Collective unmanned aerial vehicle configurations

Abstract

This disclosure describes a collective UAV in which multiple UAVs may be coupled together to form the collective UAV. A collective UAV may be used to aerially transport virtually any size, weight or quantity of items, travel longer distances, etc. For example, rather than using one large UAV to carry a larger or heavier item, multiple smaller UAVs may couple together to form a collective UAV that is used to carry the larger or heavier item.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method to deliver a plurality of items using a collective UAV, comprising:
 determining a plurality of unmanned aerial vehicles (“UAV”) having respective flight plans that are complementary;   determining a collective UAV configuration in which each UAV of the plurality of UAVs is coupled to at least one other UAV of the plurality of UAVs;   instructing coupling of each of the plurality of UAVs with at least one other UAV of the plurality of UAVs according to the collective UAV configuration to form the collective UAV; and   instructing aerial transport of the plurality of items, using the collective UAV, to a delivery area.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , where the respective flight plans that are complementary are associated with at least one of a similar direction or a similar destination. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a first UAV of the plurality of UAVs is coupled to a first item of the plurality of items; and the method further comprising:
 instructing decoupling of the first UAV from the collective UAV proximate the delivery area; and   instructing delivery of the first item by the first UAV to a first delivery destination proximate the delivery area.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 determining an updated collective UAV configuration based at least in part on the decoupling of the first UAV from the collective UAV;   determining that the collective UAV is to be reconfigured based on the updated collective UAV configuration; and   instructing reconfiguration of coupling of remaining UAVs of the plurality of UAVs forming the collective UAV according to the updated collective UAV configuration.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein a second UAV of the plurality of UAVs is further coupled to the first item; and the method further comprising:
 instructing decoupling of the second UAV from the collective UAV with the decoupling of the first UAV from the collective UAV proximate the delivery area; and   instructing delivery of the first item by the first UAV and the second UAV to the first delivery destination.   
     
     
         6 . A method to provide aerial delivery of an item to a delivery destination, the method comprising:
 coupling the item to a first unmanned aerial vehicle (“UAV”), wherein the first UAV is capable of aerial navigation;   coupling the first UAV to a second UAV, wherein the second UAV is capable of aerial navigation;   aerially transporting the item, using the first UAV coupled with the second UAV, to a delivery area; and   delivering the item to the delivery destination within the delivery area.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 aerially navigating the first UAV and the second UAV to a location within the delivery area;   decoupling the first UAV from the second UAV; and   aerially transporting the item using the first UAV from the location to the delivery destination.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein a second item is coupled to the second UAV and the second UAV is configured to aerially transport the second item to a second delivery destination. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 receiving a request from a third UAV to couple with at least one of the first UAV or the second UAV;   determining a collective UAV configuration for a coupling of the first UAV, the second UAV, and the third UAV; and   instructing the third UAV to couple with at least one of the first UAV or the second UAV according to the collective UAV configuration.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 determining that a first flight plan of the third UAV and a second flight plan of the coupled first UAV and second UAV are complementary.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 detecting a decoupling of the second UAV from at least one of the first UAV or the third UAV;   determining an updated collective UAV configuration based at least in part on the first UAV and the third UAV;   determining that the updated collective UAV configuration is to be reconfigured; and   causing a reconfiguration of a coupling between the first UAV and the third UAV.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 determining a resource distribution for distributing resources between the first UAV and the second UAV while coupled.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the resources include at least one of: a power module, a computing component, a navigation component, a camera, a motor, or a control system. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 determining, based at least in part on the coupling between the first UAV and the second UAV, a rotational speed for at least one motor of a plurality of motors of the first UAV.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein coupling the first UAV and the second UAV is done during aerial transport of the item. 
     
     
         16 . A computer implemented method, comprising:
 under control of one or more computing systems configured with executable instructions,
 determining a plurality of unmanned aerial vehicles (“UAV”) each having a complementary flight plan during a defined time window; 
 determining a collective UAV configuration in which each UAV of the plurality of UAVs is coupled to at least one other UAV of the plurality of UAVs; and 
 instructing each of the plurality of UAVs to couple with at least one other UAV of the plurality of UAVs according to the collective UAV configuration to form a collective UAV. 
   
     
     
         17 . The computer implemented method of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 under control of the one or more computing systems configured with executable instructions,
 determining a collective UAV resource distribution for the collective UAV; and 
 instructing each of the plurality of UAVs to distribute resources according to the collective UAV resource distribution. 
   
     
     
         18 . The computer implemented method of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 under control of the one or more computing systems configured with executable instructions,
 instructing each of the plurality of UAVs to aerially navigate while coupled to the at least one other UAV of the plurality of UAVs. 
   
     
     
         19 . The computer implemented method of  claim 16 , wherein at least one of the plurality of UAVs is coupled to an item that is to be aerially transported to a delivery destination. 
     
     
         20 . The computer implemented method of  claim 16 , wherein at least one of the plurality of UAVs is not coupled to an item that is to be aerially transported to a delivery destination.