Guide drones for airplanes on the ground

• US 10,170,011 B2
• Filed: 07/26/2016
• Issued: 01/01/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Castelli, Vittorio, Dinu, Georgiana, Florian, Radu, Sil, Avirup
• Primary Examiner(s): Badii, Behrang
• Assistant Examiner(s): Testardi, David A
• Application Number:
  US15/220,166
• Publication Number:
  US 20180033320A1
• Time in Patent Office: 889 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 63/02 Motor vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B63G 2008/005 remotely controlled
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 5/60 Testing or inspecting aircraft components or systems
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/14 with four distinct rotor axes, e.g. quadcopters
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 20/60 UAVs characterised by the material
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/13 using external fans or propellers
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 70/97 Means for guiding the UAV to a specific location on the platform, e.g. platform structures preventing landing off-centre
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0083 to help an aircraft pilot in the rolling phase
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0008 with other aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0021 located in the aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0069 specially adapted for an unmanned aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0078 for monitoring traffic from the aircraft radar or analogous systems specially adapted for traffic control G01S13/91
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/045 Navigation or guidance aids, e.g. determination of anti-collision manoeuvers radar or analogous systems specially adapted for anti-collision between aircraft G01S13/933
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/065 Navigation or guidance aids, e.g. for taxiing or rolling

Abstract

Techniques for drone device control are provided. In one example, a computer-implemented method comprises: meeting, by a drone device operatively coupled to a processor, an aircraft at a first location; and guiding, by the drone device, the aircraft to a second location along a ground movement path selected from a plurality of ground movement paths associated with an airport. The guiding can comprise providing a direction indication to the aircraft; and monitoring a defined region around the aircraft for one or more hazards. The guiding can also comprise, in response to identifying a hazard from the one or more hazards related to the defined region around the aircraft, providing a hazard indication to the aircraft.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

meeting, by a drone device operatively coupled to a processor, an aircraft at a first location; and

guiding, by the drone device, the aircraft to a second location along a ground movement path selected from a plurality of ground movement paths associated with an airport, wherein the guiding comprises;

providing a direction indication to the aircraft;

monitoring a defined region around the aircraft for one or more hazards; and

in response to identifying a hazard on the aircraft from the one or more hazards related to the defined region around the aircraft;

providing a hazard indication to the aircraft, and

employ, by the drone device, a tool of the drone device to eliminate the hazard.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the direction indication comprises a visual indication.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the hazard indication comprises a visual indication.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the hazard indication comprises an audio indication.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the monitoring is performed using an instrument coupled to the drone device.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the monitoring comprises communicating with at least one other drone device of a plurality of drone devices communicating on a network.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

in response to identifying the hazard, transmitting, by the drone device, a hazard notification message to at least one recipient.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, receiving assignment information that comprises an aircraft identification number and location information associated with the first location, and wherein the meeting further comprising:

traversing to the first location and determining that an identification marking on an exterior surface of the aircraft matches the aircraft identification number.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the meeting further comprises:

identifying a safe path from a current location of the drone device to the first location, and traversing the safe path to the first location.

10. A drone device, comprising:

a memory that stores computer executable components; and

a processor that executes the computer executable components stored in the memory, wherein the computer executable components comprise;

an assignment component that determines an assignment of an aircraft to the drone device;

a guidance component that causes the drone device to perform a first action to guide the aircraft to traverse a ground movement path from a starting location to an ending location;

a hazard detection component that determines a hazard on the aircraft during traversal along the ground movement path; and

a hazard response component that causes the drone device to perform a second action comprising employment of a tool of the drone device to eliminate the hazard.

11. The drone device of claim 10, wherein the guidance component further comprises a path selection component that determines a drone device movement path for the drone device to traverse from a first location to a second location associated with the starting location.

12. The drone device of claim 10, wherein the hazard detection component further causes the drone device to move to a position relative to the aircraft at the first location and inspect the aircraft for the hazard.

13. The drone device of claim 10, wherein the hazard response component further causes the drone device to perform a third action to provide a hazard indication to the aircraft.

14. The drone device of claim 13, wherein the third action is to move the drone device in a pattern that provides an indication relating to the hazard.

15. The drone device of claim 14, wherein the first action is an action that prompts a crew member of the aircraft to cause the aircraft to proceed in an indicated direction.

16. The drone device of claim 15, wherein the indicated direction is associated with the ground movement path.

17. A computer program product for guiding an aircraft, the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, the program instructions executable by a drone device to cause the drone device to:

receive first data comprising an assignment of an aircraft to the drone device;

receive second data comprising a first ground movement path for the aircraft between a first location and a second location;

move to a position relative to the aircraft at the first location;

inspect the aircraft for a first hazard; and

in response to identification of the first hazard on the aircraft, perform a first action related to mitigation of the first hazard, wherein the first action comprises employing a tool of the drone device to eliminate the first hazard.

18. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the program instructions are further executable by the drone device to cause the drone device to:

direct a guidance indication to the aircraft related to the ground movement path.

19. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the program instructions are further executable by the drone device to cause the drone device to:

monitor the ground movement path for a second hazard; and

in response to identification of the second hazard, perform a second action related to mitigation of the second hazard.

20. The computer program product of claim 19, wherein the program instructions are further executable by the drone device to cause the drone device to:

perform the second action, wherein the second action comprises determination of a second ground movement path from a current location of the aircraft to the second location, wherein the second ground movement path is different from a portion of the first ground movement path that spans from the current location of the aircraft to the second location.