A drone docking structure of an autonomous vehicle can include: a coil housing having a space for docking a drone to the vehicle; a docking cover configured to open or close a top portion of the coil housing according to whether the drone is docked; and a motor housing installed on a side surface of the coil housing and including a motor configured to actuate the docking cover.

An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) includes a body that supports one or more rotors, the one or more rotors each driven by a motor and configured to provide lift to the body. The UAV further includes a parts handler coupled to the body, the parts handler configured to grasp a payload, and rotate the payload with respect to an external structure to couple the payload to, or decouple the payload from, the external structure. The UAV includes a stabilizing mechanism extending from the body, the stabilizing mechanism configured to contact the external structure without transferring entire weight of the UAV to the external structure and prevent rotation of the body when the part-handler rotates the payload.

An exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure provides a modular and reconfigurable aircraft including a first aircraft module, a second aircraft module, a plurality of connectors, and a coupler. The first aircraft module can include a polyhedral cage structure, a propeller disposed in an interior of the polyhedral cage structure, and a motor disposed in the interior of the polyhedral cage structure and configured to drive the propeller. The second aircraft module can include a polyhedral cage structure, a propeller disposed in the interior of the polyhedral cage structure, and a motor disposed in the interior of the polyhedral cage structure and configured to drive the propeller, a plurality of connectors configured to couple the polyhedral cage structure of the first aircraft module to the polyhedral cage structure of the second aircraft module.

Described herein are methods and systems for picking up, transporting, and lowering a payload coupled to a tether of a winch system arranged on an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). For example, the winch system may include a motor for winding and unwinding the tether from a spool, and the UAV's control system may operate the motor to lower the tether toward the ground so a payload may be attached to the tether. The control system may monitor an electric current supplied to the motor to determine whether the payload has been attached to the tether. In another example, when lowering a payload, the control system may monitor the motor current to determine that the payload has reached the ground and responsively operate the motor to detach the payload from the tether. The control system may then monitor the motor current to determine whether the payload has detached from the tether.

An exchange network comprising a plurality of exchange stations, in which each of the exchange stations comprises at least one drone operative to function as a flying crane, a temporary storage space, and at least one designated stopping area for on-road vehicles operative to carry cargo. Each of the exchange stations uses the respective local crane-drones to unload cargo from certain vehicles arriving at one of the respective local designated stopping areas, temporary store the cargo, and then load the cargo onboard certain other vehicles arriving at one of the respective local designated stopping areas, thereby exchanging carriers, and thus generating a transport route for the cargo which is the combination of different parts of transport routes of different carriers. The exchange network may use predetermined routes of many scheduled carriers to plan a routing scheme for the cargo, thereby propagating the cargo between exchange stations in a networked fashion.

Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) including an inner frame, an inner flight propulsion system mounted on the inner frame, an outer frame, a gimbal system comprising at least two rotational couplings coupling the inner propulsion system to the outer frame, a control system, a power source, and an outer frame actuation system configured to actively orient the outer frame with respect to the inner frame.

A remote health care apparatus is disclosed that incorporates a drone device and a health kit. The drone device includes one or more communication devices, and the drone device is capable of two-way auditory and visual communication. The health kit is capable of being transported by the drone device and can be detached from the drone device. In one embodiment, the health kit contains one or more medical devices selected from the group consisting of biometric measuring devices, specimen collection devices and lab testing tools.

Provided is a flight vehicle and in particular a flight vehicle in which a main module equipped with a device capable of carrying cargo, photographing, etc. may freely switch directions during flight while applying a posture independent of a thrust module because the thrust module is configured to freely perform roll and pitch motions with respect to the main module.

Described herein are systems, methods, and apparatuses for performing a user-less payment for an item upon its delivery by an unmanned delivery vehicle. The unmanned delivery vehicle may navigate to a delivery location, receive payment information, initiate a payment transaction with a remote server, and release the item at a specified location upon successful completion of the payment transaction. Upon arrival of the unmanned delivery vehicle, a wireless data transmission device may send payment information to a remote server, and the remote server may provide the unmanned delivery vehicle with an indication of whether the item can be released and a specific location at which the item can be released.

Autonomous unmanned aerial vehicle management service may provide a platform to manage groups of unmanned aerial vehicles to work together on a task simultaneously in an autonomous manner.