An autonomous ‘air-ground payload transfer device’ with truly disruptive capabilities for drone delivery applications, the “BMT SPARROW”, has been successfully patented by BMT. The novel concept solves fundamental problems associated with drone deliveries in challenging and sensitive environments.
Phil Metcalfe, BMT Regional Business Director for UK and Europe, commented, “Our patent (granted by the U.K. Intellectual Property Office )signals a new type of suspended robotic device… that takes over responsibility for the final moments of payload delivery, and better suited to challenging and sensitive environments. This small, highly-ruggedised robotic device could even autonomously collect packages as well as deliver them without the need for infrastructure on the ground.”
BMT SPARROW is fundamentally different to winch systems commonly used in current trials for delivery drones. On a winch, the payload swinging at the bottom end of a line is raised or lowered by the cable drum attached to the underside of the fuselage, and moved horizontally by subtle movements of the drone above. This provides poor control of the payload, especially in windy conditions and limits the maximum height of the drone. In comparison, BMT SPARROW is located at the bottom end of the line with the payload with its own power, sensors and actuators; it has autonomous control of its descent using an internal drum, while making precise and immediate horizontal adjustments to counter wind effects using 4 small, quiet pusher fans. BMT SPARROW takes responsibility of the delivery allowing the larger delivery drone to remain much, much higher at the destination, relatively unheard and unobtrusive at ground level.
