Vehicle Recovery System

A system for unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) fleet management, the system comprising:

• a plurality of UAVs;
• and
• a vehicle recovery system comprising:
• a capture assembly comprising a guide surface and a capture passageway, the guide surface extending from the capture passageway such that a distal area defined by a perimeter of a distal edge of the guide surface is larger than a proximal area defined by a perimeter of a proximal edge of the guide surface adjacent to the capture passageway, the guide surface being angled to funnel a UAV towards the capture passageway in response to the UAV impacting the guide surface;
• and
• a parking assembly comprising a plurality of containment devices, each containment device defining a vehicle receiving space and each containment device being positioned such that the UAV captured by the capture assembly is moved into a vehicle receiving space of a containment device without requiring use of a propulsion system of the UAV after passing through the capture passageway.

A method for performing maintenance on an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), the method comprising:

• receiving an impact of the UAV on a guide surface of a capture assembly;
• funneling the UAV, via the guide surface, to and through a capture passageway;
• determining, by control circuitry via a vehicle presence sensor of a containment device, that a vehicle receiving space of the containment device is unoccupied;
• moving, by the control circuitry via a distribution actuator, a movable distribution guide surface into alignment with the containment device, in response to determining that the containment device is unoccupied;
• depositing the UAV into the vehicle receiving space of the containment device, without requiring use of a propulsion system of the UAV after passing through the capture passageway;
• connecting, by the control circuitry, a charge output connector at an end of a movable charge probe into a physical electrical connection with a charge input connector of the UAV, in response to detecting a presence of the UAV within the vehicle receiving space of the containment device;
• disconnecting, by the control circuitry, the charge output connector at the end of the movable charge probe from the charge input connector of the UAV, in response to determining that charging of the UAV is complete;
• and
• moving, by the control circuity, the movable charge probe to retract away from UAV to permit the UAV to launch into airborne flight.