EA046285B1 - E-COMMERCE LOGISTICS SYSTEM WITH LOW CAPITAL AND OPERATING COSTS - Google Patents

Description

In an innovative manner, the systems and methods of the present invention facilitate the logistics of e-commerce delivery processes and can also simultaneously reduce the use of large quantities of cardboard packaging that are used to protect and contain e-commerce orders, which has a sustainable benefit for the e-commerce market, the environment and the consumer. This is achieved through the use of multipacks that are configured to contain a group of products, including orders from different customers and optionally having individual packaging for individual consumers, and such multipacks are sorted at the point of departure at the Main Fulfillment Center.

Technical field

The invention relates to systems and methods for e-commerce logistics, including first-mile logistics, including methods and systems for parcel delivery.

Traditional large-scale e-commerce logistics systems and methods typically store products in multiple fulfillment centers close to consumers to ensure fast delivery from those fulfillment centers. The need to build, operate or operate multiple warehouses makes the distribution of e-commerce products more expensive and creates an insurmountable barrier to competitors in the e-commerce market.

The invention, in contrast, provides for the storage of goods in one or more Master Fulfillment Centers (CFCs) and then dispatch of the goods as air cargo (containing individual or multipacks) that contain products from different orders or from different customers that are to be delivered within the same and the same predetermined area. Such air cargo is dropped from a manned aircraft during flight into drop zones strategically located close to consumers, without the need to land in such a drop zone. The systems and methods of the present invention also include the use of at least one of a landing assist system or a trajectory control system. In a preferred embodiment, the systems and method of the present invention include the use of a landing assist system comprising a mesh receiving system. Once the air cargo is recovered from the drop zone, the goods are then delivered to the consumer, and in a preferred embodiment, the e-commerce goods are delivered to the consumer through the use of last mile delivery systems, such as car sharing systems. The method and system of the invention enables rapid delivery, even within hours, of thousands of e-commerce products, including fresh produce, thereby reducing the need to build, operate or use multiple expensive warehouses with large footprints that have high capital and operating costs.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The e-commerce market has experienced steady growth in recent years, with revenue exceeding $340 billion in the US alone. E-commerce refers to the sale and purchase of products and/or services over the Internet (online) and covers a wide range of products ranging from clothing, electronics and consumables to fresh and new products among others. Today, almost everything can be bought online. As shown in FIG. 1, E-commerce revenue growth has grown exponentially in recent years and is expected to continue to grow even further in the coming years given the increasing use of online shopping and online platforms by consumers.

AMAZON® is one of the companies that provides not only an online platform for business-to-consumer or even business-to-business sales, but also provides a logistics and fulfillment network to deliver the product to the buyer in a short time. Amazon has been leading the e-commerce market for the past few years thanks to its large network of facilities and delivery logistics, as well as its online platform, which allows it to offer a selection of more than 350 million products. Based on the information that appears to be correct, Amazon's core strategy and competitive advantage that allowed it to dominate the market and significantly outperform other suppliers (who do not appear to have similar large-scale logistics capabilities today) was to build, operate and operate a large number of fulfillment centers in the USA and Europe. These fulfillment centers accommodate e-commerce products and are located close to consumers, allowing for faster delivery of goods to customers, such as delivering millions of products to customers within one or two days and only a small portion of those products on the same day. This has created a barrier of high capital and high operating costs to enter such a fast-delivery e-commerce market that is virtually insurmountable for other suppliers.

As shown in FIG. 2, Amazon is growing exponentially, leaving behind potential e-commerce competitors in the US and even around the world, such as EBAY®, ETSY® or ALIBABA®, which have different logistics systems.

- 1 046285

In the US, for example, Amazon offers an order fulfillment system for suppliers (called Fulfillment by Amazon or FBA), which allows the supplier to send product inventory to Amazon, which takes care of coordinating all shipping logistics to ensure delivery to the consumer in a short time. From the information that appears to be correct, to handle these delivery logistics, Amazon has a system where the supplier sends their products to an Amazon warehouse or inbound cross-docking center. These inbound cross-docking centers are responsible for receiving goods from suppliers and then sorting the products and shipping them to various fulfillment centers located across the country close to consumers, with Amazon having more than 180 fulfillment centers in the US (with more expected). Products are distributed to different fulfillment centers, requiring large quantities of the same item to be stored in many different locations. Then, when a consumer places an online order for such a product that needs to be delivered in a short period of time, the logistics and delivery software determines the fulfillment center that has the product and is closest to the consumer or can ship the product to the consumer faster, after whereby the product is typically shipped to an outbound sortation center close to cities or consumers and then to the end consumer through a combination of Amazon's shipping system and others (such as UPS, FedEx, or USPS, among others). This last stage of delivery to the end consumer is often called last mile delivery. This can be seen in Fig. 3 and 4 are simplified diagrams showing Amazon's fulfillment system. These simplified Amazon fulfillment plans apply to each of its many fulfillment centers.

Amazon is rapidly expanding the number of its fulfillment centers in the US and Europe, investing in decentralized warehouses to establish one- and two-day deliveries as its standard. As can be seen in FIG. 5, a schematic map illustrates the approximate current locations of Amazon fulfillment centers in the United States, where more than 180 fulfillment centers and satellite centers have already been built, and more than 200 fulfillment centers, satellite centers, delivery stations and sorting centers are planned. This very large number of fulfillment centers located throughout the US in a decentralized manner (close to consumers) allows Amazon to have a virtually unrivaled competitive advantage over other online retailers in providing two-day or even same-day delivery for some of their products. No other company is currently able to provide this short lead time/same day delivery schedule for such a large number of products and assortment (currently estimated at over 1 million items in some cities).

For reference, Amazon's fulfillment centers have very large footprints, currently over 133 million square feet (1,235 hectares). This footprint could easily cover a large area of Manhattan in New York City, as seen in FIG. 6. Even with this existing huge infrastructure of fulfillment centers, only a small portion of products can be delivered same day in a few cities. For example, Free Same Day Delivery only covers about 10 million products (out of Amazon's over 350 million catalog), while Same Day Delivery has a catalog of up to 3 million products in only a few select areas (about 1% of its full catalog).

In addition, today Amazon and grocery stores deliver fresh food with a different distribution system, not through their large fulfillment centers, but from stores located in cities close to the consumer, such as WHOLEFOODS® (which was acquired by Amazon).

This huge network of facilities, which enable fast shipping and delivery of many different types of products, has allowed Amazon to become the dominant online retailer today, with 45% of the e-commerce market in the US alone. Although Amazon didn't start out as a retailer, it has become a giant in the e-commerce market largely due to its massive number of facilities and fulfillment centers that create the infrastructure to place products close to population centers, thereby ensuring fast shipments to consumers.

It is also important to note that although Amazon is one of the leading e-commerce companies and has an important advantage in terms of delivery times, from publicly available information it has been estimated that its annual costs are spread such that about 50% of its costs are actual costs for the delivery of e-commerce goods, and the remaining 50% is associated with the cost of operating and maintaining a large network of fulfillment centers to ensure short-term deliveries. This means Amazon spends almost as much shipping packages as it does maintaining the fulfillment structure to support those deliveries.

Some studies indicate that many consumers will use the same supplier or other e-commerce providers based on whether they can ship products faster. Reducing the time it takes to receive a purchased e-commerce order

- 2 046285 has become the main goal of all companies that sell through e-commerce and are focused on the need of customers to receive the product they bought as quickly as possible. Additionally, while some companies are trying to compete with the leading companies, there have been no significant innovations that avoid the need to build and operate a decentralized fulfillment center infrastructure with high capital and operating costs and a large footprint to make this happen.

The e-commerce market trend has evolved from delayed delivery (3-5 days) to next day delivery and now to the current targeted trend of same day delivery within hours. Amazon is dominating this trend, offering same-day delivery in several US and European cities with a combined population of more than 1 million people, where Amazon has decentralized fulfillment centers and infrastructure close to consumers. However, other companies around the world are also beginning to dominate the market in their regions, also with a large network of fulfillment centers.

As a result, there is a need in the market for alternative low-cost distribution and logistics methods and systems that are superior to the large-scale, decentralized distribution center model with high capital and operating costs that focuses on first-mile logistics to deliver e-commerce products as close to the consumer as possible before delivery. last mile. Alternatives to this decentralized system will need to overcome the high capital and operating costs associated with the need to build, operate and operate a large number of fulfillment centers, as well as stocking each of those many fulfillment centers with the same goods and products to ensure fast delivery. in their immediate vicinity. Such alternatives must provide fast delivery times to consumers, preferably same-day and even within hours delivery schedules in all locations, including remote locations.

All this leads to the need for alternative low-cost logistics systems and methods that can allow entry into and/or growth within the e-commerce market without requiring large investments in infrastructure and operations to build, operate and/or operate multiple fulfillment centers and allowing you to provide the same or faster delivery at a lower cost. This poses the following questions: What if there was an alternative to the e-commerce giants' current systems and logistics practices? What if there were other companies and alternatives that could provide deliveries as quickly as existing decentralized systems, or even faster, in just a few hours, potentially at less cost to the consumer? What if these fast deliveries could be made to remote locations around the world? What if these logistics systems and methods could cost a fraction of the cost in terms of capital and operating costs compared to decentralized models? What if systems could facilitate fast delivery from smaller retailers to even remote locations? What if the cost of fulfilling e-commerce orders was reduced for suppliers and/or consumers? What if suppliers only needed to store their products in one or a few warehouses instead of more than a hundred? What if you could reduce the carbon footprint of distributing multiple products from suppliers to outbound sortation centers and warehouses? What if all e-commerce products could be delivered same day to any location, including small towns and rural areas, as well as high-density urban areas? What if there are alternatives and sustainable solutions to minimize the use of cardboard boxes for the shipping and delivery of e-commerce products? What if there was no need for individual cardboard boxes to transport e-commerce products? What if you could have a huge range of fresh groceries delivered same day, not just the ones you find in your local supermarket?

The essence of the invention

The present invention provides innovative low capital and operating cost logistics systems and methods related to first mile logistics for the delivery of e-commerce goods that provide an alternative to existing decentralized fulfillment center models. The present invention enables fast delivery of e-commerce products from multiple Master Fulfillment Centers or Fulfillment Center space and can be used by large or small retailers and even suppliers or manufacturers to ensure delivery of their products in short periods of time without requiring construction, operation or utilizing a large network of decentralized fulfillment centers or fulfillment center space and thereby allowing lower capital and/or operating costs for such purpose.

Breakthrough systems and methods of logistics with low capital and operating costs of the invention ensure and allow fast and massive delivery of e-commerce goods

- 3,046,285 including same-day delivery of thousands of items and packages across large geographic areas such as entire states, countries and continents, including remote areas, reducing the need to build, operate or operate multiple fulfillment centers or warehouses close to consumers and revolutionizing e-commerce around the world.

The low capital and operating cost logistics systems and methods of the present invention enable the storage of e-commerce goods in one or more Master Fulfillment Centers (CFCs) and the transport of goods via air cargo (43) containing individual packages, multipacks or combinations thereof that are loaded into a manned aircraft (5) suitable for airdrop delivery, and then airdropped into drop zones (8) strategically located close to consumers, without the need to land in such drop zone (8). The e-commerce goods (21) may then be delivered to the consumer from the drop zone or, alternatively, they may pass through an outbound sortation center before delivery to the consumer.

Additionally, the systems and methods of the present invention allow for the sorting of products at a point of origin (CFC) storage location and the placement of products from different orders that are destined for a specific area (such as a neighborhood, a town, a small town, a small town, or even the same building). , in the same package through the use of bulk packaging (41), which simplifies e-commerce logistics and minimizes the mass use of individual cardboard boxes for individual consumers.

The present invention and its innovative logistics systems and methods reduce the need to build, operate or operate multiple warehouses or fulfillment centers with high capital and operating costs and large footprints. The need for such a large number of fulfillment centers or fulfillment center space can increase the cost of goods and often creates an insurmountable barrier to competitors in the e-commerce market. The logistics systems and methods of the invention enable rapid and bulk delivery of e-commerce products over a wide geographic area via airdrop deliveries. The present invention also discloses systems and methods for the rapid and mass delivery of e-commerce products in urban areas with high population densities.

The advantages and features that distinguish the invention are set out in detail in the claims appended to and forming a part hereof. However, for a better understanding of the invention, reference should be made to the drawings, which form a part thereof, and to the accompanying descriptive material, in which a preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated and described.

The present invention provides an e-commerce logistics system with low capital and operating costs that enables fast and bulk delivery of e-commerce goods (21) over a wide geographic area, reducing the need to build, operate, or operate a large number of fulfillment centers located close to consumers, such as with traditional decentralized e-commerce logistics, and the system contains:

at least one Main Fulfillment Center (CFC) (2) having a storage area of at least about 5000 m ² and a height of at least two meters between the floor and the uppermost roof of the CFC (2) and configured to store at least 10,000 units of e-commerce products (21), wherein the CFC (2) is located no more than 50 km from the runway for at least one of the take-off or landing of a manned aircraft;

a computing system (3) configured to receive fulfillment information (23) of at least 1000 placed orders per day from at least one of the online shopping platform or consumer (22); wherein the computer system (3) is in connection or network communication with at least one CFC (2) in order to receive information about the execution (23) of placed orders;

a sorting system (4) that selects goods (21) stored in at least one CFC (2) and, based on order fulfillment information (23), prepares at least one of a group package (41), an individual package (42 ) or combinations thereof, which contain selected goods (21), wherein the prepared packages are then configured or prepared as part of at least one air cargo (43), which is airdropped by at least one aircraft (5);

at least one manned air-drop delivery vehicle (5), capable of containing at least one air cargo (43) and containing a total mass of air cargo of at least 2000 kg on average, and capable of flying at speed at least 200 km/h;

at least one air cargo release system (7) located inside the aircraft (5) that selectively releases at least one air cargo (43) from the air

- 4 046285 body apparatus (5) at an altitude of 5 m to 20,000 m during the flight of the aircraft so that the aircraft cargo (43) lands in at least one drop zone (8);

at least one drop zone (8) located at a distance of at least 150 kilometers from at least one CFC (2), wherein the drop zone (8) is configured to receive at least one aviation cargo (43) dropped from air-drop delivery aircraft (5);

at least one of a landing assistance system (9) or a trajectory control system (10), wherein the landing assistance system is configured to reduce the landing speed of the aircraft cargo and/or provide a softer landing of the at least one aircraft cargo (43), and the trajectory control system is configured to ensure the direction of at least one aircraft cargo (43); and at least one delivery system (15) configured to deliver e-commerce goods (21) to consumers from the drop zone (8), wherein the e-commerce goods may optionally pass through an outbound sorting center (14) before delivery to the consumer.

