SYSTEM AND METHODS FOR UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLE NAVIGATION

• US 20100131121A1
• Filed: 11/25/2008
• Published: 05/27/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/25/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Gerlock, Derick Lucas
• Granted Patent: US 8,626,361 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/2
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0013 with a ground station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0039 Modification 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

Abstract

A system includes an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) configured to be equipped with data representing a first UAV flight plan, and a ground station configured to control the UAV. The ground station is operable to receive, at a first time, a first data set representing at least one flight path of at least one aircraft, calculate a second UAV flight plan to avoid the at least one flight path of the at least one aircraft, the second UAV flight plan being based on the data representing the first UAV flight plan and the first data set representing at least one flight path of the at least one aircraft, and transmit data representing the second UAV flight plan to the UAV.

Claims

1. A computer-readable medium including instructions that, when executed by a processor, enable the processor to perform steps for controlling an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) equipped with data representing a first UAV flight plan, the steps comprising:

receiving, at a first time, a first data set representing at least one flight path of at least one aircraft;

calculating a second UAV flight plan to avoid the at least one flight path of the at least one aircraft, the second UAV flight plan being based on the data representing the first UAV flight plan and the first data set representing at least one flight path of the at least one aircraft; and

transmitting data representing the second UAV flight plan to the UAV.

2. The medium of claim 1, wherein the first data set representing at least one flight path is received from the at least one aircraft.

3. The medium of claim 1, wherein the second UAV flight plan is further based on a user-defined setting corresponding to a desired minimum distance between the UAV and the at least one aircraft.

4. The medium of claim 1, wherein the second UAV flight plan is further based on a user-defined setting corresponding to a predefined UAV maneuver.

5. The medium of claim 1, wherein the steps further comprise providing an alert to a user if the at least one flight path of at least one aircraft conflicts with the first UAV flight plan.

6. The medium of claim 1, wherein the steps further comprise:

estimating, based on the first data set representing at least one flight path of at least one aircraft, a position of the at least one aircraft at a second time later than the first time;

calculating a third UAV flight plan to avoid the at least one flight path of the at least one aircraft, the third UAV flight plan being based on the position; and

transmitting data representing the third UAV flight plan to the UAV.

7. The medium of claim 6, wherein the period length between the first time and second time is user configurable.

8. The medium of claim 1, wherein the steps further comprise alerting a user that a second data set data representing the at least one flight path of at least one aircraft, expected to be received at a second time later than the first time, has not been received.

9. The medium of claim 6, wherein the steps further comprise displaying the position on a display device.

10. The medium of claim 1, wherein the steps further comprise transmitting the data representing the second UAV flight plan to the at least one aircraft.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the first data set representing at least one flight path is received from the at least one aircraft.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the second UAV flight plan is further based on a user-defined setting corresponding to a desired minimum distance between the UAV and the at least one aircraft.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the second UAV flight plan is further based on a user-defined setting corresponding to a predefined UAV maneuver.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the steps further comprise providing an alert to a user if the at least one flight path of at least one aircraft conflicts with the first UAV flight plan.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein the steps further comprise:

estimating, based on the first data set representing at least one flight path of at least one aircraft, a position of the at least one aircraft at a second time later than the first time;

calculating a third UAV flight plan to avoid the at least one flight path of the at least one aircraft, the third UAV flight plan being based on the position; and

transmitting data representing the third UAV flight plan to the UAV.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the period length between the first time and second time is user configurable.

18. The system of claim 10, wherein the steps further comprise alerting a user that a second data set data representing the at least one flight path of at least one aircraft, expected to be received at a second time later than the first time, has not been received.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the steps further comprise displaying the position on a display device.

20. The system of claim 10, wherein the steps further comprise transmitting the data representing the second UAV flight plan to the at least one aircraft.

11. A system, comprising:

an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) configured to be equipped with data representing a first UAV flight plan; and

a ground station configured to control the UAV and operable to;

receive, at a first time, a first data set representing at least one flight path of at least one aircraft,

calculate a second UAV flight plan to avoid the at least one flight path of the at least one aircraft, the second UAV flight plan being based on the data representing the first UAV flight plan and the first data set representing at least one flight path of the at least one aircraft, and

transmit data representing the second UAV flight plan to the UAV.