Method of Flying an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle

• US 20140288730A1
• Filed: 02/25/2014
• Published: 09/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Fucke, Lars, Sweeney, Stephen
• Granted Patent: US 9,359,067 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/3
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 19/00 Aircraft control not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0005 with arrangements to save energy
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/101 specially adapted for aircraft

Abstract

A method of flying an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) in response to emergency conditions, the method including steps implemented using a controller forming part of the unmanned aerial vehicle, said steps comprising: defining a plurality of emergency conditions; associating each emergency condition with a priority level; associating each emergency condition with an objective; sensing a plurality of operating parameters of the unmanned aerial vehicle to detect whether one of the plurality of emergency conditions exists; when one or more emergency condition is detected: generating a trajectory for the detected emergency condition having a highest associated priority level, wherein the trajectory is generated in accordance with the objective associated with the emergency condition that has the highest associated priority level; and instructing the unmanned aerial vehicle to follow the generated trajectory.

Claims

1. A method of flying an unmanned aerial vehicle, the method including steps implemented using a controller forming part of the unmanned aerial vehicle, said steps comprising:

defining a plurality of emergency conditions;

associating each emergency condition of the plurality of emergency conditions with a corresponding priority level;

associating the each emergency condition with a corresponding objective;

sensing a plurality of operating parameters of the unmanned aerial vehicle to detect whether one of the plurality of emergency conditions exists;

when one or more emergency conditions is detected;

generating a trajectory for a particular emergency condition having a highest associated priority level, wherein the trajectory is generated in accordance with a particular objective associated with the particular emergency condition that has the highest associated priority level; and

instructing the unmanned aerial vehicle to follow the trajectory.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

storing a plurality of flight termination points; and

identifying an available subset of the plurality of flight termination points at which a landing is possible, wherein the step of generating [[a]] the trajectory involves generating the trajectory terminating at one of the available subset.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising the steps of:

associating each of the plurality of flight termination points with a corresponding rank, wherein the step of generating the trajectory terminating in the one of the available subset involves;

selecting the flight termination points of the available subset that are associated with a highest rank; and

generating the trajectory terminating at one of the selected flight termination points.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the unmanned aerial vehicle comprises an engine for providing propulsion;

the operating parameters comprise an output speed of the engine; and

the particular emergency condition is engine failure.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the engine failure is associated with a greatest priority level.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the particular objective is a most efficient gliding trajectory to a flight termination point.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the unmanned aerial vehicle comprises means for providing electrical power;

the operating parameters comprise a level of current provided by the means for providing electrical power;

the method further comprises the step of defining a threshold current; and

the particular emergency condition is the level of current being lower than the threshold current.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the level of current is associated with a second greatest priority level.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the particular objective is a fastest return to a flight termination point.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the unmanned aerial vehicle comprises a stored resource;

the operating parameters comprise an amount of the stored resource;

the method comprises the step of defining a threshold amount of the stored resource; and

the particular emergency condition is the amount of stored resource being lower than the threshold amount.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the particular emergency condition is a third greatest priority level.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of defining the threshold amount comprises:

identifying a flight termination point;

generating a trajectory terminating in the identified flight termination point; and

determining a minimum amount of the stored resource required to achieve the trajectory.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the particular objective is a most economic return to a flight termination point.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the unmanned aerial vehicle comprises a communications system configured to receive a control signal from a remote station;

the operating parameters comprise a strength of the control signal;

the method comprises the step of defining a threshold signal strength; and

the particular emergency condition is a strength of the control signal being lower than the threshold signal strength.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the particular emergency condition is a least priority level.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the particular objective is a most economic return to a flight termination point.

17. An emergency response system for an unmanned aerial vehicle, comprising:

an input device configured to receive a plurality of operating parameters of the unmanned aerial vehicle;

a processor configured to;

detect when one or more emergency conditions are present using the plurality of operating parameters;

identify a corresponding priority level associated with each of the one or more the emergency conditions;

identify an objective associated with a particular emergency condition of the one or more emergency conditions that is associated with a highest priority level;

generate a trajectory based upon the objective; and

an output device configured to output the trajectory.

18-19. -19. (canceled)