Systems and methods include UAVs that serve to assist carrier personnel by reducing the physical demands of the transportation and delivery process. A UAV generally includes a UAV chassis including an upper portion, a plurality of propulsion members configured to provide lift to the UAV chassis, and a parcel carrier configured for being selectively coupled to and removed from the UAV chassis. UAV support mechanisms are utilized to load and unload parcel carriers to the UAV chassis, and the UAV lands on and takes off from the UAV support mechanism to deliver parcels to a serviceable point. The UAV includes computing entities that interface with different systems and computing entities to send and receive various types of information.

A transportation network is provided that utilizes autonomous vehicles (e.g., unmanned aerial vehicles) for identifying, acquiring, and transporting items between network locations without requiring human interaction. A travel path for an item through the transportation network may include a passing of the item from one autonomous vehicle to another or otherwise utilizing different autonomous vehicles for transporting the item along different path segments (e.g., between different network locations). Different possible travel paths through the transportation network may be evaluated, and a travel path for an item may be selected based on transportation factors such as travel time, cost, safety, etc., which may include consideration of information regarding current conditions (e.g., related to network congestion, inclement weather, etc.). Autonomous vehicles of different sizes, carrying capacities, travel ranges, travel speeds, etc. may be utilized for further improving the flexibility and efficiency of the system for transporting items.

A network system provides delivery of items using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) or drones. The network system uses an infrastructure of nodes that include landing pads to dock drones, as well as interfaces to provide and receive items from docked drones. Nodes may be stationary (e.g., fixed at a building rooftop or public transit station) or mobile (e.g., mounted to a vehicle). The network system may determine a route for delivery of an item, where a drone transports the item for at least a portion of the route. For example, the route may include multiple waypoints associated with nodes between which drones travel. For other portions of the route, the network system may request a provider to transport the item using a ground-based vehicle.

A configurable unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) may include swappable components that may be selectable to configure a customized UAV just prior to deployment of the UAV that is configured to deliver a package to a destination. The UAV may include a plurality of ports that may accept swappable components. The ports may be coupled to a logic board to enable control of the swappable components. The ports and swappable components may enable quick replacement of a malfunctioning components, such as an image sensor, which may avoid subjecting a UAV to significant downtime for service. The malfunctioning component may then be serviced after the UAV is readied for a subsequent flight or deployed on a subsequent flight.

There is disclosed a system for enhanced aerial delivery capability. In an embodiment, there is provided a system for enhanced aerial delivery capability. The system includes a UAV having a primary battery to provide power to one or more electrical motors for powered flight. The system includes a pod having a cargo portion to selectively carry a payload, the pod having a supplemental battery to selectively supply power to the UAV. The system includes an autonomous mounting system configured to provide selective and autonomous mechanical connection of the pod with the UAV. The mounting system is configured to provide selective and autonomous electrical connection of the supplemental battery of the pod to the UAV. This configuration selectively powers the one or more electrical motors of the UAV with the stored electrical power from the supplemental battery. Other embodiments are also disclosed.

A telescoping tail assembly for use on an aircraft that has a fore-aft length. The telescoping tail assembly includes a housing extending in an aftward direction and a tailboom slidable along the housing into various positions including an extended position and a retracted position. A jackscrew is coupled to the tailboom. An actuator is coupled to the jackscrew and is configured to selectively rotate the jackscrew to translate the tailboom between the plurality of positions. The tailboom has one or more control surfaces coupled thereto. The tailboom increases the fore-aft length of the aircraft in the extended position and decreases the fore-aft length of the aircraft in the retracted position.

A network system provides delivery of items using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) or drones. The network system uses an infrastructure of nodes that include landing pads to dock drones, as well as interfaces to provide and receive items from docked drones. Nodes may be stationary (e.g., fixed at a building rooftop or public transit station) or mobile (e.g., mounted to a vehicle). The network system may determine a route for delivery of an item, where a drone transports the item for at least a portion of the route. For example, the route may include multiple waypoints associated with nodes between which drones travel. For other portions of the route, the network system may request a provider to transport the item using a ground-based vehicle.

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.

Systems and methods for locating UAV. The methods comprise: causing a physical joining of a payload with a fuselage of the UAV without any modification to the fuselage (where the payload comprises a communication relay configured to perform relay operations to extend a range between users of a communication relay link for voice and data communications and a first locator configured to perform location operations to determine and report a location of the UAV to the users of the communication relay link); using a power source to supply power to the payload that is independent from a main power source used to supply power to avionic electronics of the UAV; and continuing to perform the relay operations by the communication relay and the location operations by the first locator, when power is no longer being supplied to the avionic electronics by the main power source of the UAV.

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.