Скачать или смотреть Barcodes Guide Drone to Landing Zone

Toyota is no stranger to using barcodes for its manufacturing operations. This invention helps a delivery drone land in an exact location for unloading or recharging. The invention uses a series of hieroglyphs to help the drone orient itself correctly.

Regrettably, the patent text seems to have been translated from Japanese to English with a pocket translator one would get as swag at some convention. For example, try to make sense of this: "An object of the present disclosure is therefore to prevent or reduce a decrease in accuracy of landing of the flying object using the markers to identify a relative position between the flying object and the stage when the takeoff and landing assist apparatus forming the markers is used."

Briefly, cameras on the drone can recognize an arrangement of several images on top of a docking bay. The drone knows where it is based on orientation and sequence of these images. Presumably, each docking bay has its own images so there is no confusion. Once the drone is over the bay, a door opens and the drone can land and either complete its delivery or recharge.

Title: “Takeoff And Landing Assist Apparatus”
US Patent No: 12246865 
Filed (JP):  2022-09-01
Granted: 2025-03-11
Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA