Online giant granted patent for parachute-dropping drone

Amazon’s newest win aims to further improve how it delivers packages.



The online giant won a patent from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on May 30, for an “aerial package delivery system.” While Amazon is no stranger to using drones, the company’s newest air-based endeavor raises the bar another notch.



Amazon’s newest system is a label that can be attached to packages dropped from an aerial vehicle — this can be via drone, or another airborne craft. However, this isn’t just any traditional label. This label includes a parachute, enabling parcels to arrive at their destination without damage.



The technology can include a self-adhesive backing, multiple parachute cords, a parachute, and a breakaway cover. The cords include a shock absorber that reduces the shock on a package when the parachute opens. The parachute and/or the breakaway cover can include graphics to provide address, velocity, or spin information for the package, according to the filing.



Jon Hanlon, senior technical program manager for Prime Air, is listed as the inventor on the patent. Amazon applied for the patent back in August 2015. The retailer didn’t reveal when the technology would be used.



This is certainly not the first patent Amazon has applied for — or been granted. This year alone, Amazon has been granted patents for the design of its Treasure Truck, a vehicle that cruises the streets of Seattle stocked with a selection of discounted products, and robotic technology designed to pick and pack orders. It also won a patent for an on-demand apparel manufacturing system comprised of a textile printer, textile cutter, and a computing device that will work in concert to design apparel once customers place an order.