A method and apparatus for lifting a payload wherein a first mechanical-rotor is driven by an internal combustion engine. A portion of the mechanical work developed by the internal combustion engine is used to generate electrical power, which is either stored in a battery or used to power an electric motor that drives a second rotor. Thrust developed by the mechanical and electrical rotors is directed downward to provide lift for the payload.

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 unmanned aerial vehicle that delivers a package includes a plurality of rotary wings, a plurality of first motors, a main body, a connector, a movable block, and a processor. When the connector is connected to a rail, the processor sets a rotation rate of the plurality of first motors to a rotation rate that is lower than a minimum rotation rate necessary for floating and higher than a minimum rotation rate necessary for propulsion along the rail. Furthermore, the processor causes the movable block to increase the angle formed by the normal direction of an imaginary plane containing the plurality of rotary wings relative to a support direction of the connector.

The present invention relates to a method and a device for lifting a load, wherein at least one aerial drone carries at least a portion of the load. In order to lift a load, it is proposed to yoke together a plurality of aerial drones or at least one aerial drone and a lifting hook of a crane, and provide a common control system for the plurality of aerial drones or the at least one aerial drone and the lifting hook of the crane, in order not to have to control a plurality of aerial drones at the same time, or also an aerial drone in addition to the crane hook, using separate control means, in a multi-handed manner. In addition to the at least one aerial drone which carries at least a portion of the load, it is proposed, according to the invention, that the load should be connected to a further aerial drone and/or a lifting hook of a crane, and also carried and/or directed by the further aerial drone or the crane lifting hook in part, wherein the two aerial drones are controlled together, and/or the at least one aerial drone is controlled together with the crane, in a mutually coordinated manner, by means of a common controller for controlling flight and/or crane movements.

The present invention discloses a disruptive low capital and operational cost logistics system and method that provides for fast and massive delivery of e-commerce merchandise, including same day delivery, of thousands of items and packages, in extensive geographical areas, such as whole states, countries and continents, reducing the need for building, operating, or using multiple fulfillment warehouses located near the consumers as in traditional e-commerce logistics, creating a revolution in the e-commerce industry worldwide. In a disruptive manner, the systems and methods of the present invention facilitate the logistics for e-commerce delivery processes, and also may allow at the same time reducing the use of massive quantities of cardboard packages that are used for protection and containment for e-commerce orders, being sustainably beneficial for the e-commerce market, the environment, and the consumer. This is achieved by the use of multibox packages that are configured to contain a set of products including orders from different consumers and not necessarily having individual packages for individual consumers, where such multibox packages are sorted at the origin in a Central Fulfillment Center.

An unmanned aerial vehicle according to an aspect of the present invention includes: an aerial vehicle body capable of flying; a winding machine provided to the aerial vehicle body and capable of winding and unwinding a linear member an end of which is connectable to a delivery target; and a fall prevention mechanism provided to the aerial vehicle body and capable of holding the delivery target disconnected from the linear member.

Provided is an unmanned aircraft that is used to quickly and accurately specify a target location and operate a specific mechanism having a predetermined function at the target location. An unmanned aircraft 100 refers to a target location marker pattern 120d3 representing an appearance of a target location marker 161 disposed to have a predetermined relative position relationship with the target location, detects an image portion corresponding to the target location marker 161 from an image obtained by a camera 106 that obtains the image below the unmanned aircraft 100, and is guided directly above the target location, based on the image portion, where the specific mechanism is operated.

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.

The present invention discloses a disruptive low capital and operational cost logistics system and method that provides for fast and massive delivery of e-commerce merchandise, including same day delivery, of thousands of items and packages, in extensive geographical areas, such as whole states, countries and continents, reducing the need for building, operating, or using multiple fulfillment warehouses located near the consumers as in traditional e-commerce logistics, creating a revolution in the e-commerce industry worldwide. In a disruptive manner, the systems and methods of the present invention facilitate the logistics for e-commerce delivery processes, and also may allow at the same time reducing the use of massive quantities of cardboard packages that are used for protection and containment for e-commerce orders, being sustainably beneficial for the e-commerce market, the environment, and the consumer. This is achieved by the use of multibox packages that are configured to contain a set of products including orders from different consumers and not necessarily having individual packages for individual consumers, where such multibox packages are sorted at the origin in a Central Fulfillment Center.

A drone delivery system provides to send or to receive the package conveniently and safely without going out of the building by using the platform installed at the vicinity of the window. The drone delivery system includes the drone having a first docking device, a standard box having a second docking device corresponding to the first docking device and a third docking device and a platform having a fourth docking device corresponding to the third docking device.