Embodiments described herein are concerned with system for identifying an aerial vehicle. The system comprises: a radar sub-system, the radar sub-system comprising at least one radar connectable to a static support member and a transceiver configured to transmit data indicative of one or more targets identified by the radar within an airspace; a receiver arranged to receive the data indicative of one or more targets identified by the radar; and a processing system configured to process said data, whereby to identify at least one aerial vehicle. In some embodiments the radar comprises a marine radar.
G01S 13/04 - Systems determining presence of a target
G01S 13/72 - Radar-tracking systemsAnalogous systems for two-dimensional tracking, e.g. combination of angle and range tracking, track-while-scan radar
G01S 13/78 - Systems using reradiation of radio waves, e.g. secondary radar systemsAnalogous systems wherein pulse-type signals are transmitted discriminating between different kinds of targets, e.g. IFF-radar, i.e. identification of friend or foe
G01S 13/91 - Radar or analogous systems, specially adapted for specific applications for traffic control
Disclosed is a package delivery mechanism for use by an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). The package delivery mechanism includes a gravity activated locking mechanism to lock and unlock a package attached to the UAV based on the weight of the package. When the package is attached to suspension means of the UAV that lowers the package to the ground from the UAV, the locking mechanism automatically engages with the package and keeps the package locked to the suspension means, due to the weight of the package. When the package is lowered and reaches on the ground, the weight of the package is offloaded from the suspension means, which enables the locking mechanism to be disengaged, thereby releasing the package. The package delivery mechanism includes a severing module to sever the suspension means from the UAV.
B26D 5/00 - Arrangements for operating and controlling machines or devices for cutting, cutting-out, stamping-out, punching, perforating, or severing by means other than cutting
B64D 1/02 - Dropping, ejecting, or releasing articles
B64D 17/38 - Releasable fastening devices between parachute and load or pack
B26F 3/12 - Severing by using heat with heated members with heated wires
F16B 21/02 - Releasable fastening devices locking by rotation
B64U 101/60 - UAVs specially adapted for particular uses or applications for transporting passengersUAVs specially adapted for particular uses or applications for transporting goods other than weapons
The present disclosure provides am Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) delivery network comprising a plurality of UAVs, a plurality of UAV facilities and one or more fulfillment centers located at each of the UAV facilities. The UAV delivery network may be reconfigured by reassigning UAVs from a first UAV facility to a second UAV facility and/or by relocating a UAV facility within the network. Deliveries may be made to customers based on the time required to fulfill and deliver the customer order. The order fulfillment and delivery time may be displayed to the user before an order is placed. The UAV delivery network may further comprise one or more emergency UAVs, which may be assigned to UAV facilities such that part or all of the UAV delivery network can be reached by an emergency UAV.
Disclosed are transportable unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) facilities. The facilities comprise a housing having an ingress port arranged to receive a payload for delivery by a UAV. The UAV facility is arranged to determine whether the payload corresponds to a delivery consignment based upon a comparison of one or more determined physical characteristics of the payload with one or more expected characteristics of the delivery consignment.
B64U 101/60 - UAVs specially adapted for particular uses or applications for transporting passengersUAVs specially adapted for particular uses or applications for transporting goods other than weapons
Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) facilities, suitable for use by both emergency and non-emergency UAVs, comprise a housing having first and second moveable platforms. The second moveable platform is arranged adjacent the first moveable platform. A cover is arranged above the second moveable platform. A drive system operates the first and second moveable platforms and the cover.
In an embodiment an unmanned aerial vehicle comprises a central body and a plurality of support structures extending outwards from the central body. Each support structure supports a rotor blade assembly and is provided with one or more deformable portions. The rotor blade assembly defines a rotational axis of one or more rotor blades associated with the rotor blade assembly.
A UAV is provided. The UAV comprises a plurality of rotors and has a central axis about which the rotors are arranged. The UAV further comprises a parachute, and a parachute deployment assembly comprising: one or more hollow members, each having a mass-storing section having an ejection axis. One or more masses are tethered to the parachute and are disposed within a mass-storing section of a corresponding hollow member. The UAV comprises a housing connected to the hollow members to support the hollow members. The parachute deployment assembly is configured to generate forces to eject the masses from the hollow members to open the parachute and the housing is adapted to support the one or more hollow members with their respective ejection axes at a predetermined angle with respect to a plane which is perpendicular to the central axis.