The present invention further provides an e-commerce logistics method with low capital and operating costs that enables rapid and bulk delivery of e-commerce goods (21) over a wide geographic area, reducing the need to build, operate, or operate a large number of fulfillment centers located close to consumers. as in traditional decentralized e-commerce logistics, the method comprising the following steps:

a) provide a computing system (3) that receives information about the fulfillment (23) of an order for e-commerce goods (21) placed through at least one of the online shopping platform or consumer (22), wherein the computing system (3) configured to receive at least 1,000 orders per day and is networked or in communication with at least one Central Fulfillment Center (CFC) (2) having a storage area of at least about 5,000 m ² and a height of at least at least two meters between the floor and the uppermost roof of the structure, which is configured to store at least 10,000 items of e-commerce goods (21), wherein the CFC (2) is located no more than 50 km from the runway for at least one of the take-offs or landing of a manned aircraft;

b) select, sort and prepare, on the basis of order fulfillment information received by the computer system (3), goods (21) in the form of at least one of a group package (41), an individual package (42) or combinations thereof, and at least at least one multipack (41), individual package (42) or combinations thereof are then configured or prepared as part of at least one air cargo (43) and loaded at least one air cargo (43) into a manned aircraft for delivery with air drop (5), designed to contain the total mass of air cargo at least 2000 kg on average and with the ability to fly at a speed of at least 200 km/h along the selected delivery trajectory;

c) determine, based on information about the fulfillment of orders for e-commerce goods in air cargo, a drop zone (8) into which at least one air cargo (43) must be airdropped so that the air cargo (43) lands in such zone outliers (8);

d) provide at least one of a landing assistance system (9) or a trajectory control system (10), wherein the landing assistance system is configured to reduce the landing speed of the aircraft cargo and/or provide a softer landing of the at least one aircraft cargo ( 43) within the drop zone (8), and the trajectory control system is configured to ensure the direction of at least one aircraft cargo (43) so that the aircraft cargo (43) lands within the drop zone (8);

e) airdrop at least one aircraft cargo (43) from the aircraft (5) so that the aircraft cargo (43) lands within the release zone (8), and the aircraft (5) releases the aircraft cargo through the release system ( 7) at an altitude of 5 m to 20,000 m and at a speed depending on the type of aircraft, environmental or weather conditions, the type of landing assist system (9) or trajectory control system (10) used, regulatory or safety requirements in among others;

f) receive air cargo at at least one drop zone (8), wherein the air cargo lands within the drop zone or within the landing assistance system (9) used as part of the drop zone (8), and pick up air cargo from the zone ejections; And

g) delivering e-commerce goods to the consumer (22) from a drop zone (8), where the goods (23) may pass through an outbound sorting center (14) before delivery to the consumer (22), and the delivery process may use last mile delivery systems; and wherein the method is configured to provide a low-cost logistics efficiency index of at least 100, which is determined by the formula below:

- 5 046285 pr Odd - 5) Od - 75)

Low-cost logistics efficiency index = ----x 1Ф7dd--------x Vian--------x d x pS nCFC IUS Ii, where nCFC is the total number of CFCs (2) used with the method logistics with low capital and operating costs;

nP is the total number of packages delivered per day via airdrop delivery;

WAD - average weight of air cargo, which is delivered via airdrop delivery, kg;

VAD - average speed of airborne cargo release, km/h;

d is the average distance that air cargo (43) travels from the CFC (2) and/or transit airport (12) to its target drop zone;

nC is the average number of different consumers (22) who receive goods (21); And

WIAD is a binary index relating to the average weight of an air cargo (43) that contains e-commerce goods and which is air-dropped from an aircraft (5), and is a binary number that is calculated below:

₌ 0 if <5 kg ^AD 1 if W _AD > 5 kg

VI _AD is an index relating to the average speed at which an air cargo (43) that contains e-commerce goods is released from an aircraft (5) during an airdrop delivery and is a binary number which is calculated below:

10, if V _An < 75 km/h at G — ' ^li ' ^AD 1, if Udd > 75 km/h

The present invention further provides an e-commerce logistics system with low capital and operating costs that enables fast and bulk delivery of e-commerce goods (21) to urban areas with high population density, the system comprising:

a computing system (3) configured to receive fulfillment information (23) of at least 1000 placed orders per day from at least one of the online shopping platform or consumer (22); wherein the computer system (3) is in connection or network communication with at least one CFC (2) in order to receive information about the execution of placed orders;

at least one air cargo (43) containing e-commerce goods to be delivered to a final logistics point (11) located within a high-density urban area, wherein the air cargo (43) contains at least one from group packaging (41), individual packaging (42) or a combination thereof;

at least one supply point (17) for e-commerce goods (21), wherein the supply point (17) contains at least one of a Central Fulfillment Center (CFC) (2), an outbound sorting center, a drop zone or a transit airport, wherein the CFC (2) has a storage area of at least about 5000 m ² , a height of at least two meters between the floor and the uppermost roof of the CFC (2) and is configured to store at least 10,000 items of e-commerce goods (21);

at least one defined urban delivery area (18) located at a distance of up to 50 km from the supply point (17), and at least one manned urban delivery aircraft (5a) configured to contain at least one aviation cargo (43), and the aircraft (5a) is configured to contain the total mass of aviation cargo at least 200 kg on average and allows the aviation cargo (43) to be delivered to at least one delivery area in the city (18), and air cargo delivery (43) is accomplished either by landing at a final logistics point (11) or by relatively static air delivery to a defined urban delivery area (18), the urban delivery aircraft (5a) comprising, among other things, helicopters ;

at least one pickup device for picking up at least one air cargo from a specified delivery area within the city;

at least one delivery system (15) configured to deliver e-commerce goods (21) to consumers from a city delivery area (18).

The present invention further provides an e-commerce logistics method with low capital and operating costs that enables rapid and bulk delivery of e-commerce goods (21) to areas with high population density, the method comprising the following steps:

a) provide a computing system (3) that receives information about the fulfillment (23) of an order for e-commerce goods (21) placed through at least one of the online shopping platform or consumer (22), wherein the computing system (3) configured to receive at least 1000 orders per day and is connected via a network or in connection with at least one Central Fulfillment Center (CFC) (2) having a storage area

- 6 046285 of at least about 5000 m ² , a height of at least two meters between the floor and the uppermost roof of the structure and configured to store at least 10,000 items of electronic commerce goods (21);

b) selecting, sorting and preparing, based on order fulfillment information received by the computer system (3), e-commerce products (21) in the form of at least one of a group package (41), an individual package (42) or combinations thereof, wherein at least one group package (41), individual package (42) or combinations thereof are then configured or prepared as part of at least one air cargo (43);

c) receive at least one air cargo (43) from a supply point (17) that contains at least one of a CFC (2), an outbound sortation center (14), a drop zone (8) or a transit airport (12), and loading the air cargo (43) into a manned aircraft for city delivery (5a), configured to contain at least one air cargo (43) and deliver such air cargo (43) to a certain city delivery area (18) , wherein the delivery of air cargo (43) is performed either by landing in a city delivery area (18) or by relatively static air delivery to a specific city delivery area (18);

d) receiving air cargo (43) at at least one city delivery area (18), picking up air cargo (43) and delivering e-commerce goods contained in the air cargo through a delivery system (15), wherein the delivery system (15 ) may use last mile delivery systems, and wherein the city delivery index, which is described below, is a positive number to enable and validate the method of the present invention:

(W _UD - 5)

City delivery index = WI _UD --------X d X pS

W _UD where WUD is the average weight of air cargo (43), which is delivered to the delivery area in the city, kg;

WIUD is an index related to the average weight of an air cargo (43) that contains e-commerce goods and which is delivered by an aircraft (5a) within the framework of the system and method of the present invention, and is a binary number that is calculated below:

| _m/ . _0, if Iuo <5 kg ^UD 1, if IV _UD > 5 kg d - the average distance that air cargo (43) travels from the supply point (17) to the final logistics point (11) or delivery area within the city (18);

nC is the average number of different customers (22) who receive their e-commerce products through the system and method of the present invention for city deliveries.

The present invention further provides an e-commerce logistics system with low capital and operating costs that enables fast and bulk delivery of e-commerce products over a wide geographic area, reducing the need to build, operate, or operate large numbers of fulfillment centers located close to consumers as with traditional decentralized e-commerce logistics, and the system contains:

a processing system (16) including a processor (161) and a memory (162) that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processing system, facilitate the execution of operations, the operations comprising at least:

receiving in the computing system (3) information about the execution (23) of an order for e-commerce goods (21) placed through at least one of the online shopping platform or consumer (22), wherein the computing system (3) is configured to receive at least 10,000 orders per day and is in network or communication with at least one Central Fulfillment Center (CFC), receiving and processing order fulfillment information (23) at at least one Main Fulfillment Center (CFC) (2) having a storage area of at least about 5,000 m ² , a height of at least two meters between the floor and the uppermost roof of the structure for storing at least 10,000 electronic commerce products, and the CFC is located at a distance of not more than 50 km from the take-off a landing strip for at least one of a manned aircraft taking off or landing;

issuing instructions to the sorting system (4) in connection with at least one CFC (2) according to:

i. selecting and sorting goods (21) stored in at least one CFC (2), based on order fulfillment information (23), ii. preparing at least one of a group package (41), an individual package (42) or combinations thereof that contain the selected goods (21), and

- 7 046285 iii. configuring or preparing at least one air cargo containing stowed goods, the air cargo being suitable for airdrop from an aircraft;

defining a release zone (8) for at least one aircraft cargo (8), wherein the release zone (8) is configured to receive aircraft cargo dropped from the aircraft;

preparing and sending information about the air cargo to a certain drop zone (8), wherein the determined drop zone contains at least one of a landing assistance system (9) or a trajectory control system (10), wherein the landing assistance system is configured to reduce speed landing the aircraft cargo and/or providing a softer landing of at least one aircraft cargo (43), and the trajectory control system is configured to ensure the direction of at least one aircraft cargo (43); and generating a delivery instruction for the delivery system (15) configured to deliver the e-commerce goods (21) to consumers from the drop zone (8), wherein the e-commerce goods may optionally pass through an outbound sorting center (14) before delivery to the consumer .

Brief description of drawings

In the drawings, like elements are identified with like reference numerals.

In fig. Figure 1 shows e-commerce retail sales worldwide from 2014 to 2023 (projected).

In fig. Figure 2 shows Amazon's exponential revenue growth compared to other e-commerce businesses.

In fig. Figure 3 shows a simplified diagram of Amazon's logistics systems for quickly delivering products to consumers. This system is repeated in every fulfillment center, with more than 180 in the United States.

In fig. Figure 4 shows a simplified diagram of Amazon's logistics systems for quickly delivering products to consumers. This system is repeated in every fulfillment center, with more than 180 in the United States.

In fig. Figure 5 shows a schematic map of the United States and a reference number and location of existing and planned Amazon fulfillment centers.

In fig. Figure 6 shows a map of Manhattan (A) and a shaded reference surface to show the estimated footprint (B) of Amazon's fulfillment centers relative to the size of Manhattan.

In fig. 7 is a schematic representation of a preferred embodiment of the present invention in which an aircraft (5) releases multiple air cargo (43) such that the air cargo is received by a mesh receiving system (91) located in the release zone (8).

In fig. 8 is a schematic representation of an embodiment of the present invention in which an aircraft (5) releases multiple air cargo (43) such that the air cargo is received by a mesh receiving system (91) located in the release zone (8).

In fig. 9 is a schematic representation of an embodiment of the present invention showing a reference map of the continental United States where airdrop delivery is performed by an aircraft that takes off from at least one airport of a Major Fulfillment Center or an associated airport, wherein the aircraft for airdrop delivery, delivers cargo by airdrop within a radius of 500 km from the Main Order Fulfillment Center.

In fig. 10 is a schematic representation of an embodiment of the present invention showing a reference map of the continental United States, the logistics system and method comprising the use of a transit airport (12), with collected air cargo (43) or e-commerce goods yet to be collected as air cargo (43), are transported from at least one Main Fulfillment Center to at least one transit airport (12), and the air cargo is subsequently delivered by airdrop delivery aircraft within a 500 km radius of the transit airport ( 12).

In fig. 11 is a schematic view of an embodiment of the present invention showing a reference map of the continental United States showing one CFC 3 from which a transit aircraft (5) is transporting air cargo from the CFC to a marshalling airport 12 from which the delivery aircraft is departing. with air drop (5) in order to deliver air cargo (43) during the flight to at least one drop zone (8) along its route.

In fig. 12 is a schematic view of an embodiment of the present invention showing a portion of a reference map of the continental United States showing one CFC 3 from which a transit aircraft (5) is carrying e-commerce goods from the CFC.

- 8 046285 to the marshalling airport 12 from which the airdrop delivery aircraft (5) departs in order to deliver air cargo (43) during the flight to at least one drop zone (8).

In fig. 13 is a schematic representation of an embodiment of the present invention showing a close-up view of New York State and the areas surrounding Manhattan, with air cargo, or a portion thereof, being delivered to high-density areas or urban areas by means of an aircraft, especially helicopters, which allow delivery such air cargo either by landing on small areas and/or remaining static and releasing their cargo onto such small areas, or by releasing the cargo into a mesh receiving system (91) located within such urban areas, such as on the roofs of buildings or similar surfaces .

In fig. 14 shows a simplified diagram of the low capital and operating cost logistics system of the present invention for rapid delivery of products to consumers, in which air cargo is picked up and sent to an outbound sortation center prior to the final mile delivery process to the consumer.

In fig. 15 shows a simplified diagram of the low capital and operating cost logistics system of the present invention for rapid delivery of products to consumers, in which air cargo is picked up from a drop zone and shipped to the consumer through last mile delivery processes.

In fig. 16 shows a simplified diagram of an embodiment of the low capital and operating cost logistics system of the present invention for rapid delivery of products to consumers, in which assembled air cargo (43) or e-commerce goods yet to be collected as air cargo (43) are transported from the Main fulfillment center at the transit airport (12) before the airdrop delivery process and subsequently air cargo (43) is picked up from the drop zone and shipped directly to the consumer through last mile delivery processes or by passing through an outbound sorting center before the last mile delivery process.

In fig. 17 shows a simplified diagram of an embodiment of a group packaging, wherein the group packaging is stackable.

In fig. 18 shows several stacked group packages (43).

In fig. 19 shows an exemplary embodiment of the invention including a group of air cargo (43) before being loaded into an aircraft (5).

In fig. 20 shows an exemplary embodiment of the invention including a group of air cargo (43) before being loaded into an aircraft (5).

In fig. 21 shows an exemplary embodiment of the invention in which a group of air cargo (43) is loaded into an aircraft (5) using a loading system (6).

In fig. 22 shows an exemplary embodiment of the invention in which a group of air cargo (43) is loaded onto an aircraft (5) prior to takeoff.

In fig. 23 shows an exemplary embodiment of the invention in which a group of air cargo (43) is airdropped from an aircraft (5).

In fig. 24 illustrates a functional block diagram of a computer system that may be used to implement the invention.

Detailed Description of the Invention

The present invention discloses logistics systems and methods with low capital and operating costs that enable rapid and bulk delivery of e-commerce products over a wide geographic area via airdrop deliveries, reducing the need to build, operate, or utilize large numbers of fulfillment centers or fulfillment center space. orders located close to consumers. The present invention also discloses a system and method for the rapid and mass delivery of e-commerce products in urban areas with high population density.

The present invention, compared to other e-commerce logistics systems and methods, significantly reduces the required infrastructure, such as fulfillment centers, which have high capital and operating costs, among others, by allowing one or more Master Fulfillment Centers (MFCs) to be built, operated or used. CFC) or smaller fulfillment center space than traditional decentralized systems and methods, and CFCs can be located far away from consumers while still ensuring fast delivery of goods to the consumer. Additionally, the present invention allows the use of existing individual carton packaging required for individual orders from consumers to be reduced by sorting items from different orders into at least one multipack (41), which is sorted at the origin CFC (2) and accommodates such items on a basis end-destination areas (such as a neighborhood, a town, a small town, a small city, and even the same building, among others), allowing for more efficient and effective systems

- 9 046285 subject and delivery method.

The logistics systems and methods of the invention enable the transport and delivery of very large numbers of packages, designated NP, per day via airdrop delivery, while requiring the use of a small number of Chief Fulfillment Centers (CFCs) for such purpose and for sorting and/or preparation of such packages for airdrop delivery, wherein the total number of different consumers who receive e-commerce goods is denoted NC, the number of CFCs is denoted nCFC, the total weight of air cargo is considered WAD, which is dropped at the airdrop rate denoted VAD, and the total The distance that air cargo travels from the CFC supply point to the transit airport and/or target drop zone is indicated by d. Such parameters and variables allow the determination of important logistics indices associated with the methods of the present invention, such as the low-cost logistics efficiency index, the distribution index and the city delivery index, which are defined in the following sections and which allow us to confirm that the systems and methods of the present invention are used and performed for fast delivery of a large number of e-commerce products.

