Tethered unmanned aerial vehicle-based systems and methods associated with cell sites and cell towers

• US 9,669,945 B2
• Filed: 06/11/2015
• Issued: 06/06/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Etak Systems, Llc
• Original Assignee: Etak Systems, Llc
• Inventors: Priest, Lee, Terry, Charlie, Erickson, Ross
• Primary Examiner(s): Williams, Kimberly A
• Application Number:
  US14/736,925
• Publication Number:
  US 20160309341A1
• Time in Patent Office: 726 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 27/06 with single rotor
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/13 Flying platforms
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/60 Tethered aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/30 for imaging, photography or videography
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/202 using tethers for connecting to ground station
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 80/70 in containers B64U80/60 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0094 involving pointing a payload, e.g. camera, weapon, sensor, towards a fixed or moving target
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0866 specially adapted to captive aircraft

Abstract

A method with a tethered Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) associated with a cell site includes causing the UAV to fly at or near the cell site while the UAV is tethered at or near the cell site via a connection, wherein flight of the UAV at or near the cell site is constrained based on the connection; and performing one or more functions via the UAV at the cell site while the UAV is flying tethered at or near the cell site. The one or more functions can include functions related to a cell site audit. Alternatively, the one or more functions include functions related to providing wireless service via the UAV at the cell site, wherein data and/or power is transferred between the UAV and the cell site to perform the wireless service.

Claims

1. A method with a tethered Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) associated with a cell site, the method comprising:

causing the UAV to fly at or near the cell site comprising a cell tower with cell site components while the UAV is tethered at or near the cell site via a connection, wherein flight of the UAV at or near the cell site is constrained based on the connection such that the UAV is an attached device to the cell site;

performing one or more functions for a cell site audit via the UAV at or near the cell site while the UAV is flying tethered at or near the cell site;

storing the UAV at the cell site in a housing while the UAV is not in use, wherein the housing comprises a door that selectively opens and closes for the UAV, and wherein the housing is one of i) on a cell tower at the cell site and ii) at or part of a shelter or cabinet at the cell site, wherein the one or more functions comprise functions related to a cell site audit which is performed by a user remotely from the cell site with the UAV already located at the cell site,

wherein the cell site audit comprises obtaining data remotely via the UAV tethered at or near the cell site, the data comprising a plurality of a down tilt angle of one or more antennas of the cell site components, plumb of the cell tower and/or the one or more antennas, azimuth of the one or more antennas, Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) coordinates, dimension of the cell site components, equipment type and serial number of the cell site components, connections between the cell site components, and status of a lighting rod and warning light on the cell tower.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transferring power and/or data to and from the UAV via the connection.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the connection comprises one or more of a cable, a rope, a power cable, a communications cable, and a fiber optic cable.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more functions comprise functions related to providing wireless service via the UAV at or near the cell site, wherein data and/or power is transferred via the connection perform the wireless service.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the UAV is configured to fly extended periods at or near the cell site utilizing power from the connection.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the connection is configured to constrain a flight path of the UAV at or near the cell site.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more functions comprise providing visual air traffic control via one or more cameras on the UAV.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the connection is tethered to a connection point comprising any of a stake, a pole, a weight, a fence, a communications device, a wireless radio, a building or other structure at or near the cell site, and a component associated with a cell tower at the cell site.

9. A tethered Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) associated with a cell site comprising a cell tower with cell site components, the tethered UAV comprising:

one or more rotors disposed to a body, wherein the body is tethered to the cell site via a connection;

a camera associated with the body;

wireless interfaces;

a processor coupled to the wireless interfaces and the camera; and

memory storing instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to;

process commands to cause the one or more rotors to fly the UAV at or near the cell site while the UAV is tethered at or near the cell site via the connection, wherein flight of the UAV at or near the cell site is constrained based on the connection such that the UAV is an attached device to the cell site;

perform one or more functions for a cell site audit via the UAV at or near the cell site while the UAV is flying tethered at or near the cell site, utilizing one or more of the camera and the wireless interfaces,

wherein the UAV is stored at or near the cell site in a housing while the UAV is not in use, wherein the housing comprises a door that selectively opens and closes for the UAV, and wherein the housing is one of i) on a cell tower at the cell site and ii) at or part of a shelter or cabinet at the cell site,

wherein the one or more functions comprise functions related to a cell site audit which is performed remotely from the cell site with the UAV already located at the cell site, and

wherein the cell site audit comprises obtaining data remotely via the UAV tethered at or near the cell site, the data comprising a plurality of a down tilt angle of one or more antennas of the cell site components, plumb of the cell tower and/or the one or more antennas, azimuth of the one or more antennas, Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) coordinates, dimension of the cell site components, equipment type and serial number of the cell site components, connections between the cell site components, and status of a lighting rod and warning light on the cell tower.

10. The UAV of claim 9, wherein power and/or data is transferred to and from the UAV via the connection.

11. The UAV of claim 9, wherein the connection comprises one or more of a cable, a rope, a power cable, a communications cable, and a fiber optic cable.

12. The UAV of claim 9, wherein the one or more functions comprise functions related to providing wireless service via the UAV at or near the cell site, wherein data and/or power is transferred via the connection to perform the wireless service.

13. The UAV of claim 9, wherein the UAV is configured to fly extended periods at or near the cell site utilizing power from the connection.

14. The UAV of claim 9, wherein the connection is configured to constrain a flight path of the UAV at or near the cell site.

15. The UAV of claim 9, wherein the UAV is tethered to a connection point comprising any of a component associated with a cell tower at the cell site, a stake, a pole, a weight, a fence, a communications device, a wireless radio, and a building or other structure at or near the cell site.

16. A cell site, comprising:

a cell tower with cell site components associated therewith;

a housing at the cell site storing an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), wherein the UAV is tethered at the cell site via a connection;

wherein the UAV is configured to fly at or near the cell site responsive to a command while the UAV is tethered at or near the cell site via the connection, wherein flight of the UAV at or near the cell site is constrained based on the connection such that the UAV is an attached device to the cell site;

wherein the UAV is configured to perform one or more functions for a cell site audit at or near the cell site while the UAV is flying tethered at or near the cell site, utilizing one or more of a camera and wireless interfaces;

wherein the UAV is stored at or near the cell site in the housing while the UAV is not in use, wherein the housing comprises a door that selectively opens and closes for the UAV, and wherein the housing is one of i) on a cell tower at the cell site and ii) at or part of a shelter or cabinet at the cell site, wherein the one or more functions comprise functions related to a cell site audit which is performed remotely from the cell site with the UAV already located at the cell site, and

wherein the cell site audit comprises obtaining data remotely via the UAV tethered at or near the cell site, the data comprising a plurality of a down tilt angle of one or more antennas of the cell site components, plumb of the cell tower and/or the one or more antennas, azimuth of the one or more antennas, Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) coordinates, dimension of the cell site components, equipment type and serial number of the cell site components, connections between the cell site components, and status of a lighting rod and warning light on the cell tower.