Return path configuration for remote controlled aerial vehicle

• US 10,185,318 B2
• Filed: 12/27/2016
• Issued: 01/22/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GoPro, Inc.
• Original Assignee: GoPro, Inc.
• Inventors: Enke, Joseph Anthony
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong, Yuen H
• Application Number:
  US15/391,730
• Publication Number:
  US 20170108861A1
• Time in Patent Office: 756 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/10 Rotorcrafts
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/13 Flying platforms
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/14 with four distinct rotor axes, e.g. quadcopters
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 20/87 Mounting of imaging devices, e.g. mounting of gimbals
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/30 for imaging, photography or videography
• 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 2201/104 using satellite radio beacon positioning systems, e.g. GPS
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/20 Remote controls
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/20 Rotors; Rotor supports
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/19 using electrically powered motors
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 70/00 Launching, take-off or landing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 70/83 using parachutes, balloons or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 80/00 Transport or storage specially adapted for UAVs
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 23/00 Combined instruments indicating more than one navigational value, e.g. for aircraft; Combined measuring devices for measuring two or more variables of movement, e.g. distance, speed or acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0022 characterised by the communication link data switching networks in general H04L12/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0038 by providing the operator with simple or augmented images from one or more cameras located onboard the vehicle, e.g. tele-operation images analyzed by a computer and used for automatic navigation G05D1/0246
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0044 by providing the operator with a computer generated representation of the environment of the vehicle, e.g. virtual reality, maps maps used for automatic navigation G05D1/0274; flight directors G01C23/005
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0088 characterized by the autonomous decision making process, e.g. artificial intelligence, predefined behaviours using knowledge based models G06N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/102 specially adapted for vertical take-off of aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/106 : Change initiated in response to external conditions, e.g. avoidance of elevated terrain or of no-fly zones
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/223 : Command input arrangements on the remote controller, e.g. joysticks or touch screens
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/225 : operated by off-board computers
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/226 : Communication links with the remote-control arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/228 : Command input arrangements located on-board unmanned vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/24 : Arrangements for determining position or orientation
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/606 : Compensating for or utilising external environmental conditions, e.g. wind or water currents station keeping G05D1/611
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/652 : Take-off delivering or retrieving payloads G05D1/667
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/08 : Registering or indicating performance data other than driving, working, idle, or waiting time, with or without registering driving, working, idle or waiting time
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0013 : with a ground station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0021 : located in the aircraft
• 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 5/006 : in accordance with predefined flight zones, e.g. to avoid prohibited zones
• 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 5/0086 : for monitoring terrain radar or analogous systems specially adapted for terrain avoidance G01S13/935
• 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 5/045 : 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 7/18504 : Aircraft used as relay or high altitude atmospheric platform
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 : specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/042 : Public Land Mobile systems, e.g. cellular systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 : WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]

Abstract

Disclosed is a configuration to control automatic return of an aerial vehicle. The configuration stores a return location in a storage device of the aerial vehicle. The return location may correspond to a location where the aerial vehicle is to return. One or more sensors of the aerial vehicle are monitored during flight for detection of a predefined condition. When a predetermined condition is met a return path program may be loaded for execution to provide a return flight path for the aerial vehicle to automatically navigate to the return location.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for remotely controlling an aerial vehicle, the method comprising:

receiving, by a processor of a remote controller of the aerial vehicle and from the aerial vehicle, a video data stream captured by a camera of the aerial vehicle while the aerial vehicle is executing a flight path, at least a portion of the video data stream corresponding to an avoidance of one or more obstacles detected by the aerial vehicle at a location along the flight path;

synchronizing, by the processor of the remote controller, telemetric data and a video data stream captured by the camera of the aerial vehicle while the aerial vehicle is executing a modified return path generated by the aerial vehicle based on a provided return path, the modified return path differing from the provided return path based on the location of the one or more obstacles detected by the aerial vehicle along the flight path and based on one or more redundant routes, included in the provided return path, that trace around the one or more obstacles; and

displaying, by the processor of the remote controller and on a user interface of the remote controller, the synchronized video data stream, the synchronized telemetric data, and one or more applications associated with data of the aerial vehicle, the user interface including a selectable option to interface with any of the synchronized video data stream, the synchronized telemetric data, and the one or more applications.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the user interface is configured based on a predefined template for displaying the synchronized video data stream, the synchronized telemetric data, and the one or more applications.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the synchronized telemetric data is displayed on at least one application of the one or more applications included on the predefined template, the at least one application comprising at least one gauge.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the synchronized video data stream captured while the aerial vehicle is executing the modified return path is displayed according to the predefined template.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the predefined template includes the selectable option to share any of the synchronized video data stream, the synchronized telemetric data, and the data associated with the aerial vehicle.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the processor of the remote controller, an indication that one or more sensors of the aerial vehicle has detected a predefined condition,

the predefined condition comprising a structural condition of a mechanical component.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the predefined condition comprises an operational condition of an electronic component.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein a return location associated with the provided return path comprises an initial location in the flight path.

9. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising stored instructions, to control automatic return of an aerial vehicle, the stored instructions when executed by a processor of a remote controller, causes the processor to:

receive, by the remote controller and from the aerial vehicle, a video data stream captured by a camera of the aerial vehicle while the aerial vehicle is executing a flight path, at least a portion of the video data stream corresponding to an avoidance of one or more obstacles detected by the aerial vehicle at a location along the flight path;

synchronize, by the remote controller, telemetric data and a video data stream captured by the camera of the aerial vehicle while the aerial vehicle is executing a modified return path generated by the aerial vehicle based on a provided return path, the modified return path differing from the provided return path based on the location of the one or more obstacles detected by the aerial vehicle along the flight path and based on one or more redundant routes, included in the provided return path, that trace around the one or more obstacles; and

display, by the remote controller and on a user interface of the remote controller, the synchronized video data stream, the synchronized telemetric data, and one or more applications associated with data of the aerial vehicle, the user interface including a selectable option to interface with any of the synchronized video data stream, the synchronized telemetric data, and the one or more applications.

10. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 9, further comprising instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:

configure the user interface based on a predefined template for displaying the synchronized video data stream, the synchronized telemetric data, and the one or more applications.

12. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the synchronized video data stream captured while the aerial vehicle is executing the modified return path is displayed according to the predefined template.

13. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the predefined template includes the selectable option to share any of the synchronized video data stream, the synchronized telemetric data, and the data associated with the aerial vehicle.

14. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 9, further comprising instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:

receive, by the remote controller, an indication that one or more sensors of the aerial vehicle has detected a predefined condition,

the predefined condition comprising a structural condition of a mechanical component.

15. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the predefined condition comprises an operational condition of an electronic component.

16. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein a return location associated with the provided return path comprises an initial location in the flight path.

11. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of 10, wherein the synchronized telemetric data is displayed on at least one application of the one or more applications included on the predefined template, the at least one application comprising at least one gauge.