Methods and systems for transportation using unmanned aerial vehicles

Abstract

An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) for transporting a payload is provided. The UAV comprises a body and one or more propellers rotatably connected to the body. The UAV further comprises a battery mounted to the body. The battery is releasable from the bottom of the UAV. The UAV further comprises a payload container mounted to the body. The payload container is releasable from the bottom of the UAV to a landing platform associated with a UAV station.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) for transporting a payload, comprising:
 a body;   one or more propellers rotatably connected to the body;   a battery mounted to the body, the battery being releasable from the bottom of the UAV; and   a payload container mounted to the body, the payload container being releasable from the bottom of the UAV to a landing platform associated with a UAV station.   
     
     
         2 . The unmanned aerial vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the body comprises a carrying space that extends to the bottom of the UAV. 
     
     
         3 . The unmanned aerial vehicle of  claim 2 , wherein the carrying space is at least partially enclosed by the body of the UAV, wherein the carrying space accommodates the payload container. 
     
     
         4 . The unmanned aerial vehicle of  claim 3 , wherein the carrying space further accommodates the battery. 
     
     
         5 . The unmanned aerial vehicle of  claim 2 , wherein the carrying space has dimensions corresponding to the dimensions of the payload container. 
     
     
         6 . The unmanned aerial vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the payload container is releasably mounted at the bottom of the UAV in absence of a carrying space that is at least partially enclosed by the body of the UAV. 
     
     
         7 . The unmanned aerial vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the battery is mounted above the payload container to facilitate releasing of the payload container followed by releasing of the battery. 
     
     
         8 . The unmanned aerial vehicle of  claim 1 , further comprising a landing system configured to communicate with the landing platform to assist landing of the UAV on the landing platform. 
     
     
         9 . The unmanned aerial vehicle of  claim 8 , wherein the landing system comprises at least one of a magnetic heading based landing subsystem, an infrared light based landing subsystem, a global positioning system (GPS) based landing subsystem, a real time kinematic (RTK) based landing subsystem, or an option based landing subsystem. 
     
     
         10 . The unmanned aerial vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the UAV station comprises an exchange station, wherein the landing platform is mounted on top of the exchange station, and wherein the landing platform comprises a payload receiving structure. 
     
     
         11 . The unmanned aerial vehicle of  claim 10 , wherein the payload container is releasable to the interior of the exchange station through the payload receiving structure of the landing platform. 
     
     
         12 . The unmanned aerial vehicle of  claim 10 , wherein the payload container is replaceable through the payload receiving structure of the landing platform, wherein replacing the payload container comprises receiving a replacement payload container from the interior of the exchange station. 
     
     
         13 . The unmanned aerial vehicle of  claim 10 , wherein the battery is releasable to the interior of the exchange station through the payload receiving structure of the landing platform. 
     
     
         14 . The unmanned aerial vehicle of  claim 10 , wherein the battery is replaceable through the payload receiving structure of the landing platform, wherein replacing the battery comprises receiving a replacement battery from the interior of the exchange station. 
     
     
         15 . The unmanned aerial vehicle of  claim 10 , wherein the payload receiving structure comprises an opening aligned with a corresponding opening of the exchange station. 
     
     
         16 . The unmanned aerial vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the landing platform is a portion of the exchange station, wherein the payload container is releasable to the exterior of the exchange station at the landing platform. 
     
     
         17 . The unmanned aerial vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the battery is at least one of a Lithium ion battery, a Lithium iron phosphate (LeFePO4) battery, a Lithium polymer (LiPo) battery, a Lithium Titanate battery, or Lithium Cobalt Oxide. 
     
     
         18 . The unmanned aerial vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the body comprises one or more releasing mechanisms and one or more sensors, the one or more releasing mechanisms being configured to control the releasing of the battery and the releasing of the payload container in accordance with one or more signals provided by the one or more sensors. 
     
     
         19 . The unmanned aerial vehicle of  claim 1 , further comprising a flight control system configured to navigate and control the stability of the UAV, and a flight termination system configured to terminate the flight of the UAV in accordance with one or more triggering conditions, the flight control system and the flight termination system being mounted to the body and electrically coupled to the battery. 
     
     
         20 . The unmanned aerial vehicle of  claim 1 , further comprising an emergency landing system mounted to the body, wherein the emergency landing system comprises a parachute and is electrically coupled to a second battery. 
     
     
         21 . An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) for transporting a payload, comprising:
 a body comprising a carrying space that extends to the bottom of the UAV;   one or more propellers rotatably connected with the body;   a battery mounted to the body, the battery being exchangeable with a second battery disposed within an exchange station, wherein the battery is exchangeable through the carrying space at the bottom of the UAV; and   a payload container mounted to the body, the payload container being exchangeable with a second payload container disposed within the exchange station, wherein the payload container is exchangeable through the carrying space at the bottom of the UAV.   
     
     
         22 . A method for transporting a payload, comprising:
 at an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) comprising a body and one or more propellers rotatably connected to the body,   receiving a battery from an exchange station, wherein the battery is received through a landing platform associated with the exchange station;   mounting the battery to the body of the UAV;   upon receiving the battery, receiving a payload container from the exchange station, wherein the payload container is received through the landing platform associated with the exchange station;   mounting the payload container to the body of the UAV;   receiving instructions for transporting the payload container to a destination; and   transporting the payload container to the destination according to the instructions.