Wirelessly controlling unmanned aircraft and accessing associated surveillance data

• US 7,581,702 B2
• Filed: 06/09/2006
• Issued: 09/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Insitu Incorporated (The Boeing Co.)
• Original Assignee: Insitu Incorporated (The Boeing Co.)
• Inventors: Olson, Steven J., Wheeler, Matt
• Primary Examiner(s): Collins; Timothy D
• Application Number:
  US11/449,927
• Publication Number:
  US 20070284474A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,180 Days
• Field of Search: 244/189, 701/4, 701/2, 701/11, 701/3
• US Class Current: 244/189
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/25 Fixed-wing aircraft VTOL aircraft B64U10/20
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/20 for use as communications relays, e.g. high-altitude platforms
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/31 for surveillance
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/20 Remote controls
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0022 characterised by the communication link data switching networks in general H04L12/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0013 with a ground station
• 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: H04B 7/18504 Aircraft used as relay or high altitude atmospheric platform
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/40 for vehicles, e.g. vehicle-to-pedestrians [V2P]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/70 Services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC]

Abstract

Controlling an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) may be accomplished by using a wireless device (e.g., cell phone) to send a control message to a receiver at the UAV via a wireless telecommunication network (e.g., an existing cellular network configured primarily for mobile telephone communication). In addition, the wireless device may be used to receive communications from a transmitter at the UAV, wherein the wireless device receives the communications from the transmitter via the wireless network. Examples of such communications include surveillance information and UAV monitoring information.

Claims

1. A method for controlling an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), the method comprising:

transmitting a control message to a receiver at a first UAV over a wireless network configured primarily for mobile telephone communication;

transmitting the control message from the first UAV to a second UAV, wherein the control message includes instructions to control at least one of;

surveillance activities of the second UAV, activities of a weapons system of the second UAV, and movement of the second UAV; and

receiving communications from a transmitter at the second UAV.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein transmitting the control message includes transmitting a message including instructions to control the velocity and direction of the second UAV.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein transmitting the control message includes transmitting a message including instructions to control takeoff and/or landing of the second UAV.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising establishing an ongoing connection between a wireless device transmitting the control message to the first UAV and the receiver at the first UAV.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving communications from the transmitter at the second UAV includes receiving compressed digital video transmissions.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving communications from the transmitter at the second UAV includes receiving full size and full frame rate digital video transmissions.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving communications from the transmitter at the second UAV includes receiving surveillance information collected by the second UAV.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving communications from the transmitter at the second UAV includes receiving health and/or status information associated with the second UAV.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving communications from the transmitter at the second UAV includes receiving surveillance information collected by the UAV, wherein the collected information includes information associated with a third UAV and is collected for the purpose of avoiding airspace conflicts, conducting joint surveillance of a geographical area, and/or conducting joint tracking of a subject.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving communications from the transmitter at the second UAV includes receiving communications from the second UAV via the first UAV.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving communications from the transmitter at the second UAV includes receiving communications directly from the second UAV.

12. A method for controlling an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), the method comprising:

communicating with a mobile telephone switching center via a control channel associated with a wireless telecommunication network to establish a wireless communication link;

sending control signals to a first UAV over the wireless telecommunication network, wherein the control signals are used to control actions of a UAV; and

relaying the control signals from the first UAV to a second UAV located outside the wireless telecommunication network to control at least one of;

surveillance activities of the second UAV, activities of a weapons system of the second UAV, and movement of the second UAV.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein establishing a wireless communication link includes receiving a channel assignment that permits access to a designated channel of the wireless telecommunication network.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein sending control signals to the first UAV includes sending the control signals over a data or voice channel.

15. The method of claim 12 wherein establishing a wireless communication link includes receiving a channel assignment that permits access to a designated channel of the wireless telecommunication network, wherein further the designated channel is associated with a frequency between 824 and 849 MHz.

16. At an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), a method for relaying control instructions from a remote source to another UAV, the method comprising:

receiving an indication of a channel assignment from a mobile switching center, wherein the indication is received via a control channel associated with a wireless communication network, and wherein the channel assignment permits access to at least one designated channel of the wireless communication network;

receiving control signals from the remote source via the at least one designated channel, wherein the control signals are used to control at least one of;

surveillance activities of the other UAV, activities of a weapons system of the other UAV, and movement of the other UAV; and

transmitting the received control signals to the other UAV, wherein the other UAV is not within the wireless communication network.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising sending data signals from the remote source via the at least one designated channel.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein the at least one designated channel is associated with a frequency between 824 and 849 MHz.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising generating additional control signals for receipt by one or more additional aircraft, wherein the additional aircraft are part of a joint operational group led by the second UAV.

20. The method of claim 16, further comprising generating additional control signals for receipt by the UAV, wherein the additional control signals control the actions of the UAV.

21. A method for remotely controlling an unmanned aircraft, the method comprising:

communicating with a control node in a wireless telecommunication network to establish a communication link with the unmanned aircraft, wherein the communication link includes a wireless communication channel that permits the unmanned aircraft to communicate with at least one node of the wireless telecommunication network; and

sending control signals to the aircraft, at least in part, via the established communication link, wherein the control signals are used to control at least one of;

surveillance activities of an aircraft, activities of a weapons system of an aircraft, movement of an aircraft, and operation of a payload at an aircraft; and

relaying at least a part of the control signals received by the aircraft to an aircraft out of range of the wireless telecommunication network to control the actions of the out of range aircraft.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein communicating with the control node is performed via a non-wireless network connection.

23. The method of claim 21 wherein the communication link further includes a non-wireless aspect that permits access to the at least one node of the wireless telecommunication network.