Systems and methods for restricting drone airspace access

• US 10,249,198 B2
• Filed: 03/03/2017
• Issued: 04/02/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Taveira, Michael Franco
• Primary Examiner(s): Dunn, Alex C
• Application Number:
  US15/448,757
• Publication Number:
  US 20170243494A1
• Time in Patent Office: 760 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/14 with four distinct rotor axes, e.g. quadcopters
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/11 using internal combustion piston engines
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/19 using electrically powered motors
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 60/50 with landing legs
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 80/25 for recharging batteries; for refuelling
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 80/30 with arrangements for data transmission
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• 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: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 2240/00 Transportation facility access, e.g. fares, tolls or parking
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 15/00 Arrangements or apparatus for collecting fares, tolls or entrance fees at one or more control points handling coins or valuable papers, e.g. banknotes, G07D; apparatus for vending or hiring articles or services activated by coins, credit cards, paper currency or the like G07F7/00, G07F17/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0013 with a ground station
• 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: H04B 1/3827 Portable transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 2203/18 for wireless local area networks or WLAN
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 2203/22 for communication related to vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 3/22 : including jamming detection and monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 3/25 : based on characteristics of target signal or of transmission as countermeasure against surveillance H04K3/827, e.g. using direct sequence spread spectrum or fast frequency hopping spread spectrum techniques H04B1/69
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 3/90 : related to allowing or preventing navigation or positioning, e.g. GPS
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 3/92 : related to allowing or preventing remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 : Access security

Abstract

Methods, systems, and devices are disclosed for providing conditional access for a drone for accessing a restricted area. Conditional access information associated with conditional access restrictions for the restricted area may be received by the drone. The drone may compare the received conditional access information to one or more access parameters for the drone. The drone may access the restricted area based on the comparison of the received conditional access information and the access parameter. A drone may take corrective action when the received conditional access information does not permit access to the restricted area based on the access parameter for the drone.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a drone in or near a restricted area, comprising:

determining, by a processor of the drone, an access level of the drone with respect to a restricted area, wherein determining the access level of the drone comprises determining an access level of an operator of the drone;

determining, by the processor of the drone, a location of the drone;

determining, by the processor of the drone, whether the drone is approaching or within a restricted area by comparing the location of the drone to an obtained list of known restricted area locations, wherein the obtained list also includes operating restrictions associated with each restricted area;

determining whether the access level of the drone allows access to the restricted area; and

in response to determining that the access level of the drone allows access to the restricted area;

retrieving the operating restrictions associated with the restricted area; and

operating the drone, by the processor, consistent with the operating restrictions associated with the restricted area.

2. The method of claim 1,

wherein the list of known restricted area locations is obtained from a database of restricted areas stored in memory on the drone, and wherein determining the access level of the drone comprises determining the access level from a plurality of access levels, and wherein the database stores multiple levels of operating restrictions for the restricted area associated with each of the plurality of access levels.

3. The method of claim 1,

wherein operating the drone, by the processor, consistent with the access level of the drone when approaching or within the restricted area comprises:

accessing the restricted area in response to determining that the drone is approaching the restricted area and that the access level of the drone permits operating within the restricted area; and

not accessing the restricted area in response to determining that the drone is approaching the restricted area and that the access level of the drone does not permit operating within the restricted area.

4. The method of claim 1,

wherein operating the drone, by the processor, consistent with the access level of the drone when approaching or within the restricted area comprises taking a corrective action, by the processor, in response to determining that the drone is within the restricted area and that the access level of the drone does not permit operating within the restricted area.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein taking the corrective action comprises at least one of:

preventing takeoff;

landing in or moving to a designated area;

returning to a designated location;

reverting control of the drone to a third party;

or

restricting usage of the drone while in the restricted area.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the access level of the drone is stored in memory of the drone.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the access level of the drone with respect to a restricted area comprises:

transmitting, to a server via a wireless communication link, an identifier of at least one of the drone or the operator of the drone; and

receiving the access level of the drone from the server.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein determining, by the processor, the access level of the operator of the drone comprises receiving the access level of the operator of the drone from a server.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein determining, by the processor, the access level of the operator of the drone comprises determining the access level of the operator of the drone based at least in part upon one or more of an experience level of the operator, a certification of the operator, authentication of the operator, an operating history of the operator, or a level of insurance carried by the operator.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the access level of the drone corresponds to the access level of the operator of the drone.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein determining, by the processor, the access level of the drone with respect to a restricted area comprises determining the access level of the drone based upon a combination of the access level of the drone and the access level of the operator of the drone.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the operating restrictions for the restricted area comprise one or more of a minimum altitude restriction, a maximum altitude restriction, a time duration-based restriction, a speed restriction, or a drone-functionality restriction.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein operating the drone, by the processor, consistent with the access level of the drone when within the restricted area comprises:

determining, by the processor, operating restrictions applicable to the drone by comparing the access level of the drone to operating restrictions associated with the restricted area, wherein the operating restrictions are correlated with drone access levels; and

operating the drone, by the processor, consistent with the operating restrictions for the restricted area corresponding to the access level of the drone.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein operating the drone, by the processor, consistent with the access level of the drone when approaching or within the restricted area comprises planning and following a path that avoids restricted areas in which the drone is not permitted to operate based upon the access level of the drone and travels through restricted areas in which the drone is permitted to operate based upon the access level of the drone.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the drone is an aerial drone and the restricted area is a restricted airspace.

