# US 10,872,304 B1 · Pre-flight fabrication and assembly of aerial vehicles

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- Number: US 10,872,304 B1
- Document ID: US10872304B1
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B1
- Application number: 15/713,122
- Filed: 2017-09-22
- Granted: 2020-12-22
- Earliest claimed: 2017-09-22
- Assignees: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
- Applicants: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
- Inventors: Shmuel Eisenmann; Howard Lee Huddleston, Jr.; Christopher Andrew Keisner
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10872304B1

## CPC

- B64F 5/10: Manufacturing or assembling aircraft, e.g. jigs therefor
- G06Q 10/083: Shipping
- B29C 64/393: for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes
- B33Y 30/00: Apparatus for additive manufacturing; Details thereof or accessories therefor
- B64D 1/12: Releasing
- B64U 20/40: Modular UAVs
- B64U 20/70: Constructional aspects of the UAV body
- G05D 1/0088: {characterized by the autonomous decision making process, e.g. artificial intelligence, predefined behaviours (using knowledge based models G06N5/00)}
- G06Q 10/0843: {using forecasting or optimisation}
- B64C 2211/00: Modular constructions of airplanes or helicopters
- B64U 10/13: Flying platforms
- B64U 20/65: Composite materials
- B64U 50/30: Supply or distribution of electrical power
- B64U 2101/64: for parcel delivery or retrieval
- Y02P 70/50: Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product
- 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
- 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
- B29C: SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING (making preforms B29B11/00; making laminated products by combining previously unconnected layers which become one product whose layers will remain together B32B37/00 - B32B41/00)
- B33Y: ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING, i.e. MANUFACTURING OF THREE-DIMENSIONAL [3D] OBJECTS BY ADDITIVE DEPOSITION, ADDITIVE AGGLOMERATION OR ADDITIVE LAYERING, e.g. BY 3D PRINTING, STEREOLITHOGRAPHY OR SELECTIVE LASER SINTERING
- B64D: EQUIPMENT FOR FITTING IN OR TO AIRCRAFT; FLIGHT SUITS; PARACHUTES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF POWER PLANTS OR PROPULSION TRANSMISSIONS IN AIRCRAFT
- B64U: UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES [UAV]; EQUIPMENT THEREFOR
- G05D: SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES
- B64C: AEROPLANES; HELICOPTERS
- Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS

## Abstract

Systems and methods for pre-flight fabrication and/or assembly of various configurations of aerial vehicles are described. Operations of various configurations of aerial vehicles may be analyzed using models based on various inputs, which inputs may be related to routes, environments, vehicles, components, or other factors. A particular configuration may be selected for a selected route and associated task based at least in part on a desired optimization parameter. Then, the particular configuration of the aerial vehicle may be fabricated and/or assembled to complete the associated task via the selected route.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of assembling an automated aerial vehicle, comprising:
receiving an order for delivery of an item to a delivery destination;
determining a route for the delivery of the item to the delivery destination;
determining at least one route characteristic associated with the route;
determining at least one environment characteristic associated with the route to the delivery destination;
determining at least one vehicle characteristic of an automated aerial vehicle to deliver the item to the delivery destination;
selecting at least one optimization parameter for the delivery of the item;
simulating an operation of the automated aerial vehicle having a plurality of propeller configurations based at least in part on the at least one route characteristic, the at least one environment characteristic, and the at least one vehicle characteristic, wherein the plurality of propeller configurations include a plurality of propellers having different respective propeller parameters;
selecting a first propeller configuration of the plurality of propeller configurations based at least in part on the selected at least one optimization parameter;
causing fabrication of the first propeller configuration for the automated aerial vehicle responsive to receiving the order for the delivery of the item; and
causing assembly of the automated aerial vehicle having the first propeller configuration for the delivery of the item to the delivery destination responsive to receiving the order for the delivery of the item.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one route characteristic includes at least one of distance, altitude, desired efficiency, or desired noise level.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one environment characteristic includes at least one of temperature, pressure, humidity, altitude, air density, air quality, wind, or precipitation.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one vehicle characteristic includes at least one of size, weight, number of propellers, propeller location, propeller orientation, payload parameters, or fixed wing parameters.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one optimization parameter includes at least one of power efficiency, range, thrust, torque, noise, or flight dynamics.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the propeller parameters include at least one of material, shape, size, chord, span, thickness, pitch, surface features, or number of blades per propeller.

