Patents Assigned to Zipline International Inc.
  • Patent number: 11958629
    Abstract: Described herein is an elevated unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) station. The elevated UAV station includes an elevated platform and a conveyance device configured to raise a payload to the elevated platform. The elevated unmanned UAV station may further include a launch device configured to cause a takeoff of a UAV from the elevated platform. The elevated UAV station may further include a recovery device configured to cause a controlled landing of the UAV at the elevated platform. The elevated UAV station may be associated with a payload housing structure to establish a system for payload storage and launch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: Zipline International Inc.
    Inventors: Tyler P. McNish, Stefan C. Aprodu, Keenan A. Wyrobek, William Hetzler, Bijal Mehta, Ryan Alam
  • Patent number: 11912409
    Abstract: An unmanned aerial vehicle may include a fuselage and an anchor structure coupled to the fuselage and including a wing retention structure and a power module retention structure. The unmanned aerial vehicle may also include a wing releasably coupled to the wing retention structure, thereby coupling the wing to the fuselage, and a power module releasably coupled to the power module retention structure, thereby coupling the power module to the fuselage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: Zipline International Inc.
    Inventors: Paul Perry, Zoltan Laszlo, Scott Parker, Nathan Goldsberry, Bryan Wade, Keenan Wyrobek, Brian Boomgaard, Zhefei Li, Sven Blaser
  • Patent number: 11807361
    Abstract: A system includes a camera configured such that a field of view of the camera is positioned to capture a base portion and a movable portion of an aircraft. A computer communicatively connected to the camera is configured to determine a relative orientation between a base identification feature of the base portion and a movable identification feature of the movable portion of the aircraft based on image data received from the camera. The computer is also configured to determine a position of the movable portion of the aircraft based on the relative orientation between the base identification feature and the movable identification feature and a position of the base portion and to compare the position of the movable portion to a reported position for the movable portion to determine a variance. An aircraft control system is configured to monitor a state of the aircraft based on the variance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: Zipline International Inc.
    Inventors: Peter Abeles, Keenan Wyrobek
  • Patent number: 11765494
    Abstract: Described herein is a sensor probe for association with a portion of an aircraft. The sensor probe includes a microphone assembly having a portion configured to receive audio signals. The sensor probe further includes a nosecone associated with the microphone assembly. The nosecone assembly is configured to shield the portion of the microphone assembly from noise generated by direct impact of an airflow for a plurality of local flow angles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: ZIPLINE INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Keenan A. Wyrobek, Gavin K. Ananda Krishnan, Brendan J. D. Wade, Philip M. Green, Thomas O. Teisberg, Rohit H. Sant
  • Patent number: 11654794
    Abstract: A battery preconditioning system may include a battery for an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), a thermal analysis system configured to predict, for a predetermined flight path of an upcoming flight, a temperature change of the battery as a result of the UAV traversing the predetermined flight path, and determine a target initial temperature for the battery. The target initial temperature is based at least in part on the predicted temperature change and is configured to limit a duration that the battery operates outside an operating temperature window during traversal of the predetermined flight path. The battery preconditioning system may also include a thermal management system configured to receive the target initial temperature from the thermal analysis system and thermally condition the battery by performing at least one of heating or cooling the battery to the determined target initial temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: ZIPLINE INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventor: Puneet Khattar
  • Patent number: 11295624
    Abstract: An unmanned aircraft system includes an aircraft control system that enables the safe operation of multiple unmanned aerial vehicles in the same airspace, through the use of a decentralized air traffic management system. The decentralized air traffic management system is robust against loss of communication between the unmanned aerial vehicle and does not require a centralized ground control system to coordinate the vehicles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: Zipline International Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew Chambers, Ryan Oksenhorn, Jeremy Schwartz, Keenan Wyrobek
  • Publication number: 20220053254
