Unmanned aerial vehicle trajectories for nudging and un-nudging

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12050475-B2
Application number	US-202217657544-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 31, 2022
Priority date	Mar 31, 2022
Publication date	Jul 30, 2024
Grant date	Jul 30, 2024

Abstract

A method includes navigating, by an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), to a first altitude above a first delivery point at a delivery location. The method further includes determining, by the UAV, a second delivery point at the delivery location. The method includes navigating, by the UAV, through a descending trajectory to move the UAV from the first altitude above the first delivery point to a second altitude above the second delivery point at the delivery location. The second altitude is lower than the first altitude. The method additionally includes delivering, by the UAV, a payload to the second delivery point at the delivery location. The method includes after delivering the payload, navigating, by the UAV, through an ascending trajectory to move the UAV from a third altitude above the second delivery point to a fourth altitude above the first delivery point. The fourth altitude is higher than the third altitude.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
navigating, by an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), to a first altitude above a first delivery point at a delivery location;
determining, by the UAV, a second delivery point at the delivery location;
navigating, by the UAV, through a descending trajectory to move the UAV from the first altitude above the first delivery point to a second altitude above the second delivery point at the delivery location, wherein the second altitude is lower than the first altitude, wherein the descending trajectory comprises a horizontal descending speed;
delivering, by the UAV, a payload to the second delivery point at the delivery location; and
after delivering the payload, navigating, by the UAV, through an ascending trajectory to move the UAV from a third altitude above the second delivery point to a fourth altitude above the first delivery point, wherein the fourth altitude is higher than the third altitude, wherein the ascending trajectory comprises a horizontal ascending speed, wherein the horizontal descending speed is greater than the horizontal ascending speed.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the UAV comprises a tether, wherein the tether is at least partially extended during at least part of the ascending trajectory.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises:
after delivering the payload and before navigating through the ascending trajectory, ascending, by the UAV, to the third altitude.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the fourth altitude of the ascending trajectory is higher than the first altitude of the descending trajectory.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second altitude of the descending trajectory is equal to the third altitude of the ascending trajectory.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the third altitude of the ascending trajectory is higher than the first altitude of the descending trajectory.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first altitude of the descending trajectory is equal to the fourth altitude of the ascending trajectory.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the third altitude is higher than the second altitude.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first and second delivery points are at least a predefined distance apart.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first delivery point is determined to be an undeliverable delivery point to which the payload cannot be successfully delivered, and wherein the second delivery point is determined to be a deliverable delivery point to which the payload can be successfully delivered.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises:
accessing, from memory, a predefined delivery point for the delivery location, wherein the predefined delivery point is the first delivery point.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises:
accessing, from memory, at least one predefined altitude, wherein the at least one predefined altitude is at least one of the first altitude, the second altitude, the third altitude, or the fourth altitude.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises:
capturing an image of the delivery location; and
determining the first delivery point at the delivery location based on the image of the delivery location.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises:
capturing an image of the delivery location, wherein determining the second delivery point at the delivery location is based on the image at the delivery location.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the second delivery point comprises applying a machine learning model to at least a partial image of the delivery location.

16. An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), comprising:
a sensor; and
a control system configured to:
cause the UAV to navigate to a first altitude above a first delivery point at a delivery location;
determine a second delivery point at the delivery location;
cause the UAV to navigate through a descending trajectory to move the UAV from the first altitude above the first delivery point to a second altitude above the second delivery point at the delivery location, wherein the second altitude is lower than the first altitude, wherein the descending trajectory comprises a horizontal descending speed;
cause the UAV to deliver a payload to the second delivery point at the delivery location; and
after delivering the payload, cause the UAV to navigate through an ascending trajectory to move the UAV from a third altitude above the second delivery point to a fourth altitude above the first delivery point, wherein the fourth altitude is higher than the third altitude, wherein the ascending trajectory comprises a horizontal ascending speed, wherein the horizontal descending speed is greater than the horizontal ascending speed.

17. The UAV of claim 16 , wherein the UAV further comprises a tether for delivery of the payload, wherein the control system is configured to cause the UAV to navigate through at least a portion of the ascending trajectory while the tether is at least partially extended.

18. The UAV of claim 16 , further comprising a downward facing camera, wherein the control system is further configured to:
capture, using the downward facing camera, an image at the delivery location, wherein the control system is configured to determine the second delivery point based on the image at the delivery location.

19. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising program instructions executable by one or more processors to perform operations, the operations comprising:
navigating, by an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), to a first altitude above a first delivery point at a delivery location;
determining, by the UAV, a second delivery point at the delivery location;
navigating, by the UAV, through a descending trajectory to move the UAV from the first altitude above the first delivery point to a second altitude above the second delivery point at the delivery location, wherein the second altitude is lower than the first altitude, wherein the descending trajectory comprises a horizontal descending speed;
delivering, by the UAV, a payload to the second delivery point at the delivery location; and
after delivering the payload, navigating, by the UAV, through an ascending trajectory to move the UAV from a third altitude above the second delivery point to a fourth altitude above the first delivery point, wherein the fourth altitude is higher than the third altitude, wherein the ascending trajectory comprises a horizontal ascending speed, wherein the horizontal descending speed is greater than the horizontal ascending speed.

Assignees

• Wing Aviation Llc

Inventors

• Shoeb Ali
• Hammond Marcus
• Cobar Christopher
• Krafka Kyle
• Julian Kyle
• Jenkins Kevin

Classifications

• G08G5/57

  for unmanned aircraft · CPC title

• G08G5/55

  for a single aircraft · CPC title

• G05D1/46

  Control of position or course in three dimensions [3D] · CPC title

• G06Q10/0832

  Special goods or special handling procedures, e.g. handling of hazardous or fragile goods · CPC title

• B64D47/08

  Arrangements of cameras · CPC title