# US 10,482,414 B2 · Unmanned aerial vehicle chassis > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,482,414 B2 - Document ID: US10482414B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/870,101 - Filed: 2018-01-12 - Published: 2018-05-17 - Granted: 2019-11-19 - Earliest claimed: 2016-04-29 - Assignees: United Parcel Service of America, Inc. - Applicants: United Parcel Service of America, Inc. - Inventors: Julio Gil - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10482414B2 ## CPC - G06Q 10/0832: Special goods or special handling procedures, e.g. handling of hazardous or fragile goods - B60P 3/11: for carrying aircraft - B64D 1/00: Dropping, ejecting, releasing or receiving articles, liquids, or the like, in flight (refuelling during flight B64D39/00; launching apparatus for projecting projectiles or missiles F41F1/00, F41F7/00; rocket or torpedo launchers F41F3/00; weapon sights or aiming F41G) - B64D 1/22: Taking-up articles from earth's surface - B64D 9/00: Equipment for handling freight; Equipment for facilitating passenger embarkation or the like - B64D 45/04: Landing aids; Safety measures to prevent collision with earth's surface - B64F 1/0299: {characterized by the use of multiple devices} - B64F 1/10: using self-propelled vehicles - B64F 1/22: for handling aircraft - B64F 1/32: for handling freight - B64U 10/16: with five or more distinct rotor axes, e.g. octocopters - B64U 20/40: Modular UAVs - B64U 20/70: Constructional aspects of the UAV body - B64U 70/70: Launching or landing using catapults, tracks or rails (launching from storage containers B64U70/50) - B64U 80/10: with means for moving the UAV to a supply or launch location, e.g. robotic arms or carousels - B64U 80/86: Land vehicles - B65G 1/0435: {with pulling or pushing means on either stacking crane or stacking area} - B65G 1/06: with means for presenting articles for removal at predetermined position or level (B65G1/12 takes precedence) - E05F 15/77: using wireless control - G01S 19/42: Determining position - G05D 1/102: {specially adapted for vertical take-off of aircraft} - G06Q 10/083: Shipping - G06Q 10/0833: Tracking - G08G 5/54: for approach or landing - G08G 5/55: for a single aircraft - G08G 5/57: for unmanned aircraft - G08G 5/59: in accordance with predefined flight zones, e.g. to avoid prohibited zones - H04L 67/55: Push-based network services - H04W 4/70: Services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC] - B64C 2211/00: Modular constructions of airplanes or helicopters - B64U 30/297: Tilting rotors - B64U 30/299: Rotor guards (ducted or shrouded rotors B64U30/26; guards used as ground propulsion B64U60/60) - B64U 50/39: Battery swapping - B64U 2101/64: for parcel delivery or retrieval - B64U 2201/10: autonomous, i.e. by navigating independently from ground or air stations, e.g. by using inertial navigation systems [INS] - B64U 2201/20: Remote controls - G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - B60P: VEHICLES ADAPTED FOR LOAD TRANSPORTATION OR TO TRANSPORT, TO CARRY, OR TO COMPRISE SPECIAL LOADS OR OBJECTS (vehicles with special provisions for transporting patients or disabled persons, or their personal conveyances A61G3/00) - B64D: EQUIPMENT FOR FITTING IN OR TO AIRCRAFT; FLIGHT SUITS; PARACHUTES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF POWER PLANTS OR PROPULSION TRANSMISSIONS IN AIRCRAFT - B64F: GROUND OR AIRCRAFT-CARRIER-DECK INSTALLATIONS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR USE IN CONNECTION WITH AIRCRAFT; DESIGNING, MANUFACTURING, ASSEMBLING, CLEANING, MAINTAINING OR REPAIRING AIRCRAFT, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; HANDLING, TRANSPORTING, TESTING OR INSPECTING AIRCRAFT COMPONENTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - B64U: UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES [UAV]; EQUIPMENT THEREFOR - B65G: TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS (packaging B65B; handling thin or filamentary materials, e.g. paper sheets or thread, B65H; cranes B66C; portable mobile or lifting or hauling appliances, e.g. hoists, B66D; devices for lifting or lowering goods for loading or unloading purposes, e.g. fork-lift trucks, B66F9/00; emptying bottles, jars, casks, barrels or similar containers, not otherwise provided for, B67C9/00; delivering or transferring liquids B67D; filling or discharging vessels for liquefied, solidified or compressed gases F17C; pipe-line systems for fluids F17D) - E05F: DEVICES FOR MOVING WINGS INTO OPEN OR CLOSED POSITION; CHECKS FOR WINGS; WING FITTINGS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR, CONCERNED WITH THE FUNCTIONING OF THE WING - G01S: RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES - G05D: SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES - G08G: TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEMS (guiding railway traffic, ensuring the safety of railway traffic B61L; arrangement of road signs or traffic signals E01F9/00; radar or analogous systems, sonar systems, lidar systems specially adapted for traffic control G01S13/91, G01S15/88, G01S17/88; {radar or analogous systems, sonar systems, lidar systems specially adapted for anti-collision purposes G01S13/93, G01S15/93, G01S17/93}) - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) - B64C: AEROPLANES; HELICOPTERS ## Abstract Systems and methods include UAVs that serve to assist carrier personnel by reducing the physical demands of the transportation and delivery process. A UAV generally includes a UAV chassis including an upper portion, a plurality of propulsion members configured to provide lift to the UAV chassis, and a parcel carrier configured for being selectively coupled to and removed from the UAV chassis. UAV support mechanisms are utilized to load and unload parcel carriers to the UAV chassis, and the UAV lands on and takes off from the UAV support mechanism to deliver parcels to a serviceable point. The UAV includes computing entities that interface with different systems and computing entities to send and receive various types of information. