Determination of flight path for unmanned aircraft in event of in-flight contingency

• US 8,798,922 B2
• Filed: 11/16/2012
• Issued: 08/05/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Tillotson, Brian J., Spinelli, Charles B., Lutter, Robert P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cheung, Mary
• Assistant Examiner(s): BERNS, MICHAEL ANDREW
• Application Number:
  US13/678,919
• Publication Number:
  US 20140142787A1
• Time in Patent Office: 627 Days
• Field of Search: 701/3, 701/408, 701/474, 701/483, 701/486, 701/469
• US Class Current: 701/469
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/106 Change initiated in response to external conditions, e.g. avoidance of elevated terrain or of no-fly zones
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0039 Modification of a flight plan
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0052 for cruising combined instruments indicating more than one navigational value G01C23/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0056 in an emergency situation, e.g. hijacking
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0069 specially adapted for an unmanned aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18506 Communications with or from aircraft, i.e. aeronautical mobile service
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 2203/22 for communication related to vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 3/224 with countermeasures at transmission and/or reception of the jammed signal, e.g. stopping operation of transmitter or receiver, nulling or enhancing transmitted power in direction of or at frequency of jammer

Abstract

An enhanced control system for an unmanned aerial vehicle adds constraints to the process of choosing a flight path in the event of an in-flight contingency, such as engine out or an encounter with jamming, which forces a diversion or unplanned landing. The constraints are: (1) ensure communications are available when needed during contingency operations; and (2) ensure signals from a global positioning system (or other navigation system) are available when needed during contingency operations.

Claims

1. A method for controlling an unmanned aerial vehicle in response to an in-flight contingency, comprising:

performing operations by a computer system onboard the unmanned aerial vehicle, including;

(a) determining whether a current flight path of the unmanned aerial vehicle should be changed;

(b) determining a different flight path of the unmanned aerial vehicle which satisfies signal reception constraints in response to a determination that the current flight path should be changed; and

(c) controlling the unmanned aerial vehicle to fly said different flight path.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said signal reception constraints are communication or navigation constraints.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein a destination of said different flight path is an emergency landing site.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein a destination of said different flight path is a new waypoint not included in a planned mission of the unmanned aerial vehicle.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein step (b) comprises using an RF environment model and a geometry engine to determine a different location for the unmanned aerial vehicle to fly to, said different location being calculated to reduce effects of jamming.

6. The method as recited in claim 5, further comprising updating said RF environment model if connectivity to the operator is restored due to said different location.

7. A method for controlling an unmanned aerial vehicle in response to an in-flight contingency, the method comprising:

performing operations by a computer system onboard the unmanned aerial vehicle, including;

(a) determining whether signal reception conditions dictate that a current orientation of the unmanned aerial vehicle should be changed;

(b) determining a different orientation of the unmanned aerial vehicle which satisfies signal reception constraints in response to a determination that the current orientation should be changed; and

(c) controlling the unmanned aerial vehicle to reorient to a selected different orientation.

8. The method as recited in claim 7, wherein said signal reception constraints are communication or navigation constraints.

9. The method as recited in claim 7, wherein step (a) comprises:

(d) determining whether an onboard receiver is receiving adequate signals; and

(e) if the computer system determines in step (d) that the receiver is not receiving adequate signals, determining whether a received power is greater than a first predefined threshold.

10. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein step (b) comprises using an RF environment model and a geometry engine to determine said different orientation of the unmanned aerial vehicle, said different orientation being calculated to improve signal reception.

11. The method as recited in claim 10, further comprising updating said RF environment model if connectivity to the operator is restored due to said different orientation.

12. The method as recited in claim 10, wherein in response to a determination that the received power is less than a second predefined threshold, the unmanned aerial vehicle is reoriented so that a different antenna is pointing toward an operator.

13. The method as recited in claim 12, wherein in response to a determination that the received power is greater than said first predefined threshold and less than said second predefined threshold, the unmanned aerial vehicle is reoriented so that its body shields an antenna from a jamming signal.

14. A method for controlling an unmanned aerial vehicle in response to an in-flight contingency, the method comprising:

performing operations by a computer system onboard the unmanned aerial vehicle, including;

(a) determining whether a flight-critical component of the unmanned aerial vehicle is operating well enough to continue flight;

(b) creating a list of reachable landing sites in response to a determination that the flight-critical component is not operating well enough to continue flight;

(c) determining whether at least one path to at least one of the reachable landing sites satisfies signal reception constraints; and

(d) controlling the unmanned aerial vehicle to follow said at least one path.

15. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein said signal reception constraints are communication or navigation constraints.

16. A system for controlling an unmanned aerial vehicle in response to an in-flight contingency, comprising:

a computer system and computer memory storing an RF environment model;

a geometric engine; and

RF constraint logic,

wherein the computer system is configured to perform operations in accordance with a first routine of said RF constraint logic, including;

determining whether a current flight path of the unmanned aerial vehicle should be changed;

determining a different flight path of the unmanned aerial vehicle which satisfies signal reception constraints using said RF environment model and said geometry engine in response to a determination that the current flight path should be changed; and

controlling the unmanned aerial vehicle to fly a selected different flight path.

17. The system as recited in claim 16, wherein said signal reception constraints are communication or navigation constraints.

18. The system as recited in claim 16, wherein said computer system is further capable of performing operations in accordance with a second routine of said RF constraint logic including:

determining whether signal reception constraints dictate that a current orientation of the unmanned aerial vehicle should be changed;

determining a different orientation of the unmanned aerial vehicle which satisfies said signal reception constraints using said RF environment model and said geometry engine in response to a determination that the current orientation should be changed; and

controlling the unmanned aerial vehicle to reorient to a selected different orientation.

19. The system as recited in claim 18, wherein said signal reception constraints are communication or navigation constraints.

20. A system for controlling an unmanned aerial vehicle in response to an in-flight contingency, comprising:

a computer system and computer memory storing an RF environment model;

a geometric engine; and

RF constraint logic, said computer system being capable of performing operations in accordance with said RF constraint logic, including;

determining whether a flight-critical component of the unmanned aerial vehicle is operating well enough to continue flight;

creating a list of reachable landing sites in response to a determination that the flight-critical component is not operating well enough to continue flight;

determining whether at least one path to at least one of the reachable landing sites satisfies signal reception constraints using said RF environment model and said geometry engine; and

controlling the unmanned aerial vehicle to follow said at least one path.