公开(公告)号：US20190126769A1

公开(公告)日：2019-05-02

申请号：US15794925

申请日：2017-10-26

Applicant: X Development LLC

Inventor： Jim Schmalzried ,  Jesse Blake

IPC: B60L11/18 ,  H02J7/00 ,  G05D1/10 ,  G08G5/00 ,  B64C39/02

CPC classification number: G08G5/0069 ,  B60L53/36 ,  B60L53/64 ,  B60L53/65 ,  B60L53/67 ,  B60L53/68 ,  B60L58/12 ,  B60L2200/10 ,  B60L2200/40 ,  B60L2230/16 ,  B60L2240/622 ,  B60L2240/72 ,  B60L2260/32 ,  B64C39/024 ,  B64C2201/042 ,  B64C2201/128 ,  G05D1/104 ,  G06Q10/04 ,  G06Q10/0631 ,  G06Q10/06316 ,  G06Q10/08 ,  H02J7/0027

Abstract: Example embodiments can help to more efficiently charge unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in a plurality of UAVs that provide delivery services. An example method includes: determining demand data indicating demand for item-transport services by the plurality of UAVs during a period of time; determining battery state information for the plurality of UAVs, wherein the battery state information is based at least in part on individual battery state information for each of two or more of the UAVs; based at least in part on (a) the demand data for item-transport services by the plurality of UAVs, and (b) the battery state information for the fleet of UAVs, determining respective charge-rate profiles for one or more of the UAVs; and sending instructions to cause respective batteries of the one or more of the UAVs to be charged according to the respectively determined charge-rate profiles.

公开(公告)号：US20190023133A1

公开(公告)日：2019-01-24

申请号：US15654644

申请日：2017-07-19

Applicant: X Development LLC

Inventor： Nick Renold ,  Matthew Nubbe ,  Jim Schmalzried ,  Jesse Blake ,  Scott Velez ,  Dustin Sanders ,  Stephen Benson ,  Evan Twyford

IPC: B60L11/18 ,  B64F1/00 ,  B64F1/02 ,  B64C39/02

Abstract: An example embodiment includes a landing pad having a housing and a power terminal configured to draw electric power from a power source. The landing pad further includes an electrically conductive landing terminal dorsal to the housing and configured such that, during a landing state of an aerial vehicle, the landing terminal makes contact with a plurality of electric contacts disposed ventrally to a fuselage of the aerial vehicle. The landing terminal is configured to transfer electric power drawn by the power terminal to the aerial vehicle via the electric contacts during the landing state of the aerial vehicle.

公开(公告)号：US20180141682A1

公开(公告)日：2018-05-24

申请号：US15358935

申请日：2016-11-22

Applicant: X Development LLC

Inventor： Jesse Blake ,  Jim Schmalzried ,  Trevor Shannon ,  Michael Simonian ,  Sindre Klepp ,  Stephen Benson ,  Adam Woodworth

IPC: B64F1/32 ,  B64C39/02 ,  B64D1/02 ,  B64F1/22

CPC classification number: B64C39/024 ,  B64C2201/128 ,  B64C2201/18

Abstract: An example UAV landing structure includes a landing platform for a UAV, a cavity within the landing platform, and a track that runs along the landing platform and at least a part of the cavity. The UAV may include a winch system that includes a tether that may be coupled to a payload. Furthermore, the cavity may be aligned over a predetermined target location. The cavity may be sized to allow the winch system to pass a tethered payload through the cavity. The track may guide the UAV to a docked position over the cavity as the UAV moves along the landing platform. When the UAV is in the docked position, a payload may be loaded to or unloaded from the UAV through the cavity.