Valqari Secures 17th U.S. Patent Expanding Autonomous Drone Operations to Package Sending

CHICAGO, Feb. 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Valqari just locked down its 17th U.S. patent—and this one changes how drones send packages, not just receive them. The award-winning Chicago-based startup announced today that U.S. Patent No. US12528599B2 expands its autonomous drone infrastructure to include automated drone loading and outbound package deployment, extending Valqari's leadership across the full drone distribution chain.

The newly granted patent is a continuation of Valqari's original January 2, 2014 filing and represents a significant evolution of the company's intellectual property portfolio. While Valqari's prior patents focused on autonomous package receiving and drop-station infrastructure, this patent protects the automated transfer of packages from a secured landing pad to a drone, enabling fully autonomous "send-to-end" operations.

"The original application envisioned drones not only receiving payloads, but also sending them," said Ryan Walsh, CEO and Founder of Valqari. "This is a key area where our systems have already been operating, and it was critical to expand our IP protection accordingly. As the market matures, covering the entire distribution chain—from send to end—is essential, and this patent is a major milestone for Valqari."

The granted independent claim broadly covers a method for autonomously loading a drone from a landing pad, including GPS-based navigation, landing pad identification via unique ID signaling, automated access to a secure storage compartment, and mechanical transfer of a package from the pad to the drone.

"With how broad these claims are, and with Drone-as-a-First-Responder programs expanding nationwide, this will be a very important industry patent moving forward," Walsh added. Valqari sees applications across delivery, healthcare, defense, and public safety, particularly as regulatory changes—such as anticipated Part 108 updates—accelerate adoption of autonomous drone operations.

Following Valqari's recent acquisition of Skydrop (formerly Flirtey), the company's global intellectual property portfolio now includes 73 granted patents worldwide. Two recently granted European patents have passed their opposition periods unchallenged, further reinforcing Valqari's leadership in autonomous drone infrastructure.

"With many of Valqari's patents covering critical and essential components of the drone ecosystem, it will be increasingly difficult for companies to avoid our patented areas entirely," said Matt Hook, Executive Director of Valqari.

About Valqari

Founded in 2017, Valqari is a Chicago-based startup pioneering fully autonomous drone infrastructure. The company has been recognized as one of the Best Tech Startups in North America by Tech in Motion, an 1871 Momentum Award and Chicago Innovation Award winner, and one of Pepperdine University's Most Fundable Companies. Valqari holds granted utility patents across the U.S., U.K., Europe, China, Australia, South Africa, and more.

For information on Valqari's Licensing & Technology Transfer Program, contact [email protected] or visit www.valqari.com.

Media Contact:
Mathew Hook
Valqari, LLC
267-825-7274

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SOURCE Valqari