SYSTEM AND METHOD OF PREVENTING AND REMEDYING RESTRICTED AREA INTRUSIONS BY UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES

• US 20160240087A1
• Filed: 02/12/2016
• Published: 08/18/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Botlink, LLC
• Original Assignee: Aerobotic Innovations LLC
• Inventors: Huls, Luke, Muehler, Shawn P., KUBE, Alexander J.
• Granted Patent: US 9,905,134 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 2201/10 autonomous, i.e. by navigating independently from ground or air stations, e.g. by using inertial navigation systems [INS]
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0011 associated with a remote control arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0022 characterised by the communication link data switching networks in general H04L12/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0052 for cruising combined instruments indicating more than one navigational value G01C23/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/006 in accordance with predefined flight zones, e.g. to avoid prohibited zones
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0069 specially adapted for an unmanned aircraft

Abstract

An intrusion prevention system includes an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), a UAV controller, and a restricted area data aggregator. The restricted data aggregator collects and stores restricted area data. The UAV controller is coupled to communicate with the UAV and the restricted area data aggregator, wherein the UAV controller receives positional data from the UAV and restricted area data from the restricted area aggregator. The UAV controller determines based on the received positional data and the received restricted area data whether the UAV is currently intruding within a restricted area or is predicted to intrude within a restricted area and wherein the UAV controller initiates actions to prevent unauthorized intrusions into restricted areas.

Claims

1. A restricted area intrusion avoidance system comprising:

an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that includes a positional sensor;

a restricted area aggregator that collects and stores restricted area data; and

a UAV controller coupled to communicate wirelessly with the UAV, wherein the UAV controller receives flight data from the UAV and restricted area data from the restricted area aggregator, wherein the flight data includes positional data collected by the positional sensor, wherein the UAV controller includes an intrusion prevention module that determines based on the received positional data and the received restricted area data whether the UAV is currently intruding within a restricted area or is predicted to intrude within a restricted area.

2. The restricted area intrusion avoidance system of claim 1, wherein the intrusion prevention module includes a local database for storing restricted area data provided by the restricted data aggregator.

3. The restricted area intrusion avoidance system of claim 1, wherein the local database stores a restricted area data provided by the restricted data aggregator that is spatially relevant to the location of the UAV.

4. The restricted area intrusion avoidance system of claim 2, wherein the UAV controller includes a display screen, wherein the intrusion prevention module displays information regarding the position of the UAV and location/boundaries of restricted areas on the display screen for review by a user.

5. The restricted area intrusion avoidance system of claim 4, wherein the intrusion prevention module receives information from the restricted area aggregator regarding notifications/permissions required to enter restricted areas, wherein the notifications/permissions are displayed to the user via the display screen.

6. The restricted area intrusion avoidance system of claim 1, wherein the intrusion prevention module generates a safety point command in response to a detected intrusion or imminent intrusion that overrides commands from the user to direct the UAV to a safe location outside of the restricted area.

7. The restricted area intrusion avoidance system of claim 1, wherein the restricted area aggregator includes a geo-spatial restricted area database that is searchable by position to provide spatially relevant information regarding restricted areas.

8. The restricted area intrusion avoidance system of claim 7, wherein the restricted area aggregator includes a restricted area intrusion/UAV database that maintains records related to intrusions within restricted areas by UAVs.

9. The restricted area intrusion avoidance system of claim 8, wherein records related to intrusions within restricted areas include at least one of identification of the UAV, owner of the UAV, time/duration of the intrusion, and location of the intrusion.

10. The restricted area intrusion avoidance system of claim 7, wherein the restricted area aggregator includes a restricted area creation module that receives restricted area data from restricted area owners/administrators regarding definition of restricted area boundaries, wherein the received restricted area data is stored to the geo-spatial restricted area database.

11. The restricted area intrusion avoidance system of claim 7, wherein the restricted area aggregator includes a restricted area data interface module that receives restricted area data from third-party restricted area data sources regarding definition of restricted area boundaries, wherein the received restricted area data is stored to the geo-spatial restricted area database.

12. A method of preventing restricted area intrusions, the method comprising:

receiving flight data provided by an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), wherein the flight data includes at least positional data describing position of the UAV, wherein the flight data is received by a UAV controller associated with the UAV;

requesting restricted area data from a restricted area aggregator, wherein the request include positional data received from the UAV;

receiving spatially relevant restricted area data from the restricted area aggregator, wherein the spatially relevant restricted area data is received by the UAV controller;

determining a risk of intrusion based on a comparison of the flight data received from the UAV and the spatially relevant restricted area data received from the restricted area aggregator.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the received spatially relevant restricted area data includes information regarding owner of the restricted area and notification requirements for entering the restricted area.

14. The method of claim 13, further including generating an entry request notification and transmitting the entry request notification to the owner of the restricted area.

15. The method of claim 12, further including calculating avoidance maneuvers in response to a determined risk of intrusion.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the calculated avoidance maneuvers are presented to the user via a display on the UAV controller and the user is prompted for action.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the calculated avoidance maneuvers are automatically provided to the UAV to prevent intrusion within the restricted area.

18. An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) controller comprising:

a controller interface coupled to communicate bi-directionally with an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), wherein the controller interface receives flight data from the UAV and provides flight commands to the UAV;

a restricted area interface coupled to communicate bi-directionally with a restricted area aggregator, wherein the restricted area interface provides a request to the restricted area aggregator for spatially relevant restricted area data; and

an intrusion prevention module that compares flight data received from the UAV with spatially relevant restricted area data to determine a risk of intrusion within a restricted area.

19. The UAV controller of claim 18, wherein the intrusion prevention module calculates avoidance maneuvers to prevent the UAV from entering a restricted area and provides the calculated avoidance maneuvers to the controller interface for provision to the UAV.

20. The UAV controller of claim 19, further including a display, wherein the intrusion prevention module provides information regarding restricted areas and calculated avoidance maneuvers to the display for review by a user.

21. The UAV controller of claim 18, wherein the request includes position information associated with the UAV, wherein the spatially relevant restricted area data is selected by the restricted area aggregator based on the provided position information.