It is important to emphasize that the present invention provides logistics systems and methods with low capital and operating costs for fast and bulk delivery of e-commerce goods, which relate to first mile logistics of e-commerce goods delivery rather than last mile delivery, with first mile logistics being term defined in this application as the logistics required to sort and transport e-commerce goods from their storage location (i.e. inventory at the Main Fulfillment Center) or other locations to the final logistics point that is located close to the consumer and from which the process Last mile delivery is carried out either directly or through an outbound sorting center. In some sense, any service, system or method for last mile delivery processes, such as the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (such as drones) with low payload weights (typically under four pounds (1.8 kg)), car sharing services (such like Uber) or others that can be used after the logistics systems and methods of the present invention, i.e. after delivery of e-commerce goods to the drop zone, may be complementary and may represent a complementary system and/or step to the present invention.

Any last mile delivery systems or methods may be complementary to the systems and methods of this application. In this regard, does the present invention relate to last mile delivery systems, such as deliveries via autonomous vehicles directly to consumers' residences? The answer is no, since the present invention is aimed at providing innovative logistics systems and methods with low capital and operating costs that provide short delivery times for thousands of products over large, wide areas and many different customers, aiming to ensure that such products end up as close as possible to customers before the last mile delivery process. Any new technologies focused on last mile delivery of products to the consumer can be used in addition, but are not the main purpose of the present invention.

As described previously, traditional e-commerce logistics systems and methods typically store products in multiple fulfillment centers close to consumers to ensure rapid delivery of products from the nearby fulfillment center to the consumer. This requires stocking many of the same products in many fulfillment centers to meet same-day, one-day, or even two-day delivery schedules. For example, if there are dozens of fulfillment centers, it may be necessary to stock up on product inventory in each of those fulfillment centers to accommodate these short delivery times. Instead, the present invention allows goods to be stored away from consumers in one or more Master Fulfillment Centers (CFCs), where goods are selected, sorted and packaged as part of an air cargo that is quickly transported to a final logistics point close to the consumer before the final delivery process. miles.

This innovative low capital and operating cost logistics system and method enables fast delivery, reducing the need to build, operate and/or utilize a warehouse network with high capital and operating costs and a large footprint. The present invention allows one or a few Master Fulfillment Centers or fulfillment center space to be owned, operated, or used in combination with the system and method of the present invention, as opposed to leading decentralized models, to provide rapid delivery of large quantities of products. The present invention provides an e-commerce platform and logistics that enables fast delivery of large quantities of e-commerce products.

Preferably, the present invention allows for the construction or use of at least 20% less fulfillment centers or fulfillment center space than companies with leading decentralized models, preferably at least 50% or more preferably

- 10 046285 with at least 90% less fulfillment centers or fulfillment center space, while providing the same or even higher delivery capabilities and/or speeds than leading decentralized models. In this regard, the revolutionary systems and methods of the present invention innovatively provide short delivery times, including same-day delivery within hours, for many products ordered online, with minimal infrastructure requirements.

For reference, today only about 1% of Amazon's product offering allows for same-day delivery, whereas the present invention allows for the majority of products offered through online shopping platforms and located in the Main Fulfillment Centers to be delivered within a short time. deadlines, for example, the same day and within a few hours. In doing so, the present invention allows for the reduction in the use and even potentially elimination of currently built fulfillment centers for decentralized logistics companies that wish to use the system and method of the present invention. The present system and method can also be used by companies that currently have a decentralized model, which allows them to increase the efficiency of their operations and reduce logistics costs compared to their current operations, by using only part of the infrastructure network that can be in operation before implementation and using the systems and methods of the present invention, which may also reduce the need to build future fulfillment center infrastructure.

The present invention is the result of a combination of necessary components and methods to provide an innovative solution in an innovative manner, providing a low capital and operating cost alternative to current e-commerce logistics trends and providing an innovative and revolutionary logistics system and method that allows companies large and small to enter the e-commerce market or grow from it and can also provide lower entry costs for suppliers, as well as greater convenience and shorter delivery times for consumers.

Definitions

As used herein, a consumer (22) refers to an individual or automated system that performs the online purchase process of at least one product, and is selected from the group consisting of a person, software, enterprise, company or legal entity, among others.

As used herein, e-commerce products (21) or alternatively products refer to e-commerce products that are offered by an online sales platform where consumers place their orders and purchase products. Products include, but are not limited to, entertainment products, electronics, clothing, accessories, household products, tools, fresh produce, niche products, sporting goods, outdoor products, automotive equipment, products and accessories, industrial equipment and products, documents or printed material among many others.

As used herein, air cargo (43) refers to at least one or more packages selected from the group consisting of individual packages, group packages, or combinations thereof; or a container, pallet or platform containing at least one package containing e-commerce goods that can be transported, air-dropped or air-delivered by an aircraft.

As used herein, airdrop delivery refers to a type of delivery in which at least one air cargo is dropped or delivered from an aircraft in flight without the need to land.

As used herein, first mile logistics refers to the logistics required to sort and transport e-commerce products from their storage location (i.e. inventory at the Main Fulfillment Center) or other locations to the final logistics point that is located close to the consumer and from which the last mile delivery process is performed, with the final logistics point selected from a group containing a drop zone, an outbound sortation center, a Main Fulfillment Center, a transit airport (12), a city delivery center, or other locations. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the final logistics point is a drop zone.

As used herein, last mile delivery refers to a type of delivery in which packages containing e-commerce products are delivered to the consumer. This is the last step in the complete delivery process. The last mile delivery process will depend on the number of packages to be delivered and their destination based on their defined delivery addresses, the proximity of such points to the Main Fulfillment Centers, transit airports (12), drop zones, outbound sorting centers, city delivery centers or other locations from which packages are received prior to last mile delivery, among others. Some examples of last mile delivery companies include Postmates, Amazon Flex, UberRush, USPS, UPS, FedEx, proprietary services and/or

- 11 046285 automated systems such as autonomous vehicles and aircraft, among others. The last mile delivery process usually follows the first mile logistics process.

Low capital and operating cost system of the present invention

The low capital and operating cost logistics systems of the present invention enable fast and bulk delivery of e-commerce products, including same-day delivery, of thousands of items and packages across large geographic areas, reducing the need to build, operate, or utilize multiple fulfillment warehouses or space fulfillment centers located close to consumers, similar to traditional decentralized e-commerce logistics, enabling a revolution in the e-commerce industry around the world. In a revolutionary manner, the systems of the present invention are designed to facilitate the logistics of e-commerce delivery processes and can also simultaneously allow for a reduction in the use of large quantities of cardboard packaging that are used to protect and contain e-commerce orders, which has a sustainable benefit for the e-commerce market, the environment and the consumer.

The system of the present invention provides storage of e-commerce goods in one or more Master Fulfillment Centers (CFCs) and provides for the transport of goods by air cargo (43), which is loaded into a manned aircraft suitable for airdrop delivery, which aircraft then airdrops specified air cargo (43) to drop zones (8) strategically located close to consumers, without the need to land in such a drop zone. Air cargo (43) lands within a defined drop zone (8) and is then recovered, and the goods contained in such air cargo may be delivered to the consumer from the drop zone or they may pass through an outbound sortation center or other locations before delivery to the consumer.

Additionally, the system of the present invention is configured such that products are sorted at the point of origin (CFC) storage location or other locations so that products from different orders that are destined for a specific area (such as a neighborhood, a town, a small town, a small city, and even one same building) are placed in the same packaging through the use of bulk packaging, which simplifies e-commerce logistics and minimizes the bulk use of individual cardboard boxes for individual orders or consumers.

More specifically, the low capital and operating cost logistics system of the present invention comprises at least one Chief Fulfillment Center (CFC) (2), a computing system (3), a sorting system (4), at least one manned delivery vehicle airdrop (5), at least one air cargo release system (7), at least one drop zone (8), at least one landing assist system (9) or trajectory control system (10) and at least one delivery system (15).

Main Fulfillment Center (CFC)

The main fulfillment center (CFC) (2), according to the invention, refers to a facility where e-commerce goods are stored. The at least one CFC (2) has a minimum area of about 5000 m ² (measured as the total usable storage area of e-commerce products) and a height of at least about two meters, taking into account the total distance from the floor of the structure to the highest point of the roof of the structure.

The at least one CFC (2) is configured to store at least 10,000 items of e-commerce inventory, with the items offered for sale on at least one online e-commerce shopping platform that allows the consumer (22) to purchase at least one item online. In another embodiment of the invention, the CFC (2) is configured to store at least 100,000 and preferably 1,000,000 units of e-commerce products that are offered for sale on at least one online e-commerce shopping platform. Examples of existing online e-commerce shopping platforms include Amazon®, Ebay®, Etsy®, Reverb®, Mercadolibre®, Shopify® among many others.

The at least one CFC (2) is preferably located near an airport that supports the use of aircraft, such as cargo aircraft and/or jets, with a runway of at least 1500 meters. In an embodiment of the invention, the at least one CFC contains a landing strip to avoid delays and costs at commercial airports. Preferably, at least one CFC (2) is located at a distance of no more than 50 km from the runway for take-off and/or landing of the manned aircraft. More preferably, the runway may be located within the CFC or adjacent to the CFC to facilitate efficient loading of air cargo (43) stowed in the CFC (2) into at least one manned aircraft (5).

In an embodiment of the invention, at least one CFC (2) contains an airport. In another embodiment of the invention, commercial airports are used in combination with at least

- 12 046285 at least one CFC (2), providing take-off and/or landing of an aircraft that contains aviation cargo. In another embodiment of the invention, commercial airports may not be used. Instead, private airports may be used to take off the aircraft to deliver air cargo and then return to land at the same or another airport. This achieves an absolutely innovative and surprising effect, unimaginable before this invention: same-day delivery anywhere in the world without using only commercial airports. It is also important to note that air shipping is often considered more expensive than ground shipping, but the total shipping costs may not vary much and in this case they may even be less. An important factor that influences overall air travel costs relates to airport charges, such as runway charges, platform charges, airport space rentals and similar uses. Through the use of private airports, such fees and costs can be significantly reduced, resulting in lower overall air travel costs.

The minimum preferred geographic area that can be covered by the system and method of the present invention is at least 400 hectares, preferably 1600 hectares, more preferably 3600 hectares, and most preferably 10,000 hectares or more.

Computer system

The system of the present invention includes a computing system (3) configured to receive a large volume of online fulfillment orders or information about the execution of such orders. Such fulfillment orders are orders that may be accepted through a supplier, online shopping platform or other means, and such orders have associated fulfillment information. In an embodiment of the invention, the computer system (3) contains at least one software belonging to ERP (enterprise resource planning) type software, OMS (Order Management System) type software for entering and processing orders, WMS type software (system warehouse management) to optimize the functionality of warehouses and distribution center management, software such as TMS (transport management systems) to manage transport scheme planning, execution and follow-up, software for supply chain management or order fulfillment/supply systems and intelligent cloud services, among others others. In another embodiment of the invention, the computing system (3) has the ability to support online ordering with thousands of daily transactions and/or orders. In an additional embodiment, the computing system has the ability to support online ordering with millions of daily transactions and/or orders. The computing system (3) and software provide output of key data and parameters for planning and coordinating first mile logistics for the delivery of e-commerce goods using the systems and methods of the present invention.

Preferably, the computing system (3) is configured to receive at least 10,000 orders per day or information about the execution of such orders. In another embodiment of the invention, the computing system (3) is configured to receive at least 100,000 orders per day or information about the execution of such orders. The computer system (3) is in connection or network communication with at least one CFC in order to receive information about the execution of placed orders.

In an embodiment of the invention, the computing system (3) is connected or networked to an online shopping platform where consumers can purchase products, preferably with an offering of at least 1000 products or at least 10,000 products or at least 100,000 products.

One skilled in the art will appreciate that the current primary communication technology is the Internet, however future communication platforms and technologies may be used for the same purpose to transfer information between one platform and another.

Sorting system

The system of the present invention includes at least one sorting system (4) for selecting goods based on online fulfillment order information (warehouse inventory, destination address, or location within a CFC, among others) that is received by the computing system. The sorting system packages e-commerce products and prepares them accordingly as part of an individual package (42), a group package (41) or an air cargo (43) suitable for airdrop. The computing system (3) may also determine destination zones, with the sorting system (4) preferably packaging e-commerce product orders based on such destination zones using either individual packaging (42), multipacking (41), or combinations thereof. In an embodiment of the invention, the sorting system allows individual items to be identified, and orders with more than one item can be combined, for example, in one location so that they can be packaged and then suitably prepared as part of an individual package (42), group

- 13 046285 packaging (41) or air cargo (43), which is suitable for air drop. The sorting system (4) may be supported by the use of a picking mechanism, fully automated robots or other devices. In certain embodiments, the sorting system (4) comprises manual picking and sorting by at least one person. In another embodiment, when a transit airport (12) is used, the sorting system may collect e-commerce goods in the form of individual packaging (42) or group packaging (41) so that they are subsequently collected as air cargo (43) before being loaded onto the aircraft. apparatus (5) at the transit airport (12).

Use of group packaging

Today, one of the major global challenges that arises as a result of the growing e-commerce market is the use of cardboard boxes to transport e-commerce products and/or individual orders, with cardboard box stockpiling being a growing problem for consumers who need to coordinate logistics for recycling and /or recycling of packaging for the transport of e-commerce goods. There are studies that indicate this is a negative factor in e-commerce among consumers. There are several commonly used alternatives that have been proposed to reduce the use of cardboard boxes, in which the ultimate responsibility for recycling and/or disposal has been largely shifted to the consumer. Additionally, using such boxes to transport individual products or orders results in volume inefficiency as the same product, which already has primary packaging, is placed in secondary packaging, and it has been estimated that the average empty volume in a shipping box is at least 30%, which means that 30% of the volume inside such a box is not used, but is just air, which increases transportation costs and reduces the efficiency of volume management.

In an innovative manner, the present invention also makes it possible to reduce the large quantities of cardboard packaging that are used around the world to sort, transport and deliver individual e-commerce orders from individual consumers, allowing for a more streamlined operation while at the same time making the process more efficient. This is achieved through the use of group packaging (41) for the delivery of e-commerce products. A multipack (41) is a package that contains products from more than one order or from more than one customer, such products being sent to the same predetermined area, such as a small town or city, the same block , township, building, condominium, planned communities or others. In an embodiment of the invention, the computing system of the present invention determines which e-commerce items have similar destination addresses or are heading to a predetermined area as noted above, and such orders and products are sorted by the sorting system into at least one CFC , where such inventory is located and which has been determined to be the CFC of the point of origin for such product), thereby minimizing the need for individual protection and packaging of such products or orders and placing orders from different customers together in the same group packaging. In this regard, the present invention innovatively allows for the use of group packaging (41), thereby reducing the use of individual packaging and thereby reducing the use of cardboard or other shipping materials typically used to transport goods. The low capital and operating cost logistics systems of the present invention preferably use at least one of individual packaging (42) or multipacking (41) to deliver e-commerce products.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, e-commerce products are sorted together into group packages (41), which reduces the volume of transportation without the need for individual packages (42) for each order, and which can be sorted by the sorting system (4) in at least one CFC (2 ) based on order fulfillment information and the destination address of such orders, as explained previously. In this regard, multipacks (41) preferably contain e-commerce products (21) that are to be delivered to different delivery addresses within the same delivery area.

In an embodiment of the invention, group packages (41) may contain orders from at least ten (10) different customers at the same time. In another embodiment of the invention, multipacks (41) may contain orders from preferably at least twenty (20) different customers at the same time.

Preferably, the products in the multipacks (41) are delivered to at least two different final delivery addresses or at least two different consumers. More preferably, the e-commerce products contained in the multipacks (41) are delivered to at least ten different final delivery addresses or at least ten different consumers.

