Location for unmanned aerial vehicle landing and taking off

A method of controlling access to a location for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) comprising one or more of the following steps, at a departure location selected for a requested delivery:

• (i) after receiving a request for delivery of an article, generating a departure access code for the departure location;
• (ii) transmitting the access code to one or more persons associated with the delivery request, to each sender's portable device;
• (iii) each sender with the access code approaching the departure location and will be permitted access when a UAV selected for the delivery is present at the departure location;
• (iv) once the UAV is present at the departure location, checking with the flight management system available sensors and/or visually checking the location using a surveillance apparatus, for unauthorized movement or presence of unauthorized objects;
• (v) once it is confirmed that there are no obstructions at the departure location, transmitting to a control panel signal to open a lock, to permit access to the departure location;
• (vi) entering by the sender the departure access code, which may be either by way of a keypad at the departure location or by transmitting the access code using suitable short range wireless transmission from a handheld device;
• (vii) on receipt of the access code, opening the lock, to permit the sender to enter the departure location;
• (viii) having the sender secure an article to the UAV as a payload for delivery and then exit the departure location;
• and
• (ix) causing the UAV to take-off to deliver the article secured to the UAV to a destination location.

A method of receiving a delivery by an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) at destination location, comprising one or more of the following steps:

• (i) permitting the UAV to land at the destination location, once it is confirmed that a closure for that location is closed and locked by a lock and that there are no obstructions present;
• (ii) sending a destination access code at least to each receiver that has been identified to a control panel at the destination location;
• (iii) after the UAV has landed at the destination location, sending a signal to the lock, so as to permit the lock to be opened by the destination access code;
• (iv) having the receiver enter the destination access code at the destination location;
• (v) with the destination access code entered, opening the lock, so the receiver may open the closure, to gain access to the destination location;
• (vi) having the receiver approach the UAV and retrieve an article from the UAV;
• (vii) having the receiver leave the destination location with the article;
• and
• (viii) as required, causing the UAV to depart from the destination location, with or without another article.