Return path configuration for remote controlled aerial vehicle

• US 9,557,738 B2
• Filed: 04/20/2016
• Issued: 01/31/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GoPro, Inc.
• Original Assignee: GoPro, Inc.
• Inventors: Enke, Joseph Anthony
• Primary Examiner(s): WONG, YUEN H
• Application Number:
  US15/134,284
• Publication Number:
  US 20160313734A1
• Time in Patent Office: 286 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/10 Rotorcrafts
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/13 Flying platforms
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/14 with four distinct rotor axes, e.g. quadcopters
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 20/87 Mounting of imaging devices, e.g. mounting of gimbals
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/30 for imaging, photography or videography
• 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 2201/104 using satellite radio beacon positioning systems, e.g. GPS
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/20 Remote controls
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/20 Rotors; Rotor supports
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/19 using electrically powered motors
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 70/00 Launching, take-off or landing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 70/83 using parachutes, balloons or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 80/00 Transport or storage specially adapted for UAVs
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 23/00 Combined instruments indicating more than one navigational value, e.g. for aircraft; Combined measuring devices for measuring two or more variables of movement, e.g. distance, speed or acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0022 characterised by the communication link data switching networks in general H04L12/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0038 by providing the operator with simple or augmented images from one or more cameras located onboard the vehicle, e.g. tele-operation images analyzed by a computer and used for automatic navigation G05D1/0246
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0044 by providing the operator with a computer generated representation of the environment of the vehicle, e.g. virtual reality, maps maps used for automatic navigation G05D1/0274; flight directors G01C23/005
• 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: G05D 1/102 specially adapted for vertical take-off of aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/223 Command input arrangements on the remote controller, e.g. joysticks or touch screens
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/225 : operated by off-board computers
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/226 : Communication links with the remote-control arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/228 : Command input arrangements located on-board unmanned vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/24 : Arrangements for determining position or orientation
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/606 : Compensating for or utilising external environmental conditions, e.g. wind or water currents station keeping G05D1/611
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/652 : Take-off delivering or retrieving payloads G05D1/667
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/08 : Registering or indicating performance data other than driving, working, idle, or waiting time, with or without registering driving, working, idle or waiting time
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0013 : with a ground station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0021 : located in the aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0026 : located on the ground
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0034 : Assembly of a flight plan
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0039 : Modification of a flight plan
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/006 : in accordance with predefined flight zones, e.g. to avoid prohibited zones
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0069 : specially adapted for an unmanned aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0078 : for monitoring traffic from the aircraft radar or analogous systems specially adapted for traffic control G01S13/91
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0086 : for monitoring terrain radar or analogous systems specially adapted for terrain avoidance G01S13/935
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0091 : for monitoring atmospheric conditions radar or analogous systems specially adapted for meteorological use G01S13/95; meteorology G01W
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/045 : Navigation or guidance aids, e.g. determination of anti-collision manoeuvers radar or analogous systems specially adapted for anti-collision between aircraft G01S13/933
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18504 : Aircraft used as relay or high altitude atmospheric platform
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 : specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/042 : Public Land Mobile systems, e.g. cellular systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 : WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]

Abstract

Disclosed is a configuration to control automatic return of an aerial vehicle. The configuration stores a return location in a storage device of the aerial vehicle. The return location may correspond to a location where the aerial vehicle is to return. One or more sensors of the aerial vehicle are monitored during flight for detection of a predefined condition. When a predetermined condition is met a return path program may be loaded for execution to provide a return flight path for the aerial vehicle to automatically navigate to the return location.

Claims

1. A method to control automatic return of an aerial vehicle, the method comprising:

tracking a flight path of the aerial vehicle represented by a plurality of location data points;

generating a return path from the plurality of location data points of the tracked flight path, wherein the return path comprises determining a route from a current location of the aerial vehicle to an initial take off location of the aerial vehicle;

storing a redundant route in the generated return path, the redundant route traced around an obstacle by at least one repeated location data point in the plurality of location data points;

monitoring one or more sensors during flight of the aerial vehicle for detection of a predefined condition;

detecting whether the predefined condition has been met;

loading, by a processor, a return path into a memory of the aerial vehicle in response to the detected predefined condition being met, the loaded return path including the generated return path;

generating, by the processor, a modified return path to a return location by revising the loaded return path to avoid the stored redundant route traced around the obstacle, the modified return path omitting the at least one repeated location data point from the loaded return path; and

controlling, by the processor, the aerial vehicle to automatically navigate to the return location according to the modified return path to avoid the obstacle.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the processor limits execution of control signals received from a remote controller.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the predefined condition comprises a structural condition of a mechanical component.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the predefined condition comprises an operational condition of an electronic component.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the predefined condition comprises an airspace restriction.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the predefined condition comprises a weather condition.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the return location comprises an initial location data in the tracked flight path.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein omitting the at least one repeated location data point from the return path comprises removing the at least one repeated location data point.

9. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising stored instructions to control automatic return of an aerial vehicle, the stored instructions when executed by a processor cause the processor to:

track a flight path of the aerial vehicle represented by a plurality of location data points;

generate a return path from the plurality of location data points of the tracked flight path, wherein the return path comprises determining a route from a current location of the aerial vehicle to an initial take off location of the aerial vehicle;

store a redundant route in the generated return path, the redundant route traced around an obstacle by at least one repeated location data point in the plurality of location data points;

monitor one or more sensors during flight of the aerial vehicle for detection of a predefined condition;

detect whether the predefined condition has been met;

load a return path into a memory of the aerial vehicle in response to the detected predefined condition being met, the loaded return path including the generated return path;

generate a modified return path to a return location by revising the loaded return path to avoid the stored redundant route traced around the obstacle, the modified return path omitting the at least one repeated location data point from the loaded return path; and

control the aerial vehicle to automatically navigate to the return location according to the modified return path to avoid the obstacle.

10. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 9, further comprising stored instructions that when executed cause the processor to limit execution of control signals received from a remote controller.

11. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the return location comprises an initial location data in the tracked flight path.

12. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein omitting the at least one repeated location data point from the generated return path comprises removing the at least one repeated location data point to remove the stored redundant route.

13. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 12, further comprising stored instructions that when executed cause the processor to:

receive obstacle data corresponding to the obstacle detected in the tracked flight path of the aerial vehicle; and

modify the tracked flight path based on the received obstacle data to generate the return path, the aerial vehicle on the return path avoiding the obstacle.

14. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the predefined condition comprises a structural condition of a mechanical component.

15. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the predefined condition comprises an operational condition of an electronic component.

16. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the predefined condition comprises an airspace restriction.

17. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the predefined condition comprises a weather condition.

18. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising stored instructions to control automatic return of an aerial vehicle, the instructions when executed by a processor cause the processor to:

store a return location in a storage device of the aerial vehicle, the return location corresponding to a location where the aerial vehicle is to return;

monitor one or more sensors during flight of the aerial vehicle for detection of a predefined condition;

detect whether the predefined condition has been met;

load a return path into a memory of the aerial vehicle, the return path providing a return flight path for the aerial vehicle to automatically navigate to the return location, the loaded return flight path represented by a plurality of location data points, wherein the loaded return path comprises a route from a current location of the aerial vehicle to an initial take off location of the aerial vehicle;

store a redundant route in the return flight path, the redundant route traced around an obstacle by at least one repeated location data point in the plurality of location data points;

generate a modified return path to the return location by revising the loaded return flight path to avoid the stored redundant route, the modified return path omitting the at least one repeated location data point from the loaded return flight path; and

control the aerial vehicle to automatically navigate to the return location according to the modified return path to avoid the obstacle.

19. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 18, further comprising stored instructions that when executed cause the processor to:

detect the obstacle during the tracked flight path of the aerial vehicle;

store obstacle data corresponding to the detected obstacle; and

modify the return path based on the obstacle data for avoidance of the detected obstacle by the aerial vehicle in the return flight path.

20. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 19, further comprising stored instructions that when executed by the processor cause the processor to:

determine whether the return location comprises a no land zone;

transmit to a remote controller that the return location is a no land zone; and

receive from the remote controller a new return location to replace the stored return location.

21. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 19, further comprising stored instructions that when executed by the processor cause the processor to:

determine whether the return location comprises a no land zone; and

receive, in response to the determination that the return location comprises a no land zone, a new return location to replace the stored return location.

22. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 21, wherein the no land zone comprises either a body of water or a highway.

23. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 19, wherein the processor limits execution of control signals received from a remote controller.

24. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 23, wherein the predefined condition comprises a structural condition of a mechanical component.

25. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 23, wherein the predefined condition comprises an airspace restriction.

26. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 23, wherein the predefined condition comprises a weather condition.