in particular due to the minimization of the mutual influence of air flows created by the air movers of these unmanned aerial vehicles.

[0015] Additional advantages of the claimed group of inventions and individual inventions in the said group, including their particular embodiments described in this document or characterized in dependent claims, will be clear to a specialist from the following detailed description of the present invention and the accompanying drawings, with reference to which various embodiments of the present invention are described in more detail below.

[0016] In addition, the above-described first and second aspects of the present invention each provide another additional technical result, which consists in expanding the arsenal of vehicles capable of moving or delivering a user / cargo by air to a target location.

[0017] The accompanying drawings, which are provided to provide a better understanding of the essence of the present invention, form a part of this document and are included herein to illustrate the embodiments and aspects of the present invention described below. The accompanying drawings, in combination with the description below, serve to explain the essence of the present invention. In the drawings:

[0018] Fig. 1 shows one of the illustrative embodiments of the air transport system according to the present invention in a state in which both unmanned aerial vehicles have flown up to the payload to perform a releasable docking with this payload;

[0019] Fig. 2 shows an aerial transport system according to the present invention in a state in which one of the unmanned aerial vehicles is releasably docked with a payload, and the other unmanned aerial vehicle is in a state of readiness for releasably docking with this payload; and

[0020] Fig. 3 shows an aerial transport system according to the present invention in a state in which both unmanned aerial vehicles are removably docked with a payload. IMPLEMENTATION

[0021] Some examples of possible embodiments of the present invention are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, but it should not be considered that the following description defines or limits the scope of the present invention.

[0022] In the following description, well-known functions or constructions are not described in detail since this might obscure the essence of the present invention with unimportant details.

[0023] It should be understood that in the following description, terms such as "first," "second," "upper," "lower," "side," "front," "rear," and the like are used solely for convenience and should not be construed as limiting terms. In particular, in the context of the present invention, unless otherwise explicitly stated in the description of this document, the terms "first," "second," "third," or the like are used to distinguish from each other the elements, components, parts, assemblies, modules, blocks, embodiments, or the like to which they relate, and not for the purpose of describing any specific relationship between them.

[0024] It should be understood that when an object is mentioned in the singular, it is also possible that there may be a plurality of such objects and vice versa, unless otherwise clearly stated or otherwise clearly follows from the context of this document.

[0025] Grammatical relations express any or all alternative and combined combinations of related clauses, sentences, words, etc., unless otherwise explicitly stated or clearly evident from the context. Therefore, the term "or" should be understood to generally mean "and / or," etc.

[0026] The recitation of ranges of values ​​in this document is not limiting, since it refers individually to any and all values ​​falling within the range, unless otherwise specified herein, and each individual value in such range is included in the description as if it were individually recited herein.

[0027] The words "approximately," "approximately," or the like, when used in conjunction with a numerical value, are to be interpreted as indicating a possible deviation that, in the opinion of a person skilled in the art, would ensure proper functioning for solving the required task. Ranges of values ​​and / or numerical values ​​are provided herein solely as examples and do not limit the scope of the described embodiments.

[0028] All examples given in this document, or at least some of them, as well as the corresponding expressions ("for example", "such as", "in particular" or the like), are essentially used to improve the understanding of the essence of the present invention and to ensure the completeness of the disclosure of the present invention, however, these expressions do not impose any restrictions on the embodiments of the present invention, for the description of which they are used in this document, in particular, they do not limit the practical embodiments of the elements, components, parts, units, modules, blocks, devices, means and / or the like, used to disclose the design features, functioning (operation) and / or operation of the present invention.

[0029] Terms and definitions used in the description of this document

[0030] The term "illustrative" means a non-limiting example, embodiment, or illustration. Similarly, the terms "for example" and "by way of example," as used herein, define lists of one or more non-limiting examples, embodiments, or illustrations. As used herein, a circuit is "configured to" perform a function whenever the circuit includes the necessary hardware and code (if any code is required) to perform the function, regardless of whether the execution of that function is blocked or disabled (e.g., by an operator-defined setting, a factory setting, etc.).

[0031] In the context of the present invention, the term "correspondence" and its derivatives (i.e., adjective, verb, adverb) do not necessarily mean exact agreement or exact equality in something, with something, or between something in any respect, but may imply a deviation or departure from said equality within specified limits. For example, the term "corresponding coordinates," unless otherwise clearly follows from the description of this document, means not only that these coordinates may be exactly equal to each other or may exactly coincide, but also implies that said equality or coincidence of coordinates may be established with some error (for example, with the error of the GPS system) or within a specified geographic area surrounding the exact geographic point or area indicated by these coordinates, or the exact geographic location indicated by these coordinates.

[0032] In the context of the present invention, the term "unmanned aerial vehicle" (UAV), unless the description herein clearly states otherwise, refers to an unmanned aerial vehicle that is capable of flight or that is capable of moving through the air in an automatic mode, i.e. without human intervention or external control sources, or is capable of moving through the air in a semi-automatic mode, i.e. receiving at least some control commands from a human (e.g., a pilot, operator, etc.) or an external source (e.g., a control panel, a control server, an external control device, etc.) via specified communication channels. Non-limiting examples of UAVs include various multi-rotor UAVs (e.g., multi-copter drones), single-rotor UAVs (e.g., an unmanned helicopter), hybrid UAVs (e.g., drones with rotors and wings), etc.

[0033] In the context of the present invention, the term "hull", unless the description herein clearly indicates otherwise, refers to a frame, skeleton, shell, skin, fuselage, supporting support or body of a physical inanimate object, each of which may be formed from a single supporting element or a set of interconnected supporting elements, while the type, shape, overall dimensions, design features and / or material of such a frame are not in any way particularly limited.

[0034] In the context of the present invention, the term "payload", unless the description of the present document clearly indicates otherwise, refers to people or living beings (in particular, to people or living beings as such, or to people or living beings placed in a capsule, cabin, habitation module, cryomodule, rescue module, habitation compartment, habitation unit, etc.) or to cargo (to cargo as such, or to cargo placed in boxes, cartons, packages, bags, containers, reservoirs, vessels, tanks, canisters, receptacles, barrels, cisterns, cylinders, vessels, reservoirs, containers, bottles, flasks, glass containers, cylinders, boxes, storage modules, etc.), which can be placed in the body of a vehicle that performs the function of a carrier and is intended for the delivery, carriage or transportation of people, various living beings and / or various cargo by air, by land (on dry land), by water and / or under water.

[0035] In the context of the present invention, the term "module," unless otherwise clearly indicated in the description herein, refers to a functional element or set of functional elements of a device in the form of a part, unit, block, or other assembly unit that performs specific technical functions enabling the device's functions to be performed. The module as a whole may be implemented in practice using a combination of known structural elements, a combination of known structural elements and known hardware, a combination of known structural elements and known firmware, or a combination of known hardware and known software. For example, a control device may be implemented using firmware.In the context of the present invention, the control device may be a physical device, apparatus or a plurality of modules implemented using hardware, for example, using an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) or a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), or a combination of hardware and software, for example, using a microprocessor system and a set of instructions implementing the functionality of the control device, which (when executed) transform the microprocessor system into a special-purpose device or system (for example, an autopilot).In addition, each of the modules described in this document, or at least one of them, can be implemented as a combination of hardware and software, wherein some of the functionalities described in this document with respect to one of the modules can be implemented only by means of hardware, and other functionalities described in this document with respect to the same module or another module can be implemented by using hardware in combination with software.Furthermore, in the context of the present invention, the docking module 300 may be configured to releasably interact with at least one unmanned aerial vehicle, wherein the docking module 300 may be implemented using a combination of known structural elements, a combination of known structural elements and hardware, a combination of structural elements and firmware, or a combination of hardware and software.

[0036] In the context of the present invention, the term "navigation command," unless otherwise clearly follows from the description of the present document, refers to an instruction sent to the aircraft included in the payload 100. Navigation commands may be issued or provided by the aircraft movement control system in the form of digital or analog data, instructions, control signals, or the like. Navigation commands may be initially generated, without limitation, by an automatic operator, an operator (both locally and remotely), and / or an obstacle avoidance system. In particular, navigation commands may be received, for example, by a control unit for controlling an aircraft included in one of the unmanned aerial vehicles in the payload movement system.

[0037] In the context of the present invention, the term "manual control," unless otherwise clearly indicated in the description herein, refers not only to control performed solely by a person's hands, but also by a person's feet, fingers, voice, pupils, or any suitable combination thereof. Thus, in the context of the present invention, the term "manual control" refers to at least one of the following: buttons, levers, joysticks, toggle switches, pedals, a touchscreen, gesture sensors, pupil tracking scanners, a microphone, and / or the like.

[0038] In the context of the present invention, the term "charger", unless the description of the present document clearly indicates otherwise, refers to a device for replenishing the range of an aircraft by recharging its battery and / or by replenishing its fuel supply.

[0039] In the context of the present invention, the term "database," unless otherwise clearly indicated in the description herein, refers to any structured collection of data, regardless of the specific structure, database management software, or computer hardware on which the data is stored, used, or otherwise made available for use. A database may reside on the same hardware that runs the process that stores or uses the information stored in the database, or it may reside on separate hardware, such as a dedicated server or multiple servers.

[0040] In the context of the present invention, the term "parking station", unless the description of this document clearly indicates otherwise, means a fixed or mobile structure adapted for the placement, storage and / or replenishment of the range (e.g. recharging) of vehicles in it.

[0041] In the context of the present invention, the term "control device" refers to computing equipment executing a computer program to provide the ability to receive requests (e.g., from other computing devices) over a communications network, the ability to execute or process such requests, and / or the ability to send such requests over a communications network (e.g., to other computing devices). The computing equipment executing the computer program may be, without limitation, a single physical computer or a single physical computer system. In the context of the present invention, the use of the term "control device" does not mean that every computing task (e.g., instructions or commands received) or any other specific task will be received, executed, or will cause to be executed by the same control device (i.e.,(the same software and / or hardware), meaning that any number of software or hardware elements may be involved in receiving / sending, executing, or may cause to be executed any task or request, or the consequences of any task or request, and all of this software and hardware may be implemented as one or more control devices.

