# US 12,006,039 B2 · Material delivery systems and methods > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,006,039 B2 - Document ID: US12006039B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/634,988 - Filed: 2020-08-13 - Published: 2022-10-13 - Granted: 2024-06-11 - Earliest claimed: 2019-08-13 - Assignees: FMC Corporation - Applicants: Fmc Corporation - Inventors: Darryl A. Meade; Edward Lang; Xuan Li; Maggie Lynch - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12006039B2 ## CPC - A01M 7/0085: {Tanks} - B65D 83/771: {for dispensing fluent contents by means of a flexible bag or a deformable membrane or diaphragm} - B64D 1/18: by spraying, e.g. insecticides - B64U 10/13: Flying platforms - B64U 30/20: Rotors; Rotor supports - B64U 2101/45: for releasing liquids or powders in-flight, e.g. crop-dusting - B64U 2101/60: for transporting passengers; for transporting goods other than weapons - B64U 2201/20: Remote controls - A01M: CATCHING, TRAPPING OR SCARING OF ANIMALS (appliances for catching swarms or drone-catching A01K57/00; fishing A01K69/00 - {A01K99/00}; biocides, pest repellants or attractants A01N); APPARATUS FOR THE DESTRUCTION OF NOXIOUS ANIMALS OR NOXIOUS PLANTS - B65D: CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES - 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 ## Abstract Described herein is an aerial material delivery system, which includes an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) including a body, and a material dispensing system mounted to the UAV, The delivery system also includes a collapsible storage container releasably mountable to the UAV. The storage container contains a flowable chemical product and includes at least one coupler adapted to couple the storage container to the material dispensing system of the UAV and allow the flowable chemical product to be dispensed therethrough. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An aerial fluid delivery system comprising: an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) comprising a body; a material dispensing system mounted to the UAV; and a collapsible storage container releasably mountable to the UAV, characterized in: the liquid storage container containing a pre-dosed amount of a chemical product and comprising at least one fluid coupler, the liquid storage container configured to receive a liquid via the at least one fluid coupler to form a liquid mixture with the chemical product, wherein the at least one fluid coupler is adapted to fluidly couple the liquid storage container to the liquid dispensing system of the UAV for dispensing the liquid mixture therethrough; wherein the at least one fluid coupler comprises a single fluid coupler that functions as both an inlet for receiving liquid into the liquid storage container to mix with the chemical product and form the liquid mixture, and an outlet for supplying the liquid mixture to the liquid dispensing system. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The aerial fluid delivery system of claim 1, wherein the liquid storage container includes a fill line indicator that corresponds to a liquid filling level of the liquid container needed to achieve a pre-determined concentration of the liquid mixture; and/or wherein the liquid storage container is constructed from at least one of a transparent material and a translucent material. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The aerial fluid delivery system of claim 2, wherein the liquid storage container comprises a bag including at least sidewall constructed of a flexible film. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The aerial fluid delivery system of claim 3, wherein the liquid storage container is constructed from at least one of plastic, polyethylene, modifier rubber, polyethylene terephthalate, nylon, Valéron, and film laminates; and/or wherein the flexible film has a thickness from about 3 mil to 6.5 mil; and/or wherein the flexible film has an areal density of less than 0.15 g/cm2. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The aerial fluid delivery system of claim 4, wherein the liquid storage container comprises a unique identifier tag configured to wirelessly communicate with a controller of the UAV to identify at least one type of the chemical product contained within the liquid storage container and an amount of the chemical product contained within the liquid storage container. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The aerial fluid delivery system of claim 5, further comprising a frame coupled to the UAV body, wherein the collapsible storage container is releasably mountable to the UAV by the frame. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The aerial chemical delivery system of claim 6, wherein the frame is releasably coupled to the UAV body and/or wherein a bottom of the frame is coupled to a top of the UAV body; and/or wherein, when the liquid storage container is mounted to the UAV by the frame, a top of the liquid storage container is located above a top of the UAV body, and a bottom of the liquid storage container is located below the top of the UAV body. