AUTONOMOUS CARGO DELIVERY SYSTEM

• US 20150323932A1
• Filed: 11/26/2014
• Published: 11/12/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aurora Flight Sciences Corporation (The Boeing Co.)
• Original Assignee: Aurora Flight Sciences Corporation (The Boeing Co.)
• Inventors: Paduano, James D., Wissler, John B., Piedmonte, Michael D., Mindell, David A.
• Granted Patent: US 9,557,742 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0202 specially adapted to aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/042 specially adapted for aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0676 specially adapted for landing
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/102 specially adapted for vertical take-off of aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/265 Personal security, identity or safety

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a system and methods of providing platform-agnostic systems and methods capable of providing an integrated processor and sensor suite with supervisory control software and interfaces to perform small unit rapid response resupply and CASEVAC into hazardous and unpredictable environments.

Claims

1. An autonomous aerial system, the autonomous aerial system comprising:

an aerial vehicle configured to communicate with an operating base,

wherein said aerial vehicle is configured to receive mission plan data from said operating base; and

a supervisory control system operatively coupled with the aerial vehicle,

wherein the supervisory control system is configured to generate flight control signal data via a sensor package, the sensor package configured to (1) detect obstacles, and (2) perceive physical features of an unprepared landing zone,

wherein the supervisory control system is configured to communicate the flight control signal data to the aerial vehicle, and

wherein said aerial vehicle is configured to autonomously navigate to, and touchdown at, the unprepared landing zone based at least in part on (1) said mission plan data, and (2) said flight control signal data.

2. The autonomous aerial system of claim 1, wherein said mission plan data comprises one or more routes, and a designated touchdown zone within said unprepared landing zone.

3. The autonomous aerial system of claim 2, wherein said mission plan data further comprises a first contingency operation, and a second contingency operation.

4. The autonomous aerial system of claim 2, wherein said one or more routes comprises (1) a launch route, (2) an approach route, and (3) a flight route.

5. The autonomous aerial system of claim 2, wherein said supervisory control system is configured to determine, using said sensor package, whether the designated touchdown zone is feasible, based at least in part on a physical characteristic of the designated touchdown zone.

6. The autonomous aerial system of claim 5, wherein said supervisory control system is configured to identify one or more alternate touchdown zones within said unprepared landing zone if said supervisory control system does not determine that the designated touchdown zone is feasible.

7. The autonomous aerial system of claim 6, wherein said one or more alternate touchdown zones are communicated to an operator at the operating base for approval.

8. The autonomous aerial system of claim 1, wherein the sensor package includes (1) a radio altimeter, (2) one or more electro optical or infrared imager, and (3) a light detection and ranging device.

9. The autonomous aerial system of claim 1, wherein the sensor package includes (1) a radio detection and ranging device and (2) a global positioning system device.

10. The autonomous aerial system of claim 1, wherein the supervisory control system is operatively coupled with the aerial vehicle via a Global Open Architecture Layer.

11. The autonomous aerial system of claim 2, wherein said mission plan data comprises at least one route in accordance with North Atlantic Treaty Organization Standardization Agreement 4586.

12. The autonomous aerial system of claim 2, wherein said aerial vehicle is a vertical take-off and landing aerial vehicle.

13. The autonomous aerial system of claim 1, wherein the supervisory control system is a modular open architecture sensor suite that is physically mounted on the aerial vehicle.

14. The autonomous aerial system of claim 3, wherein said first contingency operation is a lost communications contingency.

15. The autonomous aerial system of claim 14, wherein said second contingency operation is an alternate touchdown zone within said unprepared landing zone.

16. A supervisory control system for controlling an aerial vehicle, the supervisory control system comprising:

a sensor package configured to (1) detect obstacles, and (2) perceive physical features of an unprepared landing zone; and

a processor operatively coupled with an aerial vehicle via a control interface,

wherein said processor communicates mission plan data from an operating base to said aerial vehicle via the control interface,

wherein the processor generates flight control signal data using data collected via the sensor package,

wherein the processor is configured to communicate the flight control signal data to the aerial vehicle via the control interface, and

wherein said processor enables said aerial vehicle to autonomously navigate to, and touchdown at, the unprepared landing zone based at least in part on (1) said mission plan data, and (2) said flight control signal data.

17. The supervisory control system of claim 16, wherein the control interface employs a Global Open Architecture Layer.

18. The supervisory control system of claim 16, wherein the supervisory control system is a modular open architecture processor and sensor suite that is physically mounted on the aerial vehicle.