Drone Delivery to Moving Vehicles via Dynamic Stop Selection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing drone delivery services are limited to fixed positions and cannot efficiently handle moving vehicles, such as those used by customers ordering food or drinks on the go, as they do not account for the dynamic movement paths of vehicles, leading to inconvenience and service disruptions.
Innovation Solution
A method where an orderer transmits their vehicle's position information to a server, which provides a list of available service providers and delivery options, allowing the orderer to select a service provider and receive their ordered items at a safely chosen stop location on their movement path, with the drone equipped with GPS and digital map information for navigation and communication.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If existing drone delivery methods are used for fixed positions, then delivery can be completed at predetermined locations, but the service cannot accommodate moving vehicles which leads to inconvenience and service disruptions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by transitioning from static fixed-position delivery to dynamic moving-vehicle delivery. The system tracks the vehicle's movement path in real-time, dynamically selects optimal stop locations along the path, and adjusts delivery coordinates based on the vehicle's current position and trajectory, enabling the drone to deliver to moving targets effectively
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-calculating the vehicle's movement path, identifying multiple candidate stop locations along the path, and selecting optimal delivery points before the vehicle arrives. This allows the drone to be dispatched with accurate target coordinates, ensuring smooth delivery operations
2Speed
If the drone delivers to the vehicle's current position, then delivery speed is improved, but the vehicle may be moving which creates safety risks and unauthorized parking issues
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary analysis of the vehicle's movement path to identify suitable stop locations where the vehicle can safely halt for delivery. These locations are predetermined based on road conditions, safety constraints, and vehicle trajectory, allowing the drone to deliver at optimized points rather than attempting to intercept a moving vehicle
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary element - the selected stop location - between the drone and the vehicle. Instead of direct delivery to the moving vehicle, the system designates specific locations along the vehicle's path where the vehicle will temporarily stop to receive delivery, mediating the interaction for safety
3Adaptability or versatility
If the system provides multiple receipt position options, then the orderer has more flexibility, but the system complexity increases due to position selection and communication requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables self-service by automatically generating multiple candidate receipt positions along the vehicle's movement path and presenting them to the orderer for selection. The orderer can independently choose their preferred location from the provided options, with the system automatically processing the selection and coordinating with the drone, reducing the need for complex manual coordination
Data Source
AI summary
A delivery method for a traveling vehicle using a drone includes: transmitting, by an orderer, first information including position information of a vehicle to a server and providing, by the server, a position and an inventory of service providers, which correspond to the first information including the position information of the vehicle, to the orderer; requesting, by the server, service provision to the service provider; transmitting, by the service provider, second information including article preparation information to the server; transmitting, by the server, third information including a plurality pieces of receipt position information, which corresponds to the first information including the position information of the vehicle and the second information including the article preparation information, to the orderer; transmitting, by the orderer, a value selected by receiving the third information including the plurality pieces of receipt position information to the server; transmitting, by the server, the selected value to a selected service provider; loading, by the selected service provider, an article of the orderer on a drone and instructing the drone to move to correspond to the third information including the plurality pieces of receipt position information; and receiving, by the orderer, the ordered article.