### Claim 7

A method of assembling an automated aerial vehicle, comprising:
receiving an order for delivery of an item to a delivery destination;
determining a route for the delivery of the item by the automated aerial vehicle;
determining at a route characteristic, an environment characteristic, and a vehicle characteristic associated with the route to deliver the item to the delivery destination;
simulating an operation of the automated aerial vehicle having a plurality of configurations based at least in part on the route characteristic, the environment characteristic, and the vehicle characteristic, wherein the plurality of configurations include at least one of a plurality of propellers, a plurality of motors, a plurality of power supplies, a plurality of sensors, or a plurality of vehicle configurations;
selecting an optimization parameter for the delivery of the item to the delivery destination;
selecting a first configuration of the plurality of configurations based at least in part on the selected optimization parameter; and
at least one of causing fabrication or assembly of the first configuration for the automated aerial vehicle for the delivery of the item responsive to receiving the order for the delivery of the item.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, wherein the route characteristic and the environment characteristic includes at least one of distance, altitude, desired efficiency, desired noise level, temperature, pressure, humidity, altitude, air density, air quality, wind, or precipitation associated with the route.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, wherein the plurality of propellers include a plurality of different respective propeller parameters, the propeller parameters including at least one of material, shape, size, chord, span, thickness, pitch, surface features, or number of blades per propeller.

### Claim 10 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, wherein the plurality of motors include a plurality of different respective motor parameters, the motor parameters including at least one of core size, number of windings, constant velocity (Kv), torque, acceleration, or weight.

### Claim 11 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, wherein the plurality of power supplies include a plurality of different respective power supply parameters, the power supply parameters including at least one of a number, type, density, voltage, capacity, or weight.

### Claim 12 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, wherein the plurality of vehicle configurations include a plurality of different respective vehicle parameters, the vehicle parameters including at least one of size, weight, number of propellers, propeller location, propeller orientation, payload parameters, or fixed wing parameters.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein the payload parameters include at least one of size, weight, or weight distribution, and wherein the fixed wing parameters include at least one of material, shape, size, chord, span, thickness, or surface features.

### Claim 14 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, further comprising:
determining an available set of the plurality of configurations having pre-fabricated components;
wherein simulating the operation of the automated aerial vehicle comprises simulating the operation based at least in part on the available set of the plurality of configurations.

### Claim 15 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, wherein causing fabrication of the first configuration comprises 3-D printing at least one of a propeller or a wing of the first configuration.

### Claim 16 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, further comprising:
determining that a second configuration of a second automated aerial vehicle for a second operation via a second route requires a component included in the first configuration;
selecting a third configuration of the plurality of configurations for the automated aerial vehicle based at least in part on the selected optimization parameter, the third configuration being a next highest ranking configuration of the plurality of configurations for the automated aerial vehicle based at least in part on the selected optimization parameter; and
at least one of causing fabrication or assembly of the third configuration for the automated aerial vehicle for the delivery of the item.

### Claim 17 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, further comprising:
receiving data associated with the delivery of the item of the first configuration for the automated aerial vehicle; and
updating a model used for simulating the operation of the automated aerial vehicle having the plurality of configurations based at least in part on the data.

### Claim 18

A system to assemble an automated aerial vehicle, comprising:
under control of a computer processor in communication with a memory, the computer processor configured to at least:
receive an order for delivery of an item to a delivery destination by the automated aerial vehicle;
determine a route characteristic, an environment characteristic, and a vehicle characteristic associated with a route to perform the delivery of the item to the delivery destination;
simulate an operation of a plurality of configurations for the automated aerial vehicle based at least in part on the route characteristic, the environment characteristic, and the vehicle characteristic of the route for the automated aerial vehicle, wherein the plurality of configurations include at least one of a plurality of propellers, a plurality of motors, a plurality of power supplies, a plurality of sensors, or a plurality of vehicle configurations;
select a first configuration of the plurality of configurations for the automated aerial vehicle based at least in part on an optimization parameter;
instruct a 3-D printer to fabricate at least one of a first propeller or a first wing included in the first configuration responsive to receiving the order for the delivery of the item by the automated aerial vehicle; and
instruct assembly of the first configuration for the automated aerial vehicle including the at least one of the first propeller or the first wing responsive to receiving the order for the delivery of the item by the automated aerial vehicle.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The system of claim 18, wherein the computer processor is further configured to at least:
instruct retrieval of at least one of a first motor, a first power supply, or a first sensor included in the first configuration;
wherein instructing assembly of the first configuration includes instructing assembly of the first configuration for the automated aerial vehicle including the at least one of the first motor, the first power supply, the first sensor, the first propeller, or the first wing.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The system of claim 19, wherein the computer processor is further configured to at least:
responsive to a return of the automated aerial vehicle after completing the route, instruct disassembly of at least one of the first propeller, the first wing, the first motor, the first power supply, or the first sensor from the automated aerial vehicle; and
instruct storage of the at least one of the first propeller, the first wing, the first motor, the first power supply, or the first sensor.