Emergency unmanned aerial vehicle and method for deploying an unmanned aerial vehicle
First Claim
1. An emergency unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) comprising:
- a wireless transceiver configured to receive and transmit wireless communications;
an inertial measurement unit (EMU) configured with at least one of a three-axis accelerometer, a three-axis gyroscope, and a microelectromechanical magnetometer;
a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) receiver, configured to receive position information via an antenna and determine a position of the UAV; and
circuitry configured tostore a digital elevation model (DEM) and associated data, the associated data including locations of communication networks,update the locations of communication networks in the associated data via the wireless transceiver,store position information determined by the GNSS receiver,detect a predetermined condition,determine, using at least one of the DEM and the associated data, whether the UAV is within a communications range of any communication network via the wireless transceiver,determine a path to a communication network using the DEM and the associated data,cause the UAV to become airborne and fly along the path to the communication network in response to detecting the predetermined condition,transmit a distress message via the wireless transceiver to the communication network, the distress message including position information corresponding to a location where the UAV detected the predetermined condition,determine an acceleration of the UAV via the IMU prior to the UAV becoming airborne,wherein the predetermined condition is detected when the determined acceleration exceeds a predetermined acceleration.
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Abstract
An emergency unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and a method for employing a UAV. The method includes storing a digital elevation model (DEM) and associated data including locations of communication networks, updating the locations of communication networks in the associated data via a wireless transceiver, and storing position information determined by a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) receiver. The method includes detecting a predetermined condition using electronic sensors, determining whether the UAV is within a communications range of any communication network via the wireless transceiver, and determining a path to a communication network using the DEM and the associated data. The method also includes causing the UAV to become airborne and fly along the path, and transmitting a distress message via the wireless transceiver to the communication network, the distress message including position information corresponding to a location where the UAV detected the predetermined condition.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. An emergency unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) comprising:
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a wireless transceiver configured to receive and transmit wireless communications; an inertial measurement unit (EMU) configured with at least one of a three-axis accelerometer, a three-axis gyroscope, and a microelectromechanical magnetometer; a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) receiver, configured to receive position information via an antenna and determine a position of the UAV; and circuitry configured to store a digital elevation model (DEM) and associated data, the associated data including locations of communication networks, update the locations of communication networks in the associated data via the wireless transceiver, store position information determined by the GNSS receiver, detect a predetermined condition, determine, using at least one of the DEM and the associated data, whether the UAV is within a communications range of any communication network via the wireless transceiver, determine a path to a communication network using the DEM and the associated data, cause the UAV to become airborne and fly along the path to the communication network in response to detecting the predetermined condition, transmit a distress message via the wireless transceiver to the communication network, the distress message including position information corresponding to a location where the UAV detected the predetermined condition, determine an acceleration of the UAV via the IMU prior to the UAV becoming airborne, wherein the predetermined condition is detected when the determined acceleration exceeds a predetermined acceleration. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 17)
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- 15. The emergency UAV as recited in 1, wherein the circuitry is further configured to transmit the distress message via the wireless transceiver to a second emergency UAV.
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18. A method for employing an emergency unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) comprising:
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storing a digital elevation model (DEM) and associated data, the associated data including locations of communication networks in on-board circuitry including a memory; updating the locations of communication networks in the associated data to the DEM via a wireless transceiver configured to receive and transmit wireless communications; storing position information determined by a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) receiver, configured to receive position information via an antenna and determine a position of the UAV; detecting a predetermined condition using electronic sensors; determining whether the UAV is within a communications range of any communication network via the wireless transceiver; determining a path to a communication network using the DEM and the associated data, causing the UAV to become airborne and fly along the path to the communication network in response to detecting the predetermined condition, and transmitting a distress message via the wireless transceiver to the communication network, the distress message including position information corresponding to a location where the UAV detected the predetermined condition, determining an acceleration of the UAV, via an inertial measurement unit (IMU) configured with at least one of a three-axis accelerometer, a three-axis gyroscope, and a microelectromechanical magnetometer, prior to the UAV becoming airborne, wherein the predetermined condition is detected when the determined acceleration exceeds a predetermined acceleration.
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19. A non-transitory computer readable medium having program instructions stored therein for causing a processor to perform a method for employing an emergency unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), the method comprising:
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storing a digital elevation model (DEM) and associated data, the associated data including locations of communication networks in a memory; updating the locations of communication networks in the associated data to the DEM via a wireless transceiver configured to receive and transmit wireless communications; storing position information determined by a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) receiver, the GNSS configured to receive position information via an antenna and determine a position of the UAV; detecting a predetermined condition via electronic sensors; determining whether the UAV is within a communications range of any communication network via the wireless transceiver; determining a path to a communication network using the DEM and the associated data; causing the UAV to become airborne and fly along the path to the communication network in response to detecting the predetermined condition; and transmitting a distress message via the wireless transceiver to the communication network, the distress message including position information corresponding to a location where the UAV detected the predetermined condition, determining an acceleration of the UAV, via an inertial measurement unit (IMU) configured with at least one of a three-axis accelerometer, a three-axis gyroscope, and a microelectromechanical magnetometer, prior to the UAV becoming airborne, wherein the predetermined condition is detected when the determined acceleration exceeds a predetermined acceleration.
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Specification