Abstract: There is disclosed an autonomous docking system for aerial delivery of a payload from a ground station. The system may comprise an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) having one or more motors for powered flight and a pyramidal bottom surface opening downward to terminate in a base perimeter. A cargo pod may be included to carry the payload and may have a pyramidal top surface complementary to the pyramidal bottom surface of the UAV. The system may further include a latching system for locking the UAV to the cargo pod and one or more steering components for approaching the cargo to within a steering accuracy. The UAV may be configured to dock by steering downward until the base perimeter slidably contacts the pyramidal top surface of the cargo pod for gravity-aligning the UAV in azimuth and laterally. The system may be further defined by a capture radius of the base perimeter being greater than a lateral component of the steering accuracy.

Abstract: There is disclosed a system for enhanced aerial delivery capability. In an embodiment, there is provided a system for enhanced aerial delivery capability. The system includes a UAV having a primary battery to provide power to one or more electrical motors for powered flight. The system includes a pod having a cargo portion to selectively carry a payload, the pod having a supplemental battery to selectively supply power to the UAV. The system includes an autonomous mounting system configured to provide selective and autonomous mechanical connection of the pod with the UAV. The mounting system is configured to provide selective and autonomous electrical connection of the supplemental battery of the pod to the UAV. This configuration selectively powers the one or more electrical motors of the UAV with the stored electrical power from the supplemental battery. Other embodiments are also disclosed.