[0042] In the context of the present invention, the term "server" refers to computing equipment executing a computer program to enable the receipt of requests (e.g., from other computing devices) over a communications network, the ability to execute or process such requests, and / or the ability to send such requests over a communications network (e.g., to other computing devices). The computing equipment executing the computer program may be, without limitation, a single physical computer or a single physical computer system. In the context of the present invention, the use of the term "server" does not imply that every computing task (e.g., instructions or commands received) or any other specific task will be received, executed, or cause to be executed by the same server (i.e.,(the same software and / or hardware), meaning that any number of pieces of software or hardware may be involved in receiving / sending, executing, or may cause to be executed any task or request, or the consequences of any task or request, and all of this software and hardware may be implemented as one or more servers. Air transport system

[0043] Fig. 1 shows one of the illustrative embodiments of an air transport system 1000 according to the present invention, which includes a payload 100 according to the present invention, containing a body 110, which has the form of a cabin and which is configured to accommodate in it or on it one or more users and / or one or more units of cargo, and two unmanned aerial vehicles 200, each of which is configured to enter into a detachable interaction, the possibility of a detachable connection or the possibility of a detachable docking with the body 110 of the payload, ensuring the possibility of movement through the air of the body 110 of the payload and, consequently, the payload 100 itself to a target location.

[0044] It should be noted that the unmanned aerial vehicles 200, which must be detachably docked with the payload body 110, form a functional group of aircraft that provides the ability to move the payload body 110 through the air under the control of a control device included in the payload 100, wherein the control device of the payload 100 can be installed in the payload body 110 or on it.

[0045] In one embodiment of the present invention, one or more unmanned aerial vehicles 200 (for example, one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten or more unmanned aerial vehicles 200 depending on the target load-bearing capacity of the payload 100 and the dimensions of its body 110) that are part of the air transport system 1000 may be simultaneously or sequentially detachably docked to the payload body 110 on its outer side, wherein said docked unmanned aerial vehicles 200 may be located on the same side of the payload body 110 or on different sides of the payload body 110.In one variation of this embodiment of the present invention, in which two or more unmanned aerial vehicles 200 can be docked to the payload body 110, at least two or a portion of said unmanned aerial vehicles 200 can form a functional group of aircraft, in which the aircraft 200 included therein operate under the control of the payload control device 100, ensuring the possibility of moving the payload 100 through the air. In another variation of this embodiment of the present invention, in which two or more unmanned aerial vehicles 200 can be docked to the payload body 110, each of said docked unmanned aerial vehicles 200 can operate under the control of its own control device, which is part of said docked unmanned aerial vehicle 200.

[0046] In another embodiment of the present invention, the payload body 110 may be pre-equipped with one or more aircraft that may be rigidly or permanently connected to the payload body 110 (e.g., using welding, soldering, or any fastening or connecting means known in the art) and that may also be part of the air transport system 1000, wherein at least one or each of the said aircraft pre-connected to the payload body 110 may be generally made similar to the unmanned aerial vehicle 200 or may represent the aircraft 200.In one of the variations of this embodiment of the present invention, one or more unmanned aerial vehicles 200 may be detachably docked to the body of the aircraft, previously connected to the body 110 of the payload, wherein said aircraft, previously connected to the body 110 of the payload, and the unmanned aerial vehicles 200 docked to them may form one or more composite aircraft, each operating under the control of the control device of the payload 100 or each operating independently of one another under the control of the control device of at least one of the unmanned aerial vehicles 200 included in said composite aircraft.In another variation of this embodiment of the present invention, one or more unmanned aerial vehicles 200 may be docked to the payload body 110 in addition to the aircraft previously connected to the payload body 110, to form one or more functional groups of aircraft, each operating under the control of the control device of the payload 100 or under the control of the control device of at least one of the said aircraft included in the said functional group of aircraft.In yet another variation of this embodiment of the present invention, one or more unmanned aerial vehicles 200 may be pre-detachably attached to the payload body 110, and at least one additional unmanned aerial vehicle 200 may be additionally attached to at least one of said pre-detached unmanned aerial vehicles 200 to form a composite aerial vehicle operating under the control of the payload control device 100.

[0047] In another embodiment of the present invention, at least one or each of the unmanned aerial vehicles 200 that can be docked to the payload body 110 and that are part of the air transportation system 1000 may be a composite unmanned aerial vehicle formed or composed of two or more aircraft that are docked or connected to each other, wherein each such composite aircraft may include aircraft of the same type or different types.In one variation of this embodiment of the present invention, at least one or each of the unmanned aerial vehicles 200 that can be docked to the payload body 110 may be made in the form of two or more docked or interconnected composite aircraft, wherein each such composite aircraft may be formed from two or more docked or interconnected aircraft of the same type or different types, wherein the types of aircraft included in the different composite aircraft may (completely or at least partially) coincide with each other or may (completely or at least partially) differ from each other.

[0048] It should be noted that in the embodiments of the present invention described in this document, the type, shape, geometric dimensions, and materials of manufacture of any of the unmanned aerial vehicles 200 that are part of the air transport system 1000 and that must be docked to the payload body 110 are not particularly limited.

[0049] Each of the unmanned aerial vehicles 200, which are part of the air transport system 1000 and which must be docked to the payload body 110, can be implemented in the form of any suitable unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), known in the prior art and designed with the ability to take off into the air, move through the air (flight) and land in automatic mode (i.e. in the autopilot mode, which does not provide for any human participation in the process of controlling the operation of the aircraft and / or which does not provide for the aircraft to receive any control or navigation commands from one or more external control sources) or in a semi-automatic mode (i.e.in a mode that provides for the possibility of using an autopilot, as well as the possibility of human participation in the process of controlling the operation of the aircraft and / or the possibility of the aircraft receiving any control or navigation commands from one or more external control sources). It should be noted that in the case of operation in a semi-automatic mode, any of the unmanned aerial vehicles 200, which are to be docked to the payload body 110, can receive at least some of the control commands from a person, for example, from a pilot, operator, etc., or from an external control source, for example, a control panel, a control server, an external control device, etc.) via specified communication channels.In particular, non-limiting examples of such UAVs, in the form of one of which any of the unmanned aerial vehicles 200 can be implemented, are various multi-rotor UAVs (for example, multi-copter drones), single-rotor UAVs (for example, unmanned helicopters), hybrid UAVs (for example, drones with rotors and wings), or the like.

[0050] As shown in Fig. 1, both unmanned aerial vehicles 200, which are part of the air transport system 1000 and which are to be docked with the payload body 110, have flown up to the payload body 110 with placement in the region of space corresponding to the payload 100, and are in a state of readiness to perform docking with the payload body 110, wherein the bodies 210 of the unmanned aerial vehicles as a whole are oriented in the airspace with respect to the payload body 110 with the provision of the possibility of simultaneous or sequential docking with the payload body 110 from different sides thereof, in particular from adjacent sides of the payload body 110.

[0051] According to one embodiment of the present invention, at least one or each of the unmanned aerial vehicles 200, located in the air in a region of space corresponding to the payload 100, and ready to perform docking with the payload body 110, can be additionally detachably or permanently docked with one or more other aircraft 200, previously or preliminarily docked with the payload body 110, in the process of docking to the payload body 110 to form a composite unmanned aerial vehicle docked to the payload body 110, wherein the unmanned aerial vehicles 200, forming the specified composite unmanned aerial vehicle, provide the ability to move the payload 100 through the air under the control of the control device of the payload 100,a control device of at least one of said previously docked unmanned aerial vehicles 200, a control device of at least one of said additionally docked unmanned aerial vehicles 200, or an external control device.

[0052] As shown in Fig. 1, each of the unmanned aerial vehicles 200, which are part of the air transport system 1000 and which are to be docked with the payload body 110, comprises a fuselage or body 210, provided with two air movers 220, each of which is detachably or permanently mounted on one of the two opposite sides of the body 210 and each of which includes one or more propellers (for example, one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten or more propellers, which or at least some of which are mounted in the same plane, in different planes or in parallel planes). Figs. 1-3 show an embodiment according to which each of the air movers 220 comprises two propellers to form an unmanned aerial vehicle 200 in the form of a quadcopter.In other embodiments, the propellers 220 may comprise a different number of propellers, such as one, three, four, five, six, seven, or more, to form an unmanned aerial vehicle 200 in the form of a multicopter. In certain embodiments, the unmanned aerial vehicle 200 may also include more than two propellers 220, each of which may comprise one or more propellers. For example, the unmanned aerial vehicle 200 may comprise four propellers 220, each of which comprises one propeller, to form a system similar to the illustrative example shown in Figs. 1-3.The number of air movers 220 in certain embodiments may be two or more (e.g., two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten or more air movers 220), each of which comprises one or more propellers (e.g., one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten or more propellers, which or at least some of which are installed in the same plane, in different planes or in parallel planes).It should be noted that the housing 210 in each of the unmanned aerial vehicles 200 included in the air transport system 1000 has the form of a U-shaped frame or a U-shaped framework, the structural elements of which are interconnected to form a cavity or a hollow space between the said structural elements of the housing 210, wherein the air propulsion units 220 are provided with parallel-arranged structural elements of the housing 210, interconnected by a transversely-arranged structural element of the housing 210 in the form of a crossbar. In addition, each of the unmanned aerial vehicles 200, which must be detachably connected to the housing 110 of the payload, contains a control device configured to control the operation of such an unmanned aerial vehicle 200.In particular, the control device in each of the unmanned aerial vehicles 200, which are part of the air transport system 1000, is connected with the possibility of exchanging data with the air movers 220, ensuring the possibility of controlling their operation, in particular the possibility of controlling the operation of the propellers (in particular the possibility of turning on, turning off or changing the operating characteristics of the propellers, such as, for example, the speed of rotation or the direction of rotation), which are part of each of the said air movers 220, which ensures the possibility of flight or movement through the air of the said unmanned aerial vehicle 200.It should be noted that the control device in each of the unmanned aerial vehicles 200, which must be detachably connected to the payload body 110, can control the operation of the said unmanned aerial vehicle 200, including the operation of its air movers 220, in response to control instructions of the control device of the payload 100 or an external control device (for example, a control server for controlling the operation of the unmanned aerial vehicles).

[0053] In one embodiment of the present invention, the housing 210 may have any other suitable shape, for example, it may be made in the form of a C-shaped frame, an H-shaped frame, an O-shaped frame, a T-shaped frame, or the like.

[0054] It should be noted that each of the unmanned aerial vehicles 200 included in the air transport system 1000 is configured to undock or detach from the payload body 110 in response to control instructions received by the control device of the said unmanned aerial vehicle 200 from the control device of the payload 100 or an external control device.

