Anti-drone flight protection systems and methods

• US 10,157,546 B2
• Filed: 06/23/2017
• Issued: 12/18/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Metal Raptor Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Etak Systems, Llc
• Inventors: Godwin, Joshua, Priest, Lee
• Primary Examiner(s): FREJD, RUSSELL WARREN
• Application Number:
  US15/631,302
• Publication Number:
  US 20170358212A1
• Time in Patent Office: 543 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/13 Flying platforms
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/20 Remote controls
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 70/90 Launching from or landing on platforms
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/106 Change initiated in response to external conditions, e.g. avoidance of elevated terrain or of no-fly zones
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0013 with a ground station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0034 Assembly of a flight plan
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0039 Modification of a flight plan
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0043 Traffic management of multiple aircrafts from the ground G08G5/003 takes precedence; data processing specially designed for resource management, e.g. scheduling or allocating time, human or machine resources G06Q10/06
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/006 in accordance with predefined flight zones, e.g. to avoid prohibited zones
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0069 specially adapted for an unmanned aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0082 for monitoring traffic from a ground station radar or analogous systems specially adapted for traffic control G01S13/91
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0086 for monitoring terrain radar or analogous systems specially adapted for terrain avoidance G01S13/935
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/025 Navigation or guidance aids radar or analogous systems specially adapted for landing purposes G01S13/913
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 2203/22 for communication related to vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 3/44 characterized by the control of the jamming waveform or modulation type
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 3/65 using deceptive jamming or spoofing, e.g. transmission of false signals for premature triggering of RCIED, for forced connection or disconnection to/from a network or for generation of dummy target signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 3/90 related to allowing or preventing navigation or positioning, e.g. GPS
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences

Abstract

Systems and methods for preventing flight of one or more Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) in no-fly zones include receiving one or more no-fly zones each defined as geo-fences with associated coordinates; preventing one or more UAVs from entering the one or more no-fly zones by one or more of: transmitting the geo-fences to the one or more UAVs, transmitting avoidance commands to the one or more UAVs from an avoidance device located at a no-fly zone, and disrupting radio communication to the one or more UAVs from the avoidance device.

Claims

1. A method for preventing flight of one or more Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) in no-fly zones, the method comprising:

receiving one or more no-fly zones each defined as geo-fences with associated coordinates;

preventing one or more UAVs from entering the one or more no-fly zones by transmitting the geo-fences to the one or more UAVs by an Air Traffic Control (ATC) system for UAVs using one or more wireless networks to communicate to the one or more UAVs, wherein each UAV is constrained in flight based on cell coverage of the one or more wireless networks; and

preventing the one or more UAVs from entering a specific no-fly zone by one of;

transmitting avoidance commands to the one or more UAVs from an avoidance device located at the specific no-fly zone, and

disrupting radio communication to the one or more UAVs from the avoidance device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein each geo-fence is defined by the associated coordinates comprising a set of latitude, longitude, and altitude values.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

periodically receiving updates or additions to the one or more no-fly zones.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the avoidance device comprises a transmitter configured to communicate the avoidance commands to proximate UAVs over Radio Frequencies associated with the one or more UAVs.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the avoidance device is programmed with a plurality of avoidance commands based on a type of UAV and the avoidance device is configured to transmit the plurality of avoidance command over the Radio Frequencies associated with the one or more UAVs.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the avoidance device comprises a transmitter configured to perform the disrupting over Radio Frequencies associated with the one or more UAVs, wherein the Radio Frequencies do not interfere with other wireless networks.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the ATC system is configured to monitor one or more of a location and a flight plan of the one or more UAVs and to transmit proximate geo-fences to the one or more UAVs based on the one or more of the location and the flight plan.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the avoidance device is communicatively coupled to an Air Traffic Control (ATC) system for UAVs using one or more wireless networks.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the avoidance device is selectively enabled.

10. An avoidance device for preventing flight of one or more Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) in no-fly zones, the avoidance device comprising:

wireless interfaces;

a processor communicatively coupled to the wireless interfaces; and

memory storing instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to

receive one or more no-fly zones each defined as geo-fences with associated coordinates;

prevent one or more UAVs from entering the one or more no-fly zones by transmission of the geo-fences to the one or more UAVs by an Air Traffic Control (ATC) system for UAVs using one or more wireless networks to communicate to the one or more UAVs, wherein each UAV is constrained in flight based on cell coverage of the one or more wireless networks; and

prevent the one or more UAVs from entering a specific no-fly zone by one of;

transmission of avoidance commands to the one or more UAVs located at the specific no-fly zone, and

disruption of radio communication to the one or more UAVs.

11. The avoidance device of claim 10, wherein each geo-fence is defined by the associated coordinates comprising a set of latitude, longitude, and altitude values.

12. The avoidance device of claim 10, wherein the memory storing instructions that, when executed, further cause the processor to:

periodically receive updates or additions to the one or more no-fly zones.

13. The avoidance device of claim 10, wherein the transmission of avoidance commands is to proximate UAVs over Radio Frequencies associated with the one or more UAVs.

14. The avoidance device of claim 13, wherein the avoidance device is programmed with a plurality of avoidance commands based on a type of UAV and the avoidance device is configured to transmit the plurality of avoidance command over the Radio Frequencies associated with the one or more UAVs.

15. The avoidance device of claim 10, wherein the disruption of radio communication disrupts over Radio Frequencies associated with the one or more UAVs, wherein the Radio Frequencies do not interfere with other wireless networks.

16. The avoidance device of claim 10, wherein the ATC system is configured to monitor one or more of a location and a flight plan of the one or more UAVs and to transmit proximate geo-fences to the one or more UAVs based on the one or more of the location and the flight plan.

17. The avoidance device of claim 10, wherein the avoidance device is communicatively coupled to an Air Traffic Control (ATC) system for UAVs using one or more wireless networks.

18. The avoidance device of claim 10, wherein the avoidance device is selectively enabled.