Stabilized airborne drop delivery

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10450065-B2
Application number	US-201715595556-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 15, 2017
Priority date	Dec 2, 2014
Publication date	Oct 22, 2019
Grant date	Oct 22, 2019

Abstract

Stabilized delivery using an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) is described. In one embodiment, the UAV includes a flight controller configured to control a flight path of the UAV, a winch mechanism secured to an underside of the UAV, a platform tethered to and extendable from the winch mechanism, and a ballast system configured to stabilize the platform. The winch mechanism may be relied upon to drop an item for delivery without landing the UAV. The winch mechanism can include a first winch mechanism secured to the UAV at a first orientation and a second winch mechanism secured to the UAV at a second orientation. Because the winch mechanism may give rise to certain design and operating considerations, various active and passive flight and/or ballast control systems are described. These systems maintain an orientation of the UAV, the platform, and/or the item during one or more stages of airborne drop delivery.

First claim

Therefore, the following is claimed:

1. A method, comprising:
navigating, by at least one computing device of an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), a flight path of the UAV to deliver an item;
positioning, by the at least one computing device, the UAV over a delivery zone to deliver the item;
actuating, by the at least one computing device, a winch mechanism of the UAV to extend at least one tether to deliver the item, the winch mechanism comprising a first winch mechanism secured to the UAV at a first orientation and a second winch mechanism secured to the UAV at a second orientation; and
monitoring, by the at least one computing device, at least one of a height of the UAV or the item above a landing surface within the delivery zone, wherein:
the at least one tether comprises a first tether of the first winch mechanism and a second tether of the second winch mechanism;
the first tether flexes in a first direction and resists flexing in a second direction; and
the second tether flexes in the second direction and resists flexing in the first direction.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the item is secured to a distal end of the first tether and to a distal end of the second tether using an attachment mechanism; and
the method further comprises releasing, by the at least one computing device, the attachment mechanism to deliver the item based on the monitoring.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the attachment mechanism comprises at least one of a clamp, a magnet, or a solenoid.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining, by the at least one computing device, whether at least one of the height of the UAV or the item is less than a predetermined drop height above the landing surface at the delivery zone;
receiving, by the at least one computing device, an instruction to release the item via a communications interface of the UAV; and
releasing, by the at least one computing device, the item for delivery.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
monitoring, by the at least one computing device, a relative position between the UAV and the landing surface while actuating the winch mechanism; and
adjusting, by the at least one computing device, a position of the UAV over the delivery zone while monitoring the relative position.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the UAV further comprises a platform secured to a distal end of the at least one tether; and
the platform comprises at least one thrust generator and at least one orientation sensor.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:
sensing, by the at least one computing device, a shift in orientation of the platform using the orientation sensor; and
controlling, by the at least one computing device, the at least one thrust generator based on the sensing.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
sensing, by the at least one computing device, tension in at least one of the first tether or the second tether; and
disconnecting, by the at least one computing device, at least a portion of the winch mechanism based on the tension.

9. A method, comprising:
navigating, by at least one computing device of an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), the UAV over a delivery zone to deliver an item; and
actuating, by the at least one computing device, a winch mechanism of the UAV to extend at least one tether to deliver the item, the winch mechanism comprising at least two winch mechanisms secured to the UAV at different locations and orientations, wherein:
the at least one tether comprises a first tether and a second tether;
the first tether flexes in a first direction and resists flexing in a second direction; and
the second tether flexes in the second direction and resists flexing in the first direction.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein:
the winch mechanism comprises a first winch mechanism and a second winch mechanism; and
the first winch mechanism is secured to the UAV at a first orientation and the second winch mechanism is secured to the UAV at a second orientation different than the first orientation.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein:
the item is secured to a distal end of the first tether and to a distal end of the second tether using an attachment mechanism; and
the method further comprises:
monitoring, by the at least one computing device, at least one of a height of the UAV or the item above a landing surface within the delivery zone; and
releasing, by the at least one computing device, the attachment mechanism to deliver the item based on the monitoring.

12. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
monitoring, by the at least one computing device, a relative position between the UAV and a landing surface at the delivery zone while actuating the winch mechanism; and
adjusting, by the at least one computing device, a position of the UAV over the delivery zone while monitoring the relative position.

13. The method of claim 9 , wherein:
the UAV further comprises a platform tethered to a distal end of the at least one tether; and
the platform comprises at least one thrust generator and at least one orientation sensor.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:
sensing, by the at least one computing device, a shift in orientation of the platform using the orientation sensor; and
controlling, by the at least one computing device, the at least one thrust generator based on the sensing.

15. A method, comprising:
navigating, by at least one computing device of an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), the UAV over a delivery zone; and
actuating, by the at least one computing device, a winch mechanism of the UAV to extend at least one tether, wherein:
the winch mechanism comprises a first winch mechanism and a second winch mechanism; and
the first winch mechanism is secured to the UAV at a first orientation and the second winch mechanism is secured to the UAV at a second orientation different than the first orientation, wherein:

the at least one tether comprises a first tether and a second tether;
the first tether flexes in a first direction and resists flexing in a second direction; and
the second tether flexes in the second direction and resists flexing in the first direction.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein:
an item is secured to a distal end of the first tether and to a distal end of the second using an attachment mechanism; and
the method further comprises:
monitoring, by the at least one computing device, at least one of a height of the UAV or the item above a landing surface within the delivery zone; and
releasing, by the at least one computing device, the attachment mechanism to deliver the item based on the monitoring.

17. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
monitoring, by the at least one computing device, a relative position between the UAV and a landing surface at the delivery zone while actuating the winch mechanism; and
adjusting, by the at least one computing device, a position of the UAV over the delivery zone while monitoring the relative position.

Assignees

• Amazon Tech Inc

Inventors

• Buchmueller Daniel
• Legrand Iii Louis Leroi
• Erdozain Jr Jack
• Koller Scarlett Elizabeth
• Riehl Eric Alexander
• Walker Trevor Barr

Classifications

• B64U2201/00

  UAVs characterised by their flight controls · CPC title

• B64U2201/20

  Remote controls · CPC title

• B64D1/12 Primary

  Releasing · CPC title

• B64D1/08

  the articles being load-carrying devices · CPC title

• B64C15/14

  the jets being other than main propulsion jets (jet flaps B64C9/38) · CPC title