公开(公告)号：US20180222585A1

公开(公告)日：2018-08-09

申请号：US15939093

申请日：2018-03-28

Applicant: X Development LLC

Inventor： William Graham Patrick ,  James Ryan Burgess ,  Andrew Conrad

IPC: B64D1/12 ,  B64C39/02 ,  B64D1/22

CPC classification number: B64D1/12 ,  B64C39/024 ,  B64C2201/128 ,  B64C2201/141 ,  B64C2201/145 ,  B64D1/22

Abstract: Embodiments described herein may help to provide medical support via a fleet of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). An illustrative UAV may include a housing, a payload, a line-deployment mechanism coupled to the housing and a line, and a payload-release mechanism that couples the line to the payload, wherein the payload-release mechanism is configured to release the payload from the line. The UAV may further include a control system configured to determine that the UAV is located at or near a delivery location and responsively: operate the line-deployment mechanism according to a variable deployment-rate profile to lower the payload to or near to the ground, determine that the payload is touching or is within a threshold distance from the ground, and responsively operate the payload-release mechanism to release the payload from the line.

公开(公告)号：US10106257B2

公开(公告)日：2018-10-23

申请号：US15939093

申请日：2018-03-28

Applicant: X Development LLC

Inventor： William Graham Patrick ,  James Ryan Burgess ,  Andrew Conrad

IPC: B64D1/22 ,  B64D1/12 ,  B64C39/02

Abstract: Embodiments described herein may help to provide medical support via a fleet of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). An illustrative UAV may include a housing, a payload, a line-deployment mechanism coupled to the housing and a line, and a payload-release mechanism that couples the line to the payload, wherein the payload-release mechanism is configured to release the payload from the line. The UAV may further include a control system configured to determine that the UAV is located at or near a delivery location and responsively: operate the line-deployment mechanism according to a variable deployment-rate profile to lower the payload to or near to the ground, determine that the payload is touching or is within a threshold distance from the ground, and responsively operate the payload-release mechanism to release the payload from the line.

公开(公告)号：US09783295B2

公开(公告)日：2017-10-10

申请号：US15470610

申请日：2017-03-27

Applicant: X Development LLC

Inventor： Leila Takayama ,  Matthew Ball ,  Joanna Cohen ,  Roger William Graves ,  Mathias Samuel Fleck ,  Andrew Lambert ,  James Ryan Burgess ,  Paul Richard Komarek ,  Trevor Shannon

IPC: B64D1/02 ,  B64D1/12 ,  B64C39/02 ,  B64D1/22 ,  B64D47/06

CPC classification number: B64D1/02 ,  B64C39/02 ,  B64C39/024 ,  B64C2201/128 ,  B64C2201/141 ,  B64C2201/146 ,  B64D1/12 ,  B64D1/22 ,  B64D47/06

Abstract: An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is disclosed that includes a retractable payload delivery system. The payload delivery system can lower a payload to the ground using an assembly that secures the payload during descent and releases the payload upon reaching the ground. The assembly can also include a bystander communication module for generating cues for bystander perception. While the assembly securing the payload is being lowered from the UAV, the bystander communication module can generate an avoidance cue indicating that bystanders should avoid interference with the assembly. The assembly also includes sensors that generate data used, at least in part, to determine when the descending assembly is at or near the ground, at which point the assembly releases the payload. The bystander communication module can then cease the avoidance cue and the UAV can retract the assembly.

公开(公告)号：US09630715B2

公开(公告)日：2017-04-25

申请号：US15339400

申请日：2016-10-31

Applicant: X Development LLC

Inventor： Leila Takayama ,  Matthew Ball ,  Joanna Cohen ,  Roger William Graves ,  Mathias Samuel Fleck ,  Andrew Lambert ,  James Ryan Burgess ,  Paul Richard Komarek ,  Trevor Shannon

IPC: B64D1/02 ,  B64D1/12 ,  B64C39/02 ,  B64D47/06 ,  B64D1/22

CPC classification number: B64D1/02 ,  B64C39/02 ,  B64C39/024 ,  B64C2201/128 ,  B64C2201/141 ,  B64C2201/146 ,  B64D1/12 ,  B64D1/22 ,  B64D47/06

Abstract: An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is disclosed that includes a retractable payload delivery system. The payload delivery system can lower a payload to the ground using an assembly that secures the payload during descent and releases the payload upon reaching the ground. The assembly can also include a bystander communication module for generating cues for bystander perception. While the assembly securing the payload is being lowered from the UAV, the bystander communication module can generate an avoidance cue indicating that bystanders should avoid interference with the assembly. The assembly also includes sensors that generate data used, at least in part, to determine when the descending assembly is at or near the ground, at which point the assembly releases the payload. The bystander communication module can then cease the avoidance cue and the UAV can retract the assembly.

公开(公告)号：US09957046B2

公开(公告)日：2018-05-01

申请号：US15711758

申请日：2017-09-21

Applicant: X Development LLC

Inventor： William Graham Patrick ,  James Ryan Burgess ,  Andrew Conrad

IPC: B64D1/12 ,  B64D1/22 ,  B64C39/02

CPC classification number: B64D1/12 ,  B64C39/024 ,  B64C2201/128 ,  B64C2201/141 ,  B64C2201/145 ,  B64D1/22

Abstract: Embodiments described herein may help to provide medical support via a fleet of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). An illustrative UAV may include a housing, a payload, a line-deployment mechanism coupled to the housing and a line, and a payload-release mechanism that couples the line to the payload, wherein the payload-release mechanism is configured to release the payload from the line. The UAV may further include a control system configured to determine that the UAV is located at or near a delivery location and responsively: operate the line-deployment mechanism according to a variable deployment-rate profile to lower the payload to or near to the ground, determine that the payload is touching or is within a threshold distance from the ground, and responsively operate the payload-release mechanism to release the payload from the line.

