Autonomous cargo delivery system
First Claim
1. An autonomous aerial navigation system comprising:
- an aerial vehicle configured to receive information from an operating base over a wireless link;
a mission manager operatively coupled with said aerial vehicle and having a processor and a non-volatile memory device, wherein said mission manager is configured to receive, from said operating base, mission data that includes a set of routes and a landing zone, said set of routes defining one or more routes of the aerial vehicle from launch to land;
a sensor operatively coupled with said mission manager, wherein said sensor is configured to detect obstacles along a flight path of the aerial vehicle; and
a flight controller coupled with said mission manager,wherein said flight controller is configured to generate a flight control signal based at least in part on data received from said mission manager,wherein said mission manager is configured to execute a descent procedure of the aerial vehicle via commanding said flight controller, in which said mission manager (1) scans using the sensor, at a first distance from the landing zone, the landing zone to detect terrain features or objects and (2) determines whether landing within the landing zone is feasible at or before reaching a second distance from the landing zone, andwherein the first distance is greater than the second distance.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An autonomous aerial system for delivering a payload to a waypoint. The autonomous aerial system may comprise an aerial vehicle to transport the payload to the waypoint and an onboard supervisory control system operatively coupled with the aerial vehicle. The aerial vehicle may be configured to navigate to the waypoint and to land at a designated touchdown zone within a landing zone at the waypoint. The onboard supervisory control system having a processor operatively coupled with a non-volatile memory device and a sensor package. The processor may be configured to generate flight control signal data based at least in part on data received via the sensor package, the sensor package configured to (1) dynamically sense and avoid obstacles along a flight route to the waypoint, and (2) perceive physical characteristics of the landing zone. The processor may be configured to autonomously navigate the aerial vehicle to the waypoint and to determine whether to touchdown at the designated touchdown zone based at least in part on physical characteristics of the designated touchdown zone perceived via said sensor package.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. An autonomous aerial navigation system comprising:
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an aerial vehicle configured to receive information from an operating base over a wireless link; a mission manager operatively coupled with said aerial vehicle and having a processor and a non-volatile memory device, wherein said mission manager is configured to receive, from said operating base, mission data that includes a set of routes and a landing zone, said set of routes defining one or more routes of the aerial vehicle from launch to land; a sensor operatively coupled with said mission manager, wherein said sensor is configured to detect obstacles along a flight path of the aerial vehicle; and a flight controller coupled with said mission manager, wherein said flight controller is configured to generate a flight control signal based at least in part on data received from said mission manager, wherein said mission manager is configured to execute a descent procedure of the aerial vehicle via commanding said flight controller, in which said mission manager (1) scans using the sensor, at a first distance from the landing zone, the landing zone to detect terrain features or objects and (2) determines whether landing within the landing zone is feasible at or before reaching a second distance from the landing zone, and wherein the first distance is greater than the second distance. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method for navigating an aerial vehicle to a landing zone, the method comprising:
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receiving at the aerial vehicle, from an operating base over a wireless link, mission data that includes a set of routes and a landing zone, said set of routes defining one or more routes of the aerial vehicle from launch to land; and generating flight control signals at the aerial vehicle via a mission manager, wherein the mission manager comprises a processor operatively coupled with a non-volatile memory device and a sensor, and wherein the flight control signals are generated based at least in part on data received from said mission manager; scanning, at a first distance from the landing zone, the landing zone using the sensor during a descent procedure to detect terrain features or obstacles; determining during the descent procedure, via the mission manager, whether landing within the landing zone is feasible at or before reaching a second distance from the landing zone, wherein the first distance is greater than the second distance; and dynamically sensing and avoiding, via the mission manager, obstacles along a flight path of the aerial vehicle during the descent procedure. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification