Unmanned aerial vehicle for delivering cargo

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020031460-A1
Application number	US-201916516529-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 19, 2019
Priority date	Jul 30, 2018
Publication date	Jan 30, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

Disclosed herein are aspects of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). In one embodiment, the UAV includes a container body having a cargo bay configured to hold cargo, and a plurality of rotor assemblies coupled to the container body. Each rotor assembly is configured to provide the container body with propulsion. A control system may be held by the container body and operatively connected to the rotor assemblies. The control system may be configured to fly the container body to a destination. The rotor assemblies may be moveable between a flight configuration and a shipping configuration. In the flight configuration, the rotor assemblies may extend outward from the container body such that the rotor assemblies are positioned to propel the container body through the air. In the shipping configuration, the rotor assemblies may be folded to the container body such that the container body is configured to be shipped to a destination.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) comprising:
a container body having a cargo bay configured to hold cargo; a plurality of rotor assemblies coupled to the container body, each rotor assembly being configured to provide the container body with propulsion; a control system held by the container body and operatively connected to the rotor assemblies, the control system being configured to fly the container body to a destination; and wherein the rotor assemblies are moveable between a flight configuration and a shipping configuration, wherein in the flight configuration the rotor assemblies extend outward from the container body such that the rotor assemblies are positioned to propel the container body through the air, and wherein in the shipping configuration the rotor assemblies are folded to the container body such that the container body is configured to be shipped to a destination.

2 . The UAV of claim 1 , wherein the rotor assemblies are contained within the cargo bay of the container body when the rotor assemblies are in the shipping configuration.

3 . The UAV of claim 1 , wherein the container body comprises at least one opening, the rotor assemblies being movable from the flight configuration to the shipping configuration through the at least one opening such that the rotor assemblies are contained within the cargo bay of the container body in the shipping configuration.

4 . The UAV of claim 1 , wherein the container body comprises at least one recess extending along an exterior of the container body, the rotor assemblies being contained within the at least one recess when the rotor assemblies are in the shipping configuration.

5 . The UAV of claim 1 , wherein the container body comprises at least one cover configured to at least partially close at least one of an opening or a recess of the container body such that the rotor assemblies are covered by the at least one cover when the rotor assemblies are in the shipping configuration.

6 . The UAV of claim 1 , wherein the control system is configured to automatically sense when the rotor assemblies are folded in the shipping configuration and communicate that the UAV is ready to be shipped to a destination.

7 . The UAV of claim 1 , wherein the control system in configured to automatically move the rotor assemblies between the flight configuration and the shipping configuration.

8 . The UAV of claim 1 , wherein the control system is held within the cargo bay of the container body.

9 . A method for delivering cargo, the method comprising:
flying an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) having a container body comprising a cargo bay to a first destination, the cargo bay being configured to hold cargo; folding rotor assemblies of the UAV to the container body of the UAV such that the rotor assemblies are in a shipping configuration wherein the container body is configured to be shipped; and shipping the container body of the UAV to a second destination with the rotor assemblies in the shipping configuration.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein folding the rotor assemblies to the container body of the UAV comprises folding the rotor assemblies into the cargo bay of the container body such that the rotor assemblies are contained within the cargo bay when the rotor assemblies are in the shipping configuration.

11 . The method of claim 9 , wherein folding the rotor assemblies to the container body of the UAV comprises folding the rotor assemblies into at least one recess that extends along an exterior of the container body such that the rotor assemblies are contained within the at least one recess when the rotors assemblies are in the shipping configuration.

12 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the first destination is a delivery location and flying the UAV to the first destination comprises delivering the cargo to the delivery location.

13 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the second destination is a delivery location and shipping the container body of the UAV to the second destination comprises delivering the cargo to the delivery location.

14 . The method of claim 9 , wherein shipping the container body of the UAV to the second destination comprises shipping the body of the UAV to the second destination before flying the UAV to the first destination.

15 . The method of claim 9 , wherein:
flying the UAV to the first destination her comprises flying the UAV from the first destination to a group pickup station; folding the rotor assemblies of the UAV into the shipping configuration comprises folding the rotor assemblies into the shipping configuration at the group pickup station; and shipping the container body of the UAV to the second destination comprises shipping the body of the UAV from the group pickup station to the second destination.

16 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising sensing when the rotor assemblies of the UAV are in the shipping configuration and communicating that the container body of the UAV is ready to be shipped to the second destination.

17 . A cargo delivery system comprising:
a base station; and an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) comprising a container body having a cargo bay configured to hold cargo, the UAV comprising a plurality of rotor assemblies coupled to the container body and being configured to provide the container body with propulsion, the UAV comprising a control system held by the container body and operatively connected to the rotor assemblies, the control system being configured to fly the container body between the base station and delivery locations, wherein the rotor assemblies are moveable between a flight configuration and a shipping configuration, wherein in the flight configuration the rotor assemblies extend outward from the container body such that the rotor assemblies are positioned to propel the container body through the air, and wherein in the shipping configuration the rotor assemblies are folded to the container body such that the container body is configured to be shipped.

18 . The cargo delivery system of claim 17 , wherein the rotor assemblies of the UAV are contained within the cargo bay of the container body when the rotor assemblies are in the shipping configuration,

19 . The cargo delivery system of claim 17 , wherein the container body of the UAV comprises at least one recess extending along an exterior of the container body, the rotor assemblies being contained within the at least one recess when the rotor assemblies are in the shipping configuration.

20 . The cargo delivery system of claim 17 , wherein the control system of the UAV is communicatively coupled with the base station and is configured to automatically sense when the rotor assemblies are folded in the shipping configuration and communicate to the base station that the UAV is ready to be shipped.

Assignees

• Walmart Apollo Llc

Inventors

• Millhouse Andrew B

Classifications

• G06Q10/083 Primary

  Shipping · CPC title

• B64U50/19

  using electrically powered motors · CPC title

• B64C27/50 Primary

  Blades foldable to facilitate stowage of aircraft · CPC title

• B64C2201/108

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• B64C2201/042

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic