UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLE PLATFORM

• US 20150336667A1
• Filed: 05/20/2014
• Published: 11/26/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: SRIVASTAVA, Ashok N., PASKO, Douglas M., BATLA, Hani, KANTOR, Igor, UBHI, Gurpreet
• Granted Patent: US 9,783,293 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/14 with four distinct rotor axes, e.g. quadcopters
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/24 for use as flying displays, e.g. advertising or billboards
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/60 for transporting passengers; for transporting goods other than weapons
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/20 Remote controls
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/101 specially adapted for aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/106 Change initiated in response to external conditions, e.g. avoidance of elevated terrain or of no-fly zones
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/1062 specially adapted for avoiding bad weather conditions
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/1064 specially adapted for avoiding collisions with other aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management

Abstract

A device receives a request for a flight path of UAV from a first location to a second location in a region, and determines, based on credentials associated with the UAV, whether the UAV is authenticated for utilizing the device and a network. The device determines, when the UAV is authenticated, capability information for the UAV based on the request and component information associated with the UAV. The device calculates the flight path from the first location to the second location based on the capability information and one or more of weather information, air traffic information, obstacle information, or regulatory information associated with the region. The device generates flight path instructions for the flight path based on one or more of the weather information, the air traffic information, the obstacle information, or the regulatory information associated with the region, and provides the flight path instructions to the UAV.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving, by a device, a request for a flight path for an unmanned aerial vehicle to travel from a first geographical location to a second geographical location in a region,

the request including credentials associated with the unmanned aerial vehicle;

determining, by the device and based on the credentials associated with the unmanned aerial vehicle, whether the unmanned aerial vehicle is authenticated for utilizing the device and a network associated with the device;

determining, by the device and when the unmanned aerial vehicle is authenticated for utilizing the device and the network, capability information for the unmanned aerial vehicle based on the request and component information associated with the unmanned aerial vehicle;

calculating, by the device, the flight path from the first geographical location to the second geographical location based on the capability information and based on one or more of weather information, air traffic information, obstacle information, or regulatory information associated with the region;

generating, by the device, flight path instructions for the flight path based on one or more of the weather information, the air traffic information, the obstacle information, or the regulatory information associated with the region; and

providing, by the device, the flight path instructions to the unmanned aerial vehicle to permit the unmanned aerial vehicle to travel from the first geographical location to the second geographical location.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, based on the credentials associated with the unmanned aerial vehicle, whether the unmanned aerial vehicle is registered with an appropriate authority;

denying the request for the flight path when the unmanned aerial vehicle is not authenticated for utilizing the device and the network or when the unmanned aerial vehicle is not registered with the appropriate authority; and

providing, based on denying the request for the flight path, a message to the unmanned aerial vehicle indicating that the request for the flight path is denied.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating a map for the flight path based on one or more of the weather information, the air traffic information, the obstacle information, or the regulatory information associated with the region; and

providing the map to the unmanned aerial vehicle.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, via the network, feedback from the unmanned aerial vehicle during traversal of the flight path by the unmanned aerial vehicle; and

determining whether to modify the flight path based on the feedback received from the unmanned aerial vehicle.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

calculating, when the flight path is to be modified, a modified flight path to the second geographical location based on the feedback;

generating modified flight path instructions for the modified flight path based on the feedback; and

providing the modified flight path instructions to the unmanned aerial vehicle.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a notification indicating that the unmanned aerial vehicle arrived at the second geographical location when the unmanned aerial vehicle arrives at the second geographical location.

7. The method of claim 1, where the method further comprises:

receiving the weather information, the air traffic information, the obstacle information, or the regulatory information associated with the region; and

storing the weather information, the air traffic information, the obstacle information, or the regulatory information associated with the region.

8. A system, comprising:

a storage device to store;

weather information associated with a region,

air traffic information associated with the region,

obstacle information associated with the regions, and

regulatory information associated with the region; and

one or more devices to;

receive a request for a flight path for an unmanned aerial vehicle from a first geographical location to a second geographical location in the region,

the request including credentials associated with the unmanned aerial vehicle;

determine, based on the credentials associated with the unmanned aerial vehicle, whether the unmanned aerial vehicle is authenticated for utilizing the device and a network associated with the device;

determine, when the unmanned aerial vehicle is authenticated for utilizing the device and the network, capability information for the unmanned aerial vehicle based on the request and component information associated with the unmanned aerial vehicle;

calculate the flight path from the first geographical location to the second geographical location based on the capability information and based on one or more of the weather information, the air traffic information, the obstacle information, or the regulatory information associated with the region;

generate flight path instructions for the flight path based on one or more of the weather information, the air traffic information, the obstacle information, or the regulatory information associated with the region; and

provide the flight path instructions to the unmanned aerial vehicle to permit the unmanned aerial vehicle to travel from the first geographical location to the second geographical location.

