SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR SMALL UNMANNED AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS (sUAS) TACTICAL TRACKING AND MISSION DATA ACQUISITION

• US 20140257692A1
• Filed: 03/11/2013
• Published: 09/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ARINC Incorporated (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Original Assignee: ARINC Incorporated (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Inventors: STEFANI, Rolf, EID, John Francis
• Granted Patent: US 8,886,459 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/519
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/723 by using numerical data
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/86 Combinations of radar systems with non-radar systems, e.g. sonar, direction finder
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/91 for traffic control G01S13/93 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/003 Transmission of data between radar, sonar or lidar systems and remote stations
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0069 specially adapted for an unmanned aircraft

Abstract

A system and method are provided to support accommodating safe integration of small unmanned aircraft systems (sUASs) into the National Airspace Structure in the United States. A specifically-tailored service is provided to address a change of paradigm from aircraft-based avionics/capabilities to a ground-based solution centered on the sUAS control station that is typically employed to manage an sUAS mission and/or flight. Appropriate software, server and system components are integrated into an interactive, easy-to-use, web-based tool that provides interested parties with real-time, graphical flight-following information to acquire position information regarding an sUAS platform from the control console for the sUAS platform. The acquired position information is forwarded to a separate server that can augment and provide graphical display of the sUAS intended route of flight (flight planned route). The acquired position information for the sUAS is converted to a format commonly used by aviation and air traffic control systems.

Claims

1. A system for tracking small unmanned aircraft flight operations, comprising:

an information extraction module associated with a control station for the small unmanned aerial vehicle that is programmed to

extract information regarding a geographic position for the small unmanned aircraft substantially in real time from the control station, and

forward the information to other system components; and

an aircraft information server that is programmed to

receive the information regarding the geographic position for the small unmanned aircraft forwarded from the information extraction module of the control station,

translate the received information regarding the geographic position for the small unmanned aircraft to a format that is usable by one or more end users, and

transmit the translated information to the one or more end users for display.

2. The system of claim 1, the information extraction module being further programmed to extract and forward pre-flight planning information regarding an intended route of flight for the small unmanned aircraft from the control station.

3. The system of claim 2, the aircraft information server being further programmed to

integrate the pre-flight planning information regarding the intended route of flight for the small unmanned aircraft with the information regarding the geographic position for the small unmanned aircraft to provide integrated information regarding operation of the small unmanned aircraft,

translate the integrated information regarding the operation of the small unmanned aircraft to the format that is usable by the one or more end users, and

transmit the translated information to the one or more end users for display.

4. The system of claim 1, the information regarding the geographic position for the small unmanned aircraft being acquired by the control station from a position reference device on the small unmanned aircraft.

5. The system of claim 4, the position reference device being a global positioning satellite system receiver mounted on the small unmanned aircraft.

6. The system of claim 1, the information being forwarded from the information extraction module of the control station to the aircraft information server via an internet connection.

7. The system of claim 1, the one or more end users including an air traffic control facility, the aircraft information server translating the information regarding the geographic position for the small unmanned aircraft to a format for direct integration into air traffic control systems used by the air traffic control facility.

8. The system of claim 7, a format for direct integration into air traffic control systems used by the air traffic control facility being a pseudo-automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (pseudo ADS-B) format.

9. The system of claim 1, the one or more end users being a Web-based user, the aircraft information server translating the information regarding the geographic position for the small unmanned aircraft to a format for direct integration with a mapping program on a display device operated by the Web-based user.

10. The system of claim 1, at least one of the information extraction module and the aircraft information server operating components of ARINC'"'"'s Web Aircraft Situation Display (WebASD^SM) tool.

20. The system of claim 1, at least one of the control station and the aircraft information server operating components of ARINC'"'"'s Web Aircraft Situation Display (WebASD^SM) tool.

11. A method for tracking small unmanned aircraft flight operations, comprising:

extracting information regarding a geographic position for the small unmanned aircraft substantially in real time from a control station that is used for controlling the small unmanned aircraft;

translating the information regarding the geographic position for the small unmanned aircraft in an aircraft information server to a format that is usable by one or more end users, and

transmitting the translated information to from the aircraft information server to one or more end users for display.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising extracting and forwarding pre-flight planning information regarding an intended route of flight for the small unmanned aircraft from the control station to the aircraft information server.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

integrating the pre-flight planning information regarding the intended route of flight for the small unmanned aircraft with the information regarding the geographic position for the small unmanned aircraft to provide integrated information regarding operation of the small unmanned aircraft;

translating the integrated information regarding the operation of the small unmanned aircraft to the format that is usable by the one or more end users; and

transmitting the translated information to the one or more end users for display.

14. The method of claim 11, the information regarding the geographic position for the small unmanned aircraft being acquired by the control station from a position reference device on the small unmanned aircraft.

15. The method of claim 14, the position reference device being a global positioning satellite system receiver mounted on the small unmanned aircraft.

16. The method of claim 11, the information being forwarded from the control station to the aircraft information server via an internet connection.

17. The method of claim 11, the one or more end users including an air traffic control facility, the aircraft information server translating the information regarding the geographic position for the small unmanned aircraft to a format for direct integration into air traffic control systems used by the air traffic control facility.

18. The method of claim 17, a format for direct integration into air traffic control systems used by the air traffic control facility being a pseudo-automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (pseudo ADS-B) format.

19. The method of claim 11, the one or more end users being a Web-based user, the aircraft information server translating the information regarding the geographic position for the small unmanned aircraft to a format for direct integration with a mapping program on a display device operated by the Web-based user.

21. A non-transitory computer readable medium on which is stored operating instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to execute the steps of a method for tracking small unmanned aircraft flight operations, the method comprising:

extracting information regarding a geographic position for the small unmanned aircraft substantially in real time from a control station that is used for controlling the small unmanned aircraft;

translating the information regarding the geographic position for the small unmanned aircraft in an aircraft information server to a format that is usable by one or more end users, and

transmitting the translated information to from the aircraft information server to one or more end users for display.