Geographic survey system for vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVS)

• US 10,534,372 B2
• Filed: 12/13/2017
• Issued: 01/14/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 02/11/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aerovironment
• Original Assignee: Aerovironment
• Inventors: Fisher, Christopher Eugene, Mukherjee, Jason Sidharthadev, Lott, William Arden
• Primary Examiner(s): Jeanglaude, Gertrude Arthur
• Application Number:
  US15/841,042
• Publication Number:
  US 20180101182A1
• Time in Patent Office: 762 Days
• Field of Search: 701 15
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 29/02 having its flight directional axis vertical when grounded
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 1/005 Protective coverings for aircraft not in use
• 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 2101/32 for cartography or topography
• 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 70/80 Vertical take-off or landing, e.g. using rockets rotorcrafts B64U10/10; VTOL aircraft B64U10/20
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 80/70 in containers B64U80/60 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/102 specially adapted for vertical take-off of aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/016 After-sales
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0021 located in the aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0034 Assembly of a flight plan
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0039 Modification of a flight plan
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0056 in an emergency situation, e.g. hijacking
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0065 for taking-off
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0069 specially adapted for an unmanned aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0078 for monitoring traffic from the aircraft 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
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/025 : Navigation or guidance aids radar or analogous systems specially adapted for landing purposes G01S13/913

Abstract

A method of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) operation, including: receiving from a customer a first data request, the first data request having: a first geographic coverage area; and a refresh rate for the first geographic coverage area; planning a first plurality of flight missions to accomplish the first data request; uploading flight missions data representing the first plurality of flight missions into a UAV pod; and deploying the UAV pod.

Claims

1. A method of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) operation, comprising:

receiving from a customer a first data request, the first data request comprising;

a first geographic coverage area; and

a refresh rate for the first geographic coverage area;

planning a first plurality of flight missions to accomplish the first data request;

uploading flight mission data representing the first plurality of flight missions into a two-rotor UAV;

deploying the two-rotor UAV;

providing the two-rotor UAV with the flight mission data for one of the first plurality of flight missions;

launching the two-rotor UAV to perform the one of the first plurality of flight missions;

landing the two-rotor UAV; and

receiving a first flight survey data obtained from the one of the first plurality of flight missions from the two-rotor UAV.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first data request further comprises one of:

a ground resolution and a ground surface distance (GSD).

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting the first flight survey data from the two-rotor UAV.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing the two-rotor UAV with a second flight mission data representing a second one of the first plurality of flight missions;

autonomously launching the two-rotor UAV to perform the second one of the first plurality of flight missions;

landing the two-rotor UAV after completing the second one of the first plurality of flight missions; and

receiving a second flight survey data obtained from the second one of the first plurality of flight missions from the two-rotor UAV;

wherein the launching and landing of the two-rotor UAV to accomplish the second one of the first plurality of flight missions happens autonomously and without active human intervention.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

providing the second flight survey data from the two-rotor UAV.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

receiving the first and second flight survey data from the two-rotor UAV.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the receiving the first and second flight survey data from the two-rotor UAV comprises receiving the first and second flight survey data wirelessly at a remote operational support center.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the receiving the first and second flight survey data from the two-rotor UAV comprises removing a physical memory from the two-rotor UAV.

9. The method of 6, further comprising:

performing data analysis of the first and second flight survey data; and

providing the data analysis to the customer.

10. The method of 9, further comprising:

providing the two-rotor UAV with a third flight mission data representing a third one of the first plurality of flight missions.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

retrieving the two-rotor UAV;

uploading a fourth flight mission data representing a second plurality of flight missions into the two-rotor UAV to accomplish a second data request; and

re-deploying the two-rotor UAV.

12. A method of migrating unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) operations between geographic survey areas, comprising:

uploading a first plurality of flight missions into a two-rotor UAV;

deploying the two-rotor UAV in a first geographic survey area;

autonomously launching the two-rotor UAV from the first geographic survey area a plurality of times to perform the first plurality of flight missions;

providing first survey data from the two-rotor UAV;

autonomously migrating the two-rotor UAV from the first geographic survey area to a second geographic survey area;

receiving a second plurality of flight missions for the two-rotor UAV in the second geographic survey area;

autonomously launching the two-rotor UAV from the second geographic survey area a plurality of times to perform the second plurality of flight missions; and

providing a second survey data from the two-rotor UAV;

wherein the autonomous migrating of the two-rotor UAV to accomplish the first and second survey data happens autonomously and without active human intervention.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

performing data analysis of the first and second survey data; and

providing the data analysis to a customer.

14. A system comprising:

a two-rotor unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV);

a processor having addressable memory in communication with the two-rotor UAV, wherein the processor is configured to;

receive a first data request from a customer, the first data request comprising;

a first geographic coverage area; and

a refresh rate for the first geographic coverage area;

plan a first plurality of flight missions to accomplish the first data request;

transmit flight mission data for one of the first plurality of flight missions to the two-rotor UAV; and

receive a first flight survey data from the one of the first plurality of flight missions from the two-rotor UAV.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the two-rotor UAV further comprises:

a UAV processor having addressable memory, the UAV processor configured to;

receive the flight mission data for one of the first plurality of flight missions.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the UAV processor is further configured to:

launch the two-rotor UAV;

perform the one of the first plurality of flight missions; and

land the two-rotor UAV.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the UAV processor is further configured to:

transmit the first flight survey data obtained from the one of the first plurality of flight missions.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein the first data request further comprises one of:

a ground resolution and a ground surface distance (GSD).

19. The system of claim 14, wherein the processor is further configured to:

transmit the received first flight survey data.

20. The system of claim 14, wherein the processor is further configured to:

transmit a second flight mission data representing a second one of the first plurality of flight missions to the two-rotor UAV; and

receive a second flight survey data from the second one of the first plurality of flight missions from the two-rotor UAV;

wherein a launching and a landing of the two-rotor UAV to accomplish the second one of the first plurality of flight missions happens autonomously and without active human intervention.