Unmanned aerial vehicle management

• US 10,453,348 B2
• Filed: 06/15/2016
• Issued: 10/22/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Imagekeeper LLC
• Original Assignee: Imagekeeper LLC
• Inventors: Speasl, Jerry, Patterson, Mike, Roberts, Marc
• Primary Examiner(s): Soofi, Yazan A
• Application Number:
  US15/183,653
• Publication Number:
  US 20160364989A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,224 Days
• Field of Search: 701 2, 701 15, 701 16, 701 25, 701 8
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 1/222 for storing aircraft, e.g. in hangars
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/14 with four distinct rotor axes, e.g. quadcopters
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/25 Fixed-wing aircraft VTOL aircraft B64U10/20
• 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 2101/64 for parcel delivery or retrieval
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/104 using satellite radio beacon positioning systems, e.g. GPS
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/20 Remote controls
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/19 using electrically powered motors
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/34 In-flight charging photovoltaics B64U50/31
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 70/20 for releasing or capturing UAVs in flight by another aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 70/70 Launching or landing using catapults, tracks or rails launching from storage containers B64U70/50
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 80/00 Transport or storage specially adapted for UAVs
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 80/25 for recharging batteries; for refuelling
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 80/70 in containers B64U80/60 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 80/82 Airborne vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 80/84 Waterborne vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 80/86 Land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• 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 5/0082 : for monitoring traffic from a ground station radar or analogous systems specially adapted for traffic control G01S13/91
• 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 base module may be used to receive and house one or more unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) via one or more cavities. The base module receives commands from a manager device and identifies a flight plan that allows a UAV to execute the received commands. The base module transfers the flight plan to the UAV and frees the UAV. Once the UAV returns, the base module once again receives it. The base module then receives sensor data from the UAV from one or more sensors onboard the UAV, and optionally receives additional information describing its flight and identifying success or failure of the flight plan. The base module transmits the sensor data and optionally the additional information to a storage medium locally or remotely accessible by the manager device.

Claims

1. A system for unmanned aerial vehicle management, the system comprising:

a housing at a base module, the housing including a cavity that receives and frees an unmanned aerial vehicle, wherein the unmanned aerial vehicle includes a sensor and a battery;

a communication transceiver at the base module, wherein the communication transceiver receives an objective transmitted by a manager device, transfers a flight plan to the unmanned aerial vehicle before the unmanned aerial vehicle is freed from the cavity, receives sensor data from the sensor of the unmanned aerial vehicle after the cavity receives the unmanned aerial vehicle, and transmits the sensor data to a data storage medium accessible by the manager device;

a power transfer module at the base module, wherein the power transfer module robotically replaces the battery of the unmanned aerial vehicle with a replacement battery after the cavity receives the unmanned aerial vehicle; and