    Abstract: Described herein is a sensor probe for association with a portion of an aircraft. The sensor probe includes a microphone assembly having a portion configured to receive audio signals. The sensor probe further includes a nosecone associated with the microphone assembly. The nosecone assembly is configured to shield the portion of the microphone assembly from noise generated by direct impact of an airflow for a plurality of local flow angles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2020
    Publication date: February 17, 2022
    Applicant: ZIPLINE INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Keenan A. Wyrobek, Gavin K. Ananda Krishnan, Brendan J.D. Wade, Philip M. Green, Thomas O. Teisberg, Rohit H. Sant
  • Publication number: 20220011786
    Abstract: An acoustic detection system of an aircraft receives a first signal, where the first signal is a multichannel audio signal. The multichannel audio signal is determined to be associated with at least one intruding aircraft based on the multichannel audio signal. An avoidance maneuver is commanded for the aircraft based on a track of the intruding aircraft generated based on the multichannel audio signal and a second signal providing additional information about the intruding aircraft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2020
    Publication date: January 13, 2022
    Applicant: ZIPLINE INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Thomas O. Teisberg, Rohit H. Sant, Matthew O. Derry, Michael J. Demertzi, Gavin K. Ananda Krishnan, Keenan A. Wyrobek, Vasumathi Raman, Brendan J.D. Wade, Blair R. Hagen, Randall R. Patterson, Philip M. Green
  • Publication number: 20210350714
    Abstract: An Unmanned Aerial System configured to receive a request from a user and fulfill that request using an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle. The Unmanned Aerial System selects a distribution center that is within range of the user, and deploys a suitable Unmanned Aerial Vehicle to fulfill the request from that distribution center. The Unmanned Aerial System is configured to provide real-time information about the flight route to the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle during its flight, and the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle is configured to dynamically update its mission based on information received from the Unmanned Aerial System.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 23, 2021
    Publication date: November 11, 2021
    Applicant: ZIPLINE INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Andrew Chambers, Bryan Wade, Catalin Drula, David Halley, Igor Napolskikh, Keenan Wyrobek, Keller Rinaudo, Nicholas Brake, Ryan Oksenhorn, Ryan Patterson, William Hetzler
  • Patent number: 11113976
    Abstract: An Unmanned Aerial System configured to receive a request from a user and fulfill that request using an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle. The Unmanned Aerial System selects a distribution center that is within range of the user, and deploys a suitable Unmanned Aerial Vehicle to fulfill the request from that distribution center. The Unmanned Aerial System is configured to provide real-time information about the flight route to the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle during its flight, and the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle is configured to dynamically update its mission based on information received from the Unmanned Aerial System.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: ZIPLINE INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Andrew Chambers, Bryan Wade, Catalin Drula, David Halley, Igor Napolskikh, Keenan Wyrobek, Keller Rinaudo, Nicholas Brake, Ryan Oksenhorn, Ryan Patterson, William Hetzler
  • Publication number: 20210253244
    Abstract: An unmanned aerial vehicle may include a fuselage and an anchor structure coupled to the fuselage and including a wing retention structure and a power module retention structure. The unmanned aerial vehicle may also include a wing releasably coupled to the wing retention structure, thereby coupling the wing to the fuselage, and a power module releasably coupled to the power module retention structure, thereby coupling the power module to the fuselage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2021
    Publication date: August 19, 2021
    Applicant: ZIPLINE INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Paul Perry, Zoltan Laszlo, Scott Parker, Nathan Goldsberry, Bryan Wade, Keenan Wyrobek, Brian Boomgaard, Zhefei Li, Sven Blaser
  • Publication number: 20210225182
    Abstract: An audio signal received at audio sensors of an aircraft is analyzed to determine directional information for a source of the audio signal. A location of the source of the audio signal is determined based on the directional information for the source of the audio signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2020
    Publication date: July 22, 2021
    Applicant: ZIPLINE INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Keenan A. Wyrobek, Matthew O. Derry, Rohit H. Sant, Gavin K. Ananda Krishnan, Thomas O. Teisberg, Michael J. Demertzi
  • Patent number: 11066184
    Abstract: An unmanned aircraft system includes an automated recovery system that can recover aircraft in a reliable, economical manner, using a dual-pole and line mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignee: ZIPLINE INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventor: Keenan Wyrobek
  • Publication number: 20210171197
