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Emergency unmanned aerial vehicle and method for deploying an unmanned aerial vehicle

  • US 9,834,306 B2
  • Filed: 02/09/2016
  • Issued: 12/05/2017
  • Est. Priority Date: 02/09/2016
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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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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