Patent attributes
Embodiments herein describe a combined aerial and ground sortation system. That is, the system can include both an aerial sortation system and a ground sortation system that work together to sort items (e.g., packages) in a warehouse or building. In one embodiment, the combined aerial and ground sortation system includes a leading sorter that identifies which packages should be sorted using the aerial sortation system and which should be sorted by the ground sortation system. The aerial sortation system may use drones to fly the package to one of the containers and drop the package into the container while the ground sortation system may use drive units that move along a floor of the warehouse to deposit the packages into the container. In another embodiment, the aerial sortation system performs a first, primary sort of the items while the ground sortation system performs a secondary sort.
