Payload management for vertical take-off and landing aircraft utilizing ground transportation
The present application describes a payload management system that routes a payload item associated with an individual from an origin to a destination. In some examples, the payload item is routed from the origin to the destination separate from a travel itinerary associated with the individual. For example, the payload item can be routed via a vehicle other than a VTOL aircraft that is assigned to the individual for a multi-modal transportation service.
1 . A method for real-time payload distribution for vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft payloads, the method comprising:
accessing, by a first computing system, a first request from a computing device associated with the first request, the first request associated with data indicative of an origin and a destination and data indicative of payload information for a first payload item;
accessing, by the first computing system, data indicating an availability of a VTOL aircraft and a remaining payload capacity of the VTOL aircraft;
computing, by the first computing system and based on the remaining payload capacity of the VTOL aircraft, first payload routing information for transporting the first payload item using the VTOL aircraft;
assigning, by the first computing system, the VTOL aircraft to the first request;
transmitting, by the first computing system, instructions for transporting the first payload item using the VTOL aircraft according the first payload routing information;
updating, by the first computing system, the remaining payload capacity of the VTOL aircraft based on the data indicative of payload information for the first payload item;
accessing, by the first computing system, a second request from a computing device associated with the second request, the second request associated with data indicative of the origin and the destination and data indicative of payload information for a second payload item;
computing, by the first computing system and based on the updated remaining payload capacity of the VTOL aircraft, second payload routing information for transporting the second payload item other than by the VTOL aircraft;
transmitting, by the first computing system, data indicative of the second payload routing information to the computing device associated with the second request;
responsive to data indicative of approval, by the computing device associated with the second request, of the second payload routing information:
assigning, by the first computing system, the VTOL aircraft to the second request to cause the VTOL aircraft to fly from the origin to the destination without the second payload item; and
transmitting, by the first computing system, instructions for transporting the second payload item using a vehicle other than the VTOL aircraft according the second payload routing information; or
responsive to data indicative of rejection, by the computing device associated with the second request, of the second payload routing information;
assigning, by the first computing system, a different VTOL aircraft to the second request; and
transmitting, by the first computing system, instructions for transporting the second payload item using the different VTOL aircraft to cause the different VTOL aircraft to fly from the origin to the destination with the second payload item.
2 . The method of claim 1 , comprising:
receiving, by the first computing system and from the computing device associated with the second request, an image depicting the second payload item;
processing, by the first computing system, the image to estimate one or more dimensions of the payload item; and
based on the estimated one or more dimensions, computing, by the first computing system and based on the updated remaining payload capacity of the VTOL aircraft, the second payload routing information for transporting the second payload item other than by the VTOL aircraft.
3 . The method of claim 1 , comprising:
tracking, by the first computing system, based on sensor data associated with the second payload item or the vehicle transporting the second payload item, a location of the second payload item as the second payload item travels to a destination of the second payload item; and
providing, by the first computing system for display via the computing device associated with the second payload item, data indicative of the location of the location of the second payload item as the second payload item travels to the destination of the second payload item.
4 . The method of claim 1 , comprising:
transmitting, by the first computing system, with the data indicative of the second payload routing information to the computing device associated with the second request, data indicative of third payload routing information for transporting the second payload item using a different VTOL aircraft.
5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein computing, by the first computing system and based on the updated remaining payload capacity of the VTOL aircraft, second payload routing information for transporting the second payload item other than by the VTOL aircraft comprises:
computing, by the first computing system and based on the payload information for the second payload item, that the second payload item would cause the VTOL aircraft to exceed a payload constraint.
6 . The method of claim 1 , comprising:
receiving the data indicative of approval; and
responsive to the data indicative of approval, by the computing device associated with the second request, of the second payload routing information:
assigning, by the first computing system, the VTOL aircraft to the second request; and
transmitting, by the first computing system, the instructions for transporting the payload item using a vehicle other than the VTOL aircraft according the second payload routing information.
7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the payload information associated with the second payload item comprises at least one of a weight, a size, a shape, or a volume of the payload item.
8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the estimated one or more dimensions describe a size, a shape, or a volume of the payload item.
9 . The method of claim 1 , comprising:
receiving the data indicative of rejection; and
responsive to the data indicative of rejection, by the computing device associated with the second request, of the second payload routing information;
assigning, by the first computing system, the different VTOL aircraft to the second request; and
transmitting, by the first computing system, the instructions for transporting the payload item using the different VTOL aircraft.
10 . The method of claim 9 , comprising:
transmitting, by the first computing system, with the data indicative of the second payload routing information to the computing device associated with the second request, data indicative of third payload routing information for transporting the second payload item using a different VTOL aircraft.
11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the data indicative of rejection, by the computing device associated with the second request, of the second payload routing information corresponds to an approval of the third payload routing information.
