UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLE IDENTITY AND CAPABILITY VERIFICATION

• US 20160125740A1
• Filed: 05/20/2014
• Published: 05/05/2016
• 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 9,569,972 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/13 Flying platforms
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0034 Assembly of a flight plan
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0039 Modification of a flight plan
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0069 specially adapted for an unmanned aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0078 for monitoring traffic from the aircraft radar or analogous systems specially adapted for traffic control G01S13/91
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0082 for monitoring traffic from a ground station radar or analogous systems specially adapted for traffic control G01S13/91
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0086 for monitoring terrain radar or analogous systems specially adapted for terrain avoidance G01S13/935

Abstract

A device receives a request for a flight path for a UAV from a first location to a second location, credentials for the UAV, and component information for the UAV. The device determines, based on the credentials, whether the UAV is authenticated for utilizing the device and a network, and determines whether the UAV is capable of flight based on the component information and maintenance information. The device calculates, the flight path based on capability information for the UAV and/or other information, and determines whether the UAV is capable of traversing the flight path based on the capability information and/or the other information. The device generates flight path instructions for the flight path, and provides the flight path instructions to the UAV to permit the UAV to travel from the first location to the second location via the flight path.

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 and component information associated with components of 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, whether the unmanned aerial vehicle is capable of flight based on the component information and maintenance information associated with the components of the unmanned aerial vehicle;

determining, by the device, capability information for the unmanned aerial vehicle based on the component information;

calculating, by the device and when the unmanned aerial vehicle is authenticated for utilizing the device and the network and is capable of flight, 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;

determining, by the device, whether the unmanned aerial vehicle is capable of traversing the flight path 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 and when the unmanned aerial vehicle is capable of traversing the flight path, flight path instructions for the flight path; 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 via the flight path.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

denying the request for the flight path when at least one of;

the unmanned aerial vehicle is not authenticated for utilizing the device or the network,

the unmanned aerial vehicle is incapable of flight, or

the unmanned aerial vehicle is incapable of traversing the flight path; and

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

3. 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 indicating that the request for the flight path is denied.

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; 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 component information, the maintenance information, and the capability information; and

storing the component information, the maintenance information, and 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 for an unmanned aerial vehicle to travel 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 whether the unmanned aerial vehicle is capable of flight based on component information associated with components of the unmanned aerial vehicle and maintenance information associated with the components of the unmanned aerial vehicle;

determine capability information for the unmanned aerial vehicle based on the component information;

calculate, when the unmanned aerial vehicle is authenticated for utilizing the device and the network and is capable of flight, 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;

determine whether the unmanned aerial vehicle is capable of traversing the flight path 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, when the unmanned aerial vehicle is capable of traversing the flight path, flight path instructions for the flight path; 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 via the flight path.

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

deny the request for the flight path when at least one of;

the unmanned aerial vehicle is not authenticated for utilizing the device or the network,

the unmanned aerial vehicle is incapable of flight, or

the unmanned aerial vehicle is incapable of traversing the flight path; and

provide, based on denying the request for the flight path, a message 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:

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 or 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 indicating that the request for the flight path is denied.

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

receive, via the network, feedback 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; 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.

14. The system of claim 13, where the notification is generated by the unmanned aerial vehicle.

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, credentials associated with the unmanned aerial vehicle, and component information associated with components of 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, whether the unmanned aerial vehicle is capable of flight based on the component information and maintenance information associated with the components of the unmanned aerial vehicle;

determine capability information for the unmanned aerial vehicle based on the component information;

calculate, when the unmanned aerial vehicle is capable of flight, 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;

determine whether the unmanned aerial vehicle is capable of traversing the flight path 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, when the unmanned aerial vehicle is capable of traversing the flight path, flight path instructions for the flight path; 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 via the flight path.

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;

deny the request for the flight path when at least one of;

the unmanned aerial vehicle is not authenticated for utilizing the device or the network,

the unmanned aerial vehicle is incapable of flight, or

the unmanned aerial vehicle is incapable of traversing the flight path; and

provide, based on denying the request for the flight path, a message 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;

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 or 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 indicating that the request for the flight path is denied.

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 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; 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.