a computing device at the base module, the computing device including a memory that stores instructions and a processor, wherein execution of the instructions by the processor causes the processor to generate the flight plan that, when flown by the unmanned aerial vehicle, accomplishes the objective.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the housing includes a door protecting the cavity, wherein freeing the unmanned aerial vehicle from the cavity includes opening the door, wherein receiving the unmanned aerial vehicle via the cavity is followed by closing the door.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the power transfer module also robotically replaces a fuel container of a second unmanned aerial vehicle with a replacement fuel container.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the power transfer module also charges the replacement battery before the power transfer module robotically replaces the battery of the unmanned aerial vehicle with the replacement battery.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the power transfer module also transfers fuel from the fuel transfer module to the replacement fuel container before the power transfer module robotically replaces the fuel container of the second unmanned aerial vehicle with the replacement fuel container.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising a lid corresponding to the cavity, wherein freeing the unmanned aerial vehicle from the cavity includes opening the cavity by separating the lid from the cavity, wherein receiving the unmanned aerial vehicle via the cavity is followed by closing the lid, thereby covering the cavity.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising a temperature sensor and a temperature regulation unit at the base module, wherein the temperature regulation unit includes at least one of a heating unit or a cooling unit, wherein execution of the instructions by the processor causes the processor to regulate a temperature within the cavity using the temperature regulation unit and based on the temperature sensor.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the data storage medium is a network storage module accessible by the manager device via a network connection.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising a humidity sensor and a humidity regulation unit at the base module, wherein the humidity regulation unit includes at least one of a humidifier or a dehumidifier, wherein execution of the instructions by the processor causes the processor to regulate a humidity level within the cavity using the humidity regulation unit and based on the humidity sensor.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensor includes at least one camera.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein execution of the instructions by the processor further causes the processor to receive flight plan failure data identifying that a second objective of a second flight plan was not successfully achieved and identifying a cause of failure.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the objective corresponding to the flight plan is accomplished by the unmanned aerial vehicle delivering a package, and wherein execution of the instructions by the processor causes the processor to supply the package to the unmanned aerial vehicle.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the objective corresponding to the flight plan is accomplished by the unmanned aerial vehicle collecting a sample from a sample source along a path of the flight plan, and wherein execution of the instructions by the processor causes the processor to receive the sample from the unmanned aerial vehicle.

14. The system of claim 1, further comprising a takeoff and landing surface in the cavity, and wherein execution of the instructions by the processor causes the processor to actuate at least a portion of the takeoff and landing surface and thereby help propel the unmanned aerial vehicle from the cavity.

15. The system of claim 1, further comprising a runway in the cavity, wherein movement of a treadmill portion of the runway helps free the unmanned aerial vehicle from the cavity.

16. The system of claim 1, further comprising a runway in the cavity, wherein movement of a treadmill portion of the runway helps the unmanned aerial vehicle land within the cavity.

20. The system of claim 1, wherein execution of the instructions by the processor further causes the processor to receive flight plan success data identifying that the objective corresponding to the flight plan was successfully achieved.

17. A method for unmanned aerial vehicle management, the method comprising:

receiving an unmanned aerial vehicle via a cavity within a housing of a base module, the unmanned aerial vehicle including a sensor and a battery;

storing a replacement battery at the base module;

receiving an objective at the base module, the objective transmitted by a manager device;

generating, by the base module, a flight plan that, when flown by the unmanned aerial vehicle, accomplishes the objective;

transferring the flight plan from the base module to the unmanned aerial vehicle;

freeing the unmanned aerial vehicle from the cavity of the base module;

receiving the unmanned aerial vehicle via the cavity of the base module;

receiving sensor data at the base module from the sensor of the unmanned aerial vehicle;

replacing the battery of the unmanned aerial vehicle with the replacement battery robotically via a power transfer module at the base module after receiving the unmanned aerial vehicle via the cavity; and

transmitting the sensor data from the base module to a data storage medium accessible by the manager device.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

opening a door protecting the cavity before freeing the unmanned aerial vehicle from the cavity; and

closing the door after receiving the unmanned aerial vehicle via the cavity.

19. A method for unmanned aerial vehicle management, the method comprising:

receiving an unmanned aerial vehicle via a cavity within a housing of a base module, the unmanned aerial vehicle including a sensor and a fuel canister;

receiving an objective at the base module, the objective transmitted by a manager device;

generating, by the base module, a flight plan that, when flown by the unmanned aerial vehicle, accomplishes the objective;

transferring the flight plan from the base module to the unmanned aerial vehicle;

freeing the unmanned aerial vehicle from the cavity of the base module;

receiving the unmanned aerial vehicle via the cavity of the base module;

receiving sensor data at the base module from the sensor of the unmanned aerial vehicle;

replacing the fuel canister of the unmanned aerial vehicle with a replacement fuel canister associated with the base module robotically via a power transfer module at the base module after receiving the unmanned aerial vehicle via the cavity; and

transmitting the sensor data from the base module to a data storage medium accessible by the manager device.