Management System for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

• US 20120065881A1
• Filed: 09/14/2010
• Published: 03/15/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: McIver, John L., Bruce, Alan Eugene, Gadler, Daniel J., Spinelli, Charles B.
• Granted Patent: US 8,594,932 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/467
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 23/00 Combined instruments indicating more than one navigational value, e.g. for aircraft; Combined measuring devices for measuring two or more variables of movement, e.g. distance, speed or acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0088 characterized by the autonomous decision making process, e.g. artificial intelligence, predefined behaviours using knowledge based models G06N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/106 Change initiated in response to external conditions, e.g. avoidance of elevated terrain or of no-fly zones

Abstract

A method and apparatus for managing a flight of an aircraft. Conditions in an environment around the aircraft are monitored during the flight of the aircraft on a route having a number of target points. In response to detecting a condition requiring a change to the route of the aircraft, current resources for the aircraft are identified. A determination is made as to whether changing the route reduces the number of target points that can be reached based on the current resources for the aircraft. In response to a determination that changing the route reduces the number of target points that can be reached, the route is changed to include a portion of the number of target points using the condition and a policy.

Claims

1. A method for managing a flight of an aircraft, the method comprising:

monitoring for conditions in an environment around the aircraft during the flight of the aircraft on a route having a number of target points;

responsive to detecting a condition requiring a change to the route of the aircraft, identifying current resources for the aircraft;

determining whether changing the route reduces the number of target points that can be reached based on the current resources for the aircraft; and

responsive to a determination that changing the route reduces the number of target points that can be reached, changing the route to include a portion of the number of target points using the condition and a policy.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

responsive to an absence of the determination that changing the route reduces the number of target points that can be reached, changing the route of the aircraft to form a new route using a model of the aircraft.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining whether a destination waypoint in the route can be reached by the aircraft with the current resources for the aircraft; and

responsive to a determination that the destination waypoint in the route cannot be reached with the current resources for the aircraft, selecting a landing zone for the aircraft.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the step responsive to the determination that the destination waypoint in the route cannot be reached with the current resources for the aircraft, for selecting the landing zone for the aircraft comprises:

identifying information about a number of attainable landing areas for the aircraft based on requirements for a desired landing zone.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the desired landing zone decreases a likelihood that the aircraft will be at least one of captured and destroyed by hostile personnel.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step responsive to the determination that changing the route reduces the number of target points that can be reached, for changing the route to include the portion of the number of target points using the condition and the policy comprises:

selecting the portion of the number of target points using the condition and the policy; and

generating a new route from a current location of the aircraft to the number of target points.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the step of generating the new route from the current location of the aircraft to the number of target points comprises:

selecting an order for the portion of the number of target points; and

generating the new route from the current location of the aircraft to the number of target points using the condition, the policy, the current resources for the aircraft, and a model of the aircraft.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the step of generating the new route from the current location of the aircraft to the number of target points using the condition, the policy, the current resources for the aircraft, and the model of the aircraft comprises:

generating the new route from the current location of the aircraft to the number of target points using the condition, the policy, the current resources for the aircraft, and the model of the aircraft using Dijkstra'"'"'s algorithm.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the policy specifies using a second route having an altitude and path through terrain that reduces detection of the aircraft.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of monitoring for the conditions in the environment around the aircraft during the flight of the aircraft on the route having the number of target points comprises:

monitoring for the conditions in the environment around the aircraft during the flight of the aircraft on the route having the number of target points using a sensor system associated with the aircraft.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the policy identifies a priority for each of the number of target points.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the condition is selected from one of a threat to the aircraft, an environmental condition, and a weather condition.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the aircraft is selected from one of a manned aircraft and an unmanned aerial vehicle.

14. An apparatus comprising:

an aircraft; and

a control system associated with the aircraft, wherein the control system is configured to monitor for conditions in an environment around the aircraft during flight of the aircraft on a route having a number of target points;

identify current resources for the aircraft in response to detecting a condition requiring a change to the route of the aircraft;

determine whether changing the route reduces the number of target points that can be reached based on the current resources for the aircraft; and

change the route to include a portion of the number of target points using the condition and a policy in response to a determination that changing the route reduces the number of target points that can be reached.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the control system is further configured to change the route of the aircraft to form a new route using a model of the aircraft in response to an absence of the determination that changing the route reduces the number of target points that can be reached.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the control system is further configured to determine whether a destination waypoint in the route can be reached by the aircraft with the current resources for the aircraft;

and select a landing zone for the aircraft in response to a determination that the destination waypoint in the route cannot be reached with the current resources for the aircraft.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein in selecting the landing zone for the aircraft in response to the determination that the destination waypoint in the route cannot be reached with the current resources for the aircraft, the control system is configured to identify information about a number of attainable landing areas for the aircraft based on requirements for a desired landing zone.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the desired landing zone decreases a likelihood that the aircraft will be at least one of captured and destroyed by an enemy.

19. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein in changing the route to include the portion of the number of target points using the condition and the policy in response to the determination that changing the route reduces the number of target points that can be reached, the control system is configured to select the portion of the number of target points using the condition and the policy;

and generate a new route from a current location of the aircraft to the number of target points.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein in generating the new route from the current location of the aircraft to the number of target points, the control system is configured to select an order for the portion of the number of target points;

and generate the new route from the current location of the aircraft to the number of target points using the condition, the policy, the current resources for the aircraft, and a model of the aircraft.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein in generating the new route from the current location of the aircraft to the number of target points using the condition, the policy, the current resources for the aircraft, and the model of the aircraft, the control system is configured to generate the new route from the current location of the aircraft to the number of target points using the condition, the policy, the current resources for the aircraft, and the model of the aircraft using Dijkstra'"'"'s algorithm.

22. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the policy specifies using a desired route having an altitude and path through terrain that reduces detection of the aircraft.

23. The apparatus of claim 14 further comprising:

a sensor system associated with the aircraft, wherein the sensor system is configured to generate information used by the control system to monitor for the conditions in the environment around the aircraft during the flight of the aircraft on the route having the number of target points.

24. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the policy identifies a priority for each of the number of target points.

25. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the condition is selected from one of a threat to the aircraft, an environmental condition, and a weather condition.

26. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the aircraft is selected from one of a manned aircraft and an unmanned aerial vehicle.

27. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the control system is selected from at least one of a processor unit, a computer with the processor unit, the processor unit with a number of hardware units, and an application specific integrated circuit.