[0055] As shown in Fig. 1, the body 210 in each of the unmanned aerial vehicles 200 included in the air transport system 1000 is provided with two air movers 220, each containing two propellers and installed on opposite sides of the body 210 to ensure the possibility of movement of the said unmanned aerial vehicle 200 through the air along a given trajectory of movement or in a given direction, including the possibility of landing and takeoff of this unmanned aerial vehicle 200.

[0056] In one embodiment of the present invention, the housing 210 in each of the unmanned aerial vehicles 200 included in the air transport system 1000 may be provided with one or more air movers 220 (for example, one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten or more air movers 220), detachably connected to the housing 210 (i.e. with the possibility of detachment from the housing 210) or rigidly connected to the housing 210 (i.e. without the possibility of detachment from the housing 210) to ensure the possibility, when they are activated, of flight or movement through the air of the said unmanned aerial vehicle 200, wherein each of the said air movers 220 may be installed on one of the sides of the housing 210 (for example, on the side of one of the interconnected structural elements of the housing 210).It should be noted that in this embodiment of the present invention, at least one or each of the air movers 220 may include one or more propellers, which or at least a part of which can be driven to enable them to rotate in the same direction of rotation or different directions of rotation and / or to enable them to rotate at the same speed of rotation or different speeds of rotation.In one of the variations of this embodiment of the present invention, in at least one or each of the unmanned aerial vehicles 200, all of the air movers 220 or at least some of them may be mounted on the same side of the body 210 or on different sides of the body 210 to ensure, when all of such air movers 220 or at least some of them are activated, the ability to fly or move through the air of said unmanned aerial vehicle 200 along a given trajectory of movement or in a given direction.

[0057] In another embodiment of the present invention, the body 210 of at least one or each of the unmanned aerial vehicles 200 included in the air transport system 1000 may be provided with two or more air movers 220, which may be removable or rigidly mounted on one of the sides of the body 210 close to each other or at a given distance from each other and each of which may include one or more propellers (for example, one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten or more propellers), which ensures, when all propellers or only at least some of them in at least one or each of said air movers 220 are activated, the ability to fly or move through the air of said unmanned aerial vehicle 200.

[0058] In some embodiments of the present invention, the body 210 in at least one or each of the unmanned aerial vehicles 200 included in the air transport system 1000 may be provided with one or more air movers 220, at least one or each of which may be fully or at least partially installed in the body 210 with the ability to extend, unfold or deploy from it under the control of the control device of the said unmanned aerial vehicle 200, including in response to control commands of the control device of the payload 100 or an external control device.

[0059] The control device included in each of the unmanned aerial vehicles 200 included in the air transport system 1000 can be installed inside or outside the housing 210 with the ability to control the operation of the said unmanned aerial vehicle 200, including the operation of the propellers in the air movers 220 with which the housing 210 is equipped. Thus, the control device of the aircraft 200 is configured to issue control commands to at least one or each of the air movers 220 with the ability to activate it, which ensures the ability to fly or move through the air of the said unmanned aerial vehicle 200.It should be noted that the simultaneous operation of all of the air movers 220 or at least a majority of them in at least one or each of the air movers 220 with which the body 210 is provided in at least one or each of the unmanned aerial vehicles 200 included in the air transport system 1000 increases the load-bearing capacity of the said unmanned aerial vehicle 200 and, consequently, the payload 100 with the said unmanned aerial vehicle 200 docked thereto. In one embodiment of the present invention, all of the air movers 220 or at least a portion of them in at least one or each of the unmanned aerial vehicles 200 included in the air transport system 1000 can be activated sequentially or substantially simultaneously using the control device of the said unmanned aerial vehicle 200.In another embodiment of the present invention, all of the propellers or at least a portion of them in at least one or each of the air movers 220 with which the body 210 is provided in at least one or each of the unmanned aerial vehicles 200 included in the air transport system 1000 may be driven by a control device of said unmanned aerial vehicle 200 to enable them to rotate in the same direction or in different directions.In yet another embodiment of the present invention, at least one or each of the air movers 220 with which the body 210 is provided in at least one or each of the unmanned aerial vehicles 200 included in the air transport system 1000 may be configured to rotate around its axis at a given angle under the control of the control device of said unmanned aerial vehicle 200 or to be offset relative to the body 210 of said unmanned aerial vehicle 200.

[0060] According to another embodiment of the present invention, the control device of at least one of the unmanned aerial vehicles 200 included in the air transport system 1000 can perform the functions of the control device of the payload 100, that is, the said control device of the aircraft 200 can be a control module of the payload 100 that issues control commands to the functional components of the payload 100. In one of the variations of this embodiment of the present invention, the control functions of the control device of the payload 100 can be distributed between the control devices of the aircraft 200 included in the air transport system 1000, so that the said control devices of the aircraft 200, used in combination or in conjunction with each other, can form the control device of the payload 100.

[0061] In addition, each of the unmanned aerial vehicles 200 included in the air transport system 1000 shown in Fig. 1 includes at least one of the following wireless communication means: a HF radio antenna, a VHF radio antenna, a microwave radio antenna, an optical communication module, a half-duplex / simplex satellite communication module, a 2G / 3G / 4G / LTE / 5G cellular communication module, a wireless communication module, a wired communication module, etc., which allows each of the unmanned aerial vehicles 200 to receive navigation commands and / or control commands from the payload control device 100 and, therefore, allows the payload control device 100 to control the operation of the said unmanned aerial vehicle 200.It should be noted that navigation commands and / or control commands received by any of the unmanned aerial vehicles 200 from the control device of the payload 100 using the wireless communication means of the said unmanned aerial vehicle 200 are transmitted from the said wireless communication means of the aircraft 200 to the control device of the aircraft 200 for their processing by this control device of the aircraft 200.

[0062] In some embodiments of the present invention, at least one or each of the unmanned aerial vehicles 200 included in the air transportation system 1000 may be operatively connected to the payload control device 100 in a wired manner with the ability to exchange data with each other.

[0063] In turn, the control device of the payload 100 as part of the air transport system 1000 shown in Fig. 1 is configured to receive and process data (including system requests) from each of the unmanned aerial vehicles 200 that must be docked to the body 110 of the payload, and is also configured to generate control instructions / commands and / or to generate navigation instructions / commands based on said received data and the results of their processing, ensuring the possibility of issuing or sending such generated control commands and / or navigation commands to at least one or each of said aircraft 200, including in response to a request from said unmanned aerial vehicle 200.In order to issue navigation commands and / or control commands to at least one or each of the unmanned aerial vehicles 200 that are part of the air transport system 1000 and that must be docked to the payload body 110, the payload control device 100 is connected, via a wireless communication network (not shown), to said aircraft 200 with the ability to exchange data with it.

[0064] A control device in at least one or each of the unmanned aerial vehicles 200 included in the air transport system 1000 shown in Fig. 1 is connected with the ability to exchange data with the above-described wireless communication means of said unmanned aerial vehicle 200, which allows said control device of the aircraft 200 to process navigation commands and / or control commands received by the wireless communication means of the aircraft 200 from the control device of the payload 100 when a wireless communication channel is established between them, and allows the operation of the aircraft 200 to be controlled depending on said navigation commands and / or control commands. In particular, in response to navigation commands and / or control commands from the control device of the payload 100, the control device of the aircraft 200 can provide, for example,the ability to perform at least one of the following operations: (i) changing the flight speed of the aircraft 200, (ii) changing the flight direction of the aircraft 200, (iii) directing the aircraft 200 from a parking station (not shown) or a current airspace region to a target airspace region,in which it is intended to releasably dock or attach the unmanned aerial vehicle 200 to the payload body 110; (iv) releasably docking or connecting the unmanned aerial vehicle 200 to the payload body 110; (v) detaching or disconnecting the unmanned aerial vehicle 200 from the payload body 110; (vi) moving or shifting the unmanned aerial vehicle 200 relative to the payload body 110 and (vii) directing the undocked or disconnected unmanned aerial vehicle 200 to one of the parking stations (not shown) for placement in it or on it, ensuring the possibility of storing said unmanned aerial vehicle 200 in said parking station and / or ensuring the possibility of replenishing the power reserve (charging) of said unmanned aerial vehicle 200.

[0065] In various embodiments of the present invention, the control device (not shown) may not be part of the payload 100. In such embodiments of the present invention, the control device of the payload 100, which issues control commands and / or navigation commands to the control device of at least one or each of the unmanned aerial vehicles 200, may be a single server, which may be implemented in the form of, for example, a Dell™ PowerEdge™ server with the Ubuntu Server or Windows Server operating system installed thereon. In various other embodiments of the present invention, the functions of the control device of the payload 100 may be divided between several remote computer or computing devices, for example, they may be implemented using several servers interconnected via a communication network with the ability to exchange data.

[0066] In some embodiments of the present invention, the data transmission protocols and / or technical means used to transmit data or exchange data between the payload controller 100 and the aircraft 200 may at least partially differ from each other and / or may at least partially coincide with each other. Furthermore, one or more standard communication protocols and corresponding standard communication technical means may be used simultaneously to transmit data or exchange data between the payload controller 100 and each aircraft 200 that is to be docked to the payload body 110.

[0067] In certain embodiments of the present invention, the payload control device 100 may be configured to ensure safety during the flight or movement through the air of at least one or each of the unmanned aerial vehicles 200 that are to be docked or attached to the payload body 110 or that are to be undocked or detached from the payload body 110. In one of the variations of such embodiments of the present invention, the payload control device 100 may be further configured to ensure safety during the flight or movement through the air of the payload 100 using the unmanned aerial vehicles 200 docked or attached to the payload body 110.

[0068] In addition, the payload control device 100 may have or may access at least one remote or external database (not shown) via a communication network or other (wired or wireless) method, or may have or may access at least one local database stored on a storage device (not shown), which may be installed in the payload housing 110, or in a memory (not shown), which may be part of such a payload control device 100 or may be installed in the payload housing 110.

[0069] In some embodiments of the present invention, the payload control device 100 may be any other suitable hardware, application software, system software, or any combination thereof.

[0070] The communication network, to which the control devices of the unmanned aerial vehicles 200 and the control device of the payload 100 can be connected with the ability to exchange data and which can be part of the air transport system 1000, also allows the control device of the payload 100 and the control devices of the aircraft 200 to exchange system data and / or operational data with each other, which they use to implement their functions or functionalities described in this document. It should be noted that the communication network also allows the control devices of the unmanned aerial vehicles 200 to exchange system data and / or operational data with each other, which they can also use to implement their functions or functionalities described in this document.For example, any suitable wireless communication line known in the art can be used as a communication network, for example, a communication line based on the wireless communication technology "Wi-Fi", a communication line based on the wireless communication technology "2G", "3G", "4G" or "5G", a communication network based on the technology "LTE" and / or the like.