Disclosed is a technique for landing a drone using a parachute. The technique includes a parachute deployment system (PDS) that can deploy a parachute installed in a drone and land the drone safely. The parachute may be deployed automatically, e.g., in response to a variety of failures such as a free fall, or manually from a base unit operated by a remote user. For example, the PDS can determine the failure of the drone based on data obtained from an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a magnetometer and a barometer of the drone and automatically deploy the parachute if any failure is determined. In another example, the remote user can “kill” the drone, that is, cut off the power supply to the drone and deploy the parachute by activating an onboard “kill” switch from the base unit.
Disclosed are transportable unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) facilities. The facilities comprise a housing for holding a UAV, where the housing defines a landing area for the UAV. The facilities also comprise a structure for reducing wind speed across the landing area.
Embodiments described herein are methods and systems that relate to delivery of a payload to a particular delivery surface. A payload is collected at a first physical location using a retractable delivery mechanism of a UAV, and the UAV flies to a designated second physical location, whereupon sensor data is obtained using one or more sensors of the UAV. The sensor data is used to obtain characteristics of an area which may be used as a delivery surface at the second physical location. An actual delivery surface is selected based on criteria in the form of rule data specifying an appropriate delivery surface and the sensor data. Once the delivery surface has been selected the retractable delivery lowers the payload towards the selected delivery surface.
B64U 101/60 - UAVs specially adapted for particular uses or applications for transporting passengersUAVs specially adapted for particular uses or applications for transporting goods other than weapons
Disclosed are unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) positioning mechanisms for moving a UAV across a surface. The positioning mechanisms comprise a first guide assembly arranged opposite to a second guide assembly. A drive system is arranged to move the first guide assembly towards the second guide assembly and guide the UAV from a first position to a second position.
Disclosed are transportable unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) facilities. The facilities comprise a housing having an ingress port arranged to receive a payload for delivery by a UAV. The UAV facility is arranged to determine whether the payload corresponds to a delivery consignment based upon a comparison of one or more determined physical characteristics of the payload with one or more expected characteristics of the delivery consignment.
Disclosed are unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) facilities suitable for use by both emergency and non-emergency UAVs. The facilities comprise a housing having first and second moveable platforms. A cover is arranged above the second moveable platform. A drive system operates the first and second moveable platforms and the cover.
In an embodiment an unmanned aerial vehicle comprises a central body (102) and a plurality of support structures (104) extending outwards from the central body. Each support structure supports a rotor blade assembly (108) and is provided with one or more deformable portions (114). The rotor blade assembly defines a rotational axis (112) of one or more rotor blades (110) associated with the rotor blade assembly.
Embodiments described herein are concerned with system for identifying an aerial vehicle. The system comprises: a radar sub-system, the radar sub-system comprising at least one radar connectable to a static support member and a transceiver configured to transmit data indicative of one or more targets identified by the radar within an airspace; a receiver arranged to receive the data indicative of one or more targets identified by the radar; and a processing system configured to process said data, whereby to identify at least one aerial vehicle. In preferred embodiments the radar comprises a marine radar.
G01S 13/93 - Radar or analogous systems, specially adapted for specific applications for anti-collision purposes
G01S 13/91 - Radar or analogous systems, specially adapted for specific applications for traffic control
G01S 13/87 - Combinations of radar systems, e.g. primary radar and secondary radar
G01S 13/72 - Radar-tracking systemsAnalogous systems for two-dimensional tracking, e.g. combination of angle and range tracking, track-while-scan radar
16.
UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLE (UAV) POSITIONING MECHANISMS FOR MOVING A UAV ACROSS A SURFACE
Disclosed are unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) positioning mechanisms for moving a UAV across a surface. The positioning mechanisms comprise a first guide assembly arranged opposite to a second guide assembly. A drive system is arranged to move the first guide assembly towards the second guide assembly and guide the UAV from a first position to a second position.
