Elevated Drone Delivery Platform to Overcome Ground-Level Obstacles
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current drone delivery systems face challenges such as difficult terrain, obstacles, and safety concerns when delivering parcels to ground-level locations, which hinder efficient and secure parcel delivery.
Innovation Solution
An elevated delivery platform that can be mounted off the ground, equipped with a retractable cover for weather protection and sensors for navigation, allows drones to safely deliver parcels above obstacles and securely lower them for retrieval by humans, while also enabling parcels to be elevated for secure storage until picked up.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If ground-level delivery locations are used, then parcel delivery is accessible, but safety concerns and obstacles near the ground hinder efficient and secure delivery
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions the delivery interface from ground level to aerial level by deploying a drone-mounted delivery platform. This dimensional change allows parcels to be delivered above ground-level obstacles and safety hazards while maintaining accessibility through vertical engagement with building structures or designated landing zones.
2Reliability
If elevated delivery platform is used, then safety and security are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The delivery platform integrates multiple functions into a single system: it serves as both the delivery surface and the mounting interface for building structures, incorporates weather protection, includes sensor systems for navigation and detection, and provides secure parcel placement. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate components and manages system complexity.
3Loss of time
If parcels are left on delivery platform for extended periods, then broader delivery windows are enabled, but exposure to adverse weather conditions increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a retractable cover or protective enclosure that can be deployed over the delivery platform surface. This flexible or semi-rigid covering protects parcels from rain, snow, wind, and other adverse weather conditions while allowing the platform to remain accessible for delivery operations during various weather conditions.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
An elevated delivery platform having a delivery surface that can be placed at a location off the ground to better facilitate delivery of parcels by unmanned aerial vehicles, such as delivery drones, is provided. By placing the elevated delivery platform in an area above the ground, such as atop a home or a pole, a drone is more capable of making deliveries because it avoids obstacles nearer to the ground that typically make drone delivery challenging. The elevated delivery platform raises and lowers parcels to a position where they can easily be retrieved. Some systems also provide a deployable cover to protect parcels from adverse weather conditions while awaiting pickup or following delivery. The elevated delivery platform can be used as part of a drone delivery system that can also include a containment unit, a computer application, or any combination of these aspects.