[0071] In one embodiment of the present invention, the air transport system 1000 may include two or more wireless communication networks, each designed similarly to the above-described communication network and used to implement mutual data exchange between the control devices of the unmanned aerial vehicles 200, the control device of the payload 100, any other functional devices that may be part of the air transport system 1000, and / or any functional components that may be part of the payload 100 or part of any of the said unmanned aerial vehicles 200, in real time or in real time.

[0072] Each of the unmanned aerial vehicles 200 included in the air transport system 1000 contains (its own) built-in power source (not shown), made in the form of a battery, one or more storage batteries, a generator based on an internal combustion engine, a generator based on a hydrogen engine, a generator based on one or more solar batteries or a generator based on any other suitable energy source known in the art, wherein such a built-in power source can also be made with the possibility of recharging it from an external power source (not shown) using a charger (not shown) of a suitable type, connected to said external power source and made with the possibility of connecting said built-in power source to it.In particular, the built-in power source in each of the unmanned aerial vehicles 200 included in the air transport system 1000 is connected, via the power supply circuit of the unmanned aerial vehicle 200, to the control device of the unmanned aerial vehicle 200 and any other functional components of the unmanned aerial vehicle 200 described in this document, with the provision of the possibility of supplying power to them or the possibility of powering them.

[0073] In another embodiment of the present invention, the built-in power source in at least one or each of the unmanned aerial vehicles 200 included in the air transport system 1000 can be charged wirelessly using an external charger (not shown) that operates on the principle of electromagnetic induction known to those skilled in the art.

[0074] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the control device of at least one or each of the unmanned aerial vehicles 200 included in the air transport system 1000 may further provide the ability to direct said unmanned aerial vehicle 200 to a parking station (not shown).Such a parking station may be provided with one or more charging devices (not shown), each electrically connected to at least one of the power sources of the parking station and each providing the possibility of connecting an unmanned aerial vehicle 200 to it for at least partial charging or at least partial replenishment of the power reserve of said connected aerial vehicle 200, so that this unmanned aerial vehicle 200 can go into a state with at least a partially replenished power reserve or a completely replenished power reserve, which allows it to be releasably docked or attached to the payload body 110 again for moving the payload 100 through the air.

[0075] It should be noted that in embodiments of the present invention, in which the unmanned aerial vehicle 200 can be connected to one or more charging devices of the parking station for charging it or replenishing its power reserve, each of the power sources of the parking station in this embodiment of the present invention may be one or more batteries, a generator based on an internal combustion engine, a generator based on a hydrogen engine, a solar battery, and any other suitable energy source known in the art. It should also be noted that at least one or each of the charging devices (not shown) of the parking station in such embodiments of the present invention may be a wireless charger, a wired charger, or a charging dock.As an alternative, at least one or each of the charging devices of the parking station may be made, for example, in the form of a device for supplying electrical energy, a device for supplying liquid or gaseous fuel and / or the like. As a further alternative, at least one or each of the charging devices of the parking station may be hydraulically connected to a pump (not shown) connected by a hydraulic line to a reservoir or tank (not shown) with fuel with the ability to draw this fuel from said tank, with the ability to supply said drawn volume of fuel to the fuel tank of the unmanned aerial vehicle 200, hydraulically connected to the fuel-powered engine of the unmanned aerial vehicle 200, which makes it possible to replenish the cruising range of the unmanned aerial vehicle 200 (in particular, due to at least partial replenishment of the volume of fuel in the fuel tank of the unmanned aerial vehicle 200).

[0076] In one embodiment of the present invention, the control device of at least one or each of the unmanned aerial vehicles 200 included in the air transportation system 1000 may further provide the ability to releasably dock or releasably connect said unmanned aerial vehicle 200 with a replenished cruising range to the payload body 110 instead of at least one of the unmanned aerial vehicles 200 with an insufficient cruising range or with a cruising range below a predetermined threshold value, releasably connected to the payload body 110, or in addition to said unmanned aerial vehicles 200 with an insufficient cruising range or with a cruising range below a predetermined threshold value, wherein the payload 100 during said docking process may be in the air or on the surface of the earth (or the surface of another object, which in turn may be on the ground,on the surface of the water and / or in the air). In one of the variations of this embodiment of the present invention, the process of docking or detachable connection of the unmanned aerial vehicle 200 with a replenished cruising range with the payload body 110 can be directly controlled by the control device of the payload 100, which issues control commands and / or navigation commands to the control device of the said unmanned aerial vehicle 200.

[0077] In another embodiment of the present invention, when docking or connecting the unmanned aerial vehicle 200 to the payload housing 110, the power supply circuit of the connected unmanned aerial vehicle 200 may be further electrically connected to the power supply circuit of the payload 100 to form a single power supply circuit (for example, using a connecting power cable that can be passed inside the payload housing 110 or outside the payload housing 110 and which can be connected to the power supply circuit of the unmanned aerial vehicle 200 formed in the housing 210) and a composite power source (for example, such a composite power source may be formed from the batteries of the aircraft 200 and the batteries of the payload 100 located in the payload housing 110),supplying power or powering all the functional components of the aircraft 200 and the payload 100 substantially simultaneously, so that recharging one of the individual power sources in such a composite power source from an external power source (not shown) using a charger (not shown) of a suitable type makes it possible to speak of charging the entire composite power source. It should be noted that in such an embodiment of the present invention, the cruising range of one or more unmanned aerial vehicles 200 connected to the payload body 110 can be generally controlled by the control device of at least one of said unmanned aerial vehicles 200 or the control device of the payload 100 by monitoring the state of the composite power source (for example,by monitoring the residual charge of the composite battery). In one variation of such an embodiment of the present invention, the composite power source may be recharged from two or more external power sources (not shown) using two or more charging devices (not shown) of a suitable type, which may each be electrically connected to a corresponding one of said external power sources and each of which may be designed to allow connection to it of one or more of the power sources included in said composite power source, so that such a composite power source may essentially be recharged by parallel recharging of its individual power sources.

[0078] As shown in Fig. 1, in order to ensure the possibility of creating a detachable connection between the payload body 110 and the unmanned aerial vehicle 200 included in the air transport system 1000, the payload body 110 is provided with a docking module 300 or a docking module 300, containing two docking mechanisms or means, each of which is mounted on the upper part or roof of the payload body 110, opposite the lower part or bottom of the payload body 110, placed on the support surface during landing of the payload 100, with the possibility of entering into detachable interaction with the body 210 related to one of the unmanned aerial vehicles 200, which are included in the air transport system 1000, during docking of the said unmanned aerial vehicle 200 with the payload body 110.In other words, the docking means that may be part of the docking module 300, may form the docking module 300 or with which the docking module 300 may be equipped, are essentially installed on the same side of the payload body 110 in such a way that each of the unmanned aerial vehicles 200 that must be docked with the payload body 110 may enter into a releasable interaction with any one of the said docking means of the docking module 300 during the process of docking the said unmanned aerial vehicle 200 with the payload body 110 under the control of the payload control device 100.

[0079] According to certain non-limiting embodiments, the payload body 110 may be provided with a docking module 300 or a docking module 300 comprising at least two docking mechanisms or means, each of which is mounted in the lower part or on the bottom of the payload body 110 (not shown)

[0080] According to certain non-limiting embodiments, the payload body 110 may be provided with a docking module 300 or a docking module 300 comprising at least two docking mechanisms or means, each of which is mounted in a front or rear portion of the payload body 110 (not shown)

[0081] According to certain non-limiting embodiments, the payload body 110 may be provided with a docking module 300 or a docking module 300 comprising at least two docking mechanisms or means, each of which is mounted on one side portion of the payload body 110 (not shown)

[0082] The embodiment shown in Fig. 1, in which the docking module 300 comprises two docking mechanisms or means, each of which is mounted on the top or roof of the payload body 110, is not limiting.

[0083] In one embodiment of the present invention, the docking module 300 may be formed integrally with the payload body 110. In another embodiment of the present invention, the docking module 300 may be secured to the payload body 110 using one or more fastening means known in the art. In yet another embodiment of the present invention, the docking module 300 may be connected to the payload body 110 using one or more connecting means known in the art.

[0084] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the docking module 300 may include or the docking module 300 may contain two or more docking means (for example, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten or more docking means), each of which is configured to enter into releasable interaction with one or more unmanned aerial vehicles 200 included in the air transport system 1000.According to another embodiment of the present invention, the docking module 300 may be provided with two or more docking means (for example, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten or more docking means), each of which may be configured to enter into releasable interaction with one or more unmanned aerial vehicles 200 included in the air transport system 1000, and may be secured to the docking module 300 using one or more fastening means known in the art or connected to the docking module 300 using one or more connecting means known in the art.

[0085] As shown in Fig. 1, the docking means of the payload 100 are each mounted at a predetermined distance from the roof surface of the payload body 110 in such a way that they are vertically spaced apart. In other words, the docking means of the payload 100 are positioned at different distances from the roof surface of the payload body 110, i.e., at different distances from the surface of the same side of the payload body 110.

[0086] In one embodiment of the present invention, the docking means of the payload 100 can each be installed at a predetermined distance from the surface of any one of the sides of the payload body 110 with the possibility of changing the distance between them vertically.

[0087] In another embodiment of the present invention, the docking means of the payload 100 may be mounted on a vertical stand (not shown) extending from the payload body 110 on one of its sides, such that they are located at a distance from each other along the length of said vertical stand.

[0088] In particular, as shown in Fig. 1, each of the two docking means of the payload 100 is formed by two adjacent docking plates, fastened to each other in such a way that they are located generally parallel to each other and are at a predetermined distance from each other, suitable for the passage between them of the body 210 of one of the unmanned aerial vehicles 200, which are part of the air transport system 1000, when the said body 210 of the unmanned aerial vehicle enters into detachable interaction with the said docking means of the payload 100.Thus, the target position in relation to the payload body 110, which the body 210 of the unmanned aerial vehicle occupies as a result of entering into a releasable interaction with the corresponding docking means of the payload 100, followed by movement between the corresponding two adjacent docking plates that form the said docking means of the payload 100, essentially corresponds to the specified location of the said body 210 of the unmanned aerial vehicle in relation to the said adjacent docking plates.