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7) The aerial fluid delivery system of any one of claims 1-7, wherein the chemical product comprises at least one fertilizer, an insecticide, a fungicide, a nematocide, a bactericide, an araricide, a herbicide, a herbicide safener, a growth regulator, a chemosterilant, a semiochemicals, a repellent, an attractant, a pheromone, and a feeding stimulant; and/or wherein the chemical product comprises at least one invertebrate pest control agent. ### Claim 9 A method characterized by comprising: introducing a liquid into a collapsible storage container that contains a predosed amount of a chemical product to form a liquid mixture, the liquid storage container including at least one fluid coupler; releasably mounting the liquid storage container to an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV); fluidly coupling the storage container to a liquid dispensing system mounted to the UAV using the at least one fluid coupler; and dispensing the liquid mixture from the UAV using the liquid dispensing system; wherein the at least one fluid coupler comprises a single fluid coupler; wherein introducing a liquid into the collapsible liquid storage container comprises introducing the liquid into the liquid storage container via the fluid coupler; and wherein fluidly coupling the liquid storage container to a liquid dispensing system comprises fluidly coupling the liquid storage container to the liquid dispensing system via the same fluid coupler. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein dispensing the liquid mixture from the UAV comprises: operating the UAV such that the UAV flies over a field; and dispensing the liquid mixture from the UAV while the UAV is flying over the field such that the liquid mixture is applied to the field. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein releasably mounting the liquid storage container to a UAV comprises releasably mounting the storage container to the UAV using a frame coupled to a body of the UAV. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11 further comprising removably coupling the frame to the UAV body. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein introducing a liquid into a collapsible liquid storage container includes filling the collapsible liquid storage container to a fill line indicator that corresponds to a liquid filling level of the liquid container needed to achieve a predetermined concentration of the liquid mixture. ### Claim 14 A collapsible liquid storage container comprising: a flexible sidewall constructed of an ultra-lightweight material, the sidewall at least partially defining a cavity; a pre-dosed amount of a chemical product disposed within the cavity; at least one mechanical coupler coupled to the sidewall and configured for releasable coupling to an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV); and at least one fluid coupler coupled in fluid communication with the cavity, wherein the liquid storage container is configured to receive a liquid into the cavity via the at least one fluid coupler to form a liquid mixture with the chemical product, and wherein the at least one fluid coupler is adapted to fluidly couple the cavity to a liquid dispensing system of the UAV such that the liquid mixture can be dispensed from the UAV liquid dispensing system. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The collapsible liquid storage container of claim 14, wherein the at least one fluid coupler comprises a single fluid coupler that functions as both an inlet for receiving liquid into the liquid storage container to mix with the chemical product and form the liquid mixture, and an outlet for supplying the liquid mixture to the liquid dispensing system. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The collapsible liquid storage container of claim 14, further comprising a fill line indicator that corresponds to a liquid filling level of the liquid container needed to achieve a pre-determined concentration of the liquid mixture. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The collapsible liquid storage container of claim 14, wherein the at least one mechanical coupler is selected from the group consisting of grommets, hooks, buttons, snaps, clips, clamps, and bolts. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The collapsible liquid storage container of claim 14, wherein the collapsible liquid storage container comprises a unique identifier tag configured to wirelessly communicate with a controller of the UAV to identify at least one of a type of the chemical product contained within the liquid storage container and an amount of the chemical product contained within the liquid storage container. ### Claim 19 (depends on 14) The collapsible liquid storage container of claim 14, wherein the chemical product comprises at least one of a fertilizer, an insecticide, a fungicide, a nematocide, a bactericide, an acaricide, a herbicide, a herbicide safener, a growth regulator, a chemosterilant, a semiochemical, a repellent, an attractant, a pheromone, and a feeding stimulant.