Stabilized airborne drop delivery

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9688404-B1
Application number	US-201414558046-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Dec 2, 2014
Priority date	Dec 2, 2014
Publication date	Jun 27, 2017
Grant date	Jun 27, 2017

Abstract

Stabilized airborne drop 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. Because the use of 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 are configured to 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. An apparatus, comprising:
an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), comprising:
a flight controller configured to control a flight path of the UAV;
a winch mechanism secured to an underside of the UAV, the winch mechanism comprising:
a first winch including a first extendable tether, the first winch being secured to the UAV in a first orientation;
a second winch including a second extendable tether, the second winch being secured to the UAV in a second orientation; and
a platform tethered to a distal end of the first and second extendable tethers, the platform including an attachment mechanism to releasably secure an item to the platform; and

a payload system configured to stabilize the platform, the payload system comprising:
at least one thrust generator;
at least one orientation sensor; and
a payload controller configured to control the at least one thrust generator to alter an orientation of the platform based on feedback from the at least one orientation sensor, wherein

the first extendable tether flexes in a first direction and resists flexing in a second direction, the second extendable tether flexes in the second direction and resists flexing in the first direction, and the first direction is different than the second direction.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the flight controller is further configured to:
actuate the winch mechanism of the UAV to extend the platform from the UAV;
monitor a height of at least one of the platform or the item above a landing surface within a delivery zone; and
based on the height, release the item from the platform to deliver the item.

3. An apparatus, comprising:
an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), comprising:
an orientation sensor;
a flight controller configured to control a flight path and orientation of the UAV;
a first winch mechanism secured to the UAV in a first orientation;
a second winch mechanism secured to the UAV in a second orientation; and
a platform tethered to a distal end of the first winch mechanism and the second winch mechanism, the platform including an attachment mechanism to releasably secure an item to the platform, wherein

the first extendable tether flexes in a first direction and resists flexing in a second direction, the second extendable tether flexes in the second direction and resists flexing in the first direction, and the first direction is different than the second direction.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the flight controller is further configured to monitor a height of at least one of the platform or the item above a landing surface within a delivery zone.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the flight controller is further configured to actuate the attachment mechanism of the UAV to release the item based on the height.

6. The apparatus of claim 4 , further comprising:
a contact sensor to detect contact with the landing surface, wherein the flight controller is further configured to release the item from the platform based on a signal from the contact sensor.

7. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the flight controller is further configured to:
determine whether the monitored height is less than a predetermined drop height;
receive an instruction to release the item via a communications interface; and
release the item from the attachment mechanism.

8. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the first winch includes a first extendable tether and the second winch includes a second extendable tether.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the flight controller is further configured to:
determine whether tension in at least one of the first extendable tether and the second extendable tether is greater than a predetermined threshold based on a signal from a tension sensor; and
disconnect at least one of the winch mechanism or the platform when the tension is greater than the predetermined threshold.

10. The apparatus of claim 4 , further comprising a payload system configured to stabilize the platform, the payload system comprising:
at least one thrust generator;
at least one orientation sensor; and
a payload controller to control the at least one thrust generator based on feedback from the at least one orientation sensor.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the payload controller is configured to control the at least one thrust generator to provide thrust in a direction opposing a direction of tilt of the platform.

12. An Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), comprising:
a first winch including a first extendable tether secured to an underside of the UAV in a first orientation;
a second winch including a second extendable tether secured to the underside of the UAV in a second orientation;
an attachment mechanism to releasably secure an item to the first extendable tether and the second extendable tether;
an orientation sensor to provide orientation feedback signals representative of swinging or tilting in at least one of the first extendable tether, the second extendable tether, and the item; and
a flight controller configured to control flight of the UAV based on the orientation feedback signals, wherein
the first extendable tether flexes in a first direction and resists flexing in a second direction, the second extendable tether flexes in the second direction and resists flexing in the first direction, and the first direction is different than the second direction.

13. The UAV of claim 12 , further comprising a payload system at a distal end of the first extendable tether and the second extendable tether.

14. The UAV of claim 13 , wherein the payload system comprises:
at least one thrust generator; and
a payload controller configured to control the at least one thrust generator to alter an orientation of the payload system based on the orientation feedback signals.

15. The UAV of claim 14 , wherein the payload controller is further configured to:
determine a shift in orientation of the payload system based on the orientation feedback signals; and
control an amount of thrust generated by the at least one thrust generator based on the shift in orientation.

16. The UAV of claim 12 , wherein the flight controller is further configured to:
actuate the first winch and the second winch to extend the first extendable tether and the second extendable tether from the UAV;
monitor a height of the item above a landing surface; and
actuate the attachment mechanism of the UAV to release the item based on the height.

17. The UAV of claim 16 , wherein the flight controller is further configured to:
determine whether the height of the UAV above the landing surface is less than a predetermined drop height;
receive an instruction to release the item via a communications interface; and
release the item from the extendable tether using the attachment mechanism.

18. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first orientation is perpendicular to the second orientation.

19. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the first orientation is perpendicular to the second orientation.

20. The UAV of claim 12 , wherein the first orientation is perpendicular to the second orientation.

Assignees

• Amazon Tech Inc

Inventors

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

Classifications

• B64U2201/20

  Remote controls · CPC title

• B64U2201/00

  UAVs characterised by their flight controls · CPC title

• B64D1/08

  the articles being load-carrying devices · CPC title

• B64D1/12 Primary

  Releasing · CPC title

• G06Q10/083

  Shipping · CPC title