Delivery drone related system and method
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Solution Overview
Problem
Delivery drones face challenges in urban and suburban settings due to limited landing spaces, GPS inaccuracies, and the need for consumers to leave their establishments to receive packages, which can be unsafe and inefficient, especially in emergencies.
Innovation Solution
A delivery drone system with establishment-mounted transfer assemblies that deploy landing spaces and use computer vision and wireless communication to ensure safe and direct package delivery without human intervention, providing real-time availability checks and proof of delivery.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If drones deliver packages to remote or inaccessible locations, then delivery reach is improved, but delivery time increases due to searching for landing spaces
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-identifies and marks multiple potential landing spaces in advance using GPS coordinates and geographic information. When a drone needs to deliver, it can immediately navigate to a pre-approved landing space without searching, thus maintaining delivery reach to remote locations while eliminating time loss from searching.
2Ease of operation
If drones land on building roofs for delivery, then delivery location accessibility is improved, but consumer safety deteriorates due to inclement weather and distance
Solution Approach 1:
The system introduces an intermediary transfer mechanism at the landing space that bridges the gap between the drone and the consumer inside the establishment. The package is transferred via this intermediary system (such as a mechanical arm or conveyor) without requiring the consumer to physically go outside, thus maintaining accessibility while eliminating exposure to weather and safety risks.
3Speed
If GPS components are used for drone positioning, then navigation capability is improved, but delivery reliability deteriorates due to limited positioning accuracy
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces or augments the GPS mechanical positioning system with an optical recognition system. The drone uses cameras and image processing to visually identify and locate the precisely marked landing space, substituting the less accurate GPS with a more reliable optical positioning method that can achieve centimeter-level accuracy.
4Productivity
If consumers leave establishments to receive packages, then package delivery completion is improved, but consumer protection deteriorates due to lack of oversight
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables the consumer to receive packages without leaving the establishment by bringing the transfer mechanism to their location. The automated transfer system completes the delivery process independently, allowing the consumer to maintain oversight and control while still achieving successful package delivery.
Data Source
AI summary
A system for directing a drone to a specific landing space comprises a landing space related control unit and a management system for overseeing landing space availability. A laser of the control unit visually generates a visual identifier at a landing space, and a camera of the drone captures the visual identifier to authenticate correctness of the landing space and to direct the drone to the landing space. In a method for directing a drone to a landing space, determination is made that a landing space worthy region is unoccupied by an obstacle or a bystander and signals indicative of airborne commands for the drone are transmitted as it increasingly approaches the landing space. An outside area deployed control unit has a microcontroller for generating a dynamic landing space within the unoccupied landing space worthy region that is sufficiently large for a drone to land upon.