Methods and systems for self-deployment of operational infrastructure by an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)

An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) system comprising:

• a group of UAVs, wherein the group of UAVs includes at least a first UAV;
• and
• a control system configured to:
• determine a plurality of operational locations from which the group of UAVs is to provide aerial transport services in a geographic area, wherein the group of UAVs is initially located at a source location serving the geographic area;
• for at least a first of the plurality of operational locations, cause the first UAV to perform an infrastructure deployment task that includes (i) a flight from the source location to the first of the plurality of operational locations and (ii) installation of operational infrastructure at the first of the plurality of operational locations by the first UAV;
• receive a request for a transport task having an associated item-source location;
• determine that the item-source location corresponds to the first of the plurality of operational locations;
• and
• cause the first UAV to perform the transport task.

A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored therein instructions executable by one or more processors to cause a control system to perform functions comprising:

• determining a plurality of operational locations from which a group of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) is to provide aerial transport services in a geographic area, wherein the group of UAVs is initially located at a source location serving the geographic area;
• for at least a first of the plurality of operational locations, causing a first UAV from the group to perform an infrastructure deployment task that includes (i) a flight from the source location to the first of the plurality of operational locations and (ii) installation of operational infrastructure at the first of the plurality of operational locations by the first UAV;
• receiving a request for a transport task having an associated item-source location;
• determining that the item-source location corresponds to the first of the plurality of operational locations;
• and
• causing the first UAV to perform the transport task.