# US 2021/0276735 A1 · Ground station for unmanned aerial vehicles

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- Number: US 2021/0276735 A1
- Document ID: US20210276735A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 17/195,487
- Filed: 2021-03-08
- Published: 2021-09-09
- Earliest claimed: 2020-03-09
- Assignees: Matternet, Inc.
- Applicants: Matternet, Inc.
- Inventors: Andreas RAPTOPOULOS; Paolo RESMINI; Ido BARUCHIN; Lalo RUIZ; David WELDON; Jon BYARS; Jim O'SULLIVAN; Alex WU; David TSAI; Martin NOVAK
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210276735A1

## CPC

- G08G 5/22: located on the ground
- A47G 29/14: Deposit receptacles for food, e.g. breakfast, milk {, or large parcels}; Similar receptacles for {food or} large parcels with appliances for preventing unauthorised removal of the deposited articles {, i.e. food or large parcels}
- A47G 29/141: {comprising electronically controlled locking means}
- B64F 1/222: for storing aircraft, e.g. in hangars
- B64U 10/13: Flying platforms
- B64U 70/90: Launching from or landing on platforms
- B64U 80/70: in containers (B64U80/60 takes precedence)
- G08G 5/54: for approach or landing
- G08G 5/55: for a single aircraft
- G08G 5/727: {from a ground station}
- B64U 2101/20: for use as communications relays, e.g. high-altitude platforms
- B64U 2101/60: for transporting passengers; for transporting goods other than weapons
- G08G 5/57: for unmanned aircraft
- G08G: TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEMS (guiding railway traffic, ensuring the safety of railway traffic B61L; arrangement of road signs or traffic signals E01F9/00; radar or analogous systems, sonar systems, lidar systems specially adapted for traffic control G01S13/91, G01S15/88, G01S17/88; {radar or analogous systems, sonar systems, lidar systems specially adapted for anti-collision purposes G01S13/93, G01S15/93, G01S17/93})
- A47G: HOUSEHOLD OR TABLE EQUIPMENT (book-ends A47B5/00; knives B26B)
- B64F: GROUND OR AIRCRAFT-CARRIER-DECK INSTALLATIONS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR USE IN CONNECTION WITH AIRCRAFT; DESIGNING, MANUFACTURING, ASSEMBLING, CLEANING, MAINTAINING OR REPAIRING AIRCRAFT, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; HANDLING, TRANSPORTING, TESTING OR INSPECTING AIRCRAFT COMPONENTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- B64U: UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES [UAV]; EQUIPMENT THEREFOR

## Abstract

This disclosure describes a ground station configured to facilitate the delivery of payloads using unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). The ground station includes multiple sensors that allow for autonomous operation of the ground station as part of a larger payload transportation system. The sensors are configured to confirm loading of payloads onto a UAV, checking a status and safety of the drone and clearing an area surrounding the ground station prior to takeoff and/or landing operations of the UAV.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A payload transportation system, comprising:
a ground station for an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), comprising:
a landing platform;
an exchange station configured to receive payloads from and attach payloads to a UAV positioned upon the landing platform;
a plurality of sensors, wherein a subset of the plurality of sensors are configured to monitor and scan airspace proximate the ground station for obstacles; and
a processor configured to issue instructions authoring takeoff and landing operations of the UAV based on sensor readings generated by the subset of the plurality of sensors.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The payload transportation system as recited in claim 1, wherein the subset is a first subset and wherein a second subset of the plurality of sensors is configured to capture one or more images of the UAV positioned upon the landing platform.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The payload transportation system as recited in claim 2, wherein the processor is further configured to issue instructions to cancel takeoff of the UAV in response to the processor determining that the one or more images captured by the second subset of the plurality of sensors show damage to the UAV.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The payload transportation system as recited in claim 2, wherein one or more sensors of the second subset of the plurality of sensors comprises a macro lens.

### Claim 5 (depends on 2)

The payload transportation system as recited in claim 2, wherein the plurality of sensors comprises an x-ray imaging device configured to capture images of the UAV for detection of stress fractures or micro-cracking.

### Claim 6 (depends on 2)

The payload transportation system as recited in claim 2, wherein the ground station further comprises a centering mechanism configured to position the UAV in a central region of the landing platform such that the UAV is within a field of view of the second subset of the plurality of sensors.

### Claim 7 (depends on 2)

The payload transportation system as recited in claim 2, wherein the obstacles are flying objects within the airspace.

### Claim 8 (depends on 2)

The payload transportation system as recited in claim 2, wherein the second subset of the plurality of sensors is configured to image only a first portion of the UAV that is statistically more likely to fail than a second portion of the UAV.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The payload transportation system as recited in claim 1, wherein the landing platform defines an opening and the exchange station is configured to receive the payloads from and attach the payloads to the UAV through the opening.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The payload transportation system as recited in claim 9, wherein the exchange station is further configured to receive a battery from and attach a battery to the UAV through the opening.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The payload transportation system as recited in claim 1, further comprising:
one or more doors configured to open and close to allow entry of the UAV into an interior of the ground station, wherein the landing platform is disposed within the interior of the ground station.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The payload transportation system as recited in claim 1, wherein the processor is co-located with the ground station.

### Claim 13

A method, comprising:
monitoring and scanning an airspace proximate a ground station for obstacles using a subset of a plurality of sensors of the ground station; and
issuing instructions authorizing takeoff and landing operations of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) from a landing platform of the ground station based on sensor readings generated by the subset of the plurality of sensors.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The method as recited in claim 13, further comprising attaching a payload to the UAV positioned upon the landing platform using an exchange station of the ground station.

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

The method as recited in claim 13, wherein the subset is a first subset and wherein the method further comprises capturing one or more images of the UAV positioned upon the landing platform using a second subset of the plurality of sensors.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The method as recited in claim 15, further comprising issuing instructions to cancel takeoff of the UAV in response to the processor determining that the one or more images captured by the second subset of the plurality of sensors show damage to the UAV.

### Claim 17 (depends on 13)

The method as recited in claim 13, further comprising issuing instructions to delay takeoff of the UAV in response to the processor identifying one or more obstacles within the airspace proximate the ground station.

### Claim 18 (depends on 13)

The method as recited in claim 13, wherein the instructions are issued by a processor off-site from the ground station.

### Claim 19

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions configured to be executed by one or more processors that cause the ground station to perform a method, the method comprising:
monitoring and scanning an airspace proximate the ground station for obstacles using a subset of a plurality of sensors of the ground station; and
issuing, using a processor, instructions authorizing takeoff and landing operations of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) from a landing platform of the ground station based on sensor readings generated by the subset of the plurality of sensors.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 19, wherein the subset is a first subset and wherein the method further comprises:
capturing one or more images of the UAV positioned upon the landing platform using a second subset of the plurality of sensors; and
issuing instructions to cancel takeoff of the UAV in response to the processor determining that the one or more images captured by the second subset of the plurality of sensors show damage to the UAV.