Embodiments described herein are methods and systems that relate to delivery of a payload to a particular delivery surface. A payload is collected at a first physical location using a retractable delivery mechanism of a UAV, and the UAV flies to a designated second physical location, whereupon sensor data is obtained using one or more sensors of the UAV. The sensor data is used to obtain characteristics of an area which may be used as a delivery surface at the second physical location. An actual delivery surface is selected based on criteria in the form of rule data specifying an appropriate delivery surface and the sensor data. Once the delivery surface has been selected the retractable delivery lowers the payload towards the selected delivery surface.
Disclosed are transportable unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) facilities. The facilities comprise a housing for holding a UAV, where the housing defines a landing area for the UAV. The facilities also comprise a structure for reducing wind speed across the landing area.
Disclosed is a package delivery mechanism for use by an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). The package delivery mechanism includes a gravity activated locking mechanism to lock and unlock a package attached to the UAV based on the weight of the package. When the package is attached to suspension means of the UAV that lowers the package to the ground from the UAV, the locking mechanism automatically engages with the package and keeps the package locked to the suspension means, due to the weight of the package. When the package is lowered and reaches on the ground, the weight of the package is offloaded from the suspension means, which enables the locking mechanism to be disengaged, thereby releasing the package. The package delivery mechanism includes a severing module to sever the suspension means from the UAV.
A package delivery mechanism (PDM) of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is described. The PDM includes a gravity activated locking mechanism to lock and unlock a package attached to the UAV based on the weight of the package. When the package is attached to a suspension member of the UAV, the locking mechanism automatically engages with the package and keeps the package locked to the suspension member, due to the weight of the package. When the package is lowered and reaches the ground, the weight of the package is offloaded from the suspension member, which enables the locking mechanism to be disengaged, thereby releasing the package.
B64D 1/02 - Dropping, ejecting, or releasing articles
B64C 39/02 - Aircraft not otherwise provided for characterised by special use
B26F 3/12 - Severing by using heat with heated members with heated wires
B65D 81/18 - Containers, packaging elements, or packages, for contents presenting particular transport or storage problems, or adapted to be used for non-packaging purposes after removal of contents providing specific environment for contents, e.g. temperature above or below ambient
B65D 81/38 - Containers, packaging elements, or packages, for contents presenting particular transport or storage problems, or adapted to be used for non-packaging purposes after removal of contents with thermal insulation
B65D 81/02 - Containers, packaging elements, or packages, for contents presenting particular transport or storage problems, or adapted to be used for non-packaging purposes after removal of contents specially adapted to protect contents from mechanical damage
Disclosed is a technique for landing a drone using a parachute. The technique includes a parachute deployment system (PDS) that can deploy a parachute installed in a drone and land the drone safely. The parachute may be deployed automatically, e.g., in response to a variety of failures such as a free fall, or manually from a base unit operated by a remote user. For example, the PDS can determine the failure of the drone based on data obtained from an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a magnetometer and a barometer of the drone and automatically deploy the parachute if any failure is determined. In another example, the remote user can “kill” the drone, that is, cut off the power supply to the drone and deploy the parachute by activating an onboard “kill” switch from the base unit.
Disclosed is a technique for landing a drone using a parachute. The technique includes a parachute deployment system (PDS) that can deploy a parachute installed in a drone and land the drone safely. The parachute may be deployed automatically, e.g., in response to a variety of failures such as a free fall, or manually from a base unit operated by a remote user. For example, the PDS can determine the failure of the drone based on data obtained from an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a magnetometer and a barometer of the drone and automatically deploy the parachute if any failure is determined. In another example, the remote user can "kill" the drone, that is, cut off the power supply to the drone and deploy the parachute by activating an onboard "kill" switch from the base unit.
Disclosed is a technique for landing a drone using a parachute. The technique includes a parachute deployment system (PDS) that can deploy a parachute installed in a drone and land the drone safely. The parachute may be deployed automatically, e.g., in response to a variety of failures such as a free fall, or manually from a base unit operated by a remote user. For example, the PDS can determine the failure of the drone based on data obtained from an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a magnetometer and a barometer of the drone and automatically deploy the parachute if any failure is determined. In another example, the remote user can "kill" the drone, that is, cut off the power supply to the drone and deploy the parachute by activating an onboard "kill" switch from the base unit.
patents
