Flight management system for UAVs

• US 10,372,122 B2
• Filed: 02/03/2016
• Issued: 08/06/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Logicom & Wireless, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Logicom & Wireless, Ltd.
• Inventors: Zach, Moshe
• Primary Examiner(s): Shaawat, Mussa A
• Application Number:
  US15/544,006
• Publication Number:
  US 20180004201A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,280 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/00 Type of UAV
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/20 Remote controls
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0022 characterised by the communication link data switching networks in general H04L12/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0013 with a ground station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/003 Flight plan management
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0034 Assembly 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 5/045 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: H04L 12/6418 Hybrid transport

Abstract

A flight management system for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), in which the UAV is equipped for cellular fourth generation (4G) flight control. The UAV carries on-board a 4G modem, an antenna connected to the modem for providing for downlink wireless RF. A computer is connected to the modem. A 4G infrastructure to support sending via uplink and receiving via downlink from and to the UAV. The infrastructure further includes 4G base stations capable of communicating with the UAV along its flight path. An antenna in the base station is capable of supporting a downlink to the UAV. A control center accepts navigation related data from the uplink. In addition, the control center further includes a connection to the 4G infrastructure for obtaining downlinked data. A computer for calculating location of the UAV using navigation data from the downlink.

Claims

1. A system for flight management and communication for a plurality of simultaneously flying unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), based on a cellular communication protocol of 4G or further generation, comprising:

a plurality of simultaneously flying UAVs equipped for flight control based on said protocol, said UAVs each carrying on board;

at least one modem of said protocol;

at least one on-board antenna connected to said at least one modem for providing uplink, downlink, or both uplink and downlink wireless RF to a network of said protocol;

a computer (42) connected to said modem and to flight controls or an autopilot of said UAV;

at least one infrastructure of said protocol configured to support sending via uplink and receiving via downlink from and to said plurality of UAVs, said infrastructure further including at least;

a base station capable of communicating with said plurality of UAVs along their flight paths;

at least one ground antenna in said at least one base station capable of supporting an uplink, downlink, or both to said plurality of UAVs;

a control centre to accept navigation related data from said downlink, said at least one control centre further including at least;

a connection to said infrastructure for obtaining downlink and uplink data;

a computer, tablet, or smartphone for calculating location of at least one of said plurality of UAVs using at least data from said downlink and/or uplink, and

a connection to said infrastructure or to a communication network for providing uplink and downlink; and

at least one flight data collection and distribution server (FDCDS) for collecting data from said plurality of UAVs, from at least one supporting cellular network of said protocol, and from air traffic control authorities, wherein said server also distributes data for users who are involved in at least planning of flight missions;

said collecting data from said air traffic control authorities is performed on line, offline, or both on line and offline;

wherein said FDCDS is further configured to confirm or reject a requested flight plan according to

flight authority regulations;

flights of other UAVs, based on said data from said plurality of UAVs collected by said FDCDS; and

verification said requested flight plan is in allowed airspaces;

wherein said FDCDS is further configured to alert at least one of said plurality of UAVs of a danger of contention with another of said plurality of UAVs;

wherein said system further comprises a dedicated virtual network within said infrastructure; and

wherein said dedicated virtual network is configured to provide a deterministic QoS to said plurality of UAVs.

2. The flight management and communication system as in claim 1, wherein said FDCDS assumes control over flight of said plurality of UAVs.

3. The flight management and communication system as in claim 1, wherein said UAV further comprises at least one sensor and wherein output data of said sensor is transmitted via said downlink and said infrastructure to said control centre or said FDCDS, and wherein said output data of said sensor is not associated with said flight management.

4. The flight management and communication system as in claim 1, wherein said base station dynamically allocates bandwidth for transfer of sensor data collected from said plurality of UAVs, and said control centre or FDCDS as requested and confirmed in the flight plan.

5. The flight management and communication system as in claim 1, wherein said computer is an integrative computer, is connected to said at least one sensor, and further performs the following functions:

directs maneuvers of said plurality of UAVs by controlling actuators of the flight control and thrust of the propulsion engine; and

controls the sensors.

6. The flight management and communication system as in claim 1, wherein data transfer latency between said control centre and said plurality of UAVs is according to a standard of said protocol.

7. The flight management and communication system as in claim 1, wherein said plurality of UAVs each comprise a standard data and interface S.BUS serial protocol or other protocol for operation of autopilot, control actuators, or both.

8. The flight management and communication system as in claim 1, wherein said plurality of UAVs belong to an IoT network.

9. The flight management and communication system as in claim 1, wherein either or both of said at least one on board antenna and said ground antenna comprises a unidirectional antenna.

10. The flight management and communication system as in claim 1, further comprising an auxiliary UAV, wherein said auxiliary UAV is configured for providing microcells for said plurality of UAVs.

11. The flight management and communication system as in claim 1, wherein said system is further configured to dynamically allocate bandwidth of said infrastructure among

said dedicated virtual network, as needed by an increasing bandwidth demand of said plurality of UAVs;

and

a public cellular network of said infrastructure, as made available by a lessening of said bandwidth demand;

wherein said dynamic allocating of bandwidth is managed by said infrastructure according to said protocol.