公开(公告)号：US09849981B1

公开(公告)日：2017-12-26

申请号：US14584189

申请日：2014-12-29

Applicant: X Development LLC

Inventor： James Ryan Burgess ,  Joanna Cohen

IPC: B64D1/12 ,  B64C39/02 ,  G05D1/04

CPC classification number: B64D1/12 ,  B64C39/024 ,  B64C2201/128 ,  G05D1/0094 ,  G05D1/042

Abstract: An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is disclosed that includes a retractable payload delivery system. The payload delivery system can lower a payload to the ground using a delivery device that secures the payload during descent and releases the payload upon reaching the ground. The location of the delivery device can be determined as it is lowered to the ground using image tracking. The UAV can include an imaging system that captures image data of the suspended delivery device and identifies image coordinates of the delivery device, and the image coordinates can then be mapped to a location. The UAV may also be configured to account for any deviations from a planned path of descent in real time to effect accurate delivery locations of released payloads.

公开(公告)号：US20170253334A1

公开(公告)日：2017-09-07

申请号：US15470610

申请日：2017-03-27

Applicant: X Development LLC

Inventor： Leila Takayama ,  Matthew Ball ,  Joanna Cohen ,  Roger William Graves ,  Mathias Samuel Fleck ,  Andrew Lambert ,  James Ryan Burgess ,  Paul Richard Komarek ,  Trevor Shannon

IPC: B64D1/02 ,  B64C39/02 ,  B64D47/06 ,  B64D1/12 ,  B64D1/22

CPC classification number: B64D1/02 ,  B64C39/02 ,  B64C39/024 ,  B64C2201/128 ,  B64C2201/141 ,  B64C2201/146 ,  B64D1/12 ,  B64D1/22 ,  B64D47/06

Abstract: An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is disclosed that includes a retractable payload delivery system. The payload delivery system can lower a payload to the ground using an assembly that secures the payload during descent and releases the payload upon reaching the ground. The assembly can also include a bystander communication module for generating cues for bystander perception. While the assembly securing the payload is being lowered from the UAV, the bystander communication module can generate an avoidance cue indicating that bystanders should avoid interference with the assembly. The assembly also includes sensors that generate data used, at least in part, to determine when the descending assembly is at or near the ground, at which point the assembly releases the payload. The bystander communication module can then cease the avoidance cue and the UAV can retract the assembly.

公开(公告)号：US10137982B1

公开(公告)日：2018-11-27

申请号：US14706162

申请日：2015-05-07

Applicant: X Development LLC

Inventor： Parsa Dormiani ,  James Ryan Burgess

IPC: B64C27/22 ,  B64C27/26 ,  B64C27/24 ,  B64C27/39 ,  B64C39/02

Abstract: An aerial vehicle includes one or more propeller units operable to provide thrust for takeoff or hover flight and one or more propulsion units operable to provide thrust for forward flight. At least one propeller unit includes a shaft coupled to a motor, and a first propeller blade and a second propeller blade that are both connected to the shaft. The second propeller blade is located substantially opposite the first propeller blade, and the second propeller blade has a surface area substantially perpendicular to an axis of rotation that is greater than a corresponding surface area of the first propeller blade. While the aerial vehicle is in forward flight in a first direction and the motor is turned off, the first propeller blade and the second propeller blade are each configured to orient in a second direction that is substantially parallel to the first direction, such that the first propeller blade is oriented substantially upwind of the second propeller blade.

公开(公告)号：US20180072419A1

公开(公告)日：2018-03-15

申请号：US15818621

申请日：2017-11-20

Applicant: X Development LLC

Inventor： James Ryan Burgess ,  Joanna Cohen

IPC: B64D1/12 ,  B64C39/02 ,  G05D1/04

CPC classification number: B64D1/12 ,  B64C39/024 ,  B64C2201/128 ,  B64D1/22 ,  G05D1/0094 ,  G05D1/042

Abstract: An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is disclosed that includes a retractable payload delivery system. The payload delivery system can lower a payload to the ground using a delivery device that secures the payload during descent and releases the payload upon reaching the ground. The location of the delivery device can be determined as it is lowered to the ground using image tracking. The UAV can include an imaging system that captures image data of the suspended delivery device and identifies image coordinates of the delivery device, and the image coordinates can then be mapped to a location. The UAV may also be configured to account for any deviations from a planned path of descent in real time to effect accurate delivery locations of released payloads.

公开(公告)号：US20180022456A1

公开(公告)日：2018-01-25

申请号：US15711758

申请日：2017-09-21

Applicant: X Development LLC

Inventor： William Graham Patrick ,  James Ryan Burgess ,  Andrew Conrad

IPC: B64D1/12 ,  B64D1/22 ,  B64C39/02

CPC classification number: B64D1/12 ,  B64C39/024 ,  B64C2201/128 ,  B64C2201/141 ,  B64C2201/145 ,  B64D1/22

Abstract: Embodiments described herein may help to provide medical support via a fleet of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). An illustrative UAV may include a housing, a payload, a line-deployment mechanism coupled to the housing and a line, and a payload-release mechanism that couples the line to the payload, wherein the payload -release mechanism is configured to release the payload from the line. The UAV may further include a control system configured to determine that the UAV is located at or near a delivery location and responsively: operate the line-deployment mechanism according to a variable deployment-rate profile to lower the payload to or near to the ground, determine that the payload is touching or is within a threshold distance from the ground, and responsively operate the payload-release mechanism to release the payload from the line.