Amazon Technologies, Inc.

Nicholas Bjone

Brian C Beckman

Intermodal vehicles may be loaded with items and an aerial vehicle, and directed to travel to areas where demand for the items is known or anticipated. The intermodal vehicles may be coupled to locomotives, container ships, road tractors or other vehicles, and equipped with systems for loading one or more items onto the aerial vehicle, and for launching or retrieving the aerial vehicle while the intermodal vehicles are in motion. The areas where the demand is known or anticipated may be identified on any basis, including but not limited to past histories of purchases or deliveries to such areas, or events that are scheduled to occur in such areas. Additionally, intermodal vehicles may be loaded with replacement parts and/or inspection equipment, and configured to conduct repairs, servicing operations or inspections on aerial vehicles within the intermodal vehicles, while the intermodal vehicles are in motion.

Distributing items using multimodal delivery systems

Demand-based distribution of items using intermodal carriers and unmanned aerial vehicles

Mobile fulfillment centers with intermodal carriers and unmanned aerial vehicles

In one embodiment, an intermodal container comprises a metal box, and left and right wheel assemblies. The box includes a front wall, a rear door opposite the front wall along a longitudinal direction, first and second sidewalls that oppose one another along a lateral direction, a top wall, a bottom wall that opposes the top wall along a vertical direction, and a structural frame. The left and right wheel assemblies are spaced from one another along the lateral direction. Each one of the wheel assemblies includes an axle and at least one tire mounted on the axle. The wheel assemblies are movable between an extended position in which the tires extend below the first and second sidewalls in the vertical direction so as to be engageable with a ground surface, and a retracted position in which the first and second sidewalls extend below the tires along the vertical direction.

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Laveen, AZ, United States of America

Nicholas Bjone