Package delivery by means of an automated multi-copter UAS/UAV dispatched from a conventional delivery vehicle
Methods and associated systems for autonomous package delivery utilize a UAS/UAV, an infrared positioning senor, and a docking station integrated with a package delivery vehicle. The UAS/UAV accepts a package for delivery from the docking station on the delivery vehicle and uploads the delivery destination. The UAS/UAV autonomously launches from its docked position on the delivery vehicle. The UAS/UAV autonomously flies to the delivery destination by means of GPS navigation. The UAS/UAV is guided in final delivery by means of a human supervised live video feed from the UAS/UAV. The UAS/UAV is assisted in the descent and delivery of the parcel by precision sensors and if necessary by means of remote human control. The UAS/UAV autonomously returns to the delivery vehicle by means of GPS navigation and precision sensors. The UAS/UAV autonomously docks with the delivery vehicle for recharging and preparation for the next delivery sequence.
1. A system to automatically manage an operation of a plurality of Unmanned Aerial System (UAS)/Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) as the plurality of UAS/UAVs operate in tandem with a vehicle, comprising:
a plurality of UAS/UAV control systems, each UAS/UAV control system configured to:
guide each corresponding UAS/UAV from a current location of a vehicle that each UAS/UAV is positioned to a plurality of destination locations that each UAS/UAV travels to observe, wherein the current location of the vehicle differs from each of the destination locations that each UAS/UAV is instructed to travel,
return each UAS/UAV to a current location that the vehicle is positioned based on the current location of the vehicle and the destination location data of each corresponding destination location that each UAS/UAV is instructed to travel to observe, wherein the current location of the vehicle that each UAS/UAV initially launched from the vehicle differs from each corresponding destination location that each UAS/UAV travels to observe, and
dock each UAS/UAV with the vehicle at the current location of the vehicle.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein each UAS/UAV control system is further configured to:
upload location data of each destination location that each UAS/UAV is instructed to travel; and
launch each UAS/UAV from the current location of the vehicle that each UAS/UAV is positioned into a flight pattern based on the current location of the vehicle and each corresponding destination location that each UAS/UAV is instructed to travel.
3. The system of claim 2 , wherein each UAS/UAV control system is further configured to:
guide each UAS/UAV to each corresponding destination location based on each flight pattern associated with the current location of the vehicle and each corresponding destination location that each UAS/UAV is instructed to travel; and
land each UAS/UAV at each corresponding destination location.
4. The system of claim 1 , wherein each UAS/UAV control system is further configured to:
return each UAS/UAV to the current location of the vehicle based on a return flight pattern generated from the current location of the vehicle and the destination location data of each destination location that each UAS/UAV is instructed to travel, wherein the current location of the vehicle differs from each destination location that each UAS/UAV is instructed to travel.
5. The system of claim 4 , wherein each UAS/UAV control system is further configured to:
guide each UAS/UAV to each corresponding destination location from the current location of the vehicle that is a remote location that the vehicle is unable to travel based on each flight pattern associated with the current location of the vehicle and each corresponding destination location that each UAS/UAV is instructed to travel and is remote from the current location of the vehicle; and
return each UAS/UAV to the current location of the vehicle based on each return flight pattern from the current location of the vehicle and the destination location data of each destination location that each UAS/UAV is instructed to travel, wherein each destination location that each UAS/UAV is instructed to travel is a remote location that the vehicle is unable to travel.
6. The system of claim 4 , wherein each UAS/UAV control system is further configured to:
launch each UAS/UAV from a delivery vehicle at the current location to deliver a package of supplies to each corresponding destination location that is the remote location from the delivery vehicle that the delivery vehicle is unable to travel.
7. The system of claim 1 , wherein each UAS/UAV control system is further configured to launch each UAS/UAV from the current location of the vehicle that each UAS/UAV is positioned to a corresponding prescribed flight ceiling positioned above the current location of the vehicle before traversing on the corresponding flight pattern from the current location of the vehicle to each corresponding destination location that each UAS/UAV is instructed to travel.