[0089] Fig. 2 shows an air transport system 1000 in which one of the unmanned aerial vehicles 200, which had previously flown up to the payload body 110 to perform docking with the payload body 110, has entered into a releasable interaction with one of the docking means of the payload 100 to ensure that it occupies its target position relative to the payload body 110, and the other of the said unmanned aerial vehicles 200 is still in the region of space corresponding to the payload 100, in a state of readiness to perform docking with the payload body 110.

[0090] It should be noted that each of the docking means of the payload 100 is designed to provide the possibility of moving the body 210 of the unmanned aerial vehicle in relation to the body 110 of the payload when the body 210 of the unmanned aerial vehicle enters into a detachable interaction with the said docking means of the payload 100, wherein the body 210 of the unmanned aerial vehicle essentially moves between two adjacent docking plates that form the said docking means of the payload 100, ensuring a change in its location in relation to the body 110 of the payload until it reaches its target location in relation to the body 110 of the payload, controlled by the control device of the payload 100.It should also be noted that when the body 210 of the unmanned aerial vehicle moves between adjacent docking plates that form the docking means of the payload 100, with which the said body 210 of the unmanned aerial vehicle has entered into detachable interaction, with a change in its location relative to the body 110 of the payload, the said body 210 of the unmanned aerial vehicle enters into contact interaction with at least one or each of the said adjacent docking plates.

[0091] In one embodiment of the present invention, at least one or each of the docking means of the payload 100 may be configured to allow movement of the body 210 of the unmanned aerial vehicle relative to the body 110 of the payload when said body 210 of the unmanned aerial vehicle enters into releasable interaction with said docking means of the payload 100, so that the body 210 of the unmanned aerial vehicle as a result of said movement can occupy its target location relative to the body 110 of the payload.

[0092] Fig. 3 shows an aerial transport system 1000 in which both unmanned aerial vehicles 200, which had previously flown to the payload body 110 to perform docking with the payload body 110, entered into releasable interaction with the corresponding docking means of the payload 100, ensuring that they occupy their target locations relative to the payload body 110.

[0093] As shown in Fig. 3, as a result of the entry of the bodies 210 of the unmanned aerial vehicles into detachable interaction with the corresponding docking means of the payload 100, the said bodies 210 of the unmanned aerial vehicles are located one above the other or on top of one another (i.e., are located in parallel planes) on the same side of the body 110 of the payload, while the adjacent bodies 210 of the unmanned aerial vehicles are essentially separated from one another by a docking plate, which is common to the adjacent docking means of the payload 100, into interaction with which the said bodies 210 of the unmanned aerial vehicles have entered.

[0094] As shown in Fig. 1, the unmanned aerial vehicles 200, which are to be docked with the payload 100, must fly into the region of space corresponding to the payload 100, from different sides of the payload body 110, in particular from adjacent sides of the payload body 110, and must simultaneously or sequentially orient their bodies 210 in the airspace with respect to the said sides of the payload body 110 in such a way that when the said unmanned aerial vehicles 200 are docked with the payload body 110, each of the air movers 220 is located with the corresponding one of the sides of the payload body 110.

[0095] As shown in Fig. 3, as a result of the entry of the bodies 210 of the unmanned aerial vehicles into detachable interaction with the corresponding docking means of the payload, the air movers 220, with which the said docked unmanned aerial vehicles 200 are equipped, are located in parallel planes on different sides of the body 110 of the payload or with a given angular displacement along the perimeter of the body 110 of the payload (in particular, crosswise), so that the air flows created by the said air movers 220, for the most part, do not intersect and, therefore, do not lead to swinging or destabilization of the body 110 of the payload in the airspace.

[0096] Thus, the control device of the payload 100, as a result of processing the data on the state of the docking means of the payload 100 received from the docking module 300 connected with the possibility of exchanging data with the control device of the payload 100, issues control commands to one or more unmanned aerial vehicles 200 that have flown up to the body 110 of the payload, with the provision of the possibility of entry of the bodies 210 related to the said unmanned aerial vehicles 200 that have received the said issued control commands, into releasable interaction with the corresponding free docking means of the payload 100. It should be noted that the data on the state of the docking means of the payload 100, received by the control device of the payload 100 from the docking module 300 in response to a system request of the control device of the payload 100 or in real time,essentially contain information about the occupied (engaged) docking means of the payload 100, as well as information about each side of the body 110 of the payload, from which the aerial vehicle 200 was docked to the corresponding one of the said occupied docking means of the payload 100, which allows the control device of the payload 100 to know not only the unoccupied (not engaged) docking means of the payload 100, but also to know on which specific sides of the body 110 of the payload the air thrusters 220 are located, related to the bodies 210 of the unmanned aerial vehicles docked to the said occupied docking means of the payload 100. It should also be noted that the control commands issued by the control device of the payload 100 to a specific unmanned aerial vehicle 200 located in the airspace region corresponding to the payload 100,in a state of readiness to perform docking with the body 110 of the payload, in essence, not only indicate to the control device of the unmanned aerial vehicle 200 a specific docking means of the payload 100, with which the body 210 of the unmanned aerial vehicle must enter into detachable interaction in order to perform docking with the payload 100, but also (if necessary) instructs the control device of the unmanned aerial vehicle 200 to change the orientation of the body 210 of the unmanned aerial vehicle in the airspace in relation to the body 110 of the payload, ensuring the possibility of placing the air propulsors 220, related to all unmanned aerial vehicles 200, docked (previously and again) to the payload 100, in parallel planes on different sides of the body 110 of the payload or with a given angular offset along the perimeter of the body 110 payload,

[0097] In one embodiment of the present invention, the payload body 110 may be provided with two or more air movers (not shown) forming at least one functional pair of air movers operating under the control of the payload control device 100, wherein each of said air movers may be secured to one of two opposite sides of the payload body 110 or said air movers may be secured to opposite sides of the payload body 110. In this embodiment of the present invention, the air movers of the payload 100 are mounted on the payload body 110 to allow the body 210 of the unmanned aerial vehicle to pass between them when this body 210 of the unmanned aerial vehicle enters into detachable interaction with the corresponding one of the docking means of the payload 100.In addition, in this embodiment of the present invention, the payload control device 100 may be configured to issue control commands to the propellers that form the above-described functional pair of propellers to activate (switch on) or switch off at least one or each of the said propellers.It should be noted that in this embodiment of the present invention, at least one or each of the air movers with which the payload body 110 may be additionally provided may be activated under the control of the payload control device 100 before the unmanned aerial vehicle 200 is docked with the payload body 110 or after the unmanned aerial vehicle 200 is undocked from the payload body 110, which makes it possible to ensure the flight of the payload 100 for a given period of time either without using the unmanned aerial vehicles 200 at all, which are part of the air transport system 1000 and which must be docked to the payload body 110 to ensure the possibility of its movement through the air, or using the minimum required number of unmanned aerial vehicles 200 docked to the payload body 110.It should also be noted that in this embodiment of the present invention, at least one or each of the air movers with which the payload body 110 may be provided may be activated under the control of the payload control device 100 upon docking of one or more unmanned aerial vehicles 200 with the payload body 110 and, therefore, may operate in addition to at least one of the air movers 220 of at least one or each of said docked unmanned aerial vehicles 200 or may operate instead of at least one of the air movers 220 of at least one or each of said docked unmanned aerial vehicles 200.

[0098] In yet another embodiment of the present invention, the payload body 110 may be provided with two air movers formed on opposite sides of the payload body 110, wherein the docking means of the payload 100 may be mounted on the payload body 110 to provide the possibility of arranging the air movers of the payload body 110 and the air movers of the body 210 of the unmanned aerial vehicle docked to the payload body 110 in the same plane on different sides of the payload body 110 or with a given angular offset along the perimeter of the payload body 110 when the said body 210 of the unmanned aerial vehicle is brought into detachable engagement with one of the said docking means.In one variation of this embodiment of the present invention, the payload docking means 100 may be mounted on the side of the payload body 110 that is adjacent to the opposite sides of the payload body 110 that are equipped with air thrusters.

[0099] In another embodiment of the present invention, the payload body 110 may be provided with two air thrusters formed on opposite sides of the payload body 110, and the payload docking means 100 may be mounted on the payload body 110 to provide the possibility of introducing the body 210 of the unmanned aerial vehicle into detachable interaction with the said docking means of the payload 100 from one of the said opposite sides of the payload body 110 or from the side of the payload body 110 that is adjacent to the said opposite sides of the payload body 110.

[0100] In another embodiment, the docking module 300 may be provided with two or more air movers (not shown) forming at least one functional pair of air movers operating under the control of the payload control device 100, wherein each of said air movers may be secured to one of two opposite sides of the docking module 300 or said air movers may be secured to opposite sides of the docking module 300. In this embodiment of the present invention, the payload control device 100 may be configured to issue control commands to the propellers forming the above-described functional pair of air movers for activating (switching on) or switching off at least one or each of said air movers.It should be noted that in this embodiment of the present invention, at least one or each of the air movers with which the docking module 300 is equipped can be activated under the control of the payload control device 100 before the docking of the unmanned aerial vehicle 200 with the docking module 300 or after the unmanned aerial vehicle 200 has been undocked from the docking module 300, which makes it possible to ensure the flight of the payload 100 for a given period of time either without using the unmanned aerial vehicles 200 at all, which are part of the air transport system 1000 and which must be docked to the docking module 300 to ensure the possibility of moving the payload body 110 through the air, or using the minimum required number of unmanned aerial vehicles 200 docked to the docking module 300.It should also be noted that in this embodiment of the present invention, at least one or each of the air movers with which the docking module 300 may be provided may be activated under the control of the payload control device 100 upon docking of one or more unmanned aerial vehicles 200 with the docking module 300 and, therefore, may operate in addition to at least one of the air movers 220 of at least one or each of said docked unmanned aerial vehicles 200 or may operate instead of at least one of the air movers 220 of at least one or each of said docked unmanned aerial vehicles 200.

[0101] In another embodiment of the present invention, one or more air movers (e.g., one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten or more air movers) may be installed on at least one or at least each of two opposite sides of the payload body 110 or the docking module 300, wherein said air movers located on said opposite sides of the body may form at least one functional pair of air movers operating under the control of the payload control device 100.

[0102] In another embodiment of the present invention, the payload body 110 may not be equipped with the docking module 300, and one or more air thrusters, with which the payload body 110 may be additionally equipped, may be mounted directly on the payload body 110 itself or may be made integral with the payload body 110.

