Autonomous Drone Container with Actuated Door for Delivery
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Solution Overview
Problem
The inefficiencies in the delivery and pickup of goods, particularly in large construction sites or shipping scenarios, where manual handling is time-consuming and lacks automation, creating opportunities for improvement.
Innovation Solution
A transportation system comprising containers with integrated drones and a processor that manages the loading, unloading, and transportation of these containers using actuated doors, load sensors, and mechanical couplings, ensuring efficient and autonomous operation, including charging and weight management to prevent overloading.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If manual handling is used for delivery and pickup of goods, then simplicity of operation is maintained, but time consumption and labor effort increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The container is equipped with autonomous capabilities including self-navigation through roads and pathways, self-loading and unloading of goods at destinations, and self-return to storage. The container independently performs delivery and pickup operations without requiring manual handling, thereby significantly improving productivity while the automation complexity is contained within the container itself rather than requiring complex external systems
Solution Approach 2:
The container serves multiple functions: it acts as both a storage unit and an autonomous transportation vehicle. The same container can perform delivery operations, pickup operations, and return to storage, eliminating the need for separate systems for each function. This multi-functionality improves overall system productivity without proportionally increasing complexity
2Loss of time
If autonomous drone transportation is implemented, then time and effort for delivery and pickup are reduced, but system complexity and operational requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical handling with an autonomous drone-based transportation system. The drone mechanically lifts and transports the container, substituting human physical effort and time-consuming manual operations with automated aerial transportation. This significantly reduces delivery and pickup time while the complexity is managed through integration of drone technology with container systems
Solution Approach 2:
The autonomous transportation system is divided into distinct functional modules: the container unit, the drone unit, and the control system. The container can be segmented into storage section and drone section. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently and simplifies the overall system architecture, reducing operational complexity while maintaining fast autonomous transportation capabilities
3Reliability
If weight and loading status monitoring is added, then safety and overload prevention are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The container is equipped with weight sensors and loading status monitoring that provide real-time feedback to the control system. The sensors detect the weight of goods and the loading status, and this information is fed back to prevent overload conditions. This feedback mechanism improves safety and reliability while the monitoring complexity is managed through integrated sensor systems that provide automated oversight without requiring complex external monitoring infrastructure
Data Source
AI summary
A container includes a transportation section and a drone section. The drone section has a drone place holder and a door. The drone place holder is accessible when the door is in an open position. The container includes a processor that is programmed to actuate the door to the open position, actuate a drone, fittable in the drone place holder, to fly out of the container, and actuate the drone to transport the container to a destination.