16. A drone, comprising:

a memory;

a transceiver; and

a processor coupled to the memory and the transceiver and configured with processor executable instructions to;

determine an access level of the drone with respect to a restricted area by determining an access level of an operator of the drone;

determine a location of the drone;

determine whether the drone is approaching or within a restricted area by comparing the location of the drone to an obtained list of known restricted area locations, wherein the obtained list also includes operating restrictions associated with each restricted area;

determine whether the access level of the drone allows access to the restricted area; and

in response to determining that the access level of the drone allows access to the restricted area;

retrieve the operating restrictions associated with the restricted area;

operate the drone consistent with the operating restrictions associated with the restricted area.

17. The drone of claim 16, wherein the list of known restricted area locations is obtained from a database of restricted areas stored in memory on the drone, and wherein the processor is further configured with processor-executable instructions to:

determine the access level of the drone by determining the access level from a plurality of access levels, wherein the database stores multiple levels of operating restrictions for the restricted area associated with each of the plurality of access levels.

18. The drone of claim 16, wherein the processor is further configured with processor-executable instructions to:

operate the drone consistent with the operating restrictions associated with the restricted area by;

accessing the restricted area in response to determining that the drone is approaching the restricted area and that the access level of the drone permits operating within the restricted area; and

not accessing the restricted area in response to determining that the drone is approaching the restricted area and that the access level of the drone does not permit operating within the restricted area.

19. The drone of claim 16, wherein the processor is further configured with processor-executable instructions to:

in response to determining that the drone is within the restricted area and that the access level of the drone does not permit operating within the restricted area taking a corrective action, wherein the corrective action comprises at least one of;

preventing takeoff;

landing in or moving to a designated area;

returning to a designated location;

reverting control of the drone to a third party;

or

restricting usage of the drone while in the restricted area.

20. The drone of claim 16, wherein the processor is further configured with processor executable instructions to obtain the access level of the drone from the memory.

21. The drone of claim 16, wherein the processor is further configured with processor executable instructions to receive the access level of the drone from a server in response to transmitting to the server an identifier of the drone, of an operator of the drone, or of both the drone and the operator of the drone.

22. The drone of claim 16, wherein the processor is further configured with processor-executable instructions to determine the access level of the operator of the drone based at least in part upon one or more of an experience level of the operator, a certification of the operator, authentication of the operator, an operating history of the operator, or a level of insurance carried by the operator.

23. The drone of claim 16, wherein

the operating restrictions for the restricted area comprise one or more of a minimum altitude restriction, a maximum altitude restriction, a time duration-based restriction, a speed restriction, or a drone-functionality restriction.

24. The drone of claim 16, wherein the processor is further configured with processor executable instructions to operate the drone consistent with the access level of the drone when within the restricted area by:

determining operating restrictions applicable to the drone by comparing the access level of the drone to operating restrictions associated with the restricted area, wherein the operating restrictions stored in memory on the drone are correlated with drone access levels; and

operating the drone consistent with the operating restrictions for the restricted area corresponding to the access level of the drone.

25. The drone of claim 24, wherein the drone is an aerial drone and the restricted area is a restricted airspace.

26. A drone, comprising:

means for determining an access level of the drone with respect to a restricted area comprising means for determining an access level of an operator of the drone;

means for determining a location of the drone;

means for determining whether the drone is approaching or within a restricted area by comparing the location of the drone to an obtained list of known restricted area locations, wherein the obtained list also includes operating restrictions associated with each restricted area;

means for determining whether the access level of the drone allows access to the restricted area;

means for retrieving, in response to determining that the access level of the drone allows access to the restricted area, the operating restrictions associated with the restricted area location;

means for operating the drone consistent with the operating restrictions associated with the restricted area.

27. A non-transitory processor-readable storage medium having stored thereon server-executable instructions configured to cause a process of a drone to perform operations comprising:

determining an access level of the drone with respect to a restricted area by determining an access level of an operator of the drone;

determining a location of the drone;

determining whether the drone is approaching or within a restricted area by comparing the location of the drone to an obtained list of known restricted area locations, wherein the obtained list also includes operating restrictions associated with each restricted area;

determining whether the access level of the drone allows access to the restricted area; and

in response to determining that the access level of the drone allows access to the restricted area;

retrieving the operating restrictions associated with the restricted area; and

operating the drone consistent with the operating restrictions associated with the restricted area.