12. A method for managing paths of a plurality of simultaneously flying unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), based on a 4G protocol or higher, comprising the following steps:

providing at least one link to a cellular network of said protocol to said UAV while implementing a deterministic quality of service (QoS);

providing a flight data collection and distribution server (FDCDS) connected via said protocol to a computer on board said vehicle;

confirming or rejecting a requested flight plan according to

flight authority regulations;

flights of other UAVs, based on said data from said plurality of UAVs collected by said FDCDS; and

verification said requested flight plan is in allowed airspaces;

implementing said confirmed flight plan;

alerting at least one of said plurality of UAVs of a danger of contention with another of said plurality of UAVs;

alerting of deviation from a flight path; and

correcting said flight path;

wherein the method further comprises the steps;

requesting flight path data selected from the group;

a 30 flight path, altitude, speed, and bandwidth allocation at a specific time/date;

said requesting made by said plurality of UAVs while located at any part of their flight path or flight space;

processing the requested flight path data for checking of no contention with other vehicles or entrance into non allowed spaces;

sending the result of said checking as confirmation or rejection of requested flight plan;

storing confirmed flight path parameters with flight information (flight ID details); and

comparing said parameters with actual vehicle flight parameters;

wherein said method further comprises the step of providing a dedicated virtual network within an infrastructure of said protocol, thereby assuring said deterministic QoS to said plurality of UAVs.

13. The method as in claim 12, further comprising the steps:

detecting by FDCDS that a UAV of said plurality of UAVs is out of a confirmed flight plan;

assuming control by said FDCDS over said UAV through an on-board computer;

cooperating by said FDCDS with said on-board computer to assume control of any combination in a group consisting of rudder, ailerons, elevators, engine, other flight controls, and non-flight controls of said UAV.

14. The method as in claim 12, further comprising the steps:

detecting by said FDCDS that said UAV is out of confirmed flight plan;

assuming control by said FDCDS over said UAV;

cooperating by said FDCDS with an on-board computer to assume control of any combination in a group consisting of rudder, ailerons, elevators, engine, other flight controls, and non-flight controls of said UAV.

15. The method as in claim 12, further comprising the step:

providing data and control commands access to said UAV from a plurality of end points of said cellular network.

16. The method as in claim 12, comprising the step:

dynamically allocating bandwidth of at least one base station by said network to ensure support and service requests of said plurality of UAVs in the flight plan of a confirmed flight plan.

17. The method as in claim 12, further comprising the step:

sending alerts to other vehicles or to a control center in order to prevent contention for at least two simultaneously flying UAVs, for safety, for human assets, and/or other assets on the ground.

18. The method as in claim 12, further comprising the steps:

collecting flight parameters from a plurality of UAVs in flight, said parameters selected from a group consisting of location, direction, velocity, altitude, other flight parameters, and environmental parameters; and

presenting said parameters on a computer screen as an aerial picture for human supervision of the air traffic or for a real time data base in order to supervise and verify the safety of the UAV flight and the environment.

19. The method as in claim 12, wherein said method further comprises the step of dynamically allocating bandwidth of said infrastructure among

said dedicated virtual network, as needed by an increasing bandwidth demand of said plurality of UAVs;

and

a public cellular network of said infrastructure, as made available by a lessening of said bandwidth demand

wherein said dynamic allocating of bandwidth is managed by said infrastructure according to said protocol.

20. A system for management and communication for a plurality of simultaneously riding unmanned vehicles, based on a cellular communication protocol of 4G or further generation, comprising:

a plurality of unmanned vehicles equipped for transport control based on said protocol, said unmanned vehicles each carrying on board;

at least one modem of said protocol;

at least one on-board antenna connected to said at least one modem for providing uplink, downlink, or both uplink and downlink wireless RF to a network of said protocol;

a computer (42) connected to said modem and to driving controls or an autopilot of said unmanned vehicle;

at least one infrastructure of said protocol configured to support sending via uplink and receiving via downlink from and to said plurality of unmanned vehicles, said infrastructure further including at least;

a base station capable of communicating with plurality of unmanned vehicles along their paths of travel;

at least one ground antenna in said at least one base station capable of supporting an uplink, downlink, or both to said plurality of unmanned vehicles;

a control centre to accept navigation related data from said downlink, said at least one control centre further including at least;

a connection to said infrastructure for obtaining downlink and uplink data;

a computer, tablet, or smartphone for calculating location of said plurality of unmanned vehicles using at least data from said downlink and/or uplink, and

a connection to said infrastructure or to a communication network for providing uplink and downlink; and

at least one data collection and distribution server (DCDS) for collecting data from said plurality of unmanned vehicles, from at least one supporting cellular network of said protocol, and from traffic control authorities, wherein said server also distributes data for users who are involved in at least planning of transportation missions;

said collecting data from said traffic control authorities is performed online, offline, or both online and offline;

wherein said DCDS is further configured to confirm or reject a requested transport plan according to

road regulations;

routes of other unmanned vehicles, based on said data from said plurality of unmanned vehicles collected by said DCDS; and

verification said requested transport plan is on allowed roadways;

wherein said DCDS is further configured to alert at least one of said plurality of unmanned vehicles of a danger of contention with another of said plurality of unmanned vehicles;

wherein said system further comprises a dedicated virtual network within said infrastructure; and

wherein said dedicated virtual network is configured to provide a deterministic QoS to said at least one unmanned vehicle.