Flight technical control management for an unmanned aerial vehicle
First Claim
1. An aerial vehicle comprising:
- a vehicle management system configured to navigate the aerial vehicle; and
a redundant processing unit comprising a first processor and a second processor, wherein the first processor is configured to;
receive a mission plan comprising a flight plan and a contingency plan,validate the mission plan by at least determining the mission plan includes the flight plan,after determining the mission plan is valid, execute the mission plan by at least providing the mission plan to the vehicle management system, wherein the vehicle management system is configured to direct the aerial vehicle to travel along the flight plan, andsynchronize the first processor and the second processor, and wherein the second processor is configured to;
detect a failure of the first processor by at least one of failing to receive synchronization data from the first processor in an appropriate format or within a threshold time interval, detecting a software error in the first processor, or detecting unavailability of resources of the first processor, and,responsive to detecting the failure of the first processor, receive the mission plan, validate the mission plan, and execute the mission plan.
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Abstract
Two architectures for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and a method for executing a mission plan are provided. One architecture for a UAV includes a flight command and mission execution (FCME) component making strategic decisions, a flight technical control manager (FTCM) making tactical decisions and a vehicle management system (VMS) providing navigational support. The FCME and FTCM execute on one processor and the VMS executes on a separate processor. The second architecture includes redundant processors for executing the FCME and FTCM as well as redundant processors for executing the VMS. The UAV executes a mission plan, which may include flight plan(s), communication plan(s), weapons plan(s), sensor plan(s), and/or contingent flight plan(s). The UAV may control various optical sensors, training sensors, and lights as well.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. An aerial vehicle comprising:
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a vehicle management system configured to navigate the aerial vehicle; and a redundant processing unit comprising a first processor and a second processor, wherein the first processor is configured to; receive a mission plan comprising a flight plan and a contingency plan, validate the mission plan by at least determining the mission plan includes the flight plan, after determining the mission plan is valid, execute the mission plan by at least providing the mission plan to the vehicle management system, wherein the vehicle management system is configured to direct the aerial vehicle to travel along the flight plan, and synchronize the first processor and the second processor, and wherein the second processor is configured to; detect a failure of the first processor by at least one of failing to receive synchronization data from the first processor in an appropriate format or within a threshold time interval, detecting a software error in the first processor, or detecting unavailability of resources of the first processor, and, responsive to detecting the failure of the first processor, receive the mission plan, validate the mission plan, and execute the mission plan. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method comprising:
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receiving at a first processor of a redundant processing unit of an aerial vehicle a mission plan, wherein the mission plan comprises a flight plan and a contingency plan; determining, by the first processor, that the mission plan is valid, wherein determining the mission plan is valid comprises determining the mission plan includes the flight plan; after determining the mission plan is valid, executing by the first processor the mission plan by at least providing the mission plan to a vehicle management system of the aerial vehicle, the vehicle management system being configured to navigate the aerial vehicle, wherein the vehicle management system is configured to direct the aerial vehicle to travel along the flight plan; and synchronizing, by the first processor, the first processor with a second processor of the redundant processing unit of the aerial vehicle; detecting, by the second processor, failure of the first processor by at least one of; failing, by the second processor, to receive synchronization data from the first processor in an appropriate format or within a threshold time interval, detecting, by the second processor, a software error in the first processor, or detecting, by the second processor, unavailability of resources of the first processor; and responsive to detecting the failure of the first processor; receiving, by the second processor, the mission plan, validating, by the second processor, the mission plan, and executing, by the second processor, the mission plan. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification