Autonomous cargo delivery system

• US 9,791,866 B2
• Filed: 10/17/2016
• Issued: 10/17/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aurora Flight Sciences Corporation (The Boeing Co.)
• Original Assignee: Aurora Flight Sciences Corporation (The Boeing Co.)
• Inventors: Paduano, James D., Wissler, John B., Piedmonte, Michael D., Mindell, David A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jen, Ian
• Application Number:
  US15/295,028
• Publication Number:
  US 20170168507A1
• Time in Patent Office: 365 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0202 specially adapted to aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/042 specially adapted for aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0676 specially adapted for landing
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/102 specially adapted for vertical take-off of aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/265 Personal security, identity or safety

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a system and methods of providing platform-agnostic systems and methods capable of providing an integrated processor and sensor suite with supervisory control software and interfaces to perform small unit rapid response resupply and CASEVAC into hazardous and unpredictable environments.

Claims

1. An autonomous aerial system comprising:

an aerial vehicle equipped with an onboard supervisory control system having a first processor, a sensor package, and a first communication transceiver,

wherein the first processor is operatively coupled with the sensor package and the first communication transceiver, the first processor configured to generate flight control signal data based at least in part on data received via the sensor package and the first communication transceiver, the flight control signal data being operable to control an operation of the aerial vehicle; and

a human-system interface (HSI) device to facilitate bidirectional communication with the aerial vehicle over a wireless link, wherein the HSI device is remote from the aerial vehicle and includes a second processor, a second communication transceiver, a user input device, and a display device,

wherein the HSI device is configured to receive, via the user input device, a first input from an operator representing a designated touchdown zone within a landing zone,

wherein the HSI device is configured to transmit to said aerial vehicle, via said second communication transceiver, mission plan data and said designated touchdown zone,

wherein the HSI device is configured to receive from said aerial vehicle, via said second communication transceiver, a notification to indicate whether it is feasible to touchdown at the designated touchdown zone, and

wherein said display device is configured to present said notification to said operator.

2. The autonomous aerial system of claim 1, wherein the HSI device is configured to present to the operator, via the display device, one or more alternate touchdown zones within the landing zone for approval by the operator through the user input device.

3. The autonomous aerial system of claim 1, wherein the first processor is configured to identify the one or more alternate touchdown zones within said landing zone in real time based on physical characteristic of the landing zone perceived via said sensor package.

4. The autonomous aerial system of claim 1, wherein the HSI device is configured to receive, via the user input device, a second input from the operator representing an alternative touchdown zone within the landing zone, wherein the HSI device is configured to transmit to said aerial vehicle, via said second communication transceiver, said alternative touchdown zone.

5. The autonomous aerial system of claim 1, wherein the first processor is configured to, in real time, (1) detect obstacles along a flight route, (2) perceive physical characteristics of the landing zone, (3) autonomously navigate the aerial vehicle to the designated touchdown zone, and (4) determine whether it is feasible to touchdown at the designated touchdown zone based at least in part on (a) said mission plan data, and (b) physical characteristics of the designated touchdown zone perceived via said sensor package.

6. A human-system interface (HSI) device to facilitate bidirectional communication with an aerial vehicle having an onboard supervisory control system, the HSI device comprising:

a first processor;

a user input device operatively coupled with the first processor,

wherein the HSI device is configured to receive, via the user input device, a first input from an operator representing a designated touchdown zone for the aerial vehicle within a landing zone; and

a first communication transceiver operatively coupled with the first processor and configured to facilitate bidirectional communication with the aerial vehicle over a wireless link via a second communication transceiver of the onboard supervisory control system,

wherein the HSI device is configured to (1) transmit to said aerial vehicle, via said first communication transceiver, mission plan data and said designated touchdown zone, and (2) receive from said aerial vehicle, via said first communication transceiver, one or more notifications indicating whether it is feasible to touchdown at the designated touchdown zone; and

a display device,

wherein said display device is configured to present said one or more notification to said operator.

7. The HSI device of claim 6, wherein said mission plan data further comprises a first contingency operation and a second contingency operation.

8. The HSI device of claim 6, wherein said mission plan data comprises a launch route, an approach route, and a flight route.

9. The HSI device of claim 6, wherein the display device is configured to present to the operator one or more alternate touchdown zones within the landing zone for approval by the operator through the user input device.

10. The HSI device of claim 9, wherein the one or more alternate touchdown zones are received from the aerial vehicle via the first communication transceiver.

11. The HSI device of claim 10, wherein the one or more alternate touchdown zones within said landing zone are identified via said second processor in real time based on physical characteristic of the landing zone perceived via said sensor package.

12. The HSI device of claim 6, wherein the user input device is configured to receive a second input from the operator representing an alternative touchdown zone within the landing zone, wherein the first communication transceiver is configured to transmit said alternative touchdown zone to said aerial vehicle.

13. The HSI device of claim 6, wherein the said aerial vehicle is a vertical take-off and landing aerial vehicle.

14. The HSI device of claim 6, wherein said user input device is a touch screen.

15. A method of communicating with an aerial vehicle having an onboard supervisory control system over a wireless link using a human-system interface (HSI) device, wherein the HSI device includes a processor, a communication transceiver, a user input device, and a display device, the method comprising:

receiving receive, via the user input device, a first input from an operator representing a designated touchdown zone within a landing zone;

transmitting to said aerial vehicle, via said communication transceiver, mission plan data and said designated touchdown zone, wherein the mission plan data includes one or more routes;

receiving from said aerial vehicle, via said communication transceiver, a notification indicating whether it is feasible to touchdown at the designated touchdown zone; and

displaying, via said display device, the notification to said operator.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising presenting to the operator, via the display device, one or more alternate touchdown zones within the landing zone for approval by the operator.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising receiving from the operator, via the user input device, an approved alternate touchdown zone selected by the operator from the one or more alternate touchdown zones within the landing zone, and transmitting to said aerial vehicle, via said communication transceiver, the approved alternate touchdown zone.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising receiving from the operator, via the user input device, an alternate touchdown zone within the landing zone, and transmitting to said aerial vehicle, via said communication transceiver, the alternate touchdown zone.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising receiving from the operator, via the user input device, an abort command, and transmitting to said aerial vehicle, via said communication transceiver, the abort command, wherein the aerial vehicle is operable to abort its current mission and return to a predetermined location in response to the abort command.

20. The method of claim 16, further comprising receiving from the operator, via the user input device, a land command, and transmitting to said aerial vehicle, via said communication transceiver, the land command, wherein the aerial vehicle is operable to exit a loiter pattern and touchdown at the designated touchdown zone in response to the land command.