Managing energy during flight of unmanned aerial vehicles for safe return to ground

• US 10,068,489 B2
• Filed: 08/31/2016
• Issued: 09/04/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Skycatch, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Skycatch, Inc.
• Inventors: Brown, Stephan, Sirang, Behrooze
• Primary Examiner(s): MELTON, TODD M
• Application Number:
  US15/253,862
• Publication Number:
  US 20180061247A1
• Time in Patent Office: 734 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/10 Air crafts
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/12 responding to state of charge [SoC]
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/10 Rotorcrafts
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/80 UAVs characterised by their small size, e.g. micro air vehicles [MAV]
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/30 for imaging, photography or videography
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/00 UAVs characterised by their flight controls
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/10 autonomous, i.e. by navigating independently from ground or air stations, e.g. by using inertial navigation systems [INS]
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/30 Supply or distribution of electrical power
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/37 Charging when not in flight
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 70/90 Launching from or landing on platforms
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0013 with a ground station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0021 located in the aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0039 Modification of a flight plan
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0069 specially adapted for an unmanned aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries

Abstract

Systems and methods are disclosed for managing energy of a UAV during flight. In particular, the disclosed systems and methods assist in safely returning a UAV to ground while reducing diversionary time for providing energy to the UAV. In one or more embodiments, the disclosed systems and methods calculate a measure of remaining energy with regard to a UAV flying a mission plan and a measure of landing energy needed to travel to a landing station. The disclosed systems and methods can select a transition point from a mission plan and route leading from the mission plan to the landing station by comparing the calculated measure of remaining energy and the calculated measure of landing energy. Moreover, the disclosed system and methods can modify a mission plan to include the selected transition point and route.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

determining, by at least one processor during flight of a mission plan by a UAV, measures of remaining energy with regard to a battery powering the UAV, the measures of remaining energy comprising a first measure of remaining energy corresponding to a first transition point and a second measure of remaining energy corresponding to a second transition point;

determining, by the at least one processor, measures of landing energy, the measures of landing energy comprising a first measure of landing energy reflecting energy needed by the UAV to travel from the first transition point to a landing station and a second measure of landing energy reflecting energy needed by the UAV to travel from the second transition point to the landing station;

selecting the first transition point by comparing the first measure of landing energy corresponding to the first transition point and the second measure of landing energy corresponding to the second transition point and by comparing the first measure of remaining energy corresponding to the first transition point and the first measure of landing energy corresponding to the first transition point; and

dynamically modifying, by the at least one processor, the mission plan of the UAV to return the UAV to the landing station from the first transition point.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

determining the measures of remaining energy comprises determining a remaining battery time; and

determining the measures of landing energy comprises determining a travel time to the landing station.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein determining the remaining battery time comprises:

determining a discharge rate of the battery based on an amount of energy consumed by the UAV in a period of time during the flight of the mission plan; and

determining the remaining battery time based on the discharge rate of the battery and the amount of energy consumed by the UAV in the period of time during the flight of the mission plan.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein determining the remaining battery time comprises:

determining one or more environmental conditions with regard to the flight of the mission plan; and

calculating the remaining battery time based on the one or more environmental conditions.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the one or more environmental conditions comprise at least one of:

a temperature, a wind speed, or a wind direction.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising determining an effect of the one or more environmental conditions by:

calculating an energy consumption rate of the UAV;

comparing the energy consumption rate of the UAV to an average energy consumption rate stored in an operating profile; and

based on the comparison between the energy consumption rate of the UAV and the average energy consumption rate, determining the effect of the one or more environmental conditions.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the measures of landing energy comprises:

identifying a first route between the first transition point and the landing station;

identifying a second route between the second transition point and the landing station;

determining the first measure of landing energy based on the first route; and

determining the second measure of landing energy based on the second route.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein determining the first measure of landing energy further comprises:

determining changes in altitude along the first route between the first transition point and the landing station; and

calculating the first measure of landing energy based on the first route and the changes in altitude.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein selecting the first transition point is further based on comparing the first route and the second route to identify a shortest route.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the mission plan comprises a plurality of flight legs and further comprising:

determining the second transition point based on an intersection between the measures of remaining energy and the measures of landing energy;

determining that the second transition point falls within a second flight leg; and

selecting the first transition point based on the determination that the second transition point falls within the second flight leg.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

determining that the first transition point is before the second flight leg in the mission plan; and

based on the determination that the second transition point will occur during the second flight leg and the determination that the first transition point is before the second flight leg in the mission plan, selecting the first transition point and modifying the mission plan to return to the landing station from the first transition point before beginning the second flight leg.

12. A computer-implemented method comprising:

during flight of a mission plan for a UAV with regard to a target site, the mission plan comprising a plurality of flight legs, dynamically determining, by at least one processor, a first measure of remaining energy with regard to a battery powering the UAV corresponding to a first transition point and a second measure of remaining energy corresponding to a second transition point;

identifying a first route between the first transition point and a landing station and a second route between the second transition point and the landing station;

determining a first measure of landing energy with regard to the first route between the first transition point and the landing station and a second measure of landing energy with regard to the second route between the second transition point and the landing station;

selecting, by the at least one processor, the first transition point and the first route based on the first measure of landing energy, the second measure of landing energy, and the first measure of remaining energy; and

modifying, by the at least one processor, the mission plan based on the first transition point and the first route.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

identifying the first transition point by identifying an intersection between the measures of remaining energy and measures of landing energy.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

determining that the second transition point will occur during a second flight leg; and

selecting the first transition point based on the determination that the second transition point will occur during the second flight leg and a determination that the first transition point occurs prior to the second flight leg.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein determining the first measure of landing energy comprises:

determining one or more environmental conditions with regard to the flight of the UAV; and

determining the first measure of landing energy based on the one or more environmental conditions.

16. A system comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing instructions thereon that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to;

during flight of a mission plan for a UAV with regard to a target site, determine a first measure of remaining energy, with regard to a battery powering the UAV, corresponding to a first transition point and a second measure of remaining energy corresponding to a second transition point;

identify a first route between the first transition point and a landing station and a second route between the second transition point and the landing station;

determine a first measure of landing energy with regard to the first route between the first transition point and the landing station and a second measure of landing energy with regard to the second route between the second transition point and the landing station;

select the first transition point and the first route based on the first measure of landing energy, the second measure of landing energy, and the first measure of remaining energy; and

modify, by the at least one processor, the mission plan based on the first transition point and the first route.

17. The system of claim 16, further comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to:

determine the first measure of remaining energy by determining a remaining battery time; and

determine the first measure of landing energy by determining a travel time.

18. The system of claim 16, further comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to determine the first measure of remaining energy by:

determining a discharge rate of the battery based on an amount of energy consumed by the UAV in a period of time during the flight of the mission plan; and

determining the first measure of remaining energy based on the discharge rate of the battery and the amount of energy consumed by the UAV in the period of time during the flight of the mission plan.

19. The system of claim 16, further comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to determine the first measure of remaining energy by:

determining one or more environmental conditions with regard to the flight of the mission plan; and

calculating the first measure of remaining energy based on the one or more environmental conditions.

20. The system of claim 19, further comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to estimate determine an effect of the one or more environmental conditions by:

calculating an energy consumption rate of the UAV;

comparing the energy consumption rate of the UAV to an average energy consumption rate stored in an operating profile; and

based on the comparison between the energy consumption rate of the UAV and the average energy consumption rate, determining the effect of the one or more environmental conditions.