Patent attributes
A mobile base is provided that travels through areas for receiving items (e.g., from merchants, vendors, returns of items from users, etc.), wherein the items are transported to the mobile base by associated transportation units (e.g., automated aerial vehicles). The transportation units may be carried on the mobile base or may be stationed locally. Once an item is received by a transportation unit or at the mobile base, a credit or other payment may be issued to the supplier of the item, and the item may be recorded as available for sale in an inventory database. The mobile base may transport the received items to a materials handling facility, or the received items may be sold directly from the mobile base, for which transportation units may subsequently be utilized to transport the items to user specified delivery locations.
