In-Flight Drone Servicing for Midair Battery and Component Support

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Solution Overview

Problem

Autonomous aerial vehicles often face challenges in delivering payloads due to insufficient power or damage, requiring them to land for battery replacement or component repair, which delays delivery and reduces operational efficiency.

Innovation Solution

A system and method for in-flight servicing, where a service aerial vehicle can couple with a delivery aerial vehicle to provide power source assistance or component replacement while both are in flight, using transfer mechanisms and communication systems to ensure seamless operation and extend the delivery range.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Length of stationary object

If the aerial vehicle carries sufficient power for long-distance delivery, then the delivery range is extended, but the weight of the aerial vehicle increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedelivery rangeVSAvoidaerial vehicle weight

Core Design Contradiction:

Length of stationary objectVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

A service aerial vehicle is dispatched in advance to intercept and service the delivery aerial vehicle mid-flight. The service vehicle carries replacement batteries and components, performing maintenance actions before the delivery vehicle exhausts its power or suffers critical failures, thereby extending operational range without permanently increasing delivery vehicle weight

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The service aerial vehicle acts as an intermediary mobile service station in the sky. It carries spare power sources and components, transfers them to the delivery aerial vehicle during flight, and enables the delivery vehicle to continue its mission without returning to ground facilities, effectively extending range without permanent weight penalty

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If the aerial vehicle lands for battery replacement or component repair, then the power source is renewed or component is fixed, but the delivery time is delayed

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaerial vehicle operational statusVSAvoiddelivery time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The service aerial vehicle is dispatched in advance based on predicted power consumption or detected component degradation. It intercepts the delivery vehicle before complete power exhaustion or critical failure occurs, performing battery replacement or component repair mid-flight to maintain reliability without ground landing delays

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The delivery aerial vehicle maintains continuous flight and delivery mission without interruption. The service vehicle couples to it mid-flight, performs maintenance actions while both remain airborne, and separates without requiring the delivery vehicle to land, thus maintaining continuous useful action and eliminating delivery time delays

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

3Duration of action of moving object

If the aerial vehicle is designed for long endurance flight, then the power source capacity is increased, but the initial cost and complexity of the vehicle increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveflight durationVSAvoidaerial vehicle system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Duration of action of moving objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The service aerial vehicle is a multi-functional platform that can service multiple different delivery vehicles with various power and component needs. Rather than each delivery vehicle being specially designed for extended range, a universal service vehicle provides extended endurance capabilities to multiple vehicles, reducing individual vehicle complexity while maintaining fleet-wide extended duration capability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The delivery aerial vehicle maintains its original simpler design and only carries essential components. When extended duration is needed, it autonomously or semi-autonomously interfaces with the service vehicle mid-flight to receive power transfers or component replacements, allowing self-service capability without permanently increasing its own complexity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentUS11915168B2In-flight servicing of an aerial vehicle

Publication Date: 2024.02.27 INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINE CORPORATION

AI summary

Embodiments include methods, systems, and computer program products method for aerial vehicle in-flight servicing. The computer-implemented method includes monitoring, using a processor, an aerial vehicle status of a delivery aerial vehicle. The processor compares the aerial vehicle status of the aerial vehicle to a delivery schedule associated with the delivery aerial vehicle. The processor further assigns a service aerial vehicle to provide service in response to the aerial vehicle status conflicting with the delivery schedule associated with the delivery aerial vehicle. The method further couples the delivery aerial vehicle to the service aerial vehicle while the delivery aerial vehicle and service aerial vehicle are in-flight. The method further provides power source assistance or aerial vehicle component assistance to the delivery aerial vehicle by the service aerial vehicle while the delivery aerial vehicle and service aerial vehicle are in-flight.