UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLE FLIGHT PATH DETERMINATION, OPTIMIZATION, AND MANAGEMENT

• US 20150336668A1
• 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: Pasko, Douglas M., Srivastava, Ashok N., Batla, Hani, Kantor, Igor, Ubhi, Gurpreet
• Granted Patent: US 9,334,052 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/13 Flying platforms
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/20 for use as communications relays, e.g. high-altitude platforms
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/60 for transporting passengers; for transporting goods other than weapons
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/64 for parcel delivery or retrieval
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/20 Remote controls
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/20 Rotors; Rotor supports
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/30 Supply or distribution of electrical power
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/00 Control of position, course, altitude or attitude of land, water, air or space vehicles, e.g. using automatic pilots drive control systems specially adapted for autonomous road vehicles B60W60/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0005 with arrangements to save energy
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0011 associated with a remote control arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management

Abstract

A device receives a request for a flight path from a first location to a second location in a region. The request includes component information associated with components of UAVs in a group. The device calculates a most efficient flight path from the first location to the second location based weather information, air traffic information, obstacle information, or regulatory information associated with the region, and determines capability information for the UAVs in the group based on the component information. The device selects, from the UAVs in the group, a particular UAV that is capable of traversing the most efficient flight path based on the capability information, and generates flight path instructions for the most efficient flight path. The device provides the flight path instructions to the particular UAV to permit the particular UAV to travel from the first location to the second location via the most efficient flight path.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving, by a device, a request for a flight path from a first geographical location to a second geographical location in a region,

the request including credentials associated with unmanned aerial vehicles in a group of unmanned aerial vehicles and component information associated with components of the unmanned aerial vehicles in the group;

determining, by the device and based on the credentials associated with the unmanned aerial vehicles in the group, whether one or more of the unmanned aerial vehicles in the group are authenticated for utilizing the device and a network associated with the device;

selecting, by the device and when one or more of the unmanned aerial vehicles in the group are authenticated for utilizing the device and the network, a flight path from the first geographical location to the second geographical location, and from a plurality of possible flight paths, based on one or more of weather information, air traffic information, obstacle information, or regulatory information associated with the region, travel time for the flight path, travel distance for the flight path, or power required for the flight path;

determining, by the device and based on the component information, capability information for the one or more unmanned aerial vehicles in the group determined to be authenticated for utilizing the device and the network;

selecting, by the device and from the one or more unmanned aerial vehicles in the group determined to be authenticated for utilizing the device and the network, a particular unmanned aerial vehicle that is capable of traversing the flight path based on the capability information;

generating, by the device, flight path instructions for the flight path; and

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

2. The method of claim 1, where selecting the flight path comprises:

assigning weights to one or more of the weather information, the air traffic information, the obstacle information, or the regulatory information associated with the region, the travel time for the flight path, the travel distance for the flight path, or the power required for the flight path;

determining the plurality of possible flight paths from the first geographical location to the second geographical location;

calculating scores for the plurality of possible flights based on the assigned weights; and

selecting the flight path, from plurality of possible flight paths, based on the calculated scores.

3. The method of claim 2, where calculating the flight path further comprises:

ranking the plurality of possible flight paths based on the calculated scores; and

selecting the flight path, from the plurality of possible flight paths, based on the ranking of the plurality of possible flight paths.

4. The method of claim 2, where different weights are assigned to one or more of the weather information, the air traffic information, the obstacle information, or the regulatory information associated with the region, the travel time for the flight path, the travel distance for the flight path, or the power required for the flight path.

5. The method of claim 1, where selecting the particular unmanned aerial vehicle comprises:

assigning weights to the capability information for the one or more unmanned aerial vehicles in the group determined to be authenticated for utilizing the device and the network;

calculating a score, for each of the one or more unmanned aerial vehicles in the group determined to be authenticated for utilizing the device and the network, based on the assigned weights; and

selecting the particular unmanned aerial vehicle, from the one or more unmanned aerial vehicles in the group determined to be authenticated for utilizing the device and the network, based on the calculated scores.

6. The method of claim 5, where selecting the particular unmanned aerial vehicle further comprises:

ranking the one or more unmanned aerial vehicles in the group based on the calculated scores; and

selecting the particular unmanned aerial vehicle, from the one or more unmanned aerial vehicles in the group determined to be authenticated for utilizing the device and the network, based on the ranking of the one or more unmanned aerial vehicles in the group.