[0103] In some embodiment of the present invention, at least one or each of the air thrusters that may be additionally provided with the payload body 110 may be mounted on one of the sides of the payload body 110 with the ability to extend, unfold, or deploy from the payload body 110 under the control of the payload control device 100. Alternatively, at least one or each of the air thrusters that may be additionally provided with the docking module 300 may be mounted on one of the sides of the body of the docking module 300 with the ability to extend, unfold, or deploy from said body of the docking module 300 under the control of the payload control device 100.

[0104] In another embodiment of the present invention, at least one or each of the air thrusters with which the payload body 110 may be additionally provided may be mounted on one of the sides of the payload body 110 with the ability to change its location on said side of the payload body 110. Alternatively, at least one or each of the air thrusters with which the docking module 300 may be additionally provided may be mounted on one of the sides of the body of the docking module 300 with the ability to change its location on said side of the body of the docking module 300.

[0105] In some other embodiment of the present invention, at least one or each of the air movers with which the payload body 110 may be additionally provided may be mounted on one of the sides of the payload body 110 on a guide and may be operatively connected to a drive device or a payload drive 100 operating under the control of a payload control device 100 to ensure the possibility of shifting or moving said at least one air mover along said guide by a given distance, adjustable or controlled by the payload control device 100, in accordance with a given movement route stored in the memory device of the payload 100, to which the payload control device 100 has access or can get access.Alternatively, at least one or each of the air movers with which the docking module 300 may be additionally provided may be mounted on one of the sides of the docking module 300 on a guide and may be operatively connected to a drive device or a payload drive 100, operating under the control of a payload control device 100 with the ability to shift or move said at least one air mover along said guide by a given distance, adjustable or controlled by the payload control device 100, in accordance with a given movement route stored in the memory device of the payload 100, to which the payload control device 100 has access or can get access.

[0106] In other embodiments of the present invention, at least one or each of the air movers with which the payload body 110 may be additionally provided may be mounted or secured on one of the sides of the payload body 110 on a carriage mounted on said side of the payload body 110 and operatively connected to a drive device or a payload drive 100 operating under the control of a payload control device 100, with the ability to shift or move said carriage relative to the payload body 110 by a given distance, adjustable or controlled by the payload control device 100, in accordance with a given movement route stored in the memory device of the payload 100, to which the payload control device 100 has access or can get access.Alternatively, at least one or each of the air movers with which the docking module 300 may be additionally provided may be mounted or secured on one of the sides of the body of the docking module 300 on a carriage mounted on said side of the body of the docking module 300 and operatively connected to a drive device or a payload drive 100 operating under the control of a payload control device 100, with the possibility of shifting or moving said carriage relative to the payload body 110 by a given distance, adjustable or controlled by the payload control device 100, in accordance with a given movement route stored in the memory device of the payload 100, to which the payload control device 100 has access or can get access.

[0107] In other embodiments of the present invention, at least one or each of the payload docking means may be a controlled docking mechanism (not shown), and the payload control device 100 may be operatively connected to said docking mechanisms to provide the ability to control their operation, so that for docking the unmanned aerial vehicle 200 with the payload body 110, the payload control device 100 can issue control commands to the docking mechanism that must be activated to perform said docking,and in order to occupy said docked unmanned aerial vehicle 200 in its target position on the payload body 110 (i.e. to position it in the target position with respect to the payload body 110), the payload controller 100 may issue control commands to said activated docking mechanism to enable said docked unmanned aerial vehicle 200 to move with respect to the payload body 110 to said target position. Thus, in such embodiments of the present invention, any docking mechanism activated in response to the corresponding control commands of the payload controller 100 enables the unmanned aerial vehicle 200 to dock with the payload body 110 and enables the body 210 of the unmanned aerial vehicle to advance to the target position on the payload body 110,known to the payload control device 100. In one of the variations of this embodiment of the present invention, the payload body 110 may be further provided with infrared or ultrasonic contact sensors, each corresponding to one of the docking mechanisms of the payload 100, wherein each such contact sensor may be configured to detect or identify an unmanned aerial vehicle 200 that must be docked with the payload body 110, and may be connected for data exchange with the payload control device 100, ensuring the possibility of issuing data on the detected unmanned aerial vehicle to the payload control device 100 for bringing, by means of the payload control device 100, the necessary docking mechanism,which must ensure the possibility of docking the said identified unmanned aerial vehicle 200 to the payload body 110 and the possibility of moving such docked unmanned aerial vehicle 200 in relation to the payload body 110 to occupy its target location controlled by the payload control device 100.

[0108] In one embodiment of the present invention, the unmanned aerial vehicle 200, docked to the payload body 110, can be moved relative to the payload body 110 to a target location on the payload body 110 under the action of inertial forces (i.e., by inertia) generated at the moment of docking of said unmanned aerial vehicle 200 with the payload body 110 and sufficient to ensure generally rectilinear movement of the docked unmanned aerial vehicle 200, the body 210 of which has been brought into releasable interaction with the corresponding docking means of the payload 100, relative to the payload body 110 to a target location on the payload body 110.Thus, in this embodiment of the present invention, the inertial forces possessed by the unmanned aerial vehicle 200 at the time of its docking with the payload body 110 are sufficient to move the body 210 of the unmanned aerial vehicle relative to the payload body 110 to the target location on the payload body 110.

[0109] In another embodiment of the present invention, at least one more or other (second) unmanned aerial vehicle 200, which is part of the air transport system 1000, can be additionally releasably docked to the docking module 300, which is already equipped with two or more unmanned aerial vehicles 200, which are also part of the air transport system 1000 and previously docked to the docking module 300, by introducing its body 210 into releasable interaction with the free docking means of the payload 100, so that at least one air mover 220 can be on at least one or on each side of the body 110 of the payload.In other words, at any given time in the air transport system 1000, another (second) unmanned aerial vehicle 200 may be docked to the docking module 300 in addition to the previously docked unmanned aerial vehicles 200 located on the payload body 110 in their target locations.

[0110] The unmanned aerial vehicle 200, previously docked to the payload body 110, may be disengaged from the corresponding docking means of the payload 100 under the control of the control device of the payload 100, so that as a result, the previously docked unmanned aerial vehicle 200 is undocked from the docking module 300 and, consequently, from the payload body 110. It should be noted that the control of the operation of the unmanned aerial vehicle 200, undocked from the payload 100, may be switched to the control device of this undocked unmanned aerial vehicle 200 or an external control device.It should also be noted that the above-described process of docking another (additional) unmanned aerial vehicle 200 to the payload body 110 and the above-described process of undocking the unmanned aerial vehicle 200, previously docked to the payload body 110, from said payload body 110, in particular from the docking module 300 with which the payload body 110 is equipped, can be implemented or carried out under the control of the payload control device 100 when the payload 100 is moving through the air.In some embodiments of the present invention, the above-described process of docking another (additional) unmanned aerial vehicle 200 to the payload body 110 and the above-described process of undocking the unmanned aerial vehicle 200, previously docked to the payload body 110, from said payload body 110 can be implemented or carried out under the control of the payload control device 100 when the payload body 110 is on the surface of the earth, on which the payload 100 can be placed upon completion of landing or from which the payload 100 can be lifted into the air during takeoff.

[0111] According to another embodiment of the present invention, in addition to the unmanned aerial vehicles 200 previously docked to the docking module 300 and located on the payload body 110 in their target locations, two or more additional unmanned aerial vehicles 200 may be sequentially (at specified intervals or periods of time) or simultaneously docked to the docking module 300. In one variation of this embodiment of the present invention, all of the unmanned aerial vehicles 200 (i.e., the additionally docked unmanned aerial vehicles 200 and the previously docked unmanned aerial vehicles 200) docked to the docking module 300 may occupy their target locations with respect to the payload body 100, which are controlled or monitored by the payload control device 100.In another variation of this embodiment of the present invention, each or at least one of the unmanned aerial vehicles 200, additionally docked to the docking module 300, can occupy its target location on the payload body 110, controlled or monitored by the payload control device 100, and at least one of the unmanned aerial vehicles 200, previously docked to the docking module 300, can be undocked from the payload body 110 during docking or after docking with the payload body 110 of the said additional unmanned aerial vehicle 200.In yet another variation of this embodiment of the present invention, one or more of the unmanned aerial vehicles 200, additionally docked to the docking module 300, may be sequentially undocked from the payload body 110 after the unmanned aerial vehicle 200, previously docked to the docking module 300, is undocked from the payload body 110.

[0112] In some embodiments of the present invention, the payload body 110 may be provided with one or more docking modules 300, each of which may be accessible from one of the sides of the payload body 110 and to each of which, at any given moment or period of time, two or more unmanned aerial vehicles 200 included in the air transport system 1000 may be docked.

[0113] According to another embodiment of the present invention, the docking module 300, with which the payload body 110 is provided, can be configured to be at least partially received within the payload body 110. Thus, the docking module 300 in this embodiment of the present invention can be at least partially recessed or recessed within the payload body 110.

[0114] According to another embodiment of the present invention, the docking module 300, with which the payload body 110 is provided, can be installed in the payload body 110 with the possibility of extending, unfolding or deploying from it under the control of the payload control device 100, in particular in response to control commands of the payload control device 100, control commands of the aircraft 200, which must be releasably docked with the payload body 110, or control commands of an external control device (i.e., an external control source).

[0115] As shown in Fig. 1-3, the payload body 110 is designed as a passenger or user cabin, configured to accommodate one or more people (for example, one or more passengers and / or a pilot), while in addition, various living beings and / or various cargo of any type can be placed in said cabin, while said user cabin can be additionally provided with viewing windows and an entrance in the form of an entrance door or hatch. It should be noted that the payload body 110, to which two or more unmanned aerial vehicles 200 can be docked or attached, can be used for the delivery, transportation or transport of people, various living beings and / or cargo of various types (solid, gaseous, liquid, flowing, bulk, viscous, radioactive, chemical, and / or the like).) by air to a target location, which in turn may be located on the surface of the earth (on dry land), on the surface of a moving or stationary ground object (for example, on a ground platform, bridge, TV tower, truck body, roof of a building, etc.), the surface of a stationary water object (for example, on an offshore platform, sea buoy, pontoon, etc.), the surface of a moving water object (for example, on the deck of a ship, barge, motor ship, liner, boat, etc.), the surface of a stationary or moving air object (for example, on the fuselage of an airplane, a balloon, etc.) or the surface of any other suitable objects known in the art.

