Air traffic control of unmanned aerial vehicles via wireless networks

• US 9,928,750 B2
• Filed: 06/10/2016
• Issued: 03/27/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Metal Raptor Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Etak Systems, Llc
• Inventors: Priest, Lee
• Primary Examiner(s): FREJD, RUSSELL WARREN
• Application Number:
  US15/179,188
• Publication Number:
  US 20170358221A1
• Time in Patent Office: 655 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 47/08 Arrangements of cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/14 with four distinct rotor axes, e.g. quadcopters
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/00 UAVs characterised by their flight controls
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 60/50 with landing legs
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0022 characterised by the communication link data switching networks in general H04L12/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/104 involving a plurality of aircrafts, e.g. formation flying traffic control systems for aircraft G08G5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0013 with a ground station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0026 located on the ground
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0039 Modification of a flight plan
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0043 Traffic management of multiple aircrafts from the ground G08G5/003 takes precedence; data processing specially designed for resource management, e.g. scheduling or allocating time, human or machine resources G06Q10/06
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0056 in an emergency situation, e.g. hijacking
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0069 specially adapted for an unmanned aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0082 for monitoring traffic from a ground station radar or analogous systems specially adapted for traffic control G01S13/91
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/045 Navigation or guidance aids, e.g. determination of anti-collision manoeuvers radar or analogous systems specially adapted for anti-collision between aircraft G01S13/933
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18502 Airborne stations
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/025 using location based information parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/027 using movement velocity, acceleration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/44 for communication between vehicles and infrastructures, e.g. vehicle-to-cloud [V2C] or vehicle-to-home [V2H]

Abstract

An Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) air traffic control method utilizing wireless networks includes communicating with a plurality of UAVs via a plurality of cell towers associated with the wireless networks, wherein the plurality of UAVs each include hardware and antennas adapted to communicate to the plurality of cell towers, and wherein each of the plurality of UAVs include a unique identifier; maintaining data associated with flight of each of the plurality of UAVs based on the communicating; and processing the maintained data to perform a plurality of functions associated with air traffic control of the plurality of UAVs.

Claims

1. An Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) air traffic control method utilizing wireless networks, the UAV air traffic control method comprising:

communicating with a plurality of UAVs via a plurality of cell towers associated with the wireless networks, wherein the plurality of UAVs each comprise hardware and antennas adapted to communicate to the plurality of cell towers, and wherein each of the plurality of UAVs comprise a unique identifier;

maintaining data associated with flight of each of the plurality of UAVs based on the communicating; and

processing the maintained data to perform a plurality of functions associated with air traffic control of the plurality of UAVs,

wherein the plurality of UAVs are configured to constrain flight based on coverage of the plurality of cell towers such that the plurality of UAVs maintain communication on the wireless networks, wherein the constrained flight comprises one or more of pre-configuring the plurality of UAVs to operate only where the coverage exists, monitoring cell signal strength by the plurality of UAVs and adjusting flight based therein, and a combination thereof.

2. The UAV-based method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting data based on the processing to one or more of the plurality of UAVs to perform the plurality of functions.

3. The UAV-based method of claim 1, wherein the maintaining data comprises the plurality of UAVs and/or the plurality of cell towers providing location, speed, direction, and altitude.

4. The UAV-based method of claim 3, wherein the location is determined based on a combination of triangulation by the plurality of cell towers and a determination by the UAV based on a location identification network.

5. The UAV-based method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of functions comprise one or more of separation assurance between UAVs;

navigation assistance;

weather and obstacle reporting;

monitoring of speed, altitude, location, and direction;

traffic management;

landing services; and

real-time control.

6. The UAV-based method of claim 1, wherein one or more of the plurality of UAVs are configured for autonomous operation through the air traffic control.

7. The UAV-based method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of UAVs are configured with mobile device hardware configured to operate on a plurality of different cell networks.

8. An Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) configured for air traffic control via an air traffic control system communicatively coupled to wireless networks, the UAV comprising:

one or more rotors disposed to a body;

wireless interfaces comprising hardware and antennas adapted to communicate to the plurality of cell towers, and wherein the UAV comprises a unique identifier;

a processor coupled to the wireless interfaces and the one or more rotors; and

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

communicate with a plurality of cell towers associated with the wireless networks;

transmit data associated with flight of each of the plurality of UAVs based on the communication with the plurality of cell towers; and

receive data from the plurality of cell towers based on maintained data by the air traffic control system to perform a plurality of functions associated with air traffic control of the UAV,

wherein the UAV is configured to constrain flight based on coverage of the plurality of cell towers such that the plurality of UAVs maintain communication on the wireless networks, and wherein the constrained flight comprises one or more of pre-configuring the UAV to operate only where the coverage exists, monitoring cell signal strength by the UAV and adjusting flight based therein, and a combination thereof.

9. The UAV of claim 8, wherein the maintained data comprises the UAV and/or the plurality of cell towers providing location, speed, direction, and altitude.

10. The UAV of claim 9, wherein the location is determined based on a combination of triangulation by the plurality of cell towers and a determination by the UAV based on a location identification network.

11. The UAV of claim 8, wherein the plurality of functions comprise one or more of separation assurance between UAVs;

navigation assistance;

weather and obstacle reporting;

monitoring of speed, altitude, location, and direction;

traffic management;

landing services; and

real-time control.

12. The UAV of claim 8, wherein the UAV is configured for autonomous operation through the air traffic control system.

13. The UAV of claim 8, wherein the UAV is configured with mobile device hardware configured to operate on a plurality of different cell networks.

14. An Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) air traffic control system utilizing wireless networks, the UAV air traffic control system comprising:

a processor and a network interface communicatively coupled to one another; and

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

communicate, via the network interface, with a plurality of UAVs via a plurality of cell towers associated with the wireless networks, wherein the plurality of UAVs each comprise hardware and antennas adapted to communicate to the plurality of cell towers, and wherein each of the plurality of UAVs comprise a unique identifier;

maintain data associated with flight of each of the plurality of UAVs based on the communicating; and

process the maintained data to perform a plurality of functions associated with air traffic control of the plurality of UAVs,

wherein the plurality of UAVs are configured to constrain flight based on coverage of the plurality of cell towers such that the plurality of UAVs maintain communication on the wireless networks, and wherein the constrained flight comprises one or more of pre-configuring the plurality of UAVs to operate only where the coverage exists, monitoring cell signal strength by the plurality of UAVs and adjusting flight based therein, and a combination thereof.