GEOGRAPHIC SURVEY SYSTEM FOR VERTICAL TAKE-OFF AND LANDING (VTOL) UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES (UAVS)

• US 20180101182A1
• Filed: 12/13/2017
• Published: 04/12/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/11/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aerovironment
• Original Assignee: Aerovironment
• Inventors: Fisher, Christopher Eugene, Mukherjee, Jason Sidharthadev, Lott, William Arden
• Granted Patent: US 10,534,372 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 29/02 having its flight directional axis vertical when grounded
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 1/005 Protective coverings for aircraft not in use
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/20 Vertical take-off and landing [VTOL] aircraft flying platforms B64U10/13; helicopters B64U10/17
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/25 Fixed-wing aircraft VTOL aircraft B64U10/20
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/30 for imaging, photography or videography
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/32 for cartography or topography
• 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: B64U 70/80 Vertical take-off or landing, e.g. using rockets rotorcrafts B64U10/10; VTOL aircraft B64U10/20
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 80/70 in containers B64U80/60 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/102 specially adapted for vertical take-off of aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/016 After-sales
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0021 located in the aircraft
• 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 5/0056 in an emergency situation, e.g. hijacking
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0065 for taking-off
• 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 5/0091 for monitoring atmospheric conditions radar or analogous systems specially adapted for meteorological use G01S13/95; meteorology G01W
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/025 : Navigation or guidance aids radar or analogous systems specially adapted for landing purposes G01S13/913

Abstract

A method of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) operation, including: receiving from a customer a first data request, the first data request having: a first geographic coverage area; and a refresh rate for the first geographic coverage area; planning a first plurality of flight missions to accomplish the first data request; uploading flight missions data representing the first plurality of flight missions into a UAV pod; and deploying the UAV pod.

Claims

1. An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) operational system, comprising:

a UAV pod having a pod memory and a pod processor, the pod memory storing a first plurality of UAV flight mission information that is adequate to survey a geographic coverage area at a predetermined refresh rate; and

a UAV seated in the UAV pod, the UAV having a UAV memory storage and a UAV processor, the UAV memory storing one of the first plurality of UAV flight missions;

wherein each one of the plurality of UAV flight missions represents a launch, survey and landing of the UAV.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

survey data from at least one of the first plurality of UAV flight missions stored in the pod memory.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

survey data from at least one of the first plurality of UAV flight missions stored in a second pod memory.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the second pod memory comprises portable memory detachably connected to the UAV pod.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the UAV pod further comprises a transceiver in communication with the pod processor, the pod processor configured to transmit the survey data to an operational support center positioned remotely from the UAV pod.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a customer support center configured to receive a first data request from a customer via electronic communications and wherein the first data request further comprises;

a first geographic coverage area; and

a refresh rate for the first geographic coverage area.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the first data request further comprises one of a ground resolution or ground sample distance (GSD).

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a transceiver in the UAV, the transceiver configured to communicate with the UAV pod.