[0116] In the interior space of the payload housing 110, a seat may be installed in which a driver, user, or pilot may be placed, capable of controlling the movement or displacement of the payload 100 through the air using a steering mechanism or rudder (i.e., a control element for the direction of movement or displacement), with which a control panel is provided, secured or installed in the interior space of the housing 110, wherein the function of the pilot may be performed by any of the users or passengers located in the specified interior space of the housing 110.The control panel may contain an instrument panel, control organs and controls necessary for the pilot to control the movement of the payload 100 through the air to the target area of ​​space, including for the subsequent landing of the payload 100 to place this payload 100 in a parking place, a storage place, a place for replenishing the power reserve, a repair place, a maintenance place, or the like.

[0117] In one embodiment of the present invention, in addition to the pilot, at least one passenger, at least one item of passenger baggage and / or at least one item of cargo may be additionally accommodated in the interior space of the payload housing 110, wherein said pilot, passengers, items of cargo and items of passenger baggage may be placed in corresponding places in the common interior space or may each be placed in its own separate area, at least partially limited by one or more partitions, or in a separate compartment, at least partially limited by one or more partitions. In one variation of this embodiment of the present invention, the seat may be placed in a pilot's cabin formed in the interior space of the payload housing 110 and separated by a partition from the rest of the interior space of the housing 110,which in turn can be divided by another partition into a passenger compartment in which one or more passenger seats can be installed to accommodate passengers, and a baggage or cargo compartment in which cargo (in particular, one or more items of cargo) and / or passenger baggage (in particular, one or more items of passenger baggage) can be placed, wherein said items of cargo, items of passenger baggage and / or passenger seats can be placed or secured on the bottom, floor and / or walls of the housing 110. In another variation of this embodiment of the present invention, in the passenger compartment of the payload housing 110, instead of passenger seats or in addition to them, the following may be provided: (i) handrails installed on the side walls, floor and / or ceiling of the housing 110 to accommodate passengers in any position in the payload housing 110, for example, sitting or standing on the floor of the housing 110; (ii) couches, beds or benches,fixed to the floor, walls and / or ceiling of the body 110 for accommodating passengers in a sitting, standing and / or lying position; (iii) specialized places for accommodating disabled persons in a sitting, standing and / or lying position; (iv) specialized places for accommodating wheelchairs used by disabled persons; (v) specialized places for accommodating baby strollers used by small children; (v) specialized places for accommodating baby cradles used by infants and (if necessary) specialized places for accompanying persons; (vi) specialized places for accommodating medical stretchers for transporting patients used by bedridden patients and / or (vii) specialized places for accommodating sports equipment. It should be noted that the number of passengers in the passenger compartment in the payload body 110 may range from one person to several tens or even hundreds of people without introducing any restrictions,wherein the specified number of passengers is essentially limited only by the volume or size of the passenger compartment within the interior space of the housing 110. In yet another variation of this embodiment of the present invention, in the cargo compartment of the payload housing 110, it may be possible to provide not only the possibility of placing cargo and / or passenger baggage on the floor of the housing 110, but also the possibility of securing them in the cargo compartment of the housing 110 using standard fasteners known in the art, while as an addition, shelves, hangers, boxes and other supporting means may be provided in the cargo compartment of the housing 110, secured to the floor, ceiling and / or side walls of the housing 110 and allowing additional items of cargo and / or passenger baggage to be placed in the cargo compartment of the housing 110. In another variation of this embodiment of the present invention, space for passenger baggage, including shelves, hangers,boxes and other supporting means for accommodating items of passenger luggage may be provided only in the passenger compartment of the payload housing 110 in addition to the above-described embodiments of the means for accommodating passengers in said passenger compartment. It should be obvious to a person skilled in the art that cargo items and / or passenger luggage items may be at least partially secured or fastened on the outside of the housing 110 using suitable fastening means known in the art (for example, using special closed-type attachments used in airplanes, automobiles, motorcycles, helicopters, bicycles, etc.). It should be noted that the above-described pilot cabin, passenger compartment, and cargo compartment in the payload housing 110 may be designed in general similar to the corresponding compartments of airplanes, helicopters, buses, automobiles, ships, boats, or the like.

[0118] In another embodiment of the present invention, the seat may be placed in the cockpit in the interior space of the payload housing 110, separated by a partition from the rest of the interior space of the housing 110, in which, in turn, passengers (for example, in passenger seats), cargo items and passenger baggage items may be placed or secured on the bottom, ceiling and / or floor of the housing 110.In addition, an embodiment of the present invention is possible in which only the pilot and passengers can be accommodated in the interior space of the payload housing 110; an embodiment of the present invention is possible in which only the pilot and cargo can be accommodated in the interior space of the housing 110; an embodiment of the present invention is possible in which only passengers and cargo can be accommodated in the interior space of the housing 110; an embodiment of the present invention is possible in which only one or more passengers can be accommodated in the interior space of the housing 110, one of whom can perform the function of a pilot; an embodiment of the present invention is possible in which only the pilot (for example, in a pilot seat), who is also a passenger of the payload 100, can be accommodated in the interior space of the housing 110.

[0119] The controls (not shown) in the payload housing 110, which are part of the control panel, provide the ability to control the payload 100 in a semi-automatic mode (i.e. a combination of manual control by the pilot and automatic control of the on-board systems using an autopilot responsible for at least the safety of movement or movement of the payload 100 through the air), so that the controls of the control panel of the payload 100 can be used by the pilot, located in the seat and monitoring the instrument readings on the instrument panel of the control panel, to manually enter at least one control command.It should be noted that the control units of the control panel are connected with the possibility of exchanging data with the control device of the payload 100, ensuring the possibility of issuing each of the pilot's control commands to the said control device of the payload 100, wherein some of the said pilot's control commands can essentially replace the corresponding control commands of the control device of the payload 100 generated by the control device of the payload 100 during the movement or displacement of such payload 100 in automatic mode (i.e., in autopilot mode) through the air to a target area of ​​space or a target location.

[0120] In other embodiments of the present invention, the payload body 110 may be formed from two or more detachably joined or interconnected individual cabins (e.g., two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten or more individual cabins) of the same type or different types.

[0121] It should be noted that the unmanned aerial vehicles 200 releasably connected or docked to the payload body 110 may respond as a unit to control commands and / or control instructions received from the control device of the payload 100. In particular, the operation of the unmanned aerial vehicles 200 releasably connected to the payload body 110 may be synchronized by the control device of the payload 100 (alternatively by the control device of at least one or each of the unmanned aerial vehicles 200 and / or the control device of the payload 100). In addition, at least one or each of the unmanned aerial vehicles 200 releasably connected or docked to the payload body 110 may be electrically connected to the payload 100 to form a single power supply circuit and to form a composite power source (for example,the composite power source may be formed from one or more built-in batteries included in at least one or each of the unmanned aerial vehicles 200 and / or one or more built-in batteries installed in the payload body 110 or on it), wherein the process of charging such a composite power source and the process of distributing power between the functional components of the unmanned aerial vehicles 200 installed in the payload body 110 or on it may be controlled by the control device of the payload 100 (alternatively the control device of at least one or each of the unmanned aerial vehicles 200 and / or the control device of the payload 100).

[0122] It should be noted that the process of detachable connection or detachable docking of one or more unmanned aerial vehicles 200 with the payload body 110 can occur directly in the air in response to control commands and / or navigation commands issued by the payload control device 100 to said unmanned aerial vehicles 200, that is, it can occur under the control of the payload control device 100.

[0123] It should also be noted that in any of the embodiments of the present invention described in this document, the reference to the use of the control device of the unmanned aerial vehicle 200 for controlling, monitoring or performing the described operation is not limiting, i.e. it should be obvious to a specialist that instead of the control device of the unmanned aerial vehicle 200, the control device of the payload 100, the control device of another unmanned aerial vehicle 200, an external control device or any suitable combination thereof can be used.In particular, when the unmanned aerial vehicle 200 is detachably connected or detachably docked with the payload body 110, the control of such docked unmanned aerial vehicle 200 may be intercepted by the control device of the payload 100 or the control device of another unmanned aerial vehicle 200 already (previously) attached or docked to the payload body 110, or the control of such unmanned aerial vehicle 200 may be carried out by means of the control device of this unmanned aerial vehicle 200 in response to navigation commands and / or control commands of the control device of the payload 100.

[0124] In one embodiment of the present invention, the payload housing 110 may contain (its own) built-in power source (not shown), made in the form of a battery, one or more storage batteries, a generator based on an internal combustion engine, a generator based on a hydrogen engine, a generator based on one or more solar batteries, or a generator based on any other suitable energy source known in the art, wherein such a built-in power source may also be made with the possibility of recharging it from an external power source (not shown) using a charger (not shown) of a suitable type, connected to said external power source and made with the possibility of connecting said built-in power source of the housing 110 to it.In particular, the integrated power supply in the payload housing 110 may be connected, via its power supply circuit, to the control device of the payload 100 and any other functional components of the payload 100 described in this document, providing the ability to supply power to them or the ability to power them. In another embodiment of the present invention, the integrated power supply of the payload housing 110 may be charged wirelessly using an external charger (not shown), the operation of which is based on the principle of electromagnetic induction, known to those skilled in the art.

[0125] In another embodiment of the present invention, the unmanned aerial vehicle 200 docked to the docking module 300 and the functional components installed in or on the payload body 110 may have separate power circuits.

[0126] In another embodiment of the present invention, the power supply circuit of the unmanned aerial vehicle 200 docked to the docking module 300 and one or more power supply circuits of the functional components installed in or on the payload body 110 may be electrically connected to each other to form a combined power supply circuit and a combined charging circuit.

[0127] In some other embodiment of the present invention, the payload housing 110 may be further provided with a limiter configured to limit the movement of the unmanned aerial vehicle 200 docked to the docking module 300 relative to the payload housing 110 when said limiter is activated to prevent or eliminate the possibility of the unmanned aerial vehicle 200 unintentionally exiting the detachable engagement with the corresponding docking means of the payload 100, and, consequently, the unintentional detachment of said unmanned aerial vehicle 200 from the payload housing 110.It should be noted that in this embodiment of the present invention, the limiter may be actuated mechanically (e.g., by contact with the body 210 of the unmanned aerial vehicle or by pressing the body 210 of the unmanned aerial vehicle onto it). For example, in this embodiment of the present invention, the limiter may be implemented as a spring-loaded element. Alternatively, in this embodiment of the present invention, the limiter may be implemented as a controllable limiter, and the control device of the payload 100 may be connected to such a controllable limiter for the purpose of activating it.In one of the variations of such an embodiment of the present invention, the limiter, which may be additionally provided with the payload body 110, may be configured to be activated when the unmanned aerial vehicle 200 enters into a releasable interaction with a corresponding one of the docking means of the payload 100. In another variation of this embodiment of the present invention, the limiter, which may be additionally provided with the payload body 110, may be configured to be activated by means of the control device of the payload 100 in response to readings from a contact sensor, which may be connected to the control device of the payload 100 with the ability to exchange data with it and is configured to detect or identify the docking of the unmanned aerial vehicle 200 with the payload body 110.In another variation of such an embodiment of the present invention, the limiter may be mounted on the payload body 110 or the docking module 300.

