Geographic survey system for vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs)

• US 9,880,563 B2
• Filed: 02/10/2016
• Issued: 01/30/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/11/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aerovironment
• Original Assignee: Aerovironment
• Inventors: Fisher, Christopher Eugene, Mukherjee, Jason Sidharthadev, Lott, William Arden
• Primary Examiner(s): ARTHUR JEANGLAUD, GERTRUDE
• Application Number:
  US15/040,957
• Publication Number:
  US 20170023949A1
• Time in Patent Office: 720 Days
• Field of Search: 701 3, 701 11, 701 13, 701 14, 701 15, 701 16, 701 25, 244 75 R, 244110
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 29/02 having its flight directional axis vertical when grounded
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 1/005 Protective coverings for aircraft not in use
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/20 Vertical take-off and landing [VTOL] aircraft flying platforms B64U10/13; helicopters B64U10/17
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/32 for cartography or topography
• 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 80/70 in containers B64U80/60 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/102 specially adapted for vertical take-off of aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/016 After-sales
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0021 located in the aircraft
• 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 5/0056 in an emergency situation, e.g. hijacking
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0065 for taking-off
• 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 5/0091 for monitoring atmospheric conditions radar or analogous systems specially adapted for meteorological use G01S13/95; meteorology G01W
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/025 Navigation or guidance aids radar or analogous systems specially adapted for landing purposes G01S13/913

Abstract

A method of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) operation, including: receiving from a customer a first data request, the first data request having: a first geographic coverage area; and a refresh rate for the first geographic coverage area; planning a first plurality of flight missions to accomplish the first data request; uploading flight missions data representing the first plurality of flight missions into a UAV pod; and deploying the UAV pod.

Claims

1. A method of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) operation, comprising:

receiving from a customer a first data request, the first data request comprising;

a first geographic coverage area; and

a refresh rate for the first geographic coverage area;

planning a first plurality of flight missions to accomplish the first data request;

uploading flight missions data representing the first plurality of flight missions into a UAV pod;

deploying the UAV pod;

providing a two-rotor UAV with flight mission data for one of the first plurality of flight missions from the UAV pod;

launching the two-rotor UAV from the UAV pod to perform the one of the first plurality of flight missions;

receiving the two-rotor UAV on the UAV pod; and

receiving in the UAV pod a first flight survey data obtained from the one of the first plurality of flight missions from the two-rotor UAV.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first data request further comprises one of a ground resolution or ground surface distance (GSD).

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting the first flight survey data from the UAV pod.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing the UAV with a second flight mission data representing a second one of the first plurality of flight missions from the UAV pod;

autonomously launching the two-rotor UAV from the UAV pod to perform the second one of the first plurality of flight missions;

receiving the two-rotor UAV on the UAV pod after completing the second one of the first plurality of flight missions; and

receiving a second flight survey data in the UAV pod from the UAV;

wherein the launching and receiving of the two-rotor UAV to accomplish the second one of the first plurality of flight missions happens autonomously and without active human intervention.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

providing the second flight survey data from the UAV pod.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

receiving the first and second flight survey data from the UAV pod.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the receiving the first and second flight survey data from the UAV pod comprises receiving the first and second flight survey data wirelessly at a remote operational support center.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the receiving the first and second flight survey data from the UAV pod comprises removing a physical memory from the UAV pod.

9. The method of 6, further comprising:

performing data analysis of the first and second flight survey data; and

providing the data analysis to the customer.

10. The method of 9, further comprising:

providing the two-rotor UAV with a third flight mission data representing a third one of the first plurality of flight missions from the UAV pod; and

receiving the two-rotor UAV on a second UAV pod.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

receiving a second two-rotor UAV in the second UAV pod.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

retrieving the UAV pod;

uploading a fourth flight missions data representing a second plurality of flight missions into the UAV pod to accomplish a second data request; and

re-deploying the UAV pod.

13. A method of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) operation, comprising:

receiving from a customer a first data request, the first data request comprising;

a first geographic coverage area; and

a refresh rate for the first geographic coverage area;

planning a first plurality of flight missions to accomplish the first data request;

uploading flight missions data representing the first plurality of flight missions into a UAV pod;

deploying the UAV pod; and

providing a second two-rotor UAV with a third flight mission data representing a third one of the first plurality of flight missions from the UAV pod.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

autonomously launching the second two-rotor UAV from the UAV pod to perform the third one of the first plurality of flight missions;

receiving the second two-rotor UAV on the UAV pod after completing the third one of the first plurality of flight missions; and

receiving a third survey data in the UAV pod from the second two-rotor UAV;

wherein the launching and receiving of the second two-rotor UAV to accomplish the third one of the plurality of flight missions happens autonomously and without active human intervention.

15. A method of migrating unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) operations between geographic survey areas, comprising:

uploading a first plurality of flight missions into a first UAV pod;

deploying the UAV pod;

autonomously launching the UAV from the UAV pod a plurality of times to perform the first plurality of flight missions;

providing first survey data from the UAV to the UAV pod;

autonomously migrating the UAV from the first UAV pod to a second UAV pod;

receiving a second plurality of flight missions in the-a second UAV pod;

providing the UAV with one of the second plurality of flight missions from the second UAV pod;

autonomously launching the UAV from the second UAV pod a plurality of times to perform the second plurality of flight missions; and

providing a second survey data from the UAV to the second UAV pod;

wherein the autonomous migrating of the UAV to accomplish the first and second survey data happens autonomously and without active human intervention.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

performing data analysis of the first and second survey data; and

providing the data analysis to a customer.