8. The system of claim 1 , wherein each UAS/UAV control system is further configured to autonomously guide each UAS/UAV to each corresponding destination location based on GPS coordinates associated with the flight pattern associated with the current location of the vehicle and each corresponding destination location.
9. The system of claim 1 , wherein each UAS/UAV is electrically charged when positioned on the vehicle.
10. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
at least one sensor associated with each UAS/UAV that detects image data associated with a descent of each UAS/UAV from each corresponding prescribed ceiling to each corresponding destination location after each UAS/UAV hovers above the corresponding destination location from each corresponding prescribed ceiling as each UAS/UAV lands at the corresponding destination location.
11. A method to automatically manage an operation of a plurality of Unmanned Aerial System (UAS)/Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) as the plurality of UAS/UAVs operate in tandem with a vehicle, comprising:
guiding, by a plurality of UAS/UAV control systems, each corresponding UAS/UAV from a current location of a vehicle that each UAS/UAV is positioned to a plurality of destination locations that each UAS/UAV travels to observe, wherein the current location of the vehicle differs from each of the destination locations that each UAS/UAV is instructed to travel,
returning each UAS/UAV to a current location that the vehicle is positioned based on the current location of the vehicle and the destination location data of each corresponding destination location that each UAS/UAV is instructed to travel to observe, wherein the current location of the vehicle that each UAS/UAV initially launched from the vehicle differs from each corresponding destination location that each UAS/UAV travels to observe, and
docking each UAS/UAV with the vehicle at the current location of the vehicle.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the guiding comprises:
uploading location data of each destination location that each corresponding UAS/UAV is instructed to travel; and
launching each corresponding UAS/UAV from the current location of the vehicle that each UAS/UAV is positioned into a flight pattern based on the current location of the vehicle and each corresponding destination location that each UAS/UAV is instructed to travel.
13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the guiding further comprises:
guiding each corresponding UAS/UAV to each corresponding destination location based on each flight pattern associated with the current location of the vehicle and each corresponding destination location that each UAS/UAV is instructed to travel; and
landing each UAS/UAV at each corresponding destination location.
14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the returning comprises:
returning each corresponding UAS/UAV to the current location of the vehicle based on a return flight pattern generated from the current location of the vehicle and the destination location data of each destination location that each UAS/UAV is instructed to travel, wherein the current location of the vehicle differs from each destination location that each UAS/UAV is instructed to travel.
15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:
guiding each corresponding UAS/UAV to each corresponding destination location from the current location of the vehicle that is a remote location that the vehicle is unable to travel based on each flight pattern associated with the current location of the vehicle and each corresponding destination location that each UAS/UAV is instructed to travel and is remote from the current location of the vehicle; and
returning each UAS/UAV to the current location of the vehicle based on each return flight pattern from the current location of the vehicle and the destination location data of each destination location that each UAS/UAV is instructed to travel, wherein each destination location that each UAS/UAV is instructed to travel is a remote location that the vehicle is unable to travel.
16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the guiding further comprises:
launching each corresponding UAS/UAV from a delivery vehicle at the current location to deliver a package of supplies to each corresponding destination location that is the remote location from the delivery vehicle that the delivery vehicle is unable to travel.
17. The method of claim 11 , wherein the guiding further comprises:
launching each corresponding UAS/UAV from the current location of the vehicle that each UAS/UAV is positioned to a corresponding prescribed flight ceiling positioned above the current location of the vehicle before traversing on the corresponding flight pattern from the current location of the vehicle to each corresponding destination location that each UAS/UAV is instructed to travel.
18. The method of claim 11 , wherein the guiding further comprises:
autonomously guiding each corresponding UAS/UAV to location based on GPS coordinates associated with the flight pattern associated with the current location of the vehicle and the corresponding destination location.
19. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
electrically charging each corresponding UAS/UAV when positioned on the vehicle.
20. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
detecting, by at least one sensor associated with each corresponding UAS/UAV, image data associated with a descent of each UAS/UAV from each corresponding prescribed ceiling to each corresponding destination location after each UAS/UAV hovers above the corresponding destination location from each corresponding prescribed ceiling as each UAS/UAV lands at the corresponding destination location.