Unmanned aerial vehicle take-off and landing systems

• US 8,068,950 B2
• Filed: 11/30/2010
• Issued: 11/29/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: L3 Technologies, Inc. (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: L-3 Unmanned Systems, Inc. (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Duggan, David S., Petersen, Jerry L., Felio, David A., Pate, Billy B., Bergee, Mark J., Longhi, Vince R.
• Primary Examiner(s): ARTHUR JEANGLAUDE, GERTRUDE
• Application Number:
  US12/956,722
• Publication Number:
  US 20110184590A1
• Time in Patent Office: 364 Days
• Field of Search: 701/11, 701/13, 701/15, 701/24, 701/33, 701/36, 244/75.1, 244/158.1
• US Class Current: 701/24
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 19/00 Aircraft control not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0061 for transition from automatic pilot to manual pilot and vice versa
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0088 characterized by the autonomous decision making process, e.g. artificial intelligence, predefined behaviours using knowledge based models G06N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/04 Anti-collision systems

Abstract

Unmanned aerial vehicle take-off and landing systems are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a method of landing an unmanned aerial vehicle includes programming a landing location for the unmanned aerial vehicle utilizing a user input device. The unmanned aerial vehicle is launched. Communications between the unmanned aerial vehicle and the user input device are interrupted, and the unmanned aerial vehicle is landed at the landing location based on the programmed landing location and not based on any real-time communication between the unmanned aerial vehicle and the user input device.

Claims

1. A method of landing an unmanned aerial vehicle comprising:

programming a landing location for the unmanned aerial vehicle utilizing a user input device;

launching the unmanned aerial vehicle;

interrupting communications between with the unmanned aerial vehicle and the user input device; and

landing the unmanned aerial vehicle at the landing location based on the programmed landing location and not based on any real-time communication between the unmanned aerial vehicle and the user input device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein programming the landing location is performed before launching the unmanned aerial vehicle.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein programming the landing location is performed after launching the unmanned aerial vehicle.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the landing location is an airfield runway.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the landing location is not an airfield runway.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the landing location is a same location as a launching location.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the landing location is a different location than a launching location.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein programming comprises receiving an operator path input.

9. An unmanned aerial vehicle control system comprising:

a guidance unit that receives flight commands from a plurality of subunits, the subunits having varying levels of autonomy, one of the subunits including a preprogrammed maneuvers subunit, the preprogrammed maneuvers subunit providing landing information including a landing location for the unmanned aerial vehicle;

a translation unit that receives guidance information from the guidance unit and converts the guidance information into acceleration vectors; and

an autopilot unit that controls operations of the unmanned aerial vehicle, the autopilot unit receiving the acceleration vectors from the translation unit and landing the unmanned aerial vehicle at the landing location based on the acceleration vectors.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the landing location is one of a plurality of preprogrammed locations.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the landing location is an operator-designated location.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the landing location for the unmanned aerial vehicle is entered before the unmanned aerial vehicle takes-off.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the landing location for the unmanned aerial vehicle is entered during flight.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the landing location is a same location as a take-off location.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the landing location is a different location than a take-off location.

16. An unmanned aerial vehicle control system comprising:

a ground control station having a user interface, the user interface receiving an indication of a landing location;

a data link for transferring information between the ground control station and the unmanned aerial vehicle; and

a variable autonomy flight guidance system onboard the unmanned aerial vehicle that lands the unmanned aerial vehicle at the landing location based on receiving the indication from the data link.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the variable autonomy flight guidance system controls descent operations of the unmanned aerial vehicle.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the variable autonomy flight guidance system controls flare operations of the unmanned aerial vehicle.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the variable autonomy flight guidance system controls lateral motion operations of the unmanned aerial vehicle.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein the variable autonomy flight guidance system controls ground roll operations of the unmanned aerial vehicle.

21. The system of claim 16, wherein the variable autonomy flight guidance system controls taxi operations of the unmanned aerial vehicle.