Autonomous Cargo Delivery System
First Claim
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1. An autonomous aerial system comprising:
- an aerial vehicle equipped with an onboard supervisory control system having a first processor, a sensor package, and a first communication transceiver,wherein the first processor is operatively coupled with the sensor package and the first communication transceiver, the first processor configured to generate flight control signal data based at least in part on data received via the sensor package and the first communication transceiver, the flight control signal data being operable to control an operation of the aerial vehicle; and
a human-system interface (HSI) device to facilitate bidirectional communication with the aerial vehicle over a wireless link, wherein the HSI device is remote from the aerial vehicle and includes a second processor, a second communication transceiver, a user input device, and a display device,wherein the HSI device is configured to receive, via the user input device, a first input from an operator representing a designated touchdown zone within a landing zone,wherein the HSI device is configured to transmit to said aerial vehicle, via said second communication transceiver, mission plan data and said designated touchdown zone,wherein the HSI device is configured to receive from said aerial vehicle, via said second communication transceiver, a notification to indicate whether it is feasible to touchdown at the designated touchdown zone, andwherein said notification is presented to said operator by said display device.
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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.
9 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An autonomous aerial system comprising:
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an aerial vehicle equipped with an onboard supervisory control system having a first processor, a sensor package, and a first communication transceiver, wherein the first processor is operatively coupled with the sensor package and the first communication transceiver, the first processor configured to generate flight control signal data based at least in part on data received via the sensor package and the first communication transceiver, the flight control signal data being operable to control an operation of the aerial vehicle; and a human-system interface (HSI) device to facilitate bidirectional communication with the aerial vehicle over a wireless link, wherein the HSI device is remote from the aerial vehicle and includes a second processor, a second communication transceiver, a user input device, and a display device, wherein the HSI device is configured to receive, via the user input device, a first input from an operator representing a designated touchdown zone within a landing zone, wherein the HSI device is configured to transmit to said aerial vehicle, via said second communication transceiver, mission plan data and said designated touchdown zone, wherein the HSI device is configured to receive from said aerial vehicle, via said second communication transceiver, a notification to indicate whether it is feasible to touchdown at the designated touchdown zone, and wherein said notification is presented to said operator by said display device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 4, 5)
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3. The autonomous aerial system of claim 3, wherein the first processor is configured to identify the one or more alternate touchdown zones within said landing zone in real time based on physical characteristic of the landing zone perceived via said sensor package.
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6. A human-system interface (HSI) device to facilitate bidirectional communication with an aerial vehicle having an onboard supervisory control system, the HSI device comprising:
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a first processor; a user input device operatively coupled with the first processor, wherein the HSI device is configured to receive, via the user input device, a first input from an operator representing a designated touchdown zone for the aerial vehicle within a landing zone; and a first communication transceiver operatively coupled with the first processor and configured to facilitate bidirectional communication with the aerial vehicle over a wireless link via a second communication transceiver of the onboard supervisory control system, wherein the HSI device is configured to (1) transmit to said aerial vehicle, via said first communication transceiver, mission plan data and said designated touchdown zone, and (2) receive from said aerial vehicle, via said first communication transceiver, one or more notifications indicating whether it is feasible to touchdown at the designated touchdown zone; and a display device, wherein said one or more notification are presented to said operator by said display device. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method of communicating with an aerial vehicle having an onboard supervisory control system over a wireless link using a human-system interface (HSI) device, wherein the HSI device includes a processor, a communication transceiver, a user input device, and a display device, the method comprising:
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receiving receive, via the user input device, a first input from an operator representing a designated touchdown zone within a landing zone; transmitting to said aerial vehicle, via said communication transceiver, mission plan data and said designated touchdown zone, wherein the mission plan data includes one or more routes; receiving from said aerial vehicle, via said communication transceiver, a notification indicating whether it is feasible to touchdown at the designated touchdown zone; and displaying, via said display device, the notification to said operator. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification