Patent Awarded For 'Airborne Fulfillment Center'

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has awarded a patent to Amazon for massive flying warehouses that will be a "mothership" for drone deliveries.

The "Airborne Fulfillment Center" (AFC) would be based on an airship or blimp that would loiter at an altitude of about FL450. It would be stocked with many popular products.

CNBC reports that, according to the patent application, when a customer places an order, the item would be automatically loaded onto a drone, which would then fly ... or mostly glide ... down to make the delivery. "When the UAV departs the AFC, it may descend from the high altitude of the AFC using little or no power other than to guide the UAV towards its delivery destination and/or to stabilize the UAV as it descends," according to the patent filing.

The airship would be refueled and restocked by a shuttle, a smaller aircraft that could dock with the larger AFC.

Amazon said in the filing that uses might include flight over sporting events where customers might want to order team merchandise. They could also be used for advertising, like a giant billboard.

Of course, all if this is pretty much pie-in-the-sky (so to speak). The entire scheme would need regulatory approval from the FAA.

The patent was awarded in April, but Amazon just made it public this week, along with its patent to protect delivery drones from bows and arrows.

(Image from patent filing)

FMI: www.amazon.com