9. The system of claim 8, where the one or more devices are further to:

determine, based on the credentials associated with the unmanned aerial vehicle, whether the unmanned aerial vehicle is registered with an appropriate authority;

deny the request for the flight path when the unmanned aerial vehicle is not authenticated for utilizing the device and the network or when the unmanned aerial vehicle is not registered with the appropriate authority; and

provide, based on denying the request for the flight path, a message to the unmanned aerial vehicle indicating that the request for the flight path is denied.

10. The system of claim 8, where the one or more devices are further to:

generate a map for the flight path based on one or more of the weather information, the air traffic information, the obstacle information, or the regulatory information associated with the region; and

provide the map to the unmanned aerial vehicle.

11. The system of claim 8, where the one or more devices are further to:

receive, via the network, feedback from the unmanned aerial vehicle during traversal of the flight path by the unmanned aerial vehicle; and

determine whether to modify the flight path based on the feedback received from the unmanned aerial vehicle.

12. The system of claim 11, where the one or more devices are further to:

calculate, when the flight path is to be modified, a modified flight path to the second geographical location based on the feedback;

generate modified flight path instructions for the modified flight path based on the feedback; and

provide the modified flight path instructions to the unmanned aerial vehicle.

13. The system of claim 8, where the one or more devices are further to:

receive a notification indicating that the unmanned aerial vehicle arrived at the second geographical location when the unmanned aerial vehicle arrives at the second geographical location.

14. The system of claim 8, where the one or more devices are further to:

receive the weather information, the air traffic information, the obstacle information, or the regulatory information associated with the region; and

store, in the storage device, the weather information, the air traffic information, the obstacle information, and the regulatory information associated with the region.

15. A computer-readable medium for storing instructions, the instructions comprising:

one or more instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a device, cause the one or more processors to;

receive a request for a flight path for an unmanned aerial vehicle from a first geographical location to a second geographical location in a region, and credentials associated with the unmanned aerial vehicle;

determine, based on the credentials associated with the unmanned aerial vehicle, whether the unmanned aerial vehicle is authenticated for utilizing the device and a network associated with the device;

determine, when the unmanned aerial vehicle is authenticated for utilizing the device and the network, capability information for the unmanned aerial vehicle based on the request and component information associated with the unmanned aerial vehicle;

calculate the flight path from the first geographical location to the second geographical location based on the capability information and based on one or more of weather information, air traffic information, obstacle information, or regulatory information associated with the region;

generate flight path instructions for the flight path based on one or more of the weather information, the air traffic information, the obstacle information, or the regulatory information associated with the region; and

provide the flight path instructions to the unmanned aerial vehicle to permit the unmanned aerial vehicle to travel from the first geographical location to the second geographical location.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, where the instructions further comprise:

one or more instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to;

determine, based on the credentials associated with the unmanned aerial vehicle, whether the unmanned aerial vehicle is registered with an appropriate authority;

deny the request for the flight path when the unmanned aerial vehicle is not authenticated for utilizing the device and the network or when the unmanned aerial vehicle is not registered with the appropriate authority; and

provide, based on denying the request for the flight path, a message to the unmanned aerial vehicle indicating that the request for the flight path is denied.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, where the instructions further comprise:

one or more instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to;

generate a map for the flight path based on one or more of the weather information, the air traffic information, the obstacle information, or the regulatory information associated with the region; and

provide the map to the unmanned aerial vehicle.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, where the instructions further comprise:

one or more instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to;

receive, via the network, feedback from the unmanned aerial vehicle during traversal of the flight path by the unmanned aerial vehicle; and

determine whether to modify the flight path based on the feedback received from the unmanned aerial vehicle.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 18, where the instructions further comprise:

one or more instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to;

calculate, when the flight path is to be modified, a modified flight path to the second geographical location based on the feedback;

generate modified flight path instructions for the modified flight path based on the feedback; and

provide the modified flight path instructions to the unmanned aerial vehicle.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, where the instructions further comprise:

one or more instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to;

receive a notification indicating that the unmanned aerial vehicle arrived at the second geographical location when the unmanned aerial vehicle arrives at the second geographical location.