公开(公告)号：US10858103B1

公开(公告)日：2020-12-08

申请号：US16101311

申请日：2018-08-10

Applicant: Amazon Technologies, Inc.

Inventor： Daniel Buchmueller ,  Louis LeRoi LeGrand, III ,  Lowell Timothy Neal ,  Scott Michael Wilcox

IPC: B64D1/08 ,  B64D1/12 ,  B64C27/08 ,  B64C39/02

Abstract: An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) can deliver a package to a delivery destination. Packages delivered by a UAV may be lowered towards the ground while the UAV continues to fly rather than the UAV landing on the ground and releasing the package. Packages may sway during lowering as a result of wind or movement of the UAV. By modulating a rate of descent of a package, a package sway may mitigated. The lowering mechanism includes wrapping a tether in various directions around the package such that the package rotates in a first and second direction as the package descends. Additionally, a rip-strip lowering mechanism that separates under tension to lower the package and a rappel mechanism that slides the package down a tether may be used. Accordingly, the tether can control a descent of the package assembly.

公开(公告)号：US10071804B1

公开(公告)日：2018-09-11

申请号：US14868005

申请日：2015-09-28

Applicant: Amazon Technologies, Inc.

Inventor： Daniel Buchmueller ,  Louis LeRoi LeGrand, III ,  Lowell Timothy Neal ,  Scott Micheal Wilcox

IPC: B64D1/08 ,  B64C39/02 ,  B64C27/08 ,  B64D1/12

CPC classification number: B64D1/12 ,  B64C39/024 ,  B64C2201/108 ,  B64C2201/128 ,  B64D1/22

Abstract: An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) can deliver a package to a delivery destination. Packages delivered by a UAV may be lowered towards the ground while the UAV continues to fly rather than the UAV landing on the ground and releasing the package. Packages may sway during lowering as a result of wind or movement of the UAV. By modulating a rate of descent of a package, a package sway may mitigated. The lowering mechanism includes wrapping a tether in various directions around the package such that the package rotates in a first and second direction as the package descends. Additionally, a rip-strip lowering mechanism that separates under tension to lower the package and a rappel mechanism that slides the package down a tether may be used. Accordingly, the tether can control a descent of the package assembly.

公开(公告)号：US09969494B1

公开(公告)日：2018-05-15

申请号：US14867908

申请日：2015-09-28

Applicant: Amazon Technologies, Inc.

Inventor： Daniel Buchmueller ,  Louis LeRoi LeGrand, III ,  Lowell Timothy Neal ,  Yves Christian Albers Schoenberg ,  Scott Michael Wilcox

IPC: B64D1/08 ,  B64D47/08 ,  B64C39/02 ,  B64C27/08

CPC classification number: B64D1/08 ,  B64C27/08 ,  B64C39/024 ,  B64C2201/108 ,  B64C2201/128 ,  B64D47/08

Abstract: An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) can deliver a package to a delivery destination. Packages delivered by a UAV may be lowered towards the ground while the UAV continues to fly rather than the UAV landing on the ground and releasing the package. Packages may sway during lowering as a result of wind or movement of the UAV. A package sway may be monitored and mitigated by rapidly paying out a tether, when using a winch mechanism, to dissipate the energy of the sway as downward energy. Further, the UAV may navigate in the direction of the sway or reduce the altitude of the UAV to dissipate the energy of the sway. Open-loop and/or closed loop drop techniques may be utilized to lower a package from the UAV, and the package may be released in the air or on the ground.

公开(公告)号：US11603204B1

公开(公告)日：2023-03-14

申请号：US17084991

申请日：2020-10-30

Applicant: Amazon Technologies, Inc.

Inventor： Daniel Buchmueller ,  Louis LeRoi LeGrand, III ,  Lowell Timothy Neal ,  Scott Michael Wilcox

IPC: B64D1/08 ,  B64D1/12 ,  B64C27/08 ,  B64C39/02

Abstract: An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) can deliver a package to a delivery destination. Packages delivered by a UAV may be lowered towards the ground while the UAV continues to fly rather than the UAV landing on the ground and releasing the package. Packages may sway during lowering as a result of wind or movement of the UAV. By modulating a rate of descent of a package, a package sway may mitigated. The lowering mechanism includes wrapping a tether in various directions around the package such that the package rotates in a first and second direction as the package descends. Additionally, a rip-strip lowering mechanism that separates under tension to lower the package and a rappel mechanism that slides the package down a tether may be used. Accordingly, the tether can control a descent of the package assembly.

公开(公告)号：US11407511B1

公开(公告)日：2022-08-09

申请号：US15954482

申请日：2018-04-16

Applicant: Amazon Technologies, Inc.

Inventor： Daniel Buchmueller ,  Louis LeRoi LeGrand, III ,  Lowell Timothy Neal ,  Yves Christian Albers Schoenberg ,  Scott Michael Wilcox

IPC: B64D1/12 ,  B64C39/02

Abstract: An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) can deliver a package to a delivery destination. Packages delivered by a UAV may be lowered towards the ground while the UAV continues to fly rather than the UAV landing on the ground and releasing the package. Packages may sway during lowering as a result of wind or movement of the UAV. A package sway may be monitored and mitigated by rapidly paying out a tether, when using a winch mechanism, to dissipate the energy of the sway as downward energy. Further, the UAV may navigate in the direction of the sway or reduce the altitude of the UAV to dissipate the energy of the sway. Open-loop and/or closed loop drop techniques may be utilized to lower a package from the UAV, and the package may be released in the air or on the ground.