7. The method of claim 5, where different weights are assigned to different types of the capability information.

8. A system, comprising:

a storage device to store one or more of;

weather information associated with a region,

air traffic information associated with the region,

obstacle information associated with the region, or

regulatory information associated with the region; and

one or more devices to;

receive a request for a flight path from a first geographical location to a second geographical location in a region,

the request including component information associated with components of unmanned aerial vehicles in a group of unmanned aerial vehicles;

select a flight path from the first geographical location to the second geographical location, and from a plurality of possible flight paths, based on one or more of the weather information, the air traffic information, the obstacle information, or the regulatory information associated with the region, travel time for the flight path, travel distance for the flight path, or power required for the flight path;

determine, based on the component information, capability information for the unmanned aerial vehicles in the group;

identify a plurality of unmanned aerial vehicles, in the group of unmanned aerial vehicle, that are capable of traversing the flight path, based on the capability information;

select, from the plurality of unmanned aerial vehicles, a particular unmanned aerial vehicle based on the capability information;

generate flight path instructions for the flight path; and

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

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

assign weights to one or more of the weather information, the air traffic information, the obstacle information, or the regulatory information associated with the region, the travel time for the flight path, the travel distance for the flight path, or the power required for the flight path;

determine the plurality of possible flight paths from the first geographical location to the second geographical location;

calculate scores for the plurality of possible flights based on the assigned weights; and

select the flight path, from plurality of possible flight paths, based on the calculated scores.

10. The system of claim 9, where, when selecting the flight path, the one or more devices are further to:

rank the plurality of possible flight paths based on the calculated scores; and

select the flight path, from the plurality of possible flight paths, based on the ranking of the plurality of possible flight paths.

11. The system of claim 9, where different weights are assigned to one or more of the weather information, the air traffic information, the obstacle information, or the regulatory information associated with the region, the travel time for the flight path, the travel distance for the flight path, or the power required for the flight path.

12. The system of claim 8, where, when selecting the particular unmanned aerial vehicle, the one or more devices are further to:

assign weights to the capability information for the plurality of unmanned aerial vehicles;

calculate a score, for each of the plurality of unmanned aerial vehicles, based on the assigned weights; and

select the particular unmanned aerial vehicle, from the plurality of unmanned aerial vehicles, based on the calculated scores.

13. The system of claim 12, where, when selecting the particular unmanned aerial vehicle, the one or more devices are further to:

rank the plurality of unmanned aerial vehicles based on the calculated scores; and

select the particular unmanned aerial vehicle, from the plurality of unmanned aerial vehicles, based on the ranking of the plurality of unmanned aerial vehicles.

14. The system of claim 12, where different weights are assigned to different types of the capability information.

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 from a first geographical location to a second geographical location in a region,

the request including component information associated with components of unmanned aerial vehicles in a group of unmanned aerial vehicles;

select a flight path from the first geographical location to the second geographical location, and from a plurality of possible flight paths, based on one or more of weather information, air traffic information, obstacle information, or regulatory information associated with the region, travel time for the flight path, travel distance for the flight path, or power required for the flight path;

determine, based on the component information, capability information for the unmanned aerial vehicles in the group;

identify a plurality of unmanned aerial vehicles, in the group of unmanned aerial vehicle, that are capable of traversing the flight path, based on the capability information;

select, from the plurality of unmanned aerial vehicles, a particular unmanned aerial vehicle based on the capability information;

generate flight path instructions for the flight path; and

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

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

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

assign weights to one or more of the weather information, the air traffic information, the obstacle information, or the regulatory information associated with the region, the travel time for the flight path, the travel distance for the flight path, or the power required for the flight path;

determine the plurality of possible flight paths from the first geographical location to the second geographical location;

calculate scores for the plurality of possible flights based on the assigned weights; and

select the flight path, from plurality of possible flight paths, based on the calculated scores.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 16, where the instructions to select the flight path further comprise:

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

rank the plurality of possible flight paths based on the calculated scores; and

select the flight path, from the plurality of possible flight paths, based on the ranking of the plurality of possible flight paths.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 16, where different weights are assigned to one or more of the weather information, the air traffic information, the obstacle information, or the regulatory information associated with the region, the travel time for the flight path, the travel distance for the flight path, or the power required for the flight path.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, where the instructions to select the particular unmanned aerial vehicle further comprise:

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

assign weights to the capability information for the plurality of unmanned aerial vehicles;

calculate a score, for each of the plurality of unmanned aerial vehicles, based on the assigned weights; and

select the particular unmanned aerial vehicle, from the plurality of unmanned aerial vehicles, based on the calculated scores.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 19, where the instructions to select the particular unmanned aerial vehicle further comprise:

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

rank the plurality of unmanned aerial vehicles based on the calculated scores; and

select the particular unmanned aerial vehicle, from the plurality of unmanned aerial vehicles, based on the ranking of the plurality of unmanned aerial vehicles.