In this regard, preferably a group of products or orders that are sent to the same delivery area can be grouped together in a group package (41). For example, if the group

- 14 046285 products from different individual consumers or products going to different delivery addresses are sorted together and they need to be delivered within the same zone, after performing an airdrop in the drop zone (defined for such delivery zone) such group packaging (or section or compartment(s) therein) is provided to the last mile delivery agent who can take charge of it and plot the delivery route to deliver the final product/order to the consumer. In this regard, group packaging (41) can protect a group of products/orders during transport, and thus each product or order may not be required to have its own protective carton or filling materials, which reduces the amount of shipping materials and subsequent need their disposal and/or processing by the consumer. In this innovative way, the use of multipacks ensures that delivery to the consumer can be made without individual packaging, which not only makes the transport of such goods more efficient by using less volume (resulting in transporting more products at lower costs), but also reduces the huge problem of cardboard boxes used around the world to transport products and also simplifies e-commerce logistics by performing sorting at the point of origin based on the final destination area, which includes towns, neighborhoods, condominiums, planned communities, buildings, small towns or small cities among others.

In an embodiment of the invention, the sorting system (4) may sort and place products within group packs (41), wherein the products may only use their primary packaging and therefore there may be no secondary packaging, which creates a larger volume, with group packs (41 ) are sorted depending on the final destination of orders.

In an embodiment of the invention, the group package (41) is designed such that it is a box or package formed by one or more parts or panels of a material selected from cardboard, paper, plastic or other suitable material. Multipacks can be configured to hold different products that will be delivered to different consumers using their primary packaging (not requiring additional packaging) based on their final destination. Group packages (41) may also have sections or compartments within them that can be separated and detached from the main package. For example, once an air cargo that contains at least one multipack (41) is airdropped into a defined drop zone, the aforementioned sections and/or compartments can be separated to distribute the products to different zones through different last mile delivery services or processes. . Accordingly, actual delivery to consumers may be made without the individual packaging that contains the products, but such products may instead be placed in small delivery bags or similar containers to ensure the confidentiality of the product being delivered.

In an embodiment of the invention, the group packaging may contain goods weighing approximately 10-30 kg, which can preferably be handled or handled manually by one person, without requiring large machinery or equipment to perform the collection, disassembly (if necessary) and removal of goods from the group packaging or any compartments or sections in such group packaging for the last mile delivery agent or service. For example, a multipack weighing about 15 kg with dimensions of about 40 cm x 40 cm x 40 cm, containing a group of products for different customers, can be operated by a person and is included in most last-mile delivery vehicles, therefore requiring no additional machinery or equipment for such a purpose.

In an embodiment of the invention, the group packages (41) can be stackable. In fig. 17 and 18 show an embodiment of the invention in which the group pack (41) is shown on its own or stacked for reference.

The use of multipacks (41) according to the present invention minimizes the volume limitation of airdrop aircraft or other aircraft such as transit aircraft or urban delivery aircraft, among others. This is achieved by placing a group of products and/or orders together in the same group packaging (41) or one of its sections or compartments, which reduces empty spaces and, in this regard, maximizes the volume for transported goods, which allows reduce transportation costs.

In another embodiment of the invention, packages containing e-commerce products are airdropped or delivered to the final logistics point on their own as independent packages rather than as part of a group package that includes different orders. Individual packages (42) are packages that contain a single order to be delivered to a single delivery address, and therefore do not contain orders from more than one customer at a time. These types of packaging are commonly used to ship e-commerce orders worldwide.

In a further embodiment of the invention, a combination of individual packs and group packs is used in combination with the system of the present invention.

The volume of group (41) or individual (42) packages can determine how many packages per

- 15 046285 fits in an airdrop delivery aircraft (5) or in a transit aircraft (13), or in an urban delivery aircraft (5a) or other aircraft. In this regard, suitable systems and methods are recommended that can reduce the volume of packaging taking into account the inherent volume and dimensions of e-commerce products. In this sense, parameters such as volumetric weight may be appropriate, since they can provide an estimate of the amount of space that a package occupies in relation to its weight, this parameter being calculated by multiplying the length, width and height of the package in inches (cubic package size ). Lower volumetric weights are associated with overall lower volumes and more efficient use of volume. Some carriers and delivery companies divide the dimensional weight by a divisor to calculate the relative or average weight for such a package and compare it to the actual weight of the package.

In the case of the present invention, it is desirable to have packages with low volumetric weight and efficient use of volume to provide greater efficiency in terms of the number of packages that the aircraft (5) is capable of containing, and so that air cargo (43) is more space efficient. In this sense, the parameter to be considered within the scope of the present invention is the volume and shape of e-commerce goods (21), which should ideally be as small and compact as possible to maximize the number of goods in air cargo (43) and maximize the utilization of cargo volume in the selected aircraft.

In another embodiment of the invention, air cargo (43) may contain packaging intended for an enterprise, for example, B2B delivery (business-to-business delivery).

Airdrop delivery

The system of the present invention requires that at least one group package (41) or at least one individual package (42) or combinations thereof be part of at least one aircraft cargo (43) that will be loaded onto the aircraft (5) for delivery with air drop.

Although the system requires at least one multipack or individual package as part of at least one air cargo, those skilled in the art will understand that a plurality of individual packages, group packages or combinations thereof can be provided as part of at least one air cargo. Such group packages (41) and/or individual packages (42) can be combined, placed together, attached to each other using different materials and elements (such as plastic wrap), placed on pallets, in containers or combinations thereof depending on the aircraft type, airdrop requirements, route or other determinations.

Preferably, the at least one air cargo (43) has an average weight of at least about 5 kg. In an embodiment of the invention, the aircraft cargo (43) is designed and constructed such that it can withstand a fall trajectory at speeds of at least 4 m/s without experiencing significant damaging deformation of the cargo contents.

In this regard, the air cargo (43), according to the present invention, contains at least one of an individual package (42) or a group package (41) or a combination thereof. In alternative embodiments, such packages may be transported and/or airdropped together with other individual (42) or group packages (41) grouped together through the use of wrapping systems and materials, such as cushioning bubble wrap systems, the use of bags such as plastic bags or plastic films, or other alternatives. Such packages may also be placed on pallets, platforms and/or containers, which can be used once or repeatedly and can serve many different deliveries over their service life.

The air cargo (43) may contain weather protection or all-weather protection, such as waterproof chambers and materials that are impervious to rain, snow, condensation, etc., and, in some cases, that provide water landing conditions. Additionally, the air cargo (43) may contain temperature protection chambers and/or temperature control systems. Such temperature-controlled protection is even more relevant depending on the type of e-commerce goods, with fresh products or products that require a temperature-controlled environment being able to be delivered using such chambers or systems. The air cargo (43) may also include buoyant means of securing to the buoyancy systems so that the air cargo can be released into the water and may be able to float on the surface for easier retrieval.

In general, air cargo may be an individual package (42) or a group package (41) or combinations thereof alone, or it may include additional security or grouping elements to prepare such packages for the airdrop process.

The system of the present invention also includes at least one manned aircraft

- 16 046285 air-dropped delivery apparatus (5), which is configured to contain at least one aircraft cargo (43) in order to air-drop such at least one aircraft cargo during flight.

At least one air cargo (43) according to the present invention is loaded into an aircraft (5), which is configured to contain at least 2000 kg as the average total weight of air cargo (the sum of all air cargo in the aircraft), such that air cargo (43) is delivered to target drop zones (8) by using an aircraft (5) that releases air cargo (43) during flight so that it lands within such target drop zones (8) which are strategically located close to consumers, without the need to land in such a release zone (8).

The aircraft (5) may drop cargo (43) in one drop zone (8), but in many cases may drop more than one cargo (43) in many different drop zones (8) during the same flight, in including in drop zones in villages, rural areas, cities with a population of less than 10,000 people, different areas of the same city among other alternatives without the need to land, and return to its landing airport as the preferred option, although other airports may be used /runways.

The ability to reach so many small towns quickly and at low capital and operating costs is not possible or imaginable with existing systems or methods with decentralized logistics. As used herein, manned refers to an aircraft that is capable of being piloted by persons on board the aircraft. The aircraft (5) is designed to fly at an average speed of more than 200 km/h, preferably more than 500 km/h and more preferably more than 700 km/h. These average flight speeds may differ and be lower when air cargo is released over the drop zone (8). In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the aircraft is a turboprop aircraft controlled by pilots. In another embodiment of the invention, other types of manned aircraft may be used, such as helicopters, aircraft (such as airships), propeller-driven aircraft, and jet aircraft, among others.

An aircraft (5) that is suitable for airdrop delivery typically has an operational airdrop system at its rear. This type of airdrop delivery vehicle (5) is selected to provide airdrop deliveries typically within a range of up to 500 km from their take-off location, which may be a nearby airport or an airport associated with at least one CFC , or transit airport (12).

The airdrop delivery aircraft (5) airdrops air cargo (43) along a planned route, dropping various air cargo (43), which may contain multipacks (41), individual packages (42), or combinations thereof, and returns to the same place or to another place depending on its route and the distances between them or any other conditions.

In embodiments of the invention, the aircraft (5) may perform circular trajectories to reach the same or nearby drop zone locations in the same flight depending on the number and type of air cargo that needs to be delivered to a particular drop zone. This may be relevant for drop zones (8) that have a limited rate of acceptance of air cargo packages, or also in situations where the number of packages to be dropped from the aircraft exceeds the time during which the aircraft (5) can perform a drop delivery from the air to ensure that the packages effectively reach such a release zone and fall within it.

In an embodiment of the invention, the aircraft (5) releases air cargo (43) in more than one drop zone (43) before landing. In other embodiments of the invention, the aircraft (5) drops air cargo (43) in more than five or more than ten drop zones before landing.

Aircraft cargo release (43) can be performed at different altitudes and speeds depending on the type of aircraft, the type of landing assist system (9) or trajectory control system (10) used, environmental or weather conditions, regulatory requirements, size release area, nearby residents and safety requirements, among others. In an embodiment of the invention, the aircraft (5) may reduce its altitude and/or speed before releasing the aircraft cargo.

Some examples of aircraft suitable for airdrop delivery include the Hercules C-130 model, the CASA 212 or 295 model, the Antonov AN-12, 26, 74 or 124 model, or the Airbus 400M model, among others, which may be used or designed for this purpose. If necessary, other aircraft models can be adapted for airdrop deliveries.

The aircraft (5) may contain an aircraft cargo release system (7), which can be selected

- 17 046285 urgently releases specified aircraft cargo (43) from the aircraft (5) in selected areas of the drop zones during flight. The release system (7) allows the packages to be dropped while the aircraft is en route, the flight path being determined to pass over or near target drop zones where the air cargo is to be released and received. The aircraft (5) may contain a plurality of air cargo (43) that may be released sequentially and selectively based on the aircraft's route and target drop zones. Air cargo (43) may be packaged together and dropped as one larger package rather than necessarily individually. The release system (7) may contain a mechanical system located and configured to release aircraft cargo from the aircraft. In another embodiment of the invention, the release system (7) includes a person who coordinates, assists in, or performs the release of air cargo. The release of a specific air cargo (43) is performed as needed based on the target release zone for that specific air cargo (43). The release system (7) allows the selective release of aircraft cargo (43) at different altitudes, which can be selected from the range from 5 to 20,000 m, from 10 to 5,000 m, from 25 to 2,500 m, from 50 to 1,000 m, from 75 to 2500 m or from 100 m to 1000 m. The release system (7) is preferably configured to eject the aircraft cargo (43) so that it falls in a substantially vertical direction before landing.

The system of the present invention may also include a loading system (6) that is configured to load air cargo (43) into an aircraft. Preferably, the loading system (6) is configured to load air cargo (43) in a specific order based on the intended airdrop delivery route and travel information. The loading system (6) may include a device for reading a label attached to an air cargo (43), sending a signal to a computer system (3) with information from the label, and processing instructions from the computer system (3), which, based on the order fulfillment information, /or movement information determines the position of the aircraft cargo (43) inside the aircraft (5). The loading system (6) may contain moving devices for moving at least one aircraft cargo (43) onto the loading platform of the aircraft (5). Air cargo (43) may be loaded onto the aircraft (5) based on loading instructions received from the computer system (3). The loading system (6) may also include lifting equipment such as a forklift, a conveyor system, or combinations thereof. The loading system (6) may include manual loading, and in certain embodiments, loading of air cargo (43) may be performed manually.

The system of the invention may not require a loading system (6), since in certain embodiments, air cargo (43) can be loaded without the need for a loading system (6).

Landing Assist and Trajectory Control System

Various methods and systems can be used to deliver air cargo so that it can be picked up at the target drop zone. In this sense, in order to ensure successful airdrop delivery of at least one air cargo to at least one target drop zone, the system of the invention comprises at least one of a landing assistance system (9) or a trajectory control system (10) .

The landing assist system (9) according to the invention is a system that provides at least one of the following: a landing with less impact or a softer landing of aircraft cargo; or is a system that reduces the speed of falling air cargo (43) to avoid significant damage to landing air cargo (43). The landing assistance system (9) may be located in at least one of the drop zone (8) or the air cargo (43). At least one landing assist system (9) according to the present invention is selected from the group consisting of a mesh receiving system (91), a landing surface softening system (92), a speed reduction system (93), an impact absorption system (94) or a protection system aviation cargo (95). On the other hand, the trajectory control system (10), according to the invention, is a system that ensures that the air cargo (43) is directed so that it falls within a certain area, and allows the spread of the falling air cargo (43) to be reduced. The trajectory control system (10), according to the invention, is selected from the guide system (101) and the steering system (102).

Because of this, it is important to understand that when an aircraft cargo is dropped from the air on its own, the speed of its fall will increase until it reaches a constant rate of fall, called free fall speed. The speed of free fall can be calculated based on the mass of the object (m, kg), cross-sectional area (A, ^m2 ), drag coefficient (related to the geometry of the object), average density (ρ, kg/ ^m3 ) of the fluid through which an object falls and its acceleration due to gravity (g, m/s ² ). As a simplified formula for calculating the speed of free fall, you can use the following formula:

- 18 046285 j2 x m x g

The speed of free fall is |----d p X A X C.

When an air cargo package is released from an aircraft, there is a possibility that the package will never reach free fall speed because the package will touch the ground (land) before it reaches free fall speed. However, depending on the time the package falls, it can reach free-fall speeds. For example, a package dropped from 5,000 feet (1,524 m) that falls for about 19 seconds may reach about 75% of its maximum free-fall speed before it lands. If the package is in the air longer during the fall, it may reach its free-fall speed before hitting the ground.

The resulting landing speed of an aircraft cargo, in simplistic terms, will ultimately depend primarily on the release altitude (the height at which the aircraft cargo is released from the aircraft), the weight of the aircraft cargo, the drag coefficient of the aircraft cargo, and whether any systems are used , materials, equipment or configurations that may affect its fall speed (such as a landing assist system or trajectory control system, among others), and such factors will affect the resulting landing speed. Regarding the drag coefficient, it is important to note that such drag coefficient will depend on the wind resistance of the aircraft cargo. In this regard, it is very important to consider at least one of the landing assistance system or trajectory control system as part of the low capital and operating cost logistics system of the present invention, thereby reducing and minimizing damage to aircraft cargo that may affect the functionality of such aircraft. cargo.

According to the invention, air cargo (43) is considered to be significantly damaged when the majority of its contents are subject to physical damage that affects its functionality. In a preferred embodiment, aircraft cargo damage is allowed if at least 90% of the aircraft cargo products (43) that utilize the landing assist system (9) or trajectory control system (10) retain their user functionality. More preferably, aircraft cargo damage is tolerated if at least 98% of the aircraft cargo products (43) that utilize the landing assist system or trajectory control system retain their user functionality. Examples of cargo damage include water, weather, or impact damage that affects the aesthetic and/or functionality of e-commerce items.

