UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLE PLATFORM

• US 20180016005A1
• Filed: 09/28/2017
• Published: 01/18/2018
• 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 10,618,654 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/14 with four distinct rotor axes, e.g. quadcopters
• 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

1-20. -20. (canceled)

21. A method, comprising:

generating, by a device, flight path instructions for a flight path, from a first geographical location to a second geographical location, based on regulatory information;

providing, by the device, the flight path instructions to an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV);

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

determining, by the device, whether to modify the flight path based on the feedback;

generating, by the device, modified flight path instructions based on determining to modify the flight; and

providing, by the device, the modified flight path instructions to the UAV.

22. The method of claim 21, where generating the flight path instructions comprises:

generating the flight path instructions based on at least one of;

weather information,

air traffic information,

obstacle information, or

historical information.

23. The method of claim 21, where the flight path instructions include at least one of:

altitude information for the UAV,

navigational information,

information regarding expected weather conditions,

network information,

timing information, or

waypoint information.

24. The method of claim 21, where the feedback includes information received by one or more sensors of the UAV.

25. The method of claim 21, where the feedback includes information regarding a partial or complete failure of a component of the UAV.

26. The method of claim 21, where determining whether to modify the flight path based on the feedback comprises:

determining to modify the flight path based on the feedback indicating that weather conditions may prevent the UAV from reaching the second geographical location.

27. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

receiving further feedback from the UAV based on providing the modified flight path instructions to the UAV.

28. A device, comprising:

one or more processors to;

generate flight path instructions for a flight path, from a first geographical location to a second geographical location, based on regulatory information;

provide the flight path instructions to an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV);

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

determine whether to modify the flight path based on the feedback;

generate modified flight path instructions based on determining to modify the flight; and

provide the modified flight path instructions to the UAV.

29. The device of claim 28, where the one or more processors are further to:

determine that the UAV will safely arrive at the second geographical location based on the feedback;

where the one or more processors, when determining whether to modify the flight path, are to;

determine not to modify the flight path based on determining that the UAV will safely arrive at the second geographical location; and

where the one or more processors, when generating the modified flight path instructions, are to;

selectively generate the modified flight path instructions based on determining to modify the flight path, or

selectively not generate the modified flight path instruction based on determining not to modify the flight path.

30. The device of claim 28, where the one or more processors are further to:

provide secondary flight path instructions to the UAV,

the secondary flight path instructions comprising information regarding one or more secondary tasks.

31. The device of claim 30, where the one or more secondary tasks include at least one of:

activating an onboard camera,

zooming on an object or person,

focusing on an object or person,

capturing an image, or

providing an image with GPS coordinates to an authority.

32. The device of claim 28, where the one or more processors are further to:

deploy a plurality of UAVs to create a communication network,

the plurality of UAVs including the UAV.

33. The device of claim 32, where cell coverage area is provided to an area via the plurality of UAVs.

34. The device of claim 28, where the one or more processors are further to:

deploy a plurality of UAVs to establish surveillance around a location,

the plurality of UAVs including the UAV.

35. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions, the instructions comprising:

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

provide flight path instructions to an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) based on regulatory information,

the flight path instructions being for a flight path from a first geographical location to a second geographical location;

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

determine whether to modify the flight path based on the feedback;

generate modified flight path instructions based on determining to modify the flight; and

provide the modified flight path instructions to the UAV.

36. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 35, where the regulatory information includes information associated with regulated air space.

37. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 35, where the one or more instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:

receive a request for the flight path for the UAV,

the request including credentials associated with the UAV; and

authenticate the UAV based on the credentials.

38. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 35, where the one or more instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:

receive a notification indicating that the UAV arrived at the second geographical location.

39. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 35, where the one or more instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:

determine capability information for the UAV; and

calculate the flight path based on the capability information.

40. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 39, where the one or more instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:

determine waypoint information based on determining the capability information.