Unmanned aerial vehicle routing using real-time weather data

• US 9,959,771 B1
• Filed: 12/18/2015
• Issued: 05/01/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Carlson, Ty Loren
• Primary Examiner(s): MELTON, TODD M
• Application Number:
  US14/975,547
• Time in Patent Office: 865 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/69 the UAVs provided with means for airdropping goods, e.g. deploying a parachute during descent
• 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: G06Q 10/083 Shipping
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0013 with a ground station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0026 located on the ground
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0034 Assembly of a flight plan
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0039 Modification of a flight plan
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0069 specially adapted for an unmanned aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0091 for monitoring atmospheric conditions radar or analogous systems specially adapted for meteorological use G01S13/95; meteorology G01W

Abstract

Weather data is used to create and/or update a flight plan prior to and/or during flight by an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). The weather data may be received using sensors onboard the UAV and/or the weather data may be received from other sources, such as weather aggregators, other UAVs, other vehicles, and/or local weather stations. In some embodiments, a UAV may be prematurely grounded after initiating flight toward a destination in response to some weather conditions identified in near real-time weather data, such as heavy winds and/or heavy precipitation. In various embodiments, the UAVs may leverage air stream information included in the weather data to cause flight along with an air stream, and thereby reduce power resources used to fly to a destination.

Claims

1. An item distribution system comprising:

one or more processors; and

memory storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed, cause the one or more processors to;

receive an order for an item to be delivered to a destination;

determine a weather forecast for an area that includes routes to the destination;

provide delivery options based at least in part on the weather forecast and the item, the delivery options including transit by at least an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and a ground vehicle having different time windows for estimated delivery of the item;

receive a delivery selection of one of the delivery options, the delivery selection being delivery by the UAV;

create a first flight plan for the UAV based on the delivery selection;

deploy the UAV to deliver the item using the first flight plan;

receive near-real-time weather data during flight of the UAV; and

instruct the UAV to execute a second flight plan based on the near-real-time weather data.

2. The item distribution system as recited in claim 1, wherein the computer-executable instructions further cause the one or more processors to:

receive UAV weather data captured by sensors onboard the UAV;

receive other weather data captured by sensors from at least one of a weather station, another ground vehicle, or another UAV; and

aggregate the UAV weather data with the other weather data to create the near-real-time weather data.

3. The item distribution system as recited in claim 1, wherein the computer-executable instructions further cause the one or more processors to instruct the UAV to land prior to the destination based at least in part on the near-real-time weather data.

4. The item distribution system as recited in claim 1, wherein the computer-executable instructions further cause the one or more processors to:

determine air streams associated with airspace between potential origination locations and the destination;

determine to shuttle the UAV with the ground vehicle for a segment of a route toward the destination; and

select an origination location from the potential origination locations to increase range of flight in a direction along with an airstream moving toward the destination.

5. An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) comprising:

a flight controller; and

memory storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed, cause the flight controller to;

receive a flight plan prior to deployment of the UAV;

initiate flight toward a destination included in the flight plan;

receive first weather data from sensors onboard the UAV;

determine to ground the UAV prior to reaching the destination based at least in part on the first weather data;

determine whether to perform an expedited landing based at least in part on the first weather data, the expedited landing being a UAV landing with a shortened time threshold;

transmit a notification of a delay in response to occurrence of the expedited landing;

receive second local weather data from at least one of sensors onboard the UAV or from an external data source while the UAV is grounded; and

resume flight based at least in part on the second local weather data.

6. The UAV as recited in claim 5, wherein the instructions further cause the flight controller to receive a weather forecast from a central command as the external data source, and wherein resuming the flight is further based at least in part on the weather forecast.

7. The UAV as recited in claim 5, wherein the first weather data indicates a headwind velocity that is greater than a threshold velocity.

8. The UAV as recited in claim 5, wherein the instructions further cause the flight controller to send a message to a central command, the message including at least a reason for grounding the UAV.

9. The UAV as recited in claim 5, wherein the instructions further cause the flight controller to:

determine a distance range of allowable flight prior to landing the UAV based at least in part on the first weather data;

determine whether preselected landing sites are within the distance range; and

selecting at least one of;

a preselected landing site that is within the distance range;

or

an ad hoc landing site that is within the distance range.

10. The UAV as recited in claim 9, wherein the instructions further cause the flight controller to:

determine that the preselected landing sites are not within the distance range;

survey landscape for the ad hoc landing site;

capture imagery of the landscape;

analyze the imagery to identify a landing site that at least shelters the UAV from weather conditions identified in the first weather data; and

cause the UAV to land at the landing site.

11. The UAV as recited in claim 5, wherein the instructions further cause the flight controller to perform a flight test prior to resuming the flight to the destination, the flight test including at least:

flying to at least a threshold elevation;

receiving third weather data; and

analyzing the third weather data to determine whether to proceed with flight or return to ground.

12. A method to control an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), the method comprising:

receiving a first flight plan;

initiating flight, using the first flight plan, toward a destination included in the first flight plan;

determining an estimated arrival time;

receiving first weather data from a different UAV that collects weather data during flight;

capturing second weather data from sensors onboard the UAV;

determining whether to change the destination based on the first weather data and the second weather data;

determining a second, different flight plan based on the first weather data and the second weather data; and

transmitting a notification indicating a delayed arrival time in response to use of the second flight plan.

13. The method as recited in claim 12, wherein the first weather data is near real-time aggregated weather data relayed from the different UAV, to the UAV, by a central command.

14. The method as recited in claim 12, further comprising determining to ground the UAV prior to reaching the destination based at least in part on the second weather data.

15. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein the second weather data indicates at least one of a headwind velocity that is greater than a threshold velocity, a visibility less than a threshold distance, or a threshold likelihood of freezing precipitation.

16. The method as recited in claim 14, further comprising, after landing the UAV, performing at least one of:

transmitting a distress signal;

or

activating a light, a speaker, or both indicating a functionality state of the UAV.

17. The method as recited in claim 14, further comprising:

determining a range of allowable flight prior to landing the UAV based at least in part on the second weather data; and

coordinating with a ground vehicle that is within the range for transportation.

18. The method as recited in claim 14, further comprising:

capturing imagery of ground proximate to the UAV;

analyzing the imagery to identify a landing site that at least shelter the UAV from weather conditions identified in the second weather data; and

landing the UAV at the landing site.

19. The method as recited in claim 12, further comprising:

determining to ground the UAV prior to reaching the destination based at least in part on the second weather data;

capturing third weather data while grounded; and

resuming flight based at least in part on the third weather data.

20. The method as recited in claim 12, further comprising sending the second weather data to a central command.