US 12,221,213 B2
Payload-release device position tracking
James Ryan Burgess, Redwood City, CA (US); and Joanna Cohen, Mountain View, CA (US)
Assigned to Wing Aviation LLC, Palo Alto, CA (US)
Filed by Wing Aviation LLC, Mountain View, CA (US)
Filed on Apr. 13, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/134,371.
Application 18/134,371 is a continuation of application No. 16/893,561, filed on Jun. 5, 2020, granted, now 11,827,356.
Application 16/893,561 is a continuation of application No. 15/818,621, filed on Nov. 20, 2017, granted, now 10,710,722, issued on Jul. 14, 2020.
Application 15/818,621 is a continuation of application No. 14/584,189, filed on Dec. 29, 2014, granted, now 9,849,981, issued on Dec. 26, 2017.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/043,397, filed on Aug. 28, 2014.
Prior Publication US 2023/0249822 A1, Aug. 10, 2023
Int. Cl. B64D 1/12 (2006.01); B64D 1/22 (2006.01); G05D 1/00 (2006.01); B64U 101/30 (2023.01); B64U 101/64 (2023.01); B64U 101/67 (2023.01)
CPC B64D 1/12 (2013.01) [B64D 1/22 (2013.01); G05D 1/0094 (2013.01); G05D 1/042 (2013.01); B64U 2101/30 (2023.01); B64U 2101/64 (2023.01); B64U 2101/67 (2023.01); B64U 2201/104 (2023.01)] 30 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A winch for an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), the winch comprising:
a spool;
a line carried by the spool;
a payload release mechanism attached to the line and coupleable to a payload;
a motor operatively coupled to the spool to wind and unwind the line;
a controller operatively coupled to the motor, the controller having instructions that, when executed:
direct the line to unwind at a first rate; and
direct the line to unwind at a second rate less than the first rate in response to an indication that at least one of the payload or the payload release mechanism is approaching the ground.