System and method for controlling flight operations of an unmanned aerial vehicle

• US 9,454,157 B1
• Filed: 02/07/2015
• Issued: 09/27/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: David Mauer, Usman Hafeez
• Original Assignee: David Mauer, Usman Hafeez
• Inventors: Hafeez, Usman, Mauer, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Khoi
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rink, Ryan
• Application Number:
  US14/616,663
• Time in Patent Office: 598 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/14 with four distinct rotor axes, e.g. quadcopters
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/00 UAVs specially adapted for particular uses or applications
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/60 for transporting passengers; for transporting goods other than weapons
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/64 for parcel delivery or retrieval
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/00 UAVs characterised by their flight controls
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/102 adapted for flying in formations
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/35 by wireless transmission, e.g. by induction
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 80/25 for recharging batteries; for refuelling
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/104 involving a plurality of aircrafts, e.g. formation flying traffic control systems for aircraft G08G5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0026 located on the ground
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0039 Modification of a flight plan
• 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

Abstract

The invention is directed toward a system and method for assigning mission directives to one or more unmanned vehicles and transferring mission directives from one unmanned aerial vehicle to a second unmanned aerial vehicle. The method comprises providing a set of instructions to a first unmanned aerial vehicle, storing the set of instructions on a nonvolatile memory component of the first unmanned aerial vehicle, executing one or more tasks of the set of instructions by the first unmanned aerial vehicle, transferring a set of instructions comprising unexecuted tasks from the first unmanned aerial vehicle to a second unmanned aerial vehicle, and storing the set of instructions on a nonvolatile memory component of the second unmanned aerial vehicle. The invention is further directed toward a method of determining a flight path for one or more unmanned aerial vehicles stationed at charging stations.

Claims

1. A computerized method for executing a flight mission by one or more unmanned aerial vehicles to be performed on a computer system comprising two or more microprocessors and two or more nonvolatile memory units, wherein at least one of said two or more microprocessors and one of said two or more nonvolatile memory units is integral to an unmanned aerial vehicle further comprising a flight means, said two or more nonvolatile memory units storing instructions which, when executed by said two or more microprocessors, cause said computer system to perform operations comprising:

receiving, by said computer system, a geographic starting point for a mission to be executed sequentially by at least a first unmanned aerial vehicle and a second unmanned aerial vehicle;

receiving, by said computer system, a geographic end point for said mission to be executed by at least said first unmanned aerial vehicle and said second unmanned aerial vehicle;

calculating, by said computer system, a single geographic flight path for at least said first unmanned aerial vehicle and said second unmanned aerial vehicle

wherein said single geographic flight path includes said geographic starting point, said geographic end point, and one or more intermediary charging stations respectively containing one or more unmanned aerial vehicles;

wherein said first unmanned aerial vehicle is assigned a first leg of said single geographic flight path;

wherein said second unmanned aerial vehicle is assigned a second leg of said single geographic flight path;

receiving, by said computer system, a preferred distance from said single geographic flight path;

calculating, by said computer system, a geographic position of at least said first unmanned aerial vehicle and said second unmanned aerial vehicle within said preferred distance from said single geographic flight path;

assigning, by said computer system, said mission to said first unmanned aerial vehicle and said second unmanned aerial vehicle prior to the execution of said mission by said first unmanned aerial vehicle and said second unmanned aerial vehicle, wherein said first unmanned aerial vehicle and said second unmanned aerial vehicle are selected from among a plurality of unmanned aerial vehicles located within said preferred distance from said single geographic flight path; and

wherein said second unmanned aerial vehicle is stationed at an intermediary charging station.

2. The method as in claim 1 further comprising

generating, by said computer system, a list of one or more unmanned aerial vehicles stationed at an intermediary charging station within said preferred distance of said single geographic flight path.

3. The method as in claim 2 further comprising

receiving, by said computer system, a set of mission objectives;

calculating, by said computer system, an energy requirement to execute flight along said single geographic flight path of each of one or more unmanned aerial vehicles on said generated list;

calculating, by said computer system, an energy requirement to execute mission objectives along said single geographic flight path of each of one or more unmanned aerial vehicles on said generated list.

4. The method as in claim 3 further comprising

selecting, by said computer system, said first unmanned aerial vehicle and said second unmanned aerial vehicle from said generated list.

5. The method as in claim 4 further comprising

measuring, by said computer system, a battery power level of said first unmanned aerial vehicle and a battery power level of said second unmanned aerial vehicle.

6. The method as in claim 5 further comprising

transferring a set of instructions from said first unmanned aerial vehicle to a charging station

wherein said set of instructions comprises one or more unexecuted tasks;

storing, by said computer system, said set of instructions on a nonvolatile memory component of said charging station;

transferring, by said computer system, said set of instructions from said charging station to said second unmanned aerial vehicle;

storing, by said computer system, said set of instructions on a nonvolatile memory component of said second unmanned aerial vehicle.

7. The method as in claim 5 further comprising

receiving, by said computer system, a low power notification from said first unmanned aerial vehicle;

calculating, by said computer system, an inflight geographic position of said first unmanned aerial vehicle;

calculating, by said computer system, a remaining flight distance of said first unmanned aerial vehicle, wherein said remaining flight distance is determined by an amount of flight time or distance said first unmanned aerial vehicle is capable of before running out of power;

calculating, by said computer system, a geographic position of one or more charging stations within said remaining flight distance;

selecting, by said computer system, a charging station within said remaining flight distance;

transferring, by said computer system, a set of instructions to said first unmanned aerial vehicle

wherein said set of instructions comprise an override command and a redirect command;

wherein said override command directs said first unmanned aerial vehicle to cease executing said mission;

wherein said redirect command directs said first unmanned aerial vehicle to fly to said selected charging station;

directing, by said computer system, said first unmanned aerial vehicle to said selected charging station.

8. The method as in claim 7 further comprising

transferring, by said computer system, a set of instructions from said first unmanned aerial vehicle to said charging station;

transferring, by said computer system, said set of instructions from said charging station to a third unmanned aerial vehicle;

executing, by said computer system, said set of instructions by said third unmanned aerial vehicle.

9. The method as in claim 7 further comprising

transferring, by said computer system, a set of instructions to a third unmanned aerial vehicle

wherein said set of instructions comprises one or more tasks unexecuted by said first unmanned aerial vehicle.

10. The method as in claim 1 further comprising

assigning, by said computer system, said mission to a third unmanned aerial vehicle prior to the execution of said mission by said first unmanned aerial vehicle, said second unmanned aerial vehicle, and said third unmanned aerial vehicle;

wherein said third unmanned aerial vehicle is assigned a third leg of said single geographic flight path;

wherein said third unmanned aerial vehicle is stationed at a second intermediary charging station.

11. The method as in claim 10 further comprising

assigning, by said computer system, said mission to a fourth unmanned aerial vehicle prior to the execution of said mission by said first unmanned aerial vehicle, second unmanned aerial vehicle, said third unmanned aerial vehicle, and said fourth unmanned aerial vehicle;

wherein said fourth unmanned aerial vehicle is assigned a fourth leg of said single geographic flight path;

wherein said fourth unmanned aerial vehicle is stationed at a third intermediary charging station.