# US 12,006,159 B2 · Systems and methods for drone management > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,006,159 B2 - Document ID: US12006159B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/241,331 - Filed: 2021-04-27 - Published: 2022-10-27 - Granted: 2024-06-11 - Earliest claimed: 2021-04-27 - Assignees: Verizon Patent and Licensing Inc. - Applicants: Verizon Patent and Licensing Inc. - Inventors: X; David A. Newell - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12006159B2 ## CPC - B64U 80/40: for two or more UAVs - B65G 43/10: Sequence control of conveyors operating in combination - G05B 19/416: characterised by control of velocity, acceleration or deceleration (G05B19/19 takes precedence) - B64U 30/20: Rotors; Rotor supports - B64U 50/37: Charging when not in flight - G05B 19/41815: {characterised by the cooperation between machine tools, manipulators and conveyor or other workpiece supply system, workcell} - G05B 2219/45054: Handling, conveyor - B64U: UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES [UAV]; EQUIPMENT THEREFOR - B65G: TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS (packaging B65B; handling thin or filamentary materials, e.g. paper sheets or thread, B65H; cranes B66C; portable mobile or lifting or hauling appliances, e.g. hoists, B66D; devices for lifting or lowering goods for loading or unloading purposes, e.g. fork-lift trucks, B66F9/00; emptying bottles, jars, casks, barrels or similar containers, not otherwise provided for, B67C9/00; delivering or transferring liquids B67D; filling or discharging vessels for liquefied, solidified or compressed gases F17C; pipe-line systems for fluids F17D) - G05B: CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS (systems for controlling or regulating non-electric variables G05D; systems for regulating electric or magnetic variables G05F; control devices or systems insofar as characterised by mechanical features only G05G) ## Abstract A system includes a storage facility configured to store drones. The system may also include at least one robotic element configured to move the drones to and from the storage facility and a conveyor configured to move the drones to a launching area. The at least one robotic element may include an articulating arm configured to move a first drone from the storage facility to the conveyor, in response to identifying that the first drone is selected for a flight. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system, comprising: a storage facility configured to store a plurality of drones placed on a plurality of carrier platforms; at least one robotic element including an articulating arm that includes an engagement member configured to interface with a receiving member of the carrier platforms upon which to move the plurality of drones to and from the storage facility, an inspection station, and a conveyor of the system; the inspection station including at least one camera configured to capture a plurality of images or video data of a first drone to be used to determine whether the first drone is eligible for assignment to a scheduled flight mission; and the conveyor configured to move the first drone to a launching area upon a determination that the first drone is eligible for the assignment. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein a contacting surface of the plurality of platforms includes one or more retention areas configured to retain contacting portions of the plurality of drones. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The system of claim 2, wherein the contacting surface includes cooperating elements configured to receive the contacting portions. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the engagement member is further configured to removably insert into a second receiving member of the plurality of drones. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising: a communication interface configured to receive the captured images or video data; and a controller configured to determine whether the first drone is eligible for the scheduled flight mission based on the captured images or video data. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising: a drone handling system, wherein the drone handling system is configured to: identify a replacement drone among the plurality of drones, in response to determining that the first drone is not eligible for the assignment, and signal the at least one robotic element to transport the replacement drone to the inspection station. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising: an electrical charging station, wherein at least some of the plurality of drones are charged while in the storage facility via inductive charging. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising: a refueling station, wherein at least some of the plurality of drones are refueled prior to storing in the storage facility. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising: at least one second robotic element comprising an articulating arm configured to retrieve the first drone after a completion of the scheduled flight mission. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising: a second conveyor configured to return the first drone to the storage facility after completion of the scheduled flight mission. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the storage facility comprises a storage rack, wherein the storage facility is configured to: identify empty spaces in the storage rack to be used for some of the plurality of drones returning from scheduled flight missions, and control charging of the returning drones in the rack. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising: the plurality of drones. ### Claim 13 A method, comprising: storing a plurality of drones in a storage facility, wherein the plurality of drones are placed on a plurality of carrier platforms; selecting a first one of the plurality of drones for assignment to a scheduled flight mission; moving, via at least one robotic element including an articulating arm, the first drone from the storage facility to a conveyor, by inserting an end of the articulating arm into an opening in a first one of a plurality of carrier platforms on which the first drone is placed, to enable the end to engage the first platform and move the first platform carrying the first drone; and moving, via a conveyor, the first drone from the storage facility to a launching area. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, further comprising: positioning cooperating elements on a first contacting surface of the plurality of drones in one or more retention areas on a second contacting surface of the carrier platforms. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, further comprising: inspecting, via images captured from at least one camera, the first drone prior to the assignment to a scheduled flight mission; and determining, based on the images, whether the first drone is eligible for assignment to the scheduled flight mission. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, further comprising: identifying a replacement drone in response to determining that the first drone is not eligible for assignment to the scheduled flight mission; and signaling the at least one robotic element to transport the replacement drone to an inspection station. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, further comprising: inductively charging at least some of the plurality of drones while the plurality of drones are in the storage facility. ### Claim 18 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the moving the first drone to the launching area comprises: transporting, via the conveyor, the first drone to an opening, door or hatch in a mobile vehicle in which the storage facility is located. ### Claim 19 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, further comprising: retrieving, via a second robotic element, the first drone after a completion of the scheduled flight mission; and returning, via a second conveyor, the first drone to the storage facility after the completion of the scheduled flight mission. ### Claim 20 A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon sequences of instructions which, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to: monitor a plurality of drones in a storage facility, wherein the plurality of drones are placed on a plurality of carrier platforms; instruct at least one robotic element including an articulating arm to move a first one of the plurality of drones from the storage facility to an inspection station; inspect, via images from at least one camera, the first drone prior to assignment to a scheduled flight mission; determine, based on the images, whether the first drone is eligible for assignment to the scheduled flight mission; and instruct, the at least one robotic element, to move the first drone from the inspection station to the conveyor, in response to determining that the first drone is eligible for assignment to the scheduled flight mission, by inserting an end of the articulating arm into an opening in a first one of a plurality of carrier platforms on which the first drone is placed, to enable the end to engage the first platform and move the first platform carrying the first drone.