SYSTEM FOR AUTONOMOUS OPERATION OF MULTIPLE HYBRID UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES SUPPORTED BY RECHARGING STATIONS TO PERFORM SERVICES

• US 20180188747A1
• Filed: 06/23/2016
• Published: 07/05/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group), Kia Corp.
• Original Assignee: Venturelli Davide
• Granted Patent: US 10,372,142 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 25/34 wheeled type, e.g. multi-wheeled bogies
• 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: B64U 50/19 using electrically powered motors
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/30 Supply or distribution of electrical power
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/104 involving a plurality of aircrafts, e.g. formation flying traffic control systems for aircraft G08G5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06311 Scheduling, planning or task assignment for a person or group
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0004 Transmission of traffic-related information to or from an aircraft airborne radio transmission systems in general H04B7/185; airborne wireless networks H04W84/06
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0013 with a ground station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0026 located on the ground
• 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 5/0082 for monitoring traffic from a ground station 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

Abstract

An automated system and method for controlling a plurality of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) is described. The system can include a receiver, a transmitter, and at least one processor in communication with a memory. The receiver receives first telemetric data from the plurality of UAVs. The transmitter is configured to transmit control data to the plurality of UAVs. The memory stores processor-issuable instructions to: substantially simultaneously determine a plurality of plans for each of the plurality of UAVs and for a predetermined time period based at least on the first telemetric data; and iteratively revise the plurality of plans.

Claims

1. An automated system for controlling a plurality of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), the system comprising:

a receiver that receives first telemetric data from the plurality of UAVs;

a transmitter configured to transmit control data to the plurality of UAVs; and

at least one processor in communication with a memory storing processor-issuable instructions to;

substantially simultaneously determine a plurality of plans for each of the plurality of UAVs and for a predetermined time period based at least on the first telemetric data; and

iteratively revise the plurality of plans.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first telemetric data and the updated telemetric data includes position data.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first telemetric data and the updated telemetric data includes battery charge data.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein iteratively revising the plurality of plans is based on updated telemetric data received, via the receiver, from the plurality of UAVs.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one UAV of the plurality of UAVs is an unmanned ground aerial vehicle (UGAV) comprising wheels for ground movement.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the control data transmitted to the at least one UAV comprises flight navigation data and ground navigation data.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the plans for each of the plurality of UAVs are coordinated so as to at least one of:

avoid collisions between UAVs of the plurality of UAVs;

avoid collisions between UAVs and other objects or regions specified on a geographical navigation model;

avoid interaction of the UAVs with events specified on a temporal model;

synchronize the planned movements of the UAVs and the activation of their sensors in order to guarantee continuance of data acquisition of a particular region or event for an arbitrarily long amount of time;

ensure that the plans for the UAVs allows the data acquisition specified as objective of the plan; and

ensure that each UAV of the plurality of UAVs maintains a battery charge that is above a predetermined level, which could be different for each UAV.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the plans are coordinated to ensure that at least a predefined numer of UAVs is present in each of a predetermined plurality of geographic zones.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the plans are coordinated to ensure that no more than a predefined numer of UAVs is present in each of a predetermined plurality of geographic zones.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the updated telemetric data received from the plurality of UAVs comprises a UAV fault notification.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first telemetric data and the updated telemetric data comprises meteorological data.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the updated telemetric data comprises trigger event data.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the control data comprises at least one of:

ground navigation data, flight navigation data, data acquisition data, communication data, take-off data, landing data, docking data and recharging data.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the plans are coordinated so as to run substantially concurrently.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of plans includes an instruction for at least one UAV of the plurality of UAVs to travel to a recharging station.

16. A method of controlling a plurality of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), the method comprising:

determining a plurality of plans for the plurality of UAVs based at least on a first telemetric data; and

, subsequently,

iteratively revising the plurality of plans.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein determining the plurality of plans comprises determining each plan thereof substantially simultaneously.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein iteratively revising the plurality of plans is based on a second, updated telemetric data received from the plurality of UAVs.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein iteratively revising the plurality of plans is performed at predetermined time intervals.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein iteratively revising the plurality of plans is based on a decision made by a configured software program.

21. The method of claim 16, wherein at least one UAV of the plurality of UAVs is an unmanned ground aerial vehicle (UGAV) comprising wheels for ground movement.

22. The method of claim 16, wherein the plurality of plans includes an instruction for at least UAV of the plurality of UAVs to travel to a recharging station.