SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR TRANSPORTING PRODUCTS VIA UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES AND MOBILE RELAY STATIONS

1 . A system for delivering products from a first location to at least a second location, the system comprising:

at least one unmanned aerial vehicle configured to transport at least one of the products from the first location to the second location along a predetermined route;

at least one mobile relay station including at least one charging dock, the at least one charging dock configured to accommodate and charge the at least one unmanned aerial vehicle; and

a central computing device including a processor-based control circuit and configured to communicate with the at least one unmanned aerial vehicle and the at least one mobile relay station via a network;

wherein the at least one mobile relay station is configured to move into a position on the predetermined route of the at least one unmanned aerial vehicle to permit the at least one unmanned aerial vehicle to land on the at least one mobile relay station that is moved into the predetermined route of the at least one unmanned aerial vehicle.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein a first unmanned aerial vehicle is configured to release the at least one of the products after the first unmanned aerial vehicle lands on the mobile relay station, and wherein a second unmanned aerial vehicle is configured to pick up the at least one of the products released by the first unmanned aerial vehicle and to transport the picked up at least one of the products from the mobile relay station toward the second destination.

3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one mobile relay station is configured to send a signal over the network to the central computing device to indicate whether the at least one charging dock is available to accommodate the at least one unmanned aerial vehicle.

4 . The system of claim 3 , wherein, when the signal received at the central computing device from the at least one mobile relay station indicates that no charging docks are available on the at least one mobile relay station for the at least one unmanned aerial vehicle, the control circuit of the central computing device is programmed to determine an alternative mobile relay station along the predetermined route having at least one available charging dock and to send a signal to the at least one unmanned aerial vehicle directing the unmanned aerial vehicle to the alternative mobile relay station having the at least one available charging dock.

5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one mobile relay station is configured to send a signal over the network to the central computing device to indicate a number of available charging docks on the at least one mobile relay station.

6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one mobile relay station and the at least one unmanned aerial vehicle are configured to communicate to each other via the network.

7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the control circuit of the central computing device is configured to modify the predetermined route in order to generate a modified route for the at least one unmanned aerial vehicle, and wherein the central computing device is configured to send at least one signal to the at least one mobile relation station to cause the at least one mobile relay station to move into a position on the modified route.

8 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one mobile relay station is mounted on a vehicle, and wherein the central computing device is configured to track movement of the vehicle and the at least one mobile relay station mounted on the vehicle.

9 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one unmanned aerial vehicle is configured as the at least one mobile relay station.

10 . The system of claim 1 , wherein a first unmanned aerial vehicle includes at least one charging dock configured to accommodate and charge a second unmanned aerial vehicle.

11 . A method of delivering products from a first location to at least a second location, the method comprising:

providing at least one unmanned aerial vehicle;

transporting at least one of the products from the first location to the second location via the at least one unmanned aerial vehicle along a predetermined route;

providing at least one mobile relay station including at least one charging dock;

accommodating and charging the at least one unmanned aerial vehicle at the at least one charging dock;

providing a central computing device including a processor-based control circuit and configured to communicate with the at least one unmanned aerial vehicle and the at least one mobile relay station via a network;

moving the at least one mobile relay station into a position on the predetermined route of the at least one unmanned aerial vehicle; and

permitting the at least one unmanned aerial vehicle to land on the at least one mobile relay station that is moved into the predetermined route of the at least one unmanned aerial vehicle.

12 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising releasing the at least one of the products from a first of the unmanned aerial vehicles after the first unmanned aerial vehicle lands on the mobile relay station, picking up the at least one of the products released by the first unmanned aerial vehicle via a second unmanned aerial vehicle, and transporting the picked up at least one of the products from the mobile relay station toward the second destination.

13 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising sending a signal, from the at least one mobile relay station, over the network, to the central computing device to indicate whether the at least one charging dock is available to accommodate the at least one unmanned aerial vehicle.

14 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising, when the signal received at the central computing device from the at least one mobile relay station indicates that no charging docks are available on the at least one mobile relay station for the at least one unmanned aerial vehicle, determining, via the control circuit of the central computing device, an alternative mobile relay station along the predetermined route having at least one available charging dock, and sending a signal to the at least one unmanned aerial vehicle directing the unmanned aerial vehicle to the alternative mobile relay station having the at least one available charging dock.

15 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising sending a signal, from the at least one mobile relay station, over the network, to the central computing device to indicate a number of available charging docks on the at least one mobile relay station.

16 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising sending signals over the network between the at least one mobile relay station and the at least one unmanned aerial vehicle.

17 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising modifying, via the control circuit of the central computing device, the predetermined route in order to generate a modified route for the at least one unmanned aerial vehicle, and sending, from the central computing device, at least one signal to the at least one mobile relation station to cause the at least one mobile relay station to move into a position on the modified route.

18 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising mounting the at least one mobile relay station is mounted on a vehicle, and further comprising tracking, via the central computing device, movement of the vehicle and the at least one mobile relay station mounted on the vehicle.

19 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising configuring the at least one unmanned aerial vehicle as the at least one mobile relay station.

20 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising providing a first unmanned aerial vehicle including at least one charging dock configured to accommodate and charge a second unmanned aerial vehicle.