Mesh reception system

In an embodiment of the invention, the landing assistance system (9) is a mesh receiving system (91) that is deployed in at least one drop zone and is configured to receive air cargo (43) and provide support during its landing before picking up the air cargo (43) from such a mesh receiving system (91).

The mesh receiving system (91) generally includes at least one flexible mesh (911) or flexible sheet (912) material, the dimensions and characteristics of the flexible mesh (911) or flexible sheet (912) material and its receiving surface area depending on the location of the drop zone, the estimated number of packages that such mesh receiving system (91) is capable of handling, climatic conditions, whether the use is temporary or permanent, landing error calculations, configurations, installation angles and the total area required to receive air cargo (43) falling from the sky. The mesh receiving system (91) has a surface area of at least about 50 m ² or at least 200 m ² , or at least 500 m ² , at least 1000 m ² or at least 10,000 m ² , or at least 40000 ^m2 . The mesh receiving system (91) can have different shapes and configurations. In an embodiment of the invention, the mesh receiving system (91) includes a combination of flexible mesh (911) and flexible sheet (912) material.

In an embodiment of the invention, at least one flexible mesh (911) or flexible sheet (912) material is supported by a system of posts (913) placed on the ground of the release zone. The materials and configuration of the rack system (913) are determined based on the type of air cargo it will accept (including weight, volume and shape, among others), and the type of mesh receiving system (91) used and configuration, as well as fall velocities, weather conditions of the location where the rack system (913) is located or installed, resistance to damage, shock absorption, among others. In an embodiment of the invention, the material of the post system (913) is aluminum or steel. Options for the rack system (913) include the use of trusses, posts, beams, pipes of different shapes and sections.

The mesh receiving system (91), according to the present invention, has the ability to receive air cargo depending on the size and volume of packages or air cargo (43). In an embodiment of the invention for group packages with dimensions 40 cm x 40 cm x 40 cm, it is possible to receive

- 19 046285 ma of air cargo (43) is at least 10 packages or air cargo (43) per hour or at least 100 packages per hour, or at least 200 packages per hour. Depending on the type, configuration and size of the packages, this acceptance capability may vary according to the size and configuration of air cargo (43).

One skilled in the art will appreciate that different flexible mesh (911) or flexible sheet (912) materials and configurations may be used, as well as different types, configurations and materials for the strut system, which will depend on an analysis of the strength and integrity of the mesh system reception (91) for each defined release zone.

In an embodiment of the invention, the flexible mesh (911) is a fabric, textile or material that is woven, bonded or knitted, twisted or knotted so that it intersects and thereby creates a breathable cellular pattern. Generally speaking, a grid is an open cell pattern. Cellular patterns can have shapes like squares, hexagonal shapes, or octagonal shapes, among others. When using flexible mesh (911), the mesh size and parameters of the mesh materials are determined based on the type of air cargo (43) they will accept (including weight, volume and shape, among others), fall velocities, weather conditions of the location where the flexible mesh (911) is located or installed, resisting damage and/or absorbing impacts such that the flexible mesh (911) is configured to withstand a minimum test force or impact. In an embodiment of the invention, the peak impact value from aircraft cargo (43) and/or packages falling into the mesh receiving system (91) is less than 10g.

Parameters specified for flexible mesh (911) include fiber material, mesh size, mesh type, cord diameter, mesh tensile strength, fire resistance requirements, strength over time, duty cycles, UV protection, edging options in among others. In an embodiment of the invention, the mesh size ranges from 1 to 24 inches (2.54 cm to 60.96 cm).

Flexible mesh (911) materials are selected from the group containing fibers including silk, polyester, nylon, materials including fabrics, ropes, yarns, elastane, plastics and combinations thereof. In an embodiment of the invention, the flexible mesh (911) is a hand-woven, custom-woven mesh.

In an embodiment of the invention, the flexible sheet (912) is selected from the group consisting of materials including plastics, rubbers, fabrics, papers, non-web materials, and combinations thereof.

In another embodiment of the invention, the mesh receiving system (91) includes a combination of a flexible sheet (912) and a flexible mesh (911).

As can be seen in FIG. 7 and fig. 8, a mesh receiving system (91) is located in the release zone (8) and can be configured in various configurations to receive falling air cargo (43) that has been air-dropped from a moving aircraft, FIG. 7 shows an essentially horizontal mesh receiving system (91), while FIG. 8 shows a curved mesh receiving system (91).

In an embodiment of the invention, at least one impact assistance system (914) may be used in combination with the mesh receiving system (91), which is selected from the group consisting of equipment, devices or systems that may be located in at least one section flexible mesh (911) or flexible sheet (912) to reduce the velocity of falling aircraft cargo (43), such as height control systems (914a), which allow the height of the strut system (913) or flexible mesh or flexible sheet (912) to be adjusted depending impact speed and weight, attachment point (914b), pulley system (914c) or restraint system, force dissipation device (914d), deceleration system (915e), and combinations thereof.

Alternative options for the landing assist system

Landing surface softening system

In an embodiment of the invention, the landing assist system (9) includes a landing surface softening system (92) that is provided on the landing surface of at least a portion of the drop zone to receive falling packages and provide a softer landing or reduce the impact of aircraft cargo (43). The landing surface softening system (92) contains materials selected from the group consisting of rubber materials, plastic materials, cardboard or paper materials and configurations, bubble films or air cushions, granular materials, polystyrene, foams and foam structures, wood fiber materials, inflatable products , hanging pillows, rubberized fibrous materials, cork materials and combinations thereof.

Speed reduction system

In another embodiment of the invention, the landing assistance system (9) includes a speed reduction system (93), which allows the falling speed of aircraft cargo (43) to be reduced before it reaches the drop zone. The speed reduction system (93), according to the invention, is selected from the group consisting of a balloon system (931), a parachute system (932), an unmanned drone system (933) and other systems (934).

- 20 046285

The balloon system (931), according to the invention, makes it possible to slow down the rate of fall of air cargo (43). The balloon system may be filled with a gas that is lighter than air and which, when released, undergoes decompression and thereby provides lift to the aircraft cargo.

The parachute system (932), according to the invention, makes it possible to significantly increase the drag coefficient of such aircraft cargo and thereby makes it possible to reduce the falling speed and landing speed of the aircraft cargo. In an embodiment, the air cargo contains parachute securing means for securing the parachute system. Such parachute systems may be reused or may be single use systems. The parachute system is designed and configured to reduce the speed of the aircraft cargo after it is released from the aircraft, when it falls under the influence of gravity into a selected area of the drop zone. Such a parachute system is preferably designed to provide a landing speed of less than 25 m/s. Additionally, such parachute systems may include uncontrolled and controlled parachute systems that are capable of providing a proper landing within a defined drop zone. Controlled parachute systems contain elements and equipment such as fins, GPS-controlled mechanisms, robotic systems, among others. Some technical features of parachute systems suitable for the present invention include parachute systems that can be dropped from a manned aircraft, allowing pallets, platforms or containers that have robotic guidance systems to be delivered with greater landing accuracy, preferably with an accuracy of 20 to 500 meters (although wider ranges may be used depending on the type of parachute, the type of payload being dropped and the characteristics of the drop zone), and provide a payload capacity of over 100 kg, over 500 kg and even over 1000 kg or more on average and can be dropped from altitudes up to 35,000 feet (10,668 m). Systems can also be included that guide parachutes to predetermined targets on the ground with an error of less than 50 meters. This allows drop zones (8) to be located close to or within cities without the need for large landing areas for air cargo.

The unmanned drone system (933) comprises a system that deploys from the aircraft during flight and includes delivery systems and vehicles with wings and guidance systems for delivering air cargo to a target drop zone.

Shock absorption system

In yet another embodiment of the invention, the landing assistance system (9) includes an impact absorption system (94) that provides a softer landing and can minimize damage to the cargo contents caused by landing within the drop zone. Such an impact absorption system may be part of the aircraft cargo or may be secured to it in such a way that it absorbs part of the impact force to which the aircraft cargo is subjected when landing at a certain speed. In an embodiment of the invention, the shock absorption system (94) comprises lightweight materials (941) or inflatable materials (942) or combinations thereof. The impact absorption system may comprise systems, such as double wall or double bottom systems, which may be hollow or which may additionally be filled with air or impact absorbing materials such as fabric, wool, cotton, cardboard, degradable fillers, fluids, soft granules and materials, among others.

Air cargo protection system

In a further embodiment of the invention, the landing assistance system (9) includes an aircraft cargo protection system (95) that uses materials attached to or incorporated into at least a portion of the outer surfaces of the aircraft cargo (43), which materials may be selected from group containing rubber materials, plastic materials, cardboard or paper materials, bubble films or air cushions, granular materials, polystyrene, foams and foam structures, wood fiber materials, inflatable products, hanging pillows, rubberized fibrous materials, cork materials among others others.

Trajectory control system (10)

The trajectory control system (10), according to the invention, is a system that ensures that the air cargo (43) is directed so that it falls within a certain area, or which allows the spread of the falling air cargo to be reduced. The trajectory control system (10), according to the invention, is selected from the guide system (101) and the steering system (102). The trajectory control system (10) may ultimately allow for smaller drop zones (8) or smaller receiving mesh systems (91), or smaller landing surface softening systems, among others. Thus, when using a trajectory control system, the mesh receiving system (91) or landing surface softening system (92) can be configured to minimize the footprint of the receiving area for falling air cargo (43).

The guidance system (101), according to the invention, can provide guidance to aircraft

- 21 046285 loads so that they fall within a certain area or range, or to reduce the spread of dropped packages. The guide system (101) of the invention includes systems that are fixed to the airdrop delivery aircraft, including pulley systems (101a), cable systems (101b), tubular systems (101c), and combinations thereof. The pulley systems (101a) can allow the air cargo (43) to be lowered from the aircraft in a more controlled manner by having pulleys that allow the air cargo (43) to be suspended from the aircraft prior to delivery. The cable systems (101b) may allow aircraft cargo to be suspended and dragged as long as necessary before the cable system (101b) is detached from the aircraft cargo to deliver the aircraft cargo to the drop zone. Cable systems (101b) can also connect a group of air cargo (43) that are released simultaneously or nearly simultaneously, thereby reducing the spread of air cargo (43) upon landing.

The steering system (102), according to the invention, can be used to correct the course of an airdropped aircraft cargo or to ensure that the airdropped cargo is navigated so that it falls within its defined drop zone. In an embodiment of the invention, such a steering system (102) is attached, fixed or connected to the air cargo (43) to provide navigation and minimize deviations from the main trajectory of the air cargo (43). The steering system (102) is selected from the group consisting of equipment that generates thrust (102a) and equipment that rotates (102b) to minimize deviations from the main fall path. The steering system (102) is also selected from equipment that allows the airdropped air cargo to be directed to a specific drop location. In another embodiment of the invention, the steering system (102) includes a tail (102c).

Drop zones (8)

As noted above, air cargo (43) is airdropped into target drop zones (8) by using an aircraft (5) that releases air cargo (43) during flight without the need to land at such drop zone so that the air cargo ( 43) lands in such target drop zones (8) or on a landing assist system (9) located within this zone (8). The release zones (8) are preferably strategically located close to consumers.

Drop zones (8) generally refer to locations that are formed and configured to receive falling air cargo (43) that are released from a suitable airdrop aircraft. These drop zones (8) can be tens of times less expensive than comparable fulfillment centers described earlier. More specifically, rather than being a massive, expensive building, drop zones must be located and configured to receive air cargo (43) dropped by an aircraft and allow for the pickup of such air cargo (43). Air cargo (43) can be dropped at drop zone locations without the need to land, even in small towns or villages where packages typically take a long time to arrive under existing delivery systems and methods.

For reference, as defined by the US Census, urbanized areas (UA) are continuously built-up areas with a population of 50,000 people or more, urban localities (UP) outside urban areas are any incorporated locality with a population of at least 2,500 people , and rural localities (RP) are any incorporated localities with a population of less than 2,500 people and located outside of urban areas. As used herein, rural areas refer to geographic areas that are located outside of urban areas, such as towns or cities, where urban areas have high population densities and extensive infrastructure.

The release zone areas (8) are preferably located close to or even within urban areas. Large cities or urban areas may have drop zones (8) in different locations in the city close to consumers, allowing delivery times not possible with traditional logistics. Drop zones (8) can be designed to be close to end consumers, close to major cities or even close to small towns, allowing for very long delivery ranges and also allowing for fast delivery to areas that are difficult to reach by traditional means. transportation without the need for landing or long travel routes, providing cost and time advantages over traditional cargo delivery systems.

Release zones (8) are generally located close to consumers and may preferably be located no more than 100 kilometers on average from consumers, which consumers may be in rural areas or urban areas as previously defined. More preferably, the release zones may be located at a distance of no more than 50 kilometers on average from consumers. In an embodiment of the invention and under certain conditions, release zones may be located in urban areas and within cities.

Drop zones can generally be selected from farms, green areas, places within rural areas

- 22 046285 areas, vacant areas, fields and/or extensions of land that are temporarily or permanently permitted for the landing of air cargo (43). Drop zones (8) can be located in the vicinity of large cities or even within large cities. Urban areas may have multiple drop zones located in different areas of the city to facilitate final delivery close to the consumer, such as stadiums, arenas, rooftops, parking lots, racing fields, sports fields, among others. In some embodiments of the invention, the release zones (8) may be located above water, such as lakes, ponds, rivers or the sea. Also, existing small airfields for light aircraft can be used as drop zones (8), and in other embodiments, the surroundings of airfields can also be used as drop zones (8).

It is also important to consider that drop zones (8) may be required to account for potential landing errors associated with airdropping aircraft cargo (43) within drop zones (8). The aircraft may need to drop the air cargo (43) while flying over, near or near the target drop zone so that the air cargo (43) falls within the drop zones (8). The release zones (8) may be equipped with a landmark, lighting device or illumination system to provide visible cues or light signals to the aircraft and to facilitate positioning of the aircraft prior to release and airdrop.

The drop zones (8) may preferably support and enable the use of mesh receiving systems (91) or landing surface softening systems to receive air cargo (43) dropped from a moving aircraft. The drop zones (8) may include an air cargo retrieval system (81) that facilitates the removal of air cargo (43) from the drop zone (8). In an embodiment of the invention in which a mesh receiving system (91) or landing surface softening system (92) is provided in the drop zone, an aircraft cargo retrieval system is used. The aircraft cargo recovery system (81) may be selected from the group consisting of manipulators, vacuum lifters, mobile lifts, cranes, forklifts, and combinations thereof, among other equipment or systems that facilitate the recovery of aircraft cargo (43).

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, air cargo is dropped such that it falls within a preferred mesh receiving system located within the drop zones. As described previously, in a preferred embodiment of the invention, a mesh receiving system is deployed in the drop zones to allow the receipt and collection of air cargo that has been airdropped. Based on the above, it is important to know that the location of the release zone, the aircraft's flight speed, environmental conditions (such as wind speed and direction, among others) and other factors are taken into account before the release of aircraft cargo and are used to determine the range distance, speed and altitude, on which the aircraft will release the air cargo so that it lands within the target release zone, and preferably so that it lands within the mesh receiving system.

As noted previously, in embodiments of the invention, the aircraft may fly circular trajectories to reach the same or nearby drop zone locations in the same flight depending on the number and type of air cargo (43) that needs to be delivered to a particular location. release zone. This is even more relevant for drop zones (8) that have a limited rate of acceptance of air cargo packages, or also in situations where the number of packages to be dropped from the aircraft exceeds the time during which the aircraft can perform air drop deliveries for to ensure that the packages effectively fall within such a drop zone or within the landing assistance system (9) within such a drop zone.

In an embodiment of the invention, the system also includes a device for collecting aircraft cargo that has landed in the drop zones (8). In a preferred embodiment in which the mesh receiving system is deployed in the drop zone to receive dropped packages, such packages are then taken from the mesh receiving system (91) to prepare the mesh receiving system and allow it to receive more packages.

