Autonomous Drone Tool Selection and Delivery System
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current automated devices are limited in versatility and can only perform single tasks, failing to adapt to a wide range of tasks required in and around homes, offices, and businesses.
Innovation Solution
An autonomous system comprising an autonomous vehicle equipped with sensors and a control circuit that selects and equips drones with appropriate tools based on service requests, assessing properties like condition and compatibility to perform multiple tasks efficiently.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If automated devices are designed to be task-specific, then they can perform their designated function reliably, but they lack versatility and cannot adapt to a wide range of tasks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a modular drone system where a single drone platform can be equipped with different tools and attachments to perform multiple tasks including lawn care, window cleaning, painting, and inspection. The drone serves as a universal platform that adapts to various service requests through tool selection and attachment, resolving the contradiction between task versatility and system complexity by maintaining a core reusable platform while allowing configurable task-specific capabilities
Solution Approach 2:
The system segments the automated service system into independent components: a core drone platform, a variety of interchangeable tools, and a central control system that manages tool selection and delivery. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently while maintaining overall versatility, as the drone can be paired with different tools based on task requirements without redesigning the entire system
2Adaptability or versatility
If a single automated device attempts to perform multiple tasks, then versatility improves, but the device becomes overly complex and difficult to operate
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements automated tool selection and delivery where the central control system automatically determines which tools are needed for each service request and delivers them to the appropriate drone without human intervention. The sensors detect service requests and automatically coordinate tool allocation, maintaining operational simplicity while achieving task versatility through automated decision-making and resource management
3Adaptability or versatility
If automated systems are made more versatile to handle diverse tasks, then adaptability improves, but the system requires more sophisticated control and detection mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs sensors that detect service requests and provide feedback to the central control system, which then selects appropriate tools and delivers them to drones. This feedback loop enables the system to adapt to diverse tasks automatically by continuously monitoring service requests and adjusting tool allocation accordingly, managing detection complexity through structured sensor-data-control relationships
Data Source
AI summary
In some embodiments, apparatuses and methods are provided herein useful to selecting tools and drones for completing a task. In some embodiments, the system comprises an autonomous vehicle configured to transport the tools and the drones including a plurality of sensors configured to detect properties of the tools and the drones, the drones, the tools, and a control circuit configured to receive, from the sensors, indications of the properties of the tools and the drones, select, based on the service requests and the indications of the properties of the tools and the drones, at least one of the tools and at least one of the drones to perform at least one of the service requests, cause the at least one of the drones to be equipped with the at least one of the tools, and transmit instructions that are based on the at least one of the service requests.