Systems and methods for automated ground handling of aerial vehicles
AssigneeAmazon Technologies, Inc.
InventorsDavid L. Alspaugh, Pragyana K. Mishra, Dipan M. Shah
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Abstract
Systems and methods relating to automated handline of aerial vehicles are disclosed. The described systems and methods can include a plurality of robots operating on a continuous, closed-loop track. A plurality of aerial vehicle handling stations can be disposed along the continuous, closed-loop track, and each of the plurality of robots can engage an aerial vehicles and transport it to the aerial vehicle handling station, as needed, in accordance with a workflow associated with the aerial vehicle. The described systems and methods can provide a fully automated system for the ground handling of multiple aerial vehicles simultaneously.
Claims12
A system for automated handling of an aerial vehicle, comprising:
- at least one continuous robotic track, the at least one continuous robotic track forming a closed loop;
- a plurality of aerial vehicle handling stations disposed along the at least one continuous robotic track, the at least one continuous robotic track being configured to link the plurality of aerial vehicle handling stations;
- a plurality of robots operating on the at least one continuous robotic track;
- and
- a control system including one or more processors and program instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to at least:
- determine a workflow associated with the aerial vehicle based on at least one of an aerial vehicle type of the aerial vehicle or sensor information;
- determine a location of the aerial vehicle, the location being one aerial vehicle handling station from the plurality of aerial vehicle handling stations;
- direct a first robot from the plurality of robots to navigate, via the at least one continuous robotic track, to the location;
- direct the first robot to engage the aerial vehicle at the location;
- determine, based at least in part on the workflow, a next aerial vehicle handling station from the plurality of aerial vehicle handling stations to which the aerial vehicle is to be transported;
- and
- direct the first robot to transport the aerial vehicle, via the at least one continuous robotic track, to the next aerial vehicle handling station.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.