Delivery system (15)

In an embodiment of the invention, the system may comprise a delivery system (15) such that air cargo items may be delivered to the consumer by several different systems, previously described as last mile delivery. For example, delivery systems and companies may be used such as FedEx®, UPS®, USPS®, car sharing companies such as Uber, proprietary transportation systems, local couriers, service partners, among others. In certain embodiments, delivery to the consumer may require air cargo that has been picked up from the drop zone to be sent to an outbound sortation center before being transported to the consumer. In an embodiment of the invention, air cargo (43) can be sent from one outbound sorting center or drop zone to other drop zones (8) located

- 23 046285 located in the same city or area, by aircraft or drones without the need to land in order to avoid traffic problems.

In an embodiment of the invention, the system includes an outbound sorting center (14) that receives air cargo or packages that are picked up at the drop zone or other locations so as to sort and classify the goods in the air cargo before delivery to the consumer through last mile delivery processes.

For example, in FIG. 10 illustrates a schematic map of the United States showing an embodiment of the invention in which two Master Fulfillment Centers are strategically located to ensure short delivery times for e-commerce products stored in such fulfillment centers. Accordingly, it should be understood that having a relatively small number of CFCs eliminates the need for a large fulfillment center infrastructure. In fig. 10 shows that there are only two hosted CFCs, one located near Salt Lake City, Utah, and the other near Nashville, Tennessee. In fig. 10 shows that, for example, with only 2 main fulfillment centers, airdrop delivery can be made directly from these CFCs using the system described previously using an airdrop delivery aircraft within a radius of up to 500 km or even more for this purpose.

As another example, if the present invention is used in Europe and there is one fulfillment center in Germany, it may take less than 45 minutes to reach each part of that country, and other European countries such as France, UK, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands, Austria and others can be covered in 2 hours or less. Thus, with just one Main Fulfillment Center, most of Europe can be reached in less than 3 hours.

In this regard, the method and system of the present invention eliminates the need to store goods in huge and multiple warehouses near many cities, requiring only the transport of what has been ordered online from one or more CFCs that are strategically located. Existing logistics systems may not provide same-day delivery in such small towns or rural areas. It is important to note that thanks to transportation and delivery logistics systems, the overall cost of fulfilling and delivering packaging in such a short time will be lower than with existing leading decentralized logistics systems and methods.

It is important to note that the system and method of the present invention also allows for the rapid delivery of large quantities of fresh produce and grocery items that would be impossible to deliver with existing delivery systems, since existing systems can only deliver a small variety based on the available fresh produce inventory (in stock). nearby retail stores or supermarkets). For example, Amazon acquired the Wholefoods supermarket chain for more than US$13 billion to have a large number of fresh food warehouses to ensure fresh food is delivered closer to consumers. On the other hand, the present invention allows for the delivery of a huge selection of fresh products in a short time, requiring the presence of one or more fulfillment centers that store fresh products that can be delivered in a short time to high-density urban centers or other rural areas or areas outside major cities. The systems and methods of the present invention provide fast delivery of not only conventional e-commerce products, but also fresh produce and grocery items, as well as niche products that can be stored in a CFC and therefore be readily available to niche market consumers.

Logistics method with low capital and operating costs of the present invention

The present invention also provides a logistics method with low capital and operating costs that enables fast and bulk delivery of e-commerce products over a wide geographic area.

The method of the present invention includes the use of a computing system (3) that receives information about the fulfillment of an order for e-commerce goods placed online through at least one online shopping platform. When a consumer places an online order for e-commerce products through at least one online shopping platform, such platform provides instructions and/or information to at least one computing system containing fulfillment information for such order. The computing system of the present invention is configured to be in network connection with the Main Order Fulfillment Center, allowing it to be determined which product was purchased, in what quantity, and its final shipping and/or delivery address. Using inputs from the computer system, goods are then selected, sorted and packaged into CFC.

The computing system (3) used in the method of the present invention is configured to receive a large volume of online fulfillment orders - at least 10,000 orders per day - or fulfillment information associated with such orders, and is connected or communicated over networks with at least one Chief Fulfillment Center (CFC) (2), with fewer

- 24 046285 at least one CFC has a surface area of at least 5000 m ² and a height of at least 2 m or at least 3 m and is located at a distance of not more than 50 km from the runway for take-off and/or landing of a manned aircraft apparatus.

Sorting and preparation of packages or air cargo

The method of the invention further comprises sorting and preparing e-commerce items into packages as part of at least one multipack, individual package, or air cargo that is suitable for airdrop based on order fulfillment information received by the computing system. Some air cargo packages contain individual packages, group packages or a combination of both. Sorting and preparation of products and packages takes place in at least one CFC. The method comprises the step of sorting and preparing orders in the form of individual and/or group packages or combinations thereof, and the packages are transported as part of at least one air cargo that is suitable for airdrop, based on order fulfillment information received by the computer. system. Sorting of products and orders can be accomplished by grouping multiple orders from different customers or orders that need to be delivered to different addresses within the same destination areas, providing significant environmental benefits and cost savings.

Preferably, the packages are organized into air cargo (43) according to the route and corresponding target drop zones (8) based on the destination of such air cargo. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the air cargo is sorted such that the aircraft suitable for airdrop is loaded with a large capacity, taking into account the volume and/or weight of the packages or air cargo, and so that it performs several drops of air cargo (43) before landing.

The method of the invention further comprises the step of loading at least one air cargo into a manned air-drop delivery aircraft capable of containing a total weight of the air cargo of at least 2000 kg on average and capable of flying at a speed of at least 200 km/h along the selected delivery trajectory. Alternatively, if the distance from at least one drop zone to the CFC is greater than 300 km, use at least one transit airport (12) to distribute collected air cargo (43) or e-commerce goods in individual or multipacks that have yet to be collected. collected as air cargo (43), from CFC to transit airport (12) before airdrop delivery. In this case, when using a transit airport, air cargo is loaded into a manned aircraft for delivery with an air drop after passing through the transit airport. In an embodiment of the invention, the goods are transported in individual packages or group packages or combinations thereof to a transit airport from where they are assembled as air cargo suitable for airdrop delivery before such air cargo is loaded onto an airdrop aircraft. .

Airdrop delivery

The method of the invention further comprises the step of airdropping at least one air cargo (43) into at least one drop zone (8) based on the destination of the e-commerce goods in the air cargo, wherein the air cargo is dropped from the aircraft during flight to allow air cargo to land within at least one drop zone located at least 150 km from the CFC or transit airport. Aircraft cargo drops can be carried out at different altitudes from 5 m to 20,000 m and at different speeds depending on the type of aircraft, environmental or weather conditions, the type of landing assist or trajectory control system used, regulatory or safety requirements in among others.

The method of the invention further comprises providing at least one of a landing assist system or a trajectory control system as described previously. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the air cargo (43) is released such that at least one air cargo falls within its target release zone (8).

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the method comprises providing a landing assistance system that includes a mesh receiving system that is at least partially located within the release zone. In this preferred embodiment of the invention, a mesh receiving system (91) is deployed in the drop zone (8), which allows the receipt of air cargo (43) that has been dropped from the air.

The drop zones (8), the aircraft (5), the aircraft's flight speed, environmental conditions (such as wind speed and direction, among others), and the landing assist system or trajectory control system used in conjunction with the method of the present invention are carefully considered. before releasing the air cargo and is used to determine the range, speed and altitude at which the aircraft releases the air cargo so that it lands within the target release zone.

- 25 046285

In an embodiment of the invention, the aircraft departs from a departure airport and then preferably lands at the same departure airport without the need to land at intermediate airports. During flight, the aircraft can deliver many air cargoes (43) to different drop zones (8), creating a very efficient delivery system without the need for commercial airports and ensuring delivery times.

The method of the invention further comprises receiving air cargo at at least one drop zone, the air cargo falling within the drop zones (8) or within a landing assistance system used as part of the drop zone. The method of the present invention also requires a step in which the air cargo is picked up from its receiving surface within its target drop zone.

Delivery to the consumer

The method of the invention further comprises delivering the e-commerce goods directly to the consumer or to an outbound sorting center (14) that delivers the e-commerce goods to the consumer, either of which may utilize a last mile delivery system (15).

A reference diagram of the present invention can be seen in FIG. 11-12, in which the present invention may not require the use of multiple fulfillment centers and uses only one or more Master Fulfillment Centers that contain products that are sold on at least one online shopping platform. Aircraft cargo is released from the aircraft during flight so that it falls and lands in the target drop zone. In an embodiment of the invention, as shown in FIG. 15, air cargo is picked up and transported directly to the consumer through last mile delivery processes. In another embodiment of the invention, as shown in FIG. 16, the air cargo is picked up and then sent to an outbound sorting center before the products contained in the air cargo are delivered to the consumer. In this regard, the present invention may include an outbound sorting system for e-commerce goods in air cargo.

The last mile delivery process may preferably be performed from a drop zone where, as previously described, ride sharing companies such as Postmates, Amazon Flex, UberRush, USPS, UPS, FedEx may be used. As another option, in-house services can be used as part of an in-house fleet of delivery vehicles. Additionally, automated systems such as self-driving vehicles and aircraft can be used for last-mile delivery. The last mile delivery process usually follows the first mile logistics process. In an embodiment of the invention, the last mile delivery process may differ from normal processes, for example for small towns where air cargo is dropped into a nearby drop zone, and the last mile delivery process may be performed directly by at least one person responsible for receiving such air cargo , such that such a person processes, sorts and delivers e-commerce goods without the need for external or third-party delivery processes. This will depend on the number and weight of packages and the frequency of receiving air cargo in such a drop zone, which for small towns will be expected to be smaller than for larger towns or cities. For drop zones (8) where air cargo is dropped, for example, once or twice a day, the same person may deliver the packages before returning to the drop zone to pick up new air cargo.

In an embodiment of the invention, the products are delivered within the same day that the customer places the order on the online shopping platform. In another embodiment of the invention, delivery can be made within 12 hours of the customer placing an order on the online shopping platform. In yet another embodiment of the invention, delivery occurs within 8 hours of the customer placing an order on the online shopping platform. In another embodiment of the invention, delivery occurs within 4 hours or less from the time the customer places an order on the online shopping platform.

The present invention is more streamlined and provides more efficient operations than existing decentralized logistics systems, given that suppliers will not need to produce, manufacture or supply large quantities of the same item to be transported to a large number of fulfillment centers to ensure fast delivery . This eliminates additional transportation and manufacturing of multiple items, resulting in a more streamlined and efficient system.

In an embodiment of the invention, more than one hundred orders per day are delivered via air cargo (43) using the method of the present invention. In another embodiment of the invention, more than one thousand orders per day are delivered via air cargo (43). In a further embodiment of the invention, more than ten thousand orders per day are delivered via air cargo (43).

Low Cost Logistics Performance Index

- 26 046285

It is important to emphasize that the low capital and operating cost logistics system and method of the invention not only allows for the rapid delivery of e-commerce goods without the need to build, operate or use a large number of fulfillment centers or a huge space of fulfillment centers, but also has the potential to improve the efficiency of existing decentralized distribution center models, not only in terms of the geographic area they can cover, but also in terms of their delivery times. Existing decentralized models can deliver a small number of products in a relatively short time due to their convenient locations closer to consumers. However, in certain areas or regions where local distribution centers do not exist, consumers may not be able to receive their orders within a 24-hour or even 48-hour time frame. One of the advantages of the present system and method is that it can expand the ability of currently existing distribution centers to deliver purchased goods within a 48-hour time slot or even within a 24-hour time slot over a much larger geographic area.

It is also important to highlight that the low capital and operating cost logistics system and method of the present invention has the potential to expand same-day delivery capabilities in cities with traditional decentralized models from, for example, 1% like Amazon, all the way up to 100%. Likewise, the systems and methods of the present invention can provide same-day delivery for up to 100% of their inventory in small towns, something that traditional decentralized models such as the one Amazon uses do not provide. Moreover, the system and method can provide fresh food delivery due to its increased ability to provide same-day delivery even in remote areas. Since the system and method of the present invention requires only a few Main Fulfillment Centers or fulfillment center space, it is possible to have state-of-the-art, very high-tech robotic storage, sorting and packaging systems with a relatively small investment.

According to preliminary studies based on publicly available information, the logistics system and method with low capital and operating costs has the potential to generate annual profits of up to US$22.9 billion, compared to US$7 billion per year reported. which appears to be correct is received by Amazon. To this end, the system and method of the invention may require an investment, including CFC and other equipment, of only US$8 billion, compared to the US$36 billion that Amazon appears to be investing or invested.

As an example, it has been estimated that using the system and method of the present invention for the United States, and considering only two Master Fulfillment Centers required to ensure rapid delivery of a large volume of e-commerce products amounting to 13 million orders per day, the capital costs associated with fulfillment centers of the present invention would be approximately $8 billion compared to the estimated capital cost of Amazon's large fulfillment center structure of approximately $34.39 billion, thereby achieving a potential capital cost reduction of more than 50 times . Additionally, the operational costs associated with order fulfillment and shipping in this example are estimated at approximately $34.68 billion per year compared to Amazon's $67.17 billion per year, representing savings of approximately 50% per year. in terms of annual operating costs based on the estimated total number of products shipped to date by Amazon.

In this sense, the method of the present invention can be configured to achieve a certain Low Cost Logistics Performance Index, which can provide confirmation of the feasibility of using the logistics method of the present invention and measure the efficiency of the system and logistics method targeting first mile logistics, as described below:

pr - 5) (Πω - 75)

Low-cost logistics efficiency index = ----x IV/dd--------x VI _AD ---------x d x pS nCFC 1¾ Kw where nCFC is the total number of CFCs used with the system logistics with low capital and operating costs, and the efficiency index increases with a lower nCFC, since less infrastructure is used;

nP is the total number of packages delivered per day via airdrop delivery, the greater the number of packages, the higher the efficiency index;

WAD is the average weight of air cargo, which is delivered via airdrop delivery, in kg, and the efficiency index increases with increasing weight of air cargo;

VAD is the average speed of airborne cargo release in km/h, with higher average flight speeds giving a better index, since the overall delivery time of such air cargo (43) is reduced;

- 27 046285 d - the average distance that air cargo travels from the CFC and/or transit airport (12) to its target drop zone;

nC is the average number of different consumers (individuals or legal entities) who receive goods, with a larger number of different consumers giving a better efficiency index, since more consumers can benefit from the first mile logistics system; And

WI _AD is a binary index related to the average weight of an air cargo that contains e-commerce products and that is airdropped from an aircraft within the framework of the system and method of the present invention, and is a binary number that is calculated below:

0 if W _AD < 5 kg

Т 1 У Т ^V f AU ^AD 1, if W _AD > 5 kg

VI _AD is an index relating to the average speed at which air cargo that contains e-commerce goods is released from an aircraft during an airdrop delivery and is a binary number which is calculated below:

0 if V _AD <75 km/h ^AD 1 if VDD > 75 km/h

The first mile logistics system and method of the present invention requires that the low cost logistics efficiency index be a number greater than zero, at least 100, and thus the efficiency allows the feasibility of using the first mile logistics system and method of the present invention to be confirmed. Additionally, the index allows you to measure the effectiveness of the logistics system and method of the present invention, and the higher the index, the higher the efficiency and mass scale of the system and method.

As an example, if the system and method of the present invention are used to deliver air cargo weighing 30 kg on average with an average air release speed of 200 km/h, such air cargo transporting goods from 10 different customers and having been received and packaged at the Main fulfillment center, which is located at an average distance of 300 km from the target drop zones (8), where air cargo (43) is delivered by air drop, and where the number of CFCs used with the system and method is 3, and the total number of packages delivered per day by airdrop is 500, the index results in:

W _AD = 30 kg;

V _AD = 200 km/h;

WI _AD = 1, because 30 kg > 5 kg;

VI _AD = 1, because 200 km/h > 75 km/h;

d = 300 km;

pS = 10;

nCFC = 3;

nP = 500.

