In some embodiments, apparatuses and methods are provided herein useful to delivering merchandise using autonomous ground vehicles (AGVs) in cooperation with unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). In some embodiments, the system includes: an AGV having a motorized locomotion system, a storage area to hold merchandise, a sensor to detect obstacles, a transceiver, and a control circuit to operate the AGV; a UAV having a motorized flight system, a gripper mechanism to grab merchandise, a transceiver, an optical sensor to capture images; and a control circuit to operate the UAV. In some forms, the system may include a control circuit that instructs movement of the AGV along a delivery route; determines if the AGV has stopped due to an obstacle; and in certain circumstances, instructs the UAV to retrieve merchandise from the AGV, calculates a delivery route for the UAV to the delivery location, and instructs the UAV to deliver the merchandise.

A processing device acquires map data that has road information, acquires detection results detected by one or more detectors that detects surroundings of a first mobile object, and cross-checks a position of a second mobile object included in the detection results with the road information of the map data to determine whether or not the position of the second mobile object is included in a region indicating a road of the road information.

The apparatus for controlling group driving according to as aspect may include an inter-vehicle communication unit for communicating with a leader vehicle to receive the driving state and traveling track of the leader vehicle, a leader vehicle learning unit for learning a driving pattern of the leader vehicle based on the driving state of the leader vehicle received through the inter-vehicle communication unit, an autonomous drive unit for autonomously driving the follower vehicle in accordance with the traveling track of the leader vehicle, and a follow-up control unit for receiving the driving state of the leader vehicle to learn the driving pattern of the leader vehicle, controlling the autonomous drive unit to follow the traveling track of the leader vehicle, and performing the autonomous driving by applying the driving pattern of the leader vehicle.

A moving body has a control unit that determines priority relating to movement on the basis of prescribed rules, the control unit comparing, on the basis of the prescribed rules, a first determination value that is the determination value for the moving body, and a second determination value that is the determination value for another moving body, whereby the priority of the moving body is determined in relation to the other moving body.

In one embodiment, a method includes determining a fleet-level objective for a vehicle associated with instructing the vehicle to travel a route according to route criteria based on the fleet-level objective. The method includes receiving a ride request from a ride requestor associated with ride criteria including a pick-up location and a drop-off location. The method includes determining that the ride requestor is a passenger for the vehicle to satisfy the fleet-level objective contingent on modifications to the ride criteria. The method includes providing incentives to the ride requestor contingent on acceptance of the modifications to the ride criteria. The method includes, after receiving the acceptance of the modifications to the ride criteria, modifying the ride criteria in accordance with the route criteria. The method includes instructing the vehicle to transport the ride requestor based on the modified ride criteria so as to fulfill the fleet-level objective.

In an unmanned aerial vehicle system S, a target position Pt to which UAV 1a is headed among a plurality of UAVs 1 is determined on the basis of a position of each of a plurality of ports 2, and the UAV 1a is controlled to fly toward the target position Pt. And then, a port 2x to be used for landing of the UAV 1a is determined on the basis of a reservation status of each of the plurality of ports 2 by the other UAV 1 different from the UAV 1a among the plurality of the UAVs 1 while the UAV 1a is flying toward the target position Pt, and the UAV 1a is controlled to fly toward the determined port 2x.

Systems, methods, and devices that can be used to augment and address various deficiencies such as vision system impairment in autonomous robotic systems are described herein. A system may include at least one sensing device that is used to monitor data and trigger corrective operations in response to detected low visibility or obstructed conditions such as a sun glare condition.

Systems, methods, and devices that can be used to augment and address various deficiencies such as vision system impairment in autonomous robotic systems are described herein. A system may include at least one sensing device that is used to monitor data and trigger corrective operations in response to detected low visibility or obstructed conditions such as a sun glare condition.

An automated storage and retrieval system includes a storage grid for storage of storage containers and a delivery system for transport of said storage containers between a delivery port of the storage grid and an access point of the delivery system. The access point is adapted for handling of items held in the storage containers by a robotic operator or human operator. The delivery system includes a delivery rail system including at least a first set of parallel rails arranged in a horizontal plane (P1) and extending in a first direction (X), and at least a second set of parallel rails arranged in the horizontal plane (P1) and extending in a second direction (Y) which is orthogonal to the first direction (X), the first and second sets of rails together defining a delivery grid of delivery grid cells, the access point, and a remotely operated delivery vehicle comprising a motorized vehicle body and a container carrier provided above the motorized vehicle body for carrying a storage container of the storage containers. The delivery vehicle is moveable on the delivery grid of the delivery rail system. The delivery grid provides one or more delivery grid cells for the remotely operated delivery vehicle at the access point as well as a plurality of delivery grid cells adjacent the one or more delivery grid cells of the access point, such that there is more than one path to and/or from the access point for the remotely operated delivery vehicle via the plurality of delivery grid cells. The remotely operated delivery vehicle is arranged to transport the storage container from the delivery port of the storage grid across the delivery grid to the access point and return the storage container to the delivery port for storage within the storage grid. The access point is provided in a container accessing station, said station being arranged for separating the robotic or human operator from the delivery rail system and the remotely operated delivery vehicle. The container accessing station comprises a cabinet comprising walls and a top cover supported thereon, wherein the items held in the storage container carried by a remotely operated delivery vehicle at the access point is reachable through an opening in the top cover.

The present disclosure relates generally to autonomous machines (AMs) and more particularly to techniques for intelligently planning, managing and performing various tasks using AMs. A control system (referred to as a fleet management system or FMS) is disclosed for managing a set of resources at a site, which may include AMs. The FMS is configured to control and manage the AMs at the site such that tasks are performed autonomously by the AMs. An AM may directly communicate with another AM located on the site to complete a task without requiring to be in constant communication with the FMS during the performance of the task. The FMS is configured to use various optimization techniques to allocate resources (e.g., AMs) for performing tasks at the site. The resource allocation is performed so as to maximize the use of available AMs while ensuring that the tasks get performed in a timely manner.