US 11,915,168 B2
In-flight servicing of an aerial vehicle
Sarbajit K. Rakshit, Kolkata (IN); Eric V. Kline, Pine Island, MN (US); and Brian Beaman, Cary, NC (US)
Assigned to International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY (US)
Filed by INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION, Armonk, NY (US)
Filed on Oct. 27, 2020, as Appl. No. 17/080,914.
Prior Publication US 2022/0129826 A1, Apr. 28, 2022
Int. Cl. G06Q 10/06 (2023.01); G06Q 10/00 (2023.01); B60L 53/80 (2019.01); B64C 39/02 (2023.01); G06Q 10/0631 (2023.01); G06Q 10/20 (2023.01); B64U 50/19 (2023.01); B64U 50/34 (2023.01)
CPC G06Q 10/063114 (2013.01) [B60L 53/80 (2019.02); B64C 39/024 (2013.01); G06Q 10/20 (2013.01); B64U 50/19 (2023.01); B64U 50/34 (2023.01)] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A computer-implemented method for aerial vehicle in-flight servicing, the method comprising:
monitoring, using a processor, an aerial vehicle status of a delivery aerial vehicle;
comparing, using the processor, the aerial vehicle status of the delivery aerial vehicle to a delivery schedule associated with the delivery aerial vehicle;
assigning, using the processor, a service aerial vehicle to provide service in response to the aerial vehicle status conflicting with the delivery schedule associated with the delivery aerial vehicle;
coupling the delivery aerial vehicle to the service aerial vehicle while the delivery aerial vehicle and service aerial vehicle are in-flight;
providing, by the service aerial vehicle, power source assistance to the delivery aerial vehicle while the delivery aerial vehicle and service aerial vehicle are in-flight;
decoupling the delivery aerial vehicle from the service aerial vehicle in response the power source assistance being successfully completed by the service aerial vehicle;
based on a determination that the power source assistance to the delivery aerial vehicle was not successful completed, transporting the delivery aerial vehicle by the service aerial vehicle to an originating location of the service aerial vehicle,
wherein power source assistance comprises identifying a vacant power source location on the delivery aerial vehicle and installing, by the service aerial vehicle, a charged battery in the vacant power source location.