Safety system for operation of an unmanned aerial vehicle

• US 10,209,707 B2
• Filed: 11/09/2017
• Issued: 02/19/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/11/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aerovironment
• Original Assignee: Aerovironment
• Inventors: Matuszeski, Thaddeus Benjamin, Lott, William Arden, Lisoski, Derek
• Primary Examiner(s): Paige, Tyler D
• Application Number:
  US15/808,783
• Publication Number:
  US 20180321676A1
• Time in Patent Office: 467 Days
• Field of Search: 701 2
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/10 Rotorcrafts
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/20 Vertical take-off and landing [VTOL] aircraft flying platforms B64U10/13; helicopters B64U10/17
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/25 Fixed-wing aircraft VTOL aircraft B64U10/20
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/30 for imaging, photography or videography
• 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 2201/20 Remote controls
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/10 Wings
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/20 Rotors; Rotor supports
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 70/00 Launching, take-off or landing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 70/80 Vertical take-off or landing, e.g. using rockets rotorcrafts B64U10/10; VTOL aircraft B64U10/20
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 80/25 for recharging batteries; for refuelling
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 80/30 with arrangements for data transmission
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0016 characterised by the operator's input device input arrangements for computing systems in general G06F3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0055 with safety arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/223 Command input arrangements on the remote controller, e.g. joysticks or touch screens
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/617 Safety or protection, e.g. defining protection zones around obstacles or avoiding hazards arrangements for controlling the position or course of two or more vehicles for avoiding collisions therebetween G05D1/693; arrangements for reacting to or preventing system or operator failure G05D1/80
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/185 from a mobile camera, e.g. for remote control

Abstract

Systems, devices, and methods for a safety system including: selecting an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) command on a controller, the controller comprising a first processor with addressable memory; presenting a first activator and a second activator on a display of the controller for the selected UAV command, wherein the second activator is a slider; and sending the UAV command to a UAV if the first activator and the second activator are selected, the UAV comprising a second processor with addressable memory.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

selecting an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) command on a controller, the controller comprising a first processor with addressable memory;

presenting a first activator and a second activator on a display of the controller for the selected UAV command, wherein the second activator is a slider; and

sending the UAV command to a UAV if the first activator and the second activator are selected, the UAV comprising a second processor with addressable memory.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving, by the UAV, the UAV command; and

executing the received UAV command on the UAV.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the UAV command is sent if the first activator is selected prior to the selection of the second activator.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the UAV command is sent if the first activator is selected concurrent with the selection of the second activator.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein selecting the first activator further comprises:

maintaining selection of the first activator while the second activator is selected.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the selected UAV command is a launch command, wherein the first activator is a button, wherein the second activator is a vertical slider, and wherein selecting the second activator comprises sliding a button in an upward direction in the slider relative to a display of the controller.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising:

determining, by the controller, a remaining flight time based on a battery state of charge needed by the UAV to return to and land at a launch location.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

presenting the remaining flight time on the display of the controller.

9. The method of claim 6 further comprising:

determining, by the controller, a position of the UAV relative to the controller; and

presenting a wayfinder on the display of the controller, wherein the wayfinder is oriented toward the position of the UAV.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the selected UAV command is a return and land command, wherein the first activator is a button, wherein the second activator is a horizontal slider, and wherein selecting the second activator comprises sliding a button horizontally in the slider relative to a display of the controller.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the return and land command directs the UAV to land at a location it launched from.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the selected UAV command is a land now command, wherein the first activator is a button, wherein the second activator is a vertical slider, and wherein selecting the second activator comprises sliding a button in a downward direction in the slider relative to a display of the controller.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the land now command directs the UAV to land at a location proximate to a geographical position of the UAV when the UAV receives the land now command.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the selected UAV command is an emergency stop command, wherein the first activator is a button, wherein the second activator is a vertical slider, and wherein selecting the second activator comprises sliding a button in a downward direction in the slider relative to a display of the controller.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the emergency stop command directs the UAV to stop at least one motor of the UAV.

16. A method comprising:

determining, by a processor of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), a remaining battery state of charge needed by the UAV to return to and land at a launch location; and

commanding, by the processor of the UAV, the UAV to return to and land on the launch location if the determined remaining battery state of charge is within a set limit.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising:

commanding, by the processor of the UAV, the UAV to land now at the UAV current location if the determined remaining battery state of charge is under a set limit for returning and landing at the launch location.

18. The method of claim 16 further comprising:

determining, by the processor of the UAV, if a fault condition has occurred; and

commanding, by the processor of the UAV, the UAV to at least one of;

return to and land on the launch location and land now at the UAV current location.

19. A system comprising:

an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) having a processor and addressable memory;

the processor configured to;

determine a UAV command based on a set of status information of the UAV, wherein the set of status information is received from at least one sensor associated with the UAV;

transmit the determined command to a controller for confirmation; and

a controller having a processor and addressable memory, wherein the controller is configured to;

receive a transmitted UAV command from the UAV;

present a first activator and a second activator on a display of the controller for the selected UAV command, wherein the second activator is a slider;

confirm that the first activator and the second activator are executed successfully; and

send the UAV command confirmation to the UAV for execution at the UAV of the command;

wherein the UAV executes the UAV command based on receiving the confirmation.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the UAV command is at least one of:

a return and land command, a land now command, and an emergency stop command.