    Abstract: A circuit board assembly for association with an aircraft includes a circuit board and an electromagnetic interference component connected to the circuit board. The circuit board assembly may further include an enclosure having an electromagnetic signal permissive layer and an electromagnetic signal blocking layer. The electromagnetic signal permissive layer may include a housing that define a volume. The housing may enclose the electromagnetic interference component on the circuit board. The electromagnetic signal blocking layer defines a conductive barrier about the electromagnetic interference component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2020
    Publication date: June 10, 2021
    Applicant: ZIPLINE INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventor: Ethan C. Anderson
  • Patent number: 11016510
    Abstract: An autonomous vehicle system is configured to receive vehicle commands from one or more parties and to execute those vehicle commands in a way that prevents the execution of stale commands. The autonomous vehicle system includes a finite state machine and a command counter or stored vehicle timestamp, which are used to help reject invalid or stale vehicle commands.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: ZIPLINE INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Andrew Chambers, Keenan Wyrobek, Keller Rinaudo, Ryan Oksenhorn, William Hetzler
  • Patent number: 10988253
    Abstract: An unmanned aerial vehicle may include a fuselage and an anchor structure coupled to the fuselage and including a wing retention structure and a power module retention structure. The unmanned aerial vehicle may also include a wing releasably coupled to the wing retention structure, thereby coupling the wing to the fuselage, and a power module releasably coupled to the power module retention structure, thereby coupling the power module to the fuselage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: Zipline International Inc.
    Inventors: Paul Perry, Zoltan Laszlo, Scott Parker, Nathan Goldsberry, Bryan Wade, Keenan Wyrobek, Brian Boomgaard, Zhefei Li, Sven Blaser
  • Publication number: 20210070440
    Abstract: A system includes a camera configured such that a field of view of the camera is positioned to capture a base portion and a movable portion of an aircraft. A computer communicatively connected to the camera is configured to determine a relative orientation between a base identification feature of the base portion and a movable identification feature of the movable portion of the aircraft based on image data received from the camera. The computer is also configured to determine a position of the movable portion of the aircraft based on the relative orientation between the base identification feature and the movable identification feature and a position of the base portion and to compare the position of the movable portion to a reported position for the movable portion to determine a variance. An aircraft control system is configured to monitor a state of the aircraft based on the variance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 5, 2020
    Publication date: March 11, 2021
    Applicant: ZIPLINE INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Peter Abeles, Keenan Wyrobek
  • Patent number: 10793269
    Abstract: An unmanned aircraft system includes a testing and calibration system that enables automated testing of movable parts of an unmanned aircraft. The testing and calibration system uses a camera-based technique to determine the position and angle of movable parts, in order to establish whether or not those parts are moving in a manner consistent with correct function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Assignee: Zipline International Inc.
    Inventors: Peter Abeles, Keenan Wyrobek
  • Patent number: 10395543
    Abstract: An Unmanned Aerial System configured to receive a request from a user and fulfill that request using an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle. The Unmanned Aerial System selects a distribution center that is within range of the user, and deploys a suitable Unmanned Aerial Vehicle to fulfill the request from that distribution center. The Unmanned Aerial System is configured to provide real-time information about the flight route to the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle during its flight, and the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle is configured to dynamically update its mission based on information received from the Unmanned Aerial System.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: ZIPLINE INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Andrew Chambers, Bryan Wade, Catalin Drula, David Halley, Igor Napolskikh, Keenan Wyrobek, Keller Rinaudo, Nicholas Brake, Ryan Oksenhorn, Ryan Patterson, William Hetzler
  • Patent number: 10365645
    Abstract: An autonomous vehicle system is configured to receive vehicle commands from one or more parties and to execute those vehicle commands in a way that prevents the execution of stale commands. The autonomous vehicle system includes a finite state machine and a command counter or stored vehicle timestamp, which are used to help reject invalid or stale vehicle commands.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2019
    Assignee: ZIPLINE INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Andrew Chambers, Keenan Wyrobek, Keller Rinaudo, Ryan Oksenhorn, William Hetzler