US 11,884,397 B2
Unmanned aerial vehicle delivery systems
Rich Parraga, Loveland, OH (US); James Wagner, Loveland, OH (US); Phil McDermott, Loveland, OH (US); Gianfranco Trovato, Loveland, OH (US); Joseph Sams, Loveland, OH (US); Mark Beaulieu, Loveland, OH (US); and Wei Wei, Loveland, OH (US)
Assigned to Workhorse Group Inc., Loveland, OH (US)
Filed by Workhorse Group Inc., Loveland, OH (US)
Filed on Apr. 21, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/726,021.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/330,997, filed on Apr. 14, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2023/0331386 A1, Oct. 19, 2023
Int. Cl. B64C 39/02 (2023.01); B64D 1/00 (2006.01); B64D 1/22 (2006.01); B64U 30/20 (2023.01); B64U 101/60 (2023.01)
CPC B64D 1/22 (2013.01) [B64C 39/024 (2013.01); B64U 30/20 (2023.01); B64U 2101/60 (2023.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An unmanned aerial vehicle, comprising:
a control system;
at least one rotor operable to generate lift under control of the control system;
a line including a free portion hanging from the unmanned aerial vehicle;
a hook attached to the free portion of the line, wherein the hook is operable to engage a parcel to be delivered by the unmanned aerial vehicle; and
a load sensor operable to detect a loaded/unloaded state of the line, wherein the loaded/unloaded state is a loaded state when the parcel is suspended from the line, and wherein the loaded/unloaded state is an unloaded state when the parcel is disengaged from the hook;
wherein the control system is configured to cause lowering of the hook to a position in which the parcel is supported by a target surface, and to subsequently cause raising of the hook and determine the loaded/unloaded state of the line based upon information transmitted by the load sensor; and
wherein the control system is further configured to cause lowering of the hook an additional time in response to determining that the line remains in the loaded state.