First mile logistics efficiency index = x W/to

500 (30 - 5)

---x 1 x-------First mile logistics efficiency index = 166 x 0.83 x 0.625 x 300 x 10

First Mile Logistics Performance Index = 258.337

Distribution index

Another relevant index for the low capital and operating cost logistics system and method of the present invention relates to the ability to cover large geographic areas to deliver e-commerce goods in a short time using only one or a few CFCs. In this case, the distribution index is determined, where:

# Drop zones

Distribution index = # CFC origin where # drop zones is the total number of drop zones (8) where air cargo (43) originating from at least one CFC is delivered by air drop;

#CFC origin - the number of CFCs where air cargo (43) delivered to drop zones was sorted and prepared before airdropping into drop zones (8).

A higher distribution index means that a larger number of drop zones (8) and thus a larger geographic area are available for delivery of e-commerce goods and/or also the presence of a small number of Main Fulfillment Centers where such goods are sorted and

- 28 046285 were prepared as part of air cargo (43) delivered to the drop zones (8).

Possible option for long-distance deliveries

When it is required to deliver air cargo to locations that are far from the CFC and generally located more than 300 km from the CFC, the first possible implementation option is used, which includes the use of transit airports. In this case, the above-mentioned system or method also includes the use of transit airports from which the previously described system and methods associated with airdrop deliveries are carried out.

Based on the small number of CFCs required and the large geographic areas that the logistics system and method of the present invention are capable of covering to achieve rapid delivery of e-commerce products, it is anticipated that most drop zones will be located at a distance of at least 150, 300, or even at least 500 km from such CFCs. In this regard, the low capital and operating cost logistics systems and methods of the present invention through airdrop deliveries can be complemented by the upstream step of transporting either assembled air cargo or e-commerce products in bulk or individual packages to such transit airports (12) using a transit aircraft (13). Air cargo is then loaded into the aircraft (5). If group packages or individual packages sent to a transit airport are not already prepared as air cargo, then such packages are prepared as air cargo before being loaded onto an aircraft for airdrop delivery. This preliminary step allows the distribution of e-commerce goods, individual packages (42), multipacks (41) and/or assembled air cargo (43) to at least one or more transit airports (12) by landing at such transit airport (12) , from which an aircraft suitable for airdrop takes off and then follows its route to airdrop air cargo (43) to target drop zones (8). From the transit airport (12) the system and method of logistics described earlier are repeated. The aircraft used to transport air cargo (43) or e-commerce goods from at least one CFC to a transit airport (12) may not be suitable for airdrop deliveries, but is preferably selected from the group consisting of a transit aircraft (13 ), suitable for transporting aviation cargo such as jetliners with large capacity and payload capacity. The transit aircraft (13) is designed to transport air cargo or e-commerce goods from at least one CFC to a transit airport (12), if required, and wherein a conventional long-range cargo aircraft lands at such transit airport (12) to distribute the air cargo. cargo into at least one airdrop-ready aircraft as previously described, which then airdrops the airdrop cargo at predetermined drop zones (8). This transit aircraft can also transport air cargo (43) or e-commerce goods from a transit airport (12) to another airport or from one CFC to another, among many other combinations. Some examples of the transit aircraft (13) may be selected from the group of aircraft comprising Boeing 747 models, Boeing 767 models, or Boeing 777 models, among others. In fig. 11 depicts part of the complete logistics of the present invention, including an embodiment with one CFC (2), from which a transit aircraft (13), such as a high-capacity jet aircraft, transports air cargo from the CFC to the transit airport (12), from which is dispatched by an airdrop delivery aircraft (5), such as a C-130 aircraft, to deliver air cargo (43) while in flight to at least one drop zone along its route. Similarly in Fig. 12 depicts part of the logistics of the present invention, including a single CFC embodiment (2) from which a transit aircraft (13), such as a high-capacity, high-lift jet, transports air cargo or e-commerce goods from the CFC to the transit airport (12). ) from which an airdrop delivery vehicle (5), such as a C-130 aircraft, is dispatched to deliver air cargo (43) in flight to at least one drop zone along its route.

This transit aircraft (13), since it is intended to distribute its entire load (air cargo (43)) at the transit airport (12), carries the risk of returning to the CFC empty. However, such space can be used in connection with the present invention so that suppliers can transport their goods not only directly to the CFC, but also to a sorting airport that is closer to the supplier, with the return flight from the transit airport being used to transport such products from the supplier at CFC. Additionally, such transportation volume can be leased or sold to other suppliers or transportation companies.

In an embodiment of the invention, air cargo or e-commerce goods that are transported to the transit airport (12) are packaged in such a way as to take full advantage of the aircraft's capacity and at the same time allow

- 29 046285 reposition them at the transit airport (12) to maximize the capacity of the subsequent aircraft suitable for airdrop.

Courier industry

The courier delivery logistics industry can also be transformed using the logistics systems and methods of the present invention, which can deliver courier packages directly to zones faster than the current system where aircraft land at commercial airports and then packages are delivered by satellite aircraft or trucks to these areas. Accordingly, in another embodiment of the invention, a method and system is provided for transporting documents and goods for the courier market between two points using an aircraft that can carry air cargo with a drop without the need to land.

No existing logistics system can provide same-day delivery in such small towns or rural areas. It is important to note that thanks to transportation and delivery logistics systems, the overall costs of fulfilling and delivering packaging in such a short time will be lower than with existing leading decentralized logistics systems and methods.

Deliveries within the city and delivery index within the city

As an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a revolutionary logistics system and method with low capital and operating costs for delivering e-commerce products to urban areas with high population density (18) or short distances is provided. In this case, when delivering to high population density areas where drop zones (8) described earlier are not possible due to regulatory issues, size issues, location issues, safety issues or other reasons, an urban delivery aircraft is used (5a), which can deliver air cargo (43), including individual packages (42) or multipacks (41), to ensure delivery to the final logistics point that is closer to consumers in such areas, before the last mile delivery process. It is important to note that this process of delivery to the final logistics point does not constitute last mile delivery to the consumer, as it is intended to deliver the packages as close as possible to the consumer, from where the last mile delivery process is carried out.

These urban deliveries may involve airdropping the air cargo, landing the urban delivery aircraft (5a) to unload the cargo, or unloading the air cargo at a defined urban delivery area (18) while remaining in a relatively static position during flight. Preferably, the aircraft (5a) for these purposes comprises an aircraft that is suitable for static air delivery, or an aircraft that can take off or land substantially vertically in order to deliver air cargo to urban areas, including areas with high population density, such as helicopters or vertical landing aircraft that can lower or drop loads into a specific area.

The urban delivery aircraft (5a) are selected to provide deliveries within a range of up to 100 km on average from their take-off area or supply point (17) that contains e-commerce goods and which may qualify for a CFC, transit airport (12), drop zone (8) or outgoing sorting center depending on the location of consumers. More preferably, the delivery range is within 50 km from the take-off area. The urban delivery aircraft is designed to contain the total mass of air cargo at least 500 kg on average.

Some examples of urban delivery aircraft (5a) include helicopters such as the AN-64 model, the CH-47 model, the CH-53 model, or the OH-58 model. Other examples of the urban delivery vehicle (5a) include an aircraft that can take off or land in a substantially vertical manner. In this sense, air cargo (43) or parts thereof can be delivered to smaller defined areas at the final logistics point, such as the roof of shopping centers or commercial/office buildings, as well as using stadiums, fields, parks, green areas among others.

For example, in FIG. 13 illustrates a schematic map of New York City, including Manhattan, which is highlighted in the Figure, and shows a third possible embodiment of the invention in which the city delivery process is performed in a high-density population area. The urban delivery aircraft (5a), which contains at least one air cargo, is a helicopter that provides static delivery to the roof of buildings while in flight. Helicopters can receive air cargo or parts of air cargo from a drop zone (8), transit airport (12), main fulfillment center (2) or outbound sorting center (14), among others, to ensure delivery to the final logistics point before the final delivery process miles.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the preferred use of mesh receiving systems (91) in urban deliveries is not only suitable, but also convenient. Since verto

- 30 046285 let or other urban delivery aircraft (5 a) can maintain essentially static motion, airdropping air cargo (43) vertically into a mesh receiving system (91) located in an urban area involves very low risks of error during landing and therefore can be used for rapid delivery of packages without the need to land.

In this sense, a city delivery index has been created, which, according to the present invention, measures the efficiency of the first mile logistics system and method, as described below:

(Wy _D - 5)

City delivery index = W1 _UD --------X d X pS

W _UD where WUD is the average weight of air cargo delivered to high-density urban areas, kg;

WIUD is an index relating to the average weight of an air cargo that contains e-commerce goods and which is delivered by an aircraft (5a) within the framework of the system and method of the present invention, and is a binary number that is calculated below:

| _m/ g _0, if Iuo <5 kg ^UD 1, if IV _UD > 5 kg d - the average distance that air cargo travels from the supply point to its final logistics point;

nC is the average number of different customers (individuals or legal entities) who receive their e-commerce goods through the system and method of the present invention for city deliveries.

The present invention requires that the city delivery index be a number greater than zero to ensure the logistics of the city delivery system and method of the present invention, the index being intended to confirm the validity of the use of the city delivery system and method for city delivery, and the higher the city delivery index , the higher the efficiency and mass scale of the system and method.

As an example, if the system and method of the present invention are used to deliver air cargo (43) weighing 30 kg on average via a helicopter that makes static delivery to the roof of a building while in flight, such air cargo (43) containing goods from 10 different customers and were received and packaged at the Main Fulfillment Center, which is located 30 km from the final logistics point where the packages are delivered, the formula gives:

Wud = 30 kg;

WIud = 1, because 30 kg - 5 kg = 25 kg > 0;

d = 30 km;

pS = 10.

(30 - 5)

City delivery index = 1 ——— X 30 X 10

City delivery index = 0.3 X 30 X 10

City delivery index = 250

Examples

Example 1: Direct delivery from CFC

To provide an example of how the innovative features of the present invention may be used as previously described, see the following example of a preferred embodiment of the invention in which airdrops are performed directly from the CFC:

a. A California-based clothing company decides to sell its clothing items through an online shopping platform.

b. The Company maintains inventory of its products (apparel) in two Main Fulfillment Centers, one located in Salt Lake City, Utah and the other in Nashville, Tennessee.

c. A customer in Evansville, Indiana, a city of about 100,000 people, places an order at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time for a T-shirt sold by a California company.

d. An online fulfillment order is created to send the information to the nearest Main Fulfillment Center that has inventory of these T-shirts and is located closer to the customer, in this case the Main Fulfillment Center in Nashville.

e. By 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time, the T-shirt was packaged in the same bulk package of other customers or orders from the same metropolitan area, prepared as air cargo, and loaded onto a C-130 Hercules aircraft along with other air cargo (43) that were loaded into such an aircraft.

- 31 046285

f. A C-130 aircraft takes off along a planned route to deliver air cargo (43) to target drop zones (8), with the aircraft (5) flying over a drop zone located near Evansville. Such a drop zone has a mesh receiving system (91), which is designed to catch falling aircraft cargo (43). The aircraft drops a package containing the purchased T-shirt and many other packages containing other e-commerce products destined for nearby end-customer locations in the Evansville drop zone by 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time.

g. Air cargo is picked up and sorted at the same drop zone, and using a ride-sharing delivery system (such as Uber), the package containing the T-shirt is sent to the buyer, who receives it by 3:00 pm ET that same day.

Example 2: Delivery using a transit airport

To provide another example of how the innovative capabilities of an alternative embodiment of the present invention may be used, an example is provided in which, prior to airdrop delivery, air cargo is transported to a transit airport (12):

a. The same California-based clothing company decides to sell its clothing items through an online shopping platform.

b. The Company maintains inventory of its apparel items in two Main Fulfillment Centers, one located in Salt Lake City, Utah and the other in Nashville, Tennessee.

c. A customer in Vero Beach, Florida, a small town of less than 30,000 people, places an order at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time for a T-shirt sold by a company in California.

d. An online fulfillment order is created to send the information to the nearest Main Fulfillment Center that has inventory of these T-shirts and is located closer to the customer, in this case the Main Fulfillment Center in Nashville.

e. By 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time, the T-shirt was packaged in the same bulk package of other customers or orders from the same metropolitan area and loaded onto a 747 high-capacity cargo jetliner along with other orders that were loaded onto such aircraft.

f. The high-capacity, high-capacity cargo jet transports goods to transit airport (12) located in Orlando, Florida, where it lands at 1:30 p.m. Eastern Time. The orders are then prepared as air cargo and distributed to a C-130 Hercules aircraft, with the remainder of the air cargo (43) being distributed to predetermined aircraft based on their airdrop routes and target drop zones (8).

g. The C-130 aircraft takes off at approximately 2:00 pm ET on a planned air cargo delivery route (43) to target drop zones (8), overflying the drop zone located near Vero Beach. Such a drop zone has a mesh receiving system (91), which is designed to catch falling aircraft cargo (43). The aircraft drops the air cargo, which contains a package containing a purchased T-shirt and 150 other packages containing other e-commerce products destined for nearby end-customer locations, at the Vero Beach drop zone by 2:30 p.m. Eastern Time.

h. The air cargo is picked up and sorted at the same drop zone and, using a ride-sharing delivery system (such as Uber), the package containing the T-shirt is sent to the buyer, who receives it by 3:00 pm ET on the same day.

Example 3: Deliveries within the city

To provide another example of how the innovative features of the present invention can be used, see the following example of an embodiment of the invention that is used for delivery in a high-density urban area:

a. A California-based clothing company decides to sell its clothing items through an online shopping platform.

b. The Company stores inventory of its apparel items in one Main Fulfillment Center located in a central city, specifically a high-density city, such as Manhattan, New York City, as well as two other CFCs in Salt Lake City. Utah, and another located in Nashville, Tennessee.

c. A customer from the Upper West Side of Manhattan places an order for a T-shirt at 9:00 am Eastern Time.

d. An online fulfillment order is created to send the information to the nearest Main Fulfillment Center that has an inventory of these T-shirts and that is closer to the buyer, in this case CFC in Manhattan.

e. By 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time, the T-shirt had been packaged into the same bulk package of other customers or orders from the same metropolitan area, prepared as air cargo, and loaded into

- 32 046285 cargo helicopter to ensure fast delivery within the city along with other air cargo (43) for such buyers in the same area.

f. The cargo helicopter then takes off from the CFC in Manhattan and statically lowers the air cargo containing the packaging onto the roof of a designated building within a designated cargo landing zone on the Upper West Side by 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time.

g. Air cargo is picked up and sorted at an office in the same building and, using a ride-sharing delivery system, the package containing the T-shirt is sent to the buyer, who receives it by 12:00 pm Eastern Time on the same day.

Example 4: Airdrop

An airdrop test was conducted to determine, among other elements, the dispersion pattern and landing characteristics of landing air cargo (43) in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The test was carried out in Arizona, USA, using a twin-engine turboprop Short SC.7 Skyvan aircraft having a maximum take-off weight of about 5670 kg, a maximum speed of about 175 knots (324.1 km/h) and a cruising speed of about 150 knots (277. 8 km/h).

As can be seen in FIG. 19 and fig. 20, assembled a group of about 90 air cargo (43), each carrying a weight of about 27 kg (60 lb). The loading system (6) loaded air cargo (43) into the aircraft in groups of approximately 20 air cargo (43) per delivery, as seen in FIG. 21. The aircraft was provided with the release coordinates, which included the GPS latitude and longitude coordinates of the defined drop zone (8). The aircraft was provided with a release system (7) which, upon receiving instructions from the aircraft, performed an air release in groups of one, two, four or six aircraft cargo (43), as in FIG. 22 and fig. 23. Conducted ten airdrop deliveries and recorded several parameters, including airdrop height, landing speed, and landing distance to a control point within the target drop zone (8); with an exemplary air drop shown in FIG. 23. This data was collected to determine a suitable area for airdrop and preferably to form or configure a mesh receiving system (91) that is configured to receive air cargo (43).