[0128] In one embodiment of the present invention, the air transport system 1000 may comprise (i) a payload 100, the body 110 of which is provided with two or more docking means; and (ii) two or more unmanned aerial vehicles 200, the body 210 of each of which is provided with two or more air movers 220 and is configured to enter into releasable interaction with at least one of said docking means of the payload 100, ensuring the possibility of placing the air movers 220 of said unmanned aerial vehicles in parallel planes on different sides of the body 110 of the payload or with a given angular offset along the perimeter of the body 110 of the payload.

[0129] In another embodiment of the present invention, at least one or each of the docking means of the payload 100 may be configured to allow movement of the body 210 of the unmanned aerial vehicle relative to the body 110 of the payload when the body 210 of the unmanned aerial vehicle enters into releasable interaction with the said docking means of the payload 100. In one of the variations of this embodiment of the present invention, the body 110 of the payload may be additionally provided with a limiter (not shown) configured to limit the movement of the body 210 of the unmanned aerial vehicle relative to the body 110 of the payload when the body 210 of the unmanned aerial vehicle enters into releasable interaction with the corresponding docking means of the payload 100.In another variation of this embodiment of the present invention, the limiter, which may be additionally provided with the payload body 110, may be designed with the possibility of its activation when the body 210 of the unmanned aerial vehicle enters into detachable interaction with the corresponding docking means of the payload 100.

[0130] In yet another embodiment of the present invention, the payload body 110 may be further provided with two or more air thrusters, wherein at least one of the air thrusters of the payload body 110 may be configured to extend, unfold, or deploy from the payload body 110. In one variation of this embodiment of the present invention, the air thrusters of the payload body 110, or at least a portion thereof, may form at least one functional pair of air thrusters, in which the air thrusters are located on opposite sides of the payload body 110.In another variation of this embodiment of the present invention, at least one or each of the air movers of the payload body 110 may be mounted on one of the sides of the payload body 110 with the ability to change its location on the said side of the payload body 110. In yet another variation of this embodiment of the present invention, the air movers of the payload body 110 may be mounted in such a way as to allow the body 210 of the unmanned aerial vehicle to pass between them when this body 210 of the unmanned aerial vehicle enters into releasable interaction with the corresponding docking means of the payload 100.

[0131] In another embodiment of the present invention, the docking means of the payload 100 may each be mounted at a predetermined distance from the surface of the payload body 110 such that they are vertically spaced apart from each other.

[0132] In some other embodiment of the present invention, the docking means of the payload 100 may each be mounted at a predetermined distance from the surface of the payload body 110 with the possibility of changing the distance between them vertically.

[0133] In some other embodiment of the present invention, the payload docking means 100 may be mounted on a vertical support (not shown) extending from the payload body 110 and may be spaced apart along the length of said vertical support.

[0134] In other embodiments of the present invention, the payload body 110 may be provided with two air movers (not shown) made on opposite sides of the payload body 110, and the docking means of the payload 100 may be installed on the payload body 110 to ensure the possibility of arranging the air movers of the payload body 110 and the air movers 220 of the unmanned aerial vehicle body in the same plane on different sides of the payload body 110 or with a given angular offset along the perimeter of the payload body 110 when the said body 210 of the unmanned aerial vehicle is brought into detachable interaction with the said docking means of the payload 100.In one of the variations of such embodiments of the present invention, the side of the payload body 110, on which the docking means of the payload 100 are installed, may be adjacent to the opposite sides of the payload body 110, on which the air propulsors of the payload 100 are mounted.

[0135] In other embodiments of the present invention, the payload body 110 may be provided with two air thrusters (not shown) formed on opposite sides of the payload body 110, and the payload docking means 100 may be mounted on the payload body 110 to allow the body 210 of the unmanned aerial vehicle to be releasably engaged with the said payload docking means 100 from one of the said opposite sides of the payload body 110 or from the side of the payload body 110 that is adjacent to the said opposite sides of the payload body 110.

[0136] The illustrative embodiments, examples, and descriptions presented herein serve merely to provide an understanding of the essence of the claimed invention and are not limiting. Other possible embodiments of the present invention, or modifications or improvements to the above-described embodiments of the present invention, will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the description provided above. The scope of the present invention is limited only by the appended claims.

Claims

A payload comprising: a body equipped with two or more docking means installed on the same side of the payload body with the ability to enter into detachable interaction with the bodies of unmanned aerial vehicles, ensuring the ability to place the air movers of said unmanned aerial vehicles in parallel planes on different sides of the payload body or with a given angular offset along the perimeter of the payload body. The payload according to paragraph 1, in which at least one of the said docking means is designed to provide the possibility of moving the body of the unmanned aerial vehicle relative to the body of the payload when the body of the unmanned aerial vehicle enters into detachable interaction with the said at least one docking means. The payload according to paragraph 2, in which the payload body is additionally provided with a limiter configured to limit the movement of the body of the unmanned aerial vehicle relative to the payload body. The payload according to paragraph 3, in which the said limiter is designed with the possibility of being activated when the body of the unmanned aerial vehicle enters into detachable interaction with one of the said docking means. The payload of claim 1, wherein the payload body is further provided with two or more air propulsors. The payload of claim 5, wherein at least one of the air movers of the payload body is configured to extend, unfold, or deploy from the body. A payload according to any one of claims 5-6, wherein the air movers of the payload body form at least one functional pair of air movers, in which the air movers are located on opposite sides of the body. The payload according to claim 5, in which at least one of the air movers of the payload body is installed on one of the sides of the payload body with the ability to change its location on the said side of the payload body. The payload according to paragraph 5, in which the air propulsors of the payload body are installed in such a way as to ensure the possibility of the body of the unmanned aerial vehicle passing between them when the body of the said unmanned aerial vehicle enters into detachable interaction with one of the said docking means. The payload of claim 1, wherein said docking means are each installed at a given distance from the surface of said side of the payload body in such a way that they are located vertically at a distance from each other. The payload according to paragraph 1, in which said docking means are each installed at a given distance from the surface of said side of the payload body with the possibility of changing the distance between them vertically. The payload of claim 1, wherein said docking means are mounted on a vertical support extending from the payload body from said side of the payload body and are located at a distance from each other along the length of the vertical support. A payload according to paragraph 1, in which the payload body is equipped with two air movers, made on opposite sides of the payload body, and said docking means are installed on the payload body to ensure the possibility of placing the air movers of the payload body and the air movers of the unmanned aerial vehicle body in the same plane on different sides of the payload body or with a given angular offset along the perimeter of the payload body when said unmanned aerial vehicle body is brought into detachable interaction with one of said docking means. The payload of claim 13, wherein the side of the payload body on which said docking means are installed is adjacent to said opposite sides of the payload body. The payload according to paragraph 1, in which the payload body is provided with two air movers, formed on opposite sides of the payload body, and said payload docking means are installed on the payload body with the provision of the possibility of entering the body of the unmanned aerial vehicle into detachable interaction with said payload docking means from one of said opposite sides of the payload body or from the side of the payload body that is adjacent to said opposite sides of the payload body. An air transport system comprising: a payload, the body of which is provided with two or more docking means, two or more unmanned aerial vehicles, the body of each of which is provided with two or more air movers and is designed with the possibility of entering into a detachable interaction with at least one of the said docking means of the payload, ensuring the possibility of placing the air movers of the said unmanned aerial vehicles in parallel planes on different sides of the payload body or with a given angular offset along the perimeter of the payload body. An air transport system according to claim 16, in which at least one of said payload docking means is designed to provide the ability to move the body of the unmanned aerial vehicle relative to the body of the payload when the body of the unmanned aerial vehicle enters into releasable interaction with said at least one docking means. An air transport system according to claim 17, in which the payload body is additionally provided with a limiter configured to limit the movement of the body of the unmanned aerial vehicle relative to the payload body. An air transport system according to claim 18, in which said limiter is designed with the possibility of being activated when the body of the unmanned aerial vehicle enters into detachable interaction with said at least one docking means. An air transport system according to claim 16, wherein the payload body is additionally provided with two or more air propulsors. An air transport system according to claim 20, wherein at least one of the air movers of the payload body is configured to extend, unfold, or deploy from the payload body. An air transport system according to any one of claims 20-21, in which the air propulsors of the payload body form at least one functional pair of air propulsors, in which the air propulsors are located on opposite sides of the payload body. An air transport system according to claim 20, in which at least one of the air propulsors of the payload body is installed on one of the sides of the payload body with the possibility of changing its location on the said side of the payload body. An air transport system according to paragraph 20, in which the air propulsors of the payload body are installed in such a way as to ensure the possibility of the body of an unmanned aerial vehicle passing between them when the body of said unmanned aerial vehicle enters into detachable interaction with said at least one docking means. An air transport system according to claim 16, wherein said payload docking means are each installed at a given distance from the surface of the payload body in such a way that they are located vertically at a distance from each other. An air transport system according to claim 16, in which said payload docking means are each installed at a given distance from the surface of the payload body with the possibility of changing the distance between them vertically. An air transport system according to claim 16, in which said payload docking means are mounted on a vertical support extending from the payload body and are located at a distance from each other along the length of the vertical support. An air transport system according to paragraph 16, in which the payload body is provided with two air movers, made on opposite sides of the payload body, and said docking means are installed on the payload body to ensure the possibility of placing the air movers of the payload body and the air movers of the unmanned aerial vehicle body in the same plane on different sides of the payload body or with a given angular offset along the perimeter of the payload body when said unmanned aerial vehicle body is brought into detachable interaction with said docking means. An air transport system according to claim 28, wherein the side of the payload body on which said payload docking means are installed is adjacent to said opposite sides of the payload body. An air transport system according to paragraph 16, in which the payload body is provided with two air movers, made on opposite sides of the payload body, and said payload docking means are installed on the payload body with the provision of the possibility of entering the body of the unmanned aerial vehicle into detachable interaction with said payload docking means from one of said opposite sides of the payload body or from the side of the payload body that is adjacent to said opposite sides of the payload body.

Images