Unmanned aerial vehicle deployment system

• US 10,283,000 B2
• Filed: 10/20/2016
• Issued: 05/07/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vigilair Limited
• Original Assignee: Vigilair Limited
• Inventors: Marr, Michael John, Grant, Andrew Stanley, Liang Kuek, Benjamin Yong, Zhu, Yexi
• Primary Examiner(s): Antonucci, Anne M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Stroud, James S
• Application Number:
  US15/298,696
• Publication Number:
  US 20170115667A1
• Time in Patent Office: 929 Days
• Field of Search: 701 14
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/14 with four distinct rotor axes, e.g. quadcopters
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 20/10 for stealth, e.g. reduction of cross-section detectable by radars
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/00 UAVs specially adapted for particular uses or applications
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/15 for conventional or electronic warfare
• 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 50/19 using electrically powered motors
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19608 Tracking movement of a target, e.g. by detecting an object predefined as a target, using target direction and or velocity to predict its new position
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1965 the vehicle being an aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19695 Arrangements wherein non-video detectors start video recording or forwarding but do not generate an alarm themselves
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 15/00 Identifying, scaring or incapacitating burglars, thieves or intruders, e.g. by explosives
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0034 Assembly of a flight plan
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0069 specially adapted for an unmanned aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0091 for monitoring atmospheric conditions radar or analogous systems specially adapted for meteorological use G01S13/95; meteorology G01W

Abstract

A system for enabling an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) to respond to an alert on a premises, where the UAV may either confront the alert situation or monitor the alert situation from a distance. The UAV may respond to the alert situation after a controller receives alert event data from an alert generator. The controller may further match the data received to a number of event types stored in a database. This information allows a flight plan to be determined which will allow the UAV to navigate to a location associated with the alert situation.

Claims

1. A system for enabling a UAV to respond to an alert on a premises comprising:

an alert generator configured to output event type data and event location data in response to one or more alerts on the premises,

a flight plan database configured to store a plurality of predetermined flight plans operable to direct a UAV to one or more locations on the premises,

an event database configured to store a plurality of event types predetermined as suitable for a UAV response, and

a controller configured to;

receive the event type data and event location data,

determine a match between the received event type and one or more event types in the event database,

determine a direction of movement of a potential intruder from the received event location data,

determine one or more UAV flight plans in the flight plan database, according to one or more criteria, having a destination proximate the event location, wherein the one or more criteria comprises a UAV attendance profile comprising a stealth UAV attendance profile, further wherein the stealth UAV attendance profile comprises a flight plan directing the UAV to the location of the alert to oppose a determined wind direction, and

output the selected one or more flight plan to a UAV flight control system operable to allow a UAV to navigate to the alert location.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to:

receive meteorological data from one or more meteorological sensors arranged to measure data indicative of meteorological conditions at or near the premises, the meteorological data comprising;

wind direction data,

wind speed data, and/or

rain fall data, and

output the selected flight plan to a UAV flight control system operable to allow a UAV to navigate to the alert location when one or more meteorological data falls within a predetermined range and/or does not exceed a predetermined threshold.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the system further comprises a database of UAVs available for launch, and the event database and flight plan database are further configured to store information pertaining to each UAV available for launch.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the conditions comprise one or more of available UAV flight time, charge state of a power source and/or more tolerance to one or more meteorological conditions.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to receive information pertaining to one or more conditions determining readiness of a UAV for launch, and is configured to output the selected flight plan to the UAV matching the most predetermined conditions.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the selected flight plan further comprises a three dimensional space defined by lateral and longitudinal distance ranges for one or more altitude ranges.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the three dimensional space defines an area within which an operator is able to control the particular position of the UAV.

8. The system of claim 1, further wherein the UAV attendance profile comprises at least one of a confrontation UAV attendance profile and a observation UAV attendance profile.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the confrontation UAV attendance profile comprises a flight plan directing the UAV to the location of the alert to oppose the determined direction of movement of the intruder.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the observation UAV attendance profile comprises a flight plan directing the UAV to the location of the alert to follow the determined direction of movement of the intruder.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the flight plan output to the UAV further comprises instructions to deliver one or more on-board effects comprising emissions of sound waves or frequencies in the electro-magnetic spectrum, or the reception and onward transmission of such data, when at or proximate the alert location.

12. A controller configured for use between a security system and a UAV control system, the controller configured to:

receive event type data and event location data from an alert generator configured to output event type data and event location data in response to one or more alerts on a premises,

determine a match between the received event type and one or more event types in an event database configured to store a plurality of event types predetermined as suitable for a UAV response,

determine a direction of movement of a potential intruder from the received event location data,

determine one or more UAV flight plans from a flight plan database having a destination proximate the event location, wherein the flight plan database is configured to store a plurality of predetermined flight plans operable to direct a UAV to one or more locations on the premises wherein the one or more UAV flight plans is determined according to one or more criteria, wherein the one or more criteria comprises a stealth UAV attendance profile, further wherein the stealth UAV attendance profile comprises a flight plan directing the UAV to the location of the alert to oppose a determined wind direction, and

output the selected one or more flight plan to a UAV flight control system operable to allow a UAV to navigate to the alert location.

13. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored therein instructions that are executable to cause a computing device to perform functions comprising:

receiving an event type data and event location data from an alert generator configured to output event type data and event location data in response to one or more alerts on a premises generated by an alert generator configured to output event type data and event location data in response to one or more alerts on the premises,

determining a match between the received event type and one or more event types in an event database configured to store a plurality of event types predetermined as suitable for a UAV response,

determining a direction of movement of a potential intruder from the received event location data

determining one or more UAV flight plans from a flight plan database having a destination proximate the event location, wherein the flight plan database is configured to store a plurality of predetermined flight plans operable to direct a UAV to one or more locations on the premises, further wherein the one or more UAV flight plans is determined according to one or more criteria, wherein the one or more criteria comprises a stealth UAV attendance profile, further wherein the stealth UAV attendance profile comprises a flight plan directing the UAV to the location of the alert to oppose a determined wind direction, and

outputting the selected flight plan to a UAV flight control system operable to allow a UAV to navigate to the alert location.