Multi-level fulfillment center for unmanned aerial vehicles

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9777502-B2
Application number	US-201514975618-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 18, 2015
Priority date	Dec 18, 2015
Publication date	Oct 3, 2017
Grant date	Oct 3, 2017

Abstract

A multi-level (ML) fulfillment center is designed to accommodate landing and takeoff of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), possibly in an urban setting, such as in a densely populated area. Unlike traditional fulfillment centers, the ML fulfillment centers may include many levels (i.e., stories, floors, etc.) as permitted under zoning regulations for respective areas. The fulfillment center may have one or more landing locations and one or more deployment locations to accommodate UAVs, which may delivery at least some of the items from the fulfillment center to locations associated with customers.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A multi-level fulfillment center configured to support distribution of items by unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), the multi-level fulfillment center comprising:
an exterior shell to secure internal operations of the multi-level fulfillment center;
UAV platforms to support landings and takeoffs of the UAVs, the UAV platforms coupled to the exterior shell;
apertures located in the exterior shell at different altitudes to provide at least access to the UAVs located on the UAV platforms, wherein a first aperture provides access to an authenticated UAV on a first UAV platform located proximate to the first aperture, the authenticated UAV to be readied for a next flight while on the first UAV platform to deliver an item from the multi-level fulfillment center to a destination associated with a customer;
aperture doors to selectively close the apertures, wherein a first door is configured to secure the first aperture in a closed position at least when the first UAV platform is not occupied by the authenticated UAV;
a controller to authenticate the UAVs and control the aperture doors, wherein the controller causes a second door to open based at least in part on a determination that an incoming UAV being received at a second UAV platform is authorized to access the multi-level fulfillment center;
a receiving area within the exterior shell to receive freight that includes the item and other items available for consumption by customers; and
a storage area within the exterior shell to organize and store the item and the other items prior to distribution to customers by the UAVs.

2. The multi-level fulfillment center as recited in claim 1 , wherein the apertures are arranged about the exterior shell to provide at least a predetermined vertical spacing between vertically adjacent apertures and a horizontal spacing between horizontally adjacent apertures, the predetermined vertical spacing and the horizontal spacing enabling concurrent use of adjacent apertures by different ones of the UAVs.

3. The multi-level fulfillment center as recited in claim 1 , further comprising:
an internal corridor accessible by at least one of the apertures, the internal corridor providing access by the UAVs to the different altitudes within the multi-level fulfillment center; and
at least one of a lift assist mechanism or an impact dampener located proximate to a bottom of the internal corridor, the lift assist mechanism to provide upward air movement through the internal corridor, the impact dampener to reduce potential damage to a UAV that falls into the impact dampener.

4. The multi-level fulfillment center as recited in claim 1 , wherein the first UAV platform includes arms that selectively engage coupling features coupled to the exterior shell and move the first UAV platform relative to the coupling features; and further comprising a grid of the coupling features extending outward from the exterior shell, the coupling features to provide power to the first UAV platform as the first UAV platform moves about the coupling features.

5. The multi-level fulfillment center as recited in claim 1 , further comprising an internal transport robot to move a UAV from the first UAV platform to a second UAV platform used for takeoff of the UAV and to charge a power source of the UAV.

6. A multi-level structure comprising:
an exterior shell to secure an interior of the multi-level structure;
a receiving area within the exterior shell to receive freight that includes items available for consumption by customers;
a storage area within the exterior shell to organize and store the items prior to distribution to customers by unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs);
a plurality of apertures in the exterior shell to enable access by the UAVs to different levels within the interior of the multi-level structure;
a controller to authenticate UAVs based at least in part on a determination that the UAVs are authorized to access the multi-level structure; and
UAV service sites located proximate to the plurality of apertures, the UAV service sites configured for at least landing and takeoff of the UAVs.

7. The multi-level structure as recited in claim 6 , further comprising aperture doors to selectively close the plurality of apertures at least during time periods that have an absence of authenticated UAVs.

8. The multi-level structure as recited in claim 7 , further comprising the controller to further control operation of the aperture doors.

9. The multi-level structure as recited in claim 6 , wherein the exterior shell includes a converging profile that converges toward a point at a top of the exterior shell, the converging profile to provide unobstructed airspace above at least some of the UAV service sites to enable the UAVs to land and deploy vertically.

10. The multi-level structure as recited in claim 6 , wherein the exterior shell includes levels having a hub and spoke design including multiple spokes that span out from the hub, each of the spokes and the hub having interior space configured to support fulfillment operations, and wherein the spokes internally include the UAV service sites, wherein a first UAV service site is adjacent to a first aperture and a second aperture enabling at least servicing a first UAV and a second UAV from a single location, the servicing including at least loading the first UAV with a package that includes one or more of the items.

11. The multi-level structure as recited in claim 6 , further comprising an internal corridor accessible by at least one of the plurality of apertures, the internal corridor providing access by the UAVs to at least some of the different levels within the multi-level structure.

12. The multi-level structure as recited in claim 11 , further comprising at least one of:
a lift assist mechanism located proximate to a bottom of the internal corridor, the lift assist mechanism to provide upward air movement through the internal corridor; or
an impact dampener located proximate to the bottom of the internal corridor, the impact dampener to reduce potential damage to a UAV that falls into the impact dampener.

13. The multi-level structure as recited in claim 6 , wherein the apertures include an entry aperture and an exit aperture, the entry aperture providing access to a first internal corridor that provides access by the UAVs to different levels within the multi-level structure, the exit aperture providing an exit from a second internal corridor, and further comprising UAV passages connecting the first internal corridor to the second internal corridor, wherein the UAV service sites are located within the UAV passages.

14. The multi-level structure as recited in claim 6 , wherein the UAV service sites are further configured to:
charge or replace a battery of a UAV, and
couple a package to the UAV.

15. The multi-level structure as recited in claim 6 , further comprising a launch assist mechanism configured with the UAV service site, the launch assist mechanism to provide a trajectory force to a UAV during a launch of the UAV from the UAV service site.

16. The multi-level structure as recited in claim 6 , further comprising an internal transport robot to move a UAV within the interior of the multi-level structure and to charge a power source of the UAV.

17. A multi-level unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) landing structure comprising:
an exterior shell that includes coupling features extending outward from the exterior shell; and
a UAV platform to support landings and takeoffs of the UAVs, the a UAV platform coupled to the exterior shell, and the a UAV plat

Assignees

• Amazon Tech Inc

Inventors

• Curlander James Christopher
• Gilboa-Amir Asaf
• Kisser Lauren Marie
• Koch Robert Arthur
• Welsh Ricky Dean

Classifications

• E04H14/00 Primary

  Buildings for combinations of different purposes not covered by any single one of main groups E04H1/00-E04H13/00 of this subclass, e.g. for double purpose (E04H3/02, E04H9/06 take precedence); Buildings of the drive-in type · CPC title

• B64F1/32 Primary

  for handling freight · CPC title

• B64F1/10

  using self-propelled vehicles · CPC title

• B64C2201/128

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• B64C2201/20

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic