Performing corrective action on unmanned aerial vehicle using one axis of three-axis magnetometer

• US 8,386,095 B2
• Filed: 04/02/2009
• Issued: 02/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Fitzpatrick, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Trammell, James
• Assistant Examiner(s): TESTARDI, DAVID A
• Application Number:
  US12/417,380
• Publication Number:
  US 20100256839A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,426 Days
• Field of Search: 701/3, 701/4, 701/8, 701/23, 701/38, 701/41, 701/58, 701/400, 701/408, 701/525, 244/4, 244/75.1, 244/175, 244/166, 244/171, 324/244, 324/260
• US Class Current: 701/4
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/13 Flying platforms
• 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 30/20 Rotors; Rotor supports
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/26 Ducted or shrouded rotors
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/11 using internal combustion piston engines
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/18 Thrust vectoring
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/33 generated by combustion engines
• 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: G01R 33/0206 Three-component magnetometers
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0858 specially adapted for vertical take-off of aircraft

Abstract

Methods and systems are provided for using a measurement of only one axis of a three-axis magnetometer to perform at least one corrective action on an unmanned aerial vehicle (“UAV”). An exemplary embodiment comprises (i) receiving from a three-axis magnetometer a measurement representative of an attitude of a UAV, wherein the measurement is of only one axis of the magnetometer, (ii) comparing the measurement to an allowable range of attitudes, (iii) determining that the measurement is not within the allowable range of attitudes, and (iv) performing at least one corrective action on the UAV.

Claims

1. A method of operating an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), the method comprising:

receiving, from a three-axis magnetometer, a single measurement representative of an attitude of the UAV, wherein the single measurement is of only one axis of the three-axis magnetometer;

comparing the single measurement to an allowable range of attitudes;

determining that the single measurement is not within the allowable range of attitudes; and

performing at least one corrective action on the UAV based only on the determination that the single measurement of the only one axis of the three-axis magnetometer is not within the allowable range of attitudes.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein comparing the single measurement to an allowable range of attitudes comprises comparing the single measurement to a range of attitudes stored on a data storage associated with the UAV.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein comparing the single measurement to an allowable range of attitudes comprises transmitting the single measurement to a ground operator for comparing the single measurement to a range of attitudes.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein performing at least one corrective action comprises shutting off an engine of the UAV.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein shutting off the engine of the UAV comprises triggering an engine kill switch.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein performing at least one corrective action comprises adjusting the attitude of the UAV to within the allowable range of attitudes.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein adjusting the attitude of the UAV to within the allowable range of attitudes comprises adjusting an angle of a thrust vectoring vane of the UAV.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein adjusting the attitude of the UAV to within the allowable range of attitudes comprises adjusting a speed of a fan providing thrust to the UAV.

9. An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) comprising:

an engine;

a three-axis magnetometer configured to measure an attitude of the UAV; and

a processor connected to the magnetometer and configured to;

receive, from the magnetometer, a single measurement representative of the attitude of the UAV, wherein the single measurement is of only one axis of the three-axis magnetometer;

compare the single measurement to an allowable range of attitudes;

determine that the single measurement is not within the allowable range of attitudes; and

perform at least one corrective action on the UAV based only on the determination that the single measurement of the only one axis of the three-axis magnetometer is not within the allowable range of attitudes.

10. The UAV of claim 9, further comprising a data storage connected to the processor, wherein the allowable range of attitudes is stored on the data storage.

11. The UAV of claim 9, wherein the processor is configured to compare the single measurement to an allowable range of attitudes by at least transmitting the single measurement to a ground operator for comparing the single measurement to the range of attitudes.

12. The UAV of claim 9, wherein the processor is configured to perform the at least one corrective action by at least shutting off the engine.

13. The UAV of claim 12, further comprising an engine kill switch, wherein the processor is configured to shut off the engine by at least triggering the engine kill switch.

14. The UAV of claim 9, wherein the processor is configured to perform the at least one corrective action by at least adjusting the attitude of the UAV to within the allowable range of attitudes.

15. A vehicle comprising:

means for receiving, from a three-axis magnetometer, a single measurement representative of an attitude of the vehicle, wherein the single measurement is of only one axis of the three-axis magnetometer;

means for comparing the single measurement to an allowable range of attitudes;

means for determining that the single measurement is not within the allowable range of attitudes; and

means for performing at least one corrective action on the vehicle based only on the determination that the single measurement of the only one axis of the three-axis magnetometer is not within the allowable range of attitudes.

16. The vehicle of claim 15, wherein the means for comparing the single measurement to an allowable range of attitudes comprises means for comparing the single measurement to a range of attitudes stored on a data storage associated with the vehicle.

17. The vehicle of claim 15, wherein the means for comparing the single measurement to an allowable range of attitudes comprises means for transmitting the single measurement to a ground operator for comparing the single measurement to a range of attitudes.

18. The vehicle of claim 15, wherein the means for performing at least one corrective action comprises means for shutting off an engine of the vehicle.

19. The vehicle of claim 15, wherein the means for performing at least one corrective action comprises means for adjusting the attitude of the vehicle to within the allowable range of attitudes.

20. The vehicle of claim 19, wherein the means for adjusting the attitude of the vehicle to within the allowable range of attitudes comprises at least one of means for adjusting an angle of a thrust vectoring vane of the vehicle or means for adjusting a speed of a fan providing thrust to the vehicle.