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) for delivering a parcel, the UAV comprising: a UAV chassis comprising: an upper portion having an upper portion width evaluated in a lateral direction, wherein the upper portion comprises a tapered shape such that the upper portion width decreases moving downward along the upper portion in the vertical direction; a plurality of propulsion members configured to provide lift to the UAV chassis; a lower portion positioned below the upper portion in a vertical direction, the lower portion having a lower portion width evaluated in the lateral direction; a reduced width portion positioned between the upper portion and the lower portion, the reduced width portion having a width evaluated in the lateral direction, wherein the width of the reduced width portion is less than the upper portion width and the lower portion width; and a parcel carrying mechanism coupled to the lower portion, wherein the parcel carrying mechanism is configured to engage a parcel. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The UAV of claim 1, wherein the lower portion comprises a tapered shape such that the lower portion width increases moving downward along the lower portion in the vertical direction. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The UAV of claim 1, further comprising landing gear coupled to the upper portion, wherein the landing gear is configured to engage opposing rails of a UAV support mechanism. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The UAV of claim 3, wherein the landing gear comprises rollers oriented to face downward from the upper portion and configured to engage the pair of opposing rails of the UAV support mechanism. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The UAV of claim 3, wherein the landing gear is positioned on opposing sides of the reduced width portion. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The UAV of claim 1, wherein the parcel carrying mechanism comprises a pair of parcel carrying arms. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The UAV of claim 6, wherein each of the parcel carrying arms further comprise a plurality of pins extending inward from the parcel carrying arms toward the parcel. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The UAV of claim 6, further comprising a ground probe extending downward from the parcel carrying arms, wherein the ground probe is configured to detect a distance between a surface and a bottom surface of the parcel. ### Claim 9 An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) for delivering a parcel, the UAV comprising: a UAV chassis, the UAV chassis comprising: an upper portion having an upper portion width evaluated in a lateral direction; a plurality of propulsion members configured to provide lift to the UAV chassis; a reduced width portion positioned below the upper portion, the reduced width portion having a width evaluated in the lateral direction, wherein the width of the reduced width portion is less than the upper portion width; a parcel carrier selectively coupled to the UAV chassis, the parcel carrier comprising: an engagement housing selectively coupled to the reduced width portion of the UAV chassis; and a parcel carrying mechanism coupled to the engagement housing, wherein the parcel carrying mechanism is configured to engage a parcel. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The UAV of claim 9, further comprising landing gear coupled to the upper portion of the UAV chassis, wherein the landing gear is configured to engage opposing rails of a UAV support mechanism. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The UAV of claim 10, wherein the landing gear comprises rollers oriented to face downward from the upper portion and configured to engage the pair of opposing rails of the UAV support mechanism. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The UAV of claim 10, wherein the landing gear is positioned on opposing sides of the reduced width portion. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The UAV of claim 9, wherein the upper portion of the UAV chassis comprises a tapered shape such that the upper portion width decreases moving downward along the upper portion in the vertical direction. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The UAV of claim 9, wherein the engagement housing comprises a tapered shape such that a width of the engagement housing increases moving downward along engagement housing in the vertical direction. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) The UAV of claim 9, wherein the parcel carrying mechanism comprises a pair of parcel carrying arms. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The UAV of claim 15, wherein the parcel carrier further comprises: a motor coupled to the parcel carrying arms; and a parcel carrier controller communicatively coupled to the motor, wherein the parcel carrier controller is configured to command the motor to move the parcel carrying arms between an engaged position, in which the parcel carrying arms are configured to engage the parcel, and a disengaged position, in which the parcel carrying arms are configured to be spaced apart from the parcel. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The UAV of claim 15, further comprising a ground probe extending downward from the parcel carrying arms, wherein the ground probe is configured to detect when a bottom surface of the parcel contacts a landing surface. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The UAV of claim 15, wherein each of the parcel carrying arms further comprise a plurality of pins extending inward the parcel carrying arms toward the parcel.