The following table shows landing patterns for air drops:

Release no. Air drop height* Landing speed Average landing distance of air cargo to control point Standard Deviation of Landing Distance 1 152 m (500 ft) 154 km/h 19.9 m 10.1 2 304.8 m (1,000 ft) 171 km/h 27.5 m 19.3 3 304.8 m (1,000 ft) 171 km/h 39.3 m 31.1 4 762 m (2,500 ft) 182 km/h 20.5 m 14.0

^reference height with deviation +/- 10%

The table shows the average air cargo landing distance from the reference point for four airdrop altitudes, as well as the standard deviation for each, which serves as a means of predicting the landing deflection pattern for a particular type of air cargo, weather conditions and other variables from such a test with air drop. The landing distance data, as well as the standard deviation, predict that for this type of airdrop, the landing assist system (9) and preferably the mesh receiving system (91) should be equipped with a surface design to accommodate such deflection patterns.

As described in detail, the present invention discloses completely innovative logistics systems and methods with low capital and operating costs that enable the rapid and bulk delivery of millions of e-commerce items and packages across large geographic areas such as entire states, entire countries and continents, allowing avoiding the need to build and operate multiple fulfillment warehouses (which have high capital and operating costs) close to consumers and revolutionizing the e-commerce industry around the world.

The well-known inventor of the present logistics system and method has been recognized throughout the world.

-

Claims (52)

He is the Entrepreneur of the Year, Innovator of the Year and Businessman of the Year, having received numerous awards from around the world, and his intellectual property is valued at over US$3 billion, including over 2,000 patents in over 190 countries around the world. It is also important to note that even though the present invention overcomes the high costs associated with the need to build and maintain a large number of fulfillment centers to ensure fast delivery, existing e-commerce or order fulfillment companies can benefit from the system and method of the present invention to provide transportation to zones drops (8) from already built fulfillment centers, speeding up their delivery. The various embodiments described above are provided by way of illustration only and should not be construed as limiting the claims appended hereto. Those skilled in the art will readily recognize various modifications and changes that can be made without following the exemplary embodiments and applications illustrated and described herein and without departing from the true spirit and scope of the following claims. CLAIM 1. An e-commerce logistics system with low capital and operating costs that enables fast and bulk delivery of e-commerce goods (21) over a wide geographic area, reducing the need to build, operate, or operate large numbers of fulfillment centers located close to consumers, as in traditional decentralized e-commerce logistics, and the system contains: at least one Main Fulfillment Center (CFC) (2) having a storage area of at least about 5000 m ² and a height of at least two meters between the floor and the uppermost roof of the CFC (2) and designed with the ability to store at least 10,000 items of electronic commerce goods (21), wherein the CFC (2) is located at a distance of not more than 50 km from the runway for at least one of the take-off or landing of a manned aircraft; a computing system (3) configured to receive execution information (23) of at least 1000 orders per day placed from at least one of the online shopping platforms or from a consumer (22); wherein the computer system (3) is in connection or network communication with at least one CFC (2) in order to receive information about the execution (23) of placed orders; a sorting system (4) that selects goods (21) stored in at least one CFC (2) and, based on order fulfillment information (23), prepares at least one of the group packaging (41), individual packages (42) or combinations thereof that contain selected goods (21), wherein the prepared packages are then configured or prepared as part of at least one air cargo (43) that is airdropped by at least one manned an air-drop delivery aircraft (5), which is capable of containing a total mass of air cargo of at least 2000 kg on average and capable of flying at a speed of at least 200 km/h; at least one aircraft cargo release system (7) located inside the aircraft (5), which selectively releases at least one aircraft cargo (43) from the aircraft (5) at an altitude of from 5 m to 20,000 m at flight time of the aircraft such that the aircraft cargo (43) lands in at least one drop zone (8); at least one drop zone (8) located at a distance of at least 150 kilometers from at least one CFC (2), wherein the drop zone (8) is configured to receive at least one aircraft cargo (43) dropped from an aircraft for delivery with air drop (5); at least one of a landing assistance system (9) or a trajectory control system (10), wherein the landing assistance system is configured to reduce the landing speed of the aircraft cargo and/or provide a softer landing of the at least one aircraft cargo ( 43), and the trajectory control system is configured to ensure the direction of at least one aircraft cargo (43); and at least one delivery system (15) configured to deliver e-commerce goods (21) to consumers from the drop zone (8), wherein the e-commerce goods may optionally pass through an outbound sorting center (14) before delivery to the consumer. 2. The logistics system of claim 1, further comprising a loading system (6) for loading air cargo (43) into at least one manned airdrop delivery aircraft (5) in a specific order based on the intended delivery route with air drop and information about movement. - 34 046285 3. The logistics system according to claim 2, wherein the loading system (6) may comprise a device for reading a label attached to the air cargo (43), sending a signal to the computing system (3) with information from the label, and processing instructions from the computing system ( 3), which, based on information about the execution of orders, determines the position of the aviation cargo (43) inside the aircraft. 4. The logistics system according to claim 2, wherein the loading system (6) includes manual loading and/or transfer devices for moving the aircraft cargo (43) onto the loading platform of the manned aircraft for airdrop delivery (5). 5. The logistics system according to claim 1, wherein the sorting system (4) comprises an assembly mechanism, automated robots or manual assembly. 6. The logistics system of claim 1, further comprising at least one air cargo retrieval system (81) for retrieving at least one air cargo (43) that lands within the at least one drop zone (8) or to a landing assistance system (9) within such drop zone (8), wherein the aircraft cargo recovery system (81) is selected from the group consisting of mechanical manipulators, vacuum lifters, mobile lifts, cranes, forklifts, or combinations thereof . 7. The logistics system according to claim 1, in which the outgoing sorting center (14) is configured to receive air cargo (43) or group or individual packaging, and the goods (22) contained in the air cargo (43) or packages are sorted and are classified before delivery to the consumer, and the outgoing sorting center (14) may use a last mile delivery system. 8. The logistics system of claim 1, wherein the delivery system comprises at least one last mile delivery system selected from the group consisting of package carriers, regular mail, manned vehicles, transportation services, drones, autonomous vehicles, services car sharing, own services or combinations thereof. 9. The logistics system according to claim 1, in which at least one air cargo (43) contains at least one of individual packaging (42), group packaging (41), container, pallet, platform, which contains at least one package containing e-commerce products, or combinations thereof. 10. The logistics system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one group package (41) denotes a box or package formed by one or more pieces or panels of a material selected from cardboard, paper, plastic or other suitable material. 11. The logistics system according to claim 1, wherein at least one group package (41) contains e-commerce goods (21) from an online order using only their primary packaging, wherein the group package (41) is used for transportation e-commerce products without individual packaging (42) or additional protection for products within the same or different orders. 12. The logistics system according to claim 1, wherein at least one multipack (41) contains e-commerce products (21) that have at least two different final delivery addresses and more preferably at least ten different final delivery addresses. 13. The logistics system according to claim 1, in which at least one group package (41) or individual package (42) is stackable. 14. The logistics system according to claim 1, further comprising at least one landing assistance system (9), selected from the group containing a mesh receiving system (91), a landing surface softening system (92), a speed reduction system (93 ), shock absorption system (94), aircraft cargo protection system (95) and their combinations. 15. The logistics system according to claim 14, in which the mesh receiving system (91) is located within the drop zone (8), is configured to receive landing aircraft cargo (43) and contains at least one of the flexible mesh (911) , flexible sheet (912), post system (913), impact assist system (914) or a combination thereof. 16. The logistics system of claim 15, wherein the flexible mesh (911) or flexible sheet (912) material is supported by a system of posts (913) located within the release zone. 17. The logistics system of claim 15, wherein the flexible mesh (911) is a fabric, textile or material that is woven, bonded, knitted, twisted or knotted so that it intersects and thereby creates a breathable cellular pattern. 18. The logistics system according to claim 15, wherein the flexible mesh (911) contains at least one material selected from the group consisting of fibers such as silk, polyester or nylon, or materials such as fabrics, ropes, yarns , elastane or plastics. 19. The logistics system according to claim 15, wherein the flexible sheet (912) contains at least one material selected from the group consisting of plastics, rubbers, fabrics, paper, among others. 20. The logistics system of claim 15, wherein the flexible sheet (912) is a non-web material. - 35 046285 21. The logistics system of claim 15, wherein the impact assist system (914) is used in combination with the mesh receiving system (91) and is selected from the group consisting of height adjustment systems (914a) that allow the height of the post system (913) to be adjusted. , flexible mesh (911) or flexible sheet (912) depending on impact speed and weight, attachment point (914b), pulley system (914c), locking system, force dissipation device (914d), deceleration system (915e) and combinations thereof . 22. The logistics system according to claim 14, wherein the mesh receiving system (91) has a receiving surface area of at least 200 ^m2 , or at least 1000 ^m2 , or at least 10000 ^m2 , or at least 40,000 m ² 23. The logistics system of claim 14, wherein the mesh receiving system (91) is capable of receiving air cargo at a rate of at least ten packages per hour, more preferably at least 100 packages per hour, and most preferably at at least 200 packages per hour. 24. The logistics system according to claim 14, in which the landing surface softening system (92) is located within the drop zone (8), is configured to receive landing aircraft cargo (43) and contains materials selected from the group containing rubber materials, plastic materials, cardboard or paper materials and configurations, bubble films or air cushions, granular materials, polystyrene, foams and foam structures, wood fiber materials, inflatable products, hanging pillows, rubberized fiber materials, cork materials and combinations thereof. 25. The logistics system according to claim 14, in which the speed reduction system (93) is fixed on the air cargo (43) and is selected from the group containing a balloon system (931), a parachute system (932), an unmanned drone system (933) and other systems (934). 26. The logistics system of claim 14, wherein the shock absorption system (94) is secured to the air cargo (43) and comprises lightweight materials, inflatable systems or combinations thereof and may comprise systems selected from double wall or double bottom systems that may be hollow or which may further be filled with air or impact-absorbing materials such as fabric, wool, cotton, cardboard, degradable fillers, fluids, soft granules and materials, among others, thereby allowing at least a portion of the impact force to be absorbed. aircraft cargo is exposed upon landing in the drop zone (8). 27. The logistics system according to claim 14, in which the air cargo protection system (95) is fixed to the air cargo (43) and contains materials attached to at least a portion of the external surfaces of the air cargo (43) and selected from the group consisting of rubber materials , plastic materials, cardboard or paper materials, bubble films or air cushions, granular materials, polystyrene, foams and foam structures, wood fiber materials, inflatable products, hanging pillows, rubberized fiber materials, cork materials among others. 28. The logistics system according to claim 1, wherein the system comprises a trajectory control system (10) selected from the group consisting of a guidance system (101), a steering system (102) or combinations thereof. 29. The logistics system according to claim 28, wherein the guide system (101) comprises systems fixed to the aircraft (5) selected from the group consisting of pulley systems (101a), cable systems (101b), tubular systems (101c) or combinations thereof by which at least one air cargo (43) is directed to fall within a specified area or range, or to reduce the spread of falling air cargo (43). 30. The logistics system according to claim 28, in which the steering system (102) is fixed to the aircraft cargo (43) and is selected from the group containing equipment that produces thrust (102a), equipment that rotates (102b), equipment that contains fin (102c), equipment that directs airborne cargo (43) to a specific location (102d), and combinations thereof, thereby minimizing deviations from the main trajectory of the fall, correcting the course of airdropped airborne cargo, or navigating airdropped airborne cargo so that it falls within the release zone (8). 31. The logistics system of claim 1, wherein the air cargo (43) comprises an outer portion that is impervious to at least one of rain, snow, condensation, or water landing conditions. 32. The logistics system according to claim 1, wherein the air cargo (43) contains temperature-controlled chambers or systems. 33. The logistics system according to claim 1, wherein at least one drop zone (8) is located within or near urban or rural areas, wherein rural areas are defined as geographic areas that are located outside urban areas, and Urban areas are geographic areas that have high population densities and extensive infrastructure. 34. The logistics system according to claim 1, in which at least one release zone (8) is located close to consumers, on average at a distance of no more than 30 kilometers from consumers and preferably no more than 100 kilometers on average from consumers. - 36 046285 35. The logistics system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one drop zone (8) is selected from the group consisting of farms, green areas, unused land, vacant areas, airfields, airfields for light aircraft and extensions of land, temporarily or permanently cleared for air cargo landings. 36. The logistics system according to claim 1, wherein at least one release zone (8) is located above water, such as lakes, ponds, rivers, the sea, in urban areas, for example, stadiums, arenas, roof surfaces, parking lots, racing fields, sports fields. 37. The logistics system according to claim 1, wherein the air cargo (43) includes at least one buoyant securing means for securing the buoyancy system. 38. The logistics system according to claim 1, wherein the air cargo (43) has a weight of at least about 5 kg on average, preferably at least about 50 kg on average, and more preferably at least about 100 kg on average. 39. The logistics system of claim 1, wherein the air cargo (43) is configured to contain packages and/or orders from an average of at least ten different customers with different final delivery addresses. 40. The logistics system according to claim 1, in which the aircraft (5) is configured to contain a plurality of air cargo (43) and with the ability to release individual air cargo (43) sequentially and selectively, taking into account the route of the aircraft (5) and target zones outliers (8). 41. The logistics system according to claim 1, in which the Main fulfillment center (2) contains an airport. 42. The logistics system of claim 1, wherein the order fulfillment information includes current inventory of e-commerce products (21) that were ordered through the online shopping platform, the location of the products (21) within the Main Fulfillment Center, and information upon delivery to the consumer. 43. The logistics system of claim 1, wherein the broad geographic area has an area of at least 400 hectares, preferably 1600 hectares, more preferably 3600 hectares, and most preferably 10,000 hectares. 44. The logistics system according to claim 1, in which the capital and operating costs associated with the delivery of a unit of e-commerce goods are up to five times less than in leading decentralized models that use a large number of fulfillment centers. 45. The logistics system of claim 1, wherein the e-commerce products (21) are selected from the group consisting of entertainment products, electronics, clothing, accessories, household products, tools, fresh products, niche products, sporting goods, outdoor products , Automotive Equipment, Products & Accessories, Industrial Equipment & Products, Documents, Printed Material among many others. 46. The logistics system according to claim 1, in which the computing system (3) is configured to receive a large volume of online orders for execution or information about the execution of such orders in the amount of at least 10,000 or at least 100,000 orders per day. 47. The logistics system according to claim 1, wherein the computer system (3) contains at least one of the following software, ERP (enterprise resource planning) type software, OMS (order management system) type software for order entry and processing, WMS (Warehouse Management System) software to optimize warehouse functionality and distribution center management, TMS (Transport Management System) software to manage transport planning, execution and follow-up, supply chain management software or order fulfillment/supply systems and intelligent cloud services. 48. The logistics system according to claim 1, wherein the consumer (22) is selected from the group consisting of a person, software, enterprise, company or legal entity. 49. The logistics system according to claim 1, wherein the consumer (22) is an enterprise, resulting in an enterprise-to-enterprise transaction. 50. The logistics system of claim 1, which requires at least 20%, 50% or 90% less fulfillment centers or fulfillment center space than companies with leading decentralized models to ensure short delivery times for goods e-commerce. 51. The logistics system of claim 1, wherein the Main Fulfillment Center is configured to store at least 100,000 units of e-commerce products in inventory; or preferably at least 1,000,000 units of e-commerce products in inventory. 52. The logistics system according to claim 1, further comprising at least one transit aircraft (13) for distributing at least one of e-commerce goods, individual packaging (42), group packaging (41) or air cargo (43) from CFC (2) to transit airport (12) provided that the distance from the drop zone (8) to CFC (2) is at least -