Automated fulfillment of unmanned aerial vehicles
AssigneeAmazon Technologies, Inc.
InventorsLauren Marie Kisser, Armando Medina Romero
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and system for evaluating and loading unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are described. The UAVs are moved by a conveyance device. It may be determined whether the UAV passes at least one of a structural integrity test or a functionality test. The UAV may be removed from the conveyance device in the event the UAV fails at least one of the structural integrity test or the functionality test. A package may be loaded into a compartment of the UAV in the event the UAV passes the structural integrity test and the functionality test.
Claims20
A system, comprising:
- a conveyance device configured to receive and transport a plurality of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) from a loading location of the conveyance device to an unloading location of the conveyance device;
- a plurality of stations disposed relative to the conveyance device, the plurality of stations comprising a first station comprising a structural scanner, a second station comprising a diagnostic device, and a third station comprising a power device;
- a UAV loading structure configured to receive one or more UAVs;
- and
- a management device in communication with the conveyance device, the structural scanner, the diagnostic device, the power device, and the UAV loading structure, and configured to at least:
- instruct placement of a UAV on the conveyance device at the loading location;
- instruct movement of the conveyance device;
- instruct the structural scanner disposed at the first station to structurally scan the UAV while the UAV is located at the first station;
- instruct the diagnostic device disposed at the second station to functionally test the UAV while the UAV is located at the second station;
- instruct the power device disposed at the third station to remove a first battery from the UAV and place a second battery into the UAV;
- instruct the power device to power test the UAV while the UAV is located at the third station;
- instruct removal of the UAV from the conveyance device at the unloading location and placement of the UAV into the UAV holding structure;
- instruct transfer of a set of delivery instructions to the UAV;
- and
- instruct loading of a package into a compartment of the UAV while the UAV is held by the UAV loading structure.
A computer-implemented method, comprising:
- while moving an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) along a conveyance device, causing at least one of:
- a structural scanner to scan at least a portion of the UAV;
- a diagnostic device to test functionality of at least one system of the UAV;
- or
- a power device to perform a power-related operation with respect to the UAV;
- and
- causing loading of a package into a compartment of the UAV.
A computer-implemented method, comprising:
- receiving information about placement of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) on a conveyance device;
- determining whether the UAV passes at least one of a structural integrity test or a functionality test;
- instructing removal of the UAV from the conveyance device in the event the UAV fails at least one of the structural integrity test or the functionality test;
- and
- causing loading of a package into a compartment of the UAV in the event the UAV passes the structural integrity test and the functionality test.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.