12 . A computing system for real-time payload distribution for vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft payloads, the computing system comprising:
one or more computing devices; and
one or more non-transitory computer readable media that store instructions that, when executed by the one or more computing devices, cause the one or more computing devices to perform operations, the operations comprising:
accessing a first request from a computing device associated with the first request, the first request associated with data indicative of an origin and a destination and data indicative of payload information for a first payload item;
accessing data indicating an availability of the VTOL aircraft and a remaining payload capacity of the VTOL aircraft;
computing, based on the remaining payload capacity of the VTOL aircraft, first payload routing information for transporting the first payload item using the VTOL aircraft;
assigning the VTOL aircraft to the first request;
transmitting instructions for transporting the first payload item using the VTOL aircraft according the first payload routing information;
updating the remaining payload capacity of the VTOL aircraft based on the data indicative of payload information for the first payload item;
accessing a second request from a computing device associated with the second request, the second request associated with data indicative of the origin and the destination and data indicative of payload information for a second payload item;
computing, based on the updated remaining payload capacity of the VTOL aircraft, second payload routing information for transporting the second payload item other than by the VTOL aircraft;
transmitting data indicative of the second payload routing information to the computing device associated with the second request;
responsive to data indicative of approval, by the computing device associated with the second request, of the second payload routing information:
assigning the VTOL aircraft to the second request to cause the VTOL aircraft to fly from the origin to the destination without the second payload item; and
transmitting instructions for transporting the second payload item using a vehicle other than the VTOL aircraft according the second payload routing information; or
responsive to data indicative of rejection, by the computing device associated with the second request, of the second payload routing information:
assigning a different VTOL aircraft to the second request; and
transmitting instructions for transporting the second payload item using the different VTOL aircraft to cause the different VTOL aircraft to fly from the origin to the destination with the second payload item.
13 . The computing system of claim 12 , the operations comprising:
receiving, from the computing device associated with the second request, an image depicting the second payload item;
processing the image to estimate one or more dimensions of the payload item; and
based on the estimated one or more dimensions, computing, based on the updated remaining payload capacity of the VTOL aircraft, the second payload routing information for transporting the second payload item other than by the VTOL aircraft.
14 . The computing system of claim 12 , wherein computing, based on the updated remaining payload capacity of the VTOL aircraft, second payload routing information for transporting the second payload item other than by the VTOL aircraft comprises;
computing, based on the payload information for the second payload item, that the second payload item would cause the VTOL aircraft to exceed a payload constraint.
15 . The computing system of claim 12 , the operations comprising:
receiving the data indicative of approval; and
responsive to the data indicative of approval, by the computing device associated with the second request, of the second payload routing information:
assigning the VTOL aircraft to the second request; and
transmitting the instructions for transporting the payload item using a vehicle other than the VTOL aircraft according the second payload routing information.
16 . The computing system of claim 12 , wherein the payload information associated with the second payload item comprises at least one of a weight, a size, a shape, or a volume of the payload item.
17 . The computing system of claim 16 , wherein the estimated one or more dimensions describe a size, a shape, or a volume of the payload item.
18 . The computing system of claim 12 , the operations comprising:
receiving the data indicative of rejection; and
responsive to the data indicative of rejection, by the computing device associated with the second request, of the second payload routing information;
assigning the different VTOL aircraft to the second request; and
transmitting the instructions for transporting the payload item using the different VTOL aircraft.
19 . The computing system of claim 18 , the operations comprising:
transmitting with the data indicative of the second payload routing information to the computing device associated with the second request, data indicative of third payload routing information for transporting the second payload item using a different VTOL aircraft;
wherein the data indicative of rejection, by the computing device associated with the second request, of the second payload routing information corresponds to an approval of the third payload routing information.
20 . One or more non-transitory computer readable media that store instructions that, when executed by one or more computing devices, cause the one or more computing devices to perform operations, the operations comprising:
accessing a first request from a computing device associated with the first request, the first request associated with data indicative of an origin and a destination and data indicative of payload information for a first payload item;
accessing data indicating an availability of a vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft and a remaining payload capacity of the VTOL aircraft;
computing, based on the remaining payload capacity of the VTOL aircraft, first payload routing information for transporting the first payload item using the VTOL aircraft;
assigning the VTOL aircraft to the first request;
transmitting instructions for transporting the first payload item using the VTOL aircraft according the first payload routing information;
updating the remaining payload capacity of the VTOL aircraft based on the data indicative of payload information for the first payload item;
accessing a second request from a computing device associated with the second request, the second request associated with data indicative of the origin and the destination and data indicative of payload information for a second payload item;
computing, based on the updated remaining payload capacity of the VTOL aircraft, second payload routing information for transporting the second payload item other than by the VTOL aircraft;
transmitting data indicative of the second payload routing information to the computing device associated with the second request;
responsive to data indicative of approval, by the computing device associated with the second request, of the second payload routing information:
assigning the VTOL aircraft to the second request to cause the VTOL aircraft to fly from the origin to the destination without the second payload item; and
transmitting instructions for transporting the second payload item using a vehicle other than the VTOL aircraft according the second payload routing information; or
responsive to data indicative of rejection, by the computing device associated with the second request, of the second payload routing information:
assigning a different VTOL aircraft to the second request; and
transmitting instructions for transporting the second payload item using the different VTOL aircraft to cause the different VTOL aircraft to fly from the origin to the destination with the second payload item.