Adjusting flight parameters of an aerial robotic vehicle based on presence of propeller guard(s)

• US 10,636,314 B2
• Filed: 01/03/2018
• Issued: 04/28/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 01/03/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Taveira, Michael Franco, Mellinger, III, Daniel Warren
• Primary Examiner(s): Shafi, Muhammad
• Application Number:
  US15/860,874
• Publication Number:
  US 20190206267A1
• Time in Patent Office: 846 Days
• Field of Search: 701 3
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 27/006 Safety devices
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 27/20 Rotorcraft characterised by having shrouded rotors, e.g. flying platforms
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 2045/0085 Devices for aircraft health monitoring, e.g. monitoring flutter or vibration
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 45/00 Aircraft indicators or protectors not otherwise provided for camouflage F41H3/00
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/13 Flying platforms
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/20 Rotors; Rotor supports
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/26 Ducted or shrouded rotors
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0021 located in the aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/003 Flight plan management
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0052 for cruising combined instruments indicating more than one navigational value G01C23/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0069 specially adapted for an unmanned aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/04 Anti-collision systems

Abstract

Various embodiments include methods and aerial robotic vehicles that adjust a flight control parameter based on whether propeller guards are installed. An aerial robotic vehicle processor may determine whether a propeller guard is installed, set a flight parameter based on the determination, and control one or more motors of the aerial robotic vehicle using the flight parameter. When propeller guards are installed, the flight parameter may be set to a value appropriate for controlling the aerial robotic vehicle when the propeller guard is installed. The flight parameter may be one or more of control gains, drag profile control settings, a maximum rotor speed, maximum speed of the aerial robotic vehicle, maximum power usage, restrictions to select modes of operation, visual algorithm settings, or a flight plan. Data from one or more sensors and/or motor controllers may be used to determine the presence of a propeller guard.

Claims

1. A method for operating an aerial robotic vehicle, comprising:

determining, by a processor of the aerial robotic vehicle, whether a propeller guard is installed on the aerial robotic vehicle;

setting, by the processor, a flight parameter of the aerial robotic vehicle based on the determination as to whether the propeller guard is installed on the aerial robotic vehicle, wherein setting the flight parameter comprises setting a proximity threshold; and

controlling, by the processor, navigation of the aerial robotic vehicle using the flight parameter of the aerial robotic vehicle.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein setting the flight parameter of the aerial robotic vehicle comprises setting the flight parameter to values appropriate for controlling the navigation of the aerial robotic vehicle when the propeller guard is not installed in response to determining that the propeller guard is not installed.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein setting the flight parameter of the aerial robotic vehicle comprises setting the flight parameter to values appropriate for controlling the navigation of the aerial robotic vehicle when the propeller guard is installed in response to determining that the propeller guard is installed.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein setting the flight parameter of the aerial robotic vehicle comprises maintaining the flight parameter at a currently set value in response to determining that the propeller guard is installed.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein setting the flight parameter includes setting one or more of control gains, drag profile control settings, a maximum rotor speed, maximum speed of the aerial robotic vehicle, maximum power usage, restrictions to select modes of operation, visual algorithm settings, or a flight plan of the aerial robotic vehicle in response to determining that the propeller guard is installed.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether the propeller guard is damaged in response to determining that the propeller guard is installed, wherein setting the flight parameter is further based on the determination of whether the propeller guard is damaged.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether the propeller guard meets a predetermined standard in response to determining that the propeller guard is installed, wherein setting the flight parameter is further based on the determination of whether the propeller guard meets the predetermined standard.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the predetermined standard includes a minimum size for propeller guards.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the predetermined standard includes a style of the propeller guard.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

obtaining, by the processor, data from a sensor configured to detect whether the propeller guard is installed on the aerial robotic vehicle; and

analyzing the obtained data to determine whether the propeller guard is installed.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the sensor is at least one of a contact sensor, a weight sensor, an image sensor, or a radio-frequency identification tag reader.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein analyzing the obtained data includes comparing the obtained data to previously collected data indicating the propeller guard is installed, wherein the propeller guard is determined to be installed in response to the obtained data matching the previously collected data indicating the propeller guard is installed and the propeller guard is determined to not be installed in response to the obtained data not matching the previously collected data indicating the propeller guard is installed.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein analyzing the obtained data includes comparing the obtained data to predetermined parameters indicating the propeller guard is installed, wherein the propeller guard is determined to be installed in response to the obtained data matching the predetermined parameters indicating the propeller guard is installed and the propeller guard is determined to not be installed in response to the obtained data not matching the predetermined parameters indicating the propeller guard is installed.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

obtaining, by the processor, data from the one or more motors indicating a rate of revolution of the respective one or more motors; and

analyzing the obtained data to determine whether the propeller guard is installed.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein analyzing the obtained data determines how many propeller guards are installed on the aerial robotic vehicle.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the processor, an input override indicating the propeller guard is or is not installed, wherein determining whether the propeller guard is installed is further based on the received input override.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein controlling the navigation of the aerial robotic vehicle using the flight parameters of the aerial robotic vehicle comprises one or more of controlling take off, landing or flight path of the aerial robotic vehicle.

18. An aerial robotic vehicle, comprising:

a sensor onboard the aerial robotic vehicle configured to detect whether a propeller guard is installed; and

a processor coupled to the sensor and configured with processor-executable instructions to;

determine whether the propeller guard is installed on the aerial robotic vehicle based on data from the sensor;

set a flight parameter of the aerial robotic vehicle based on the determination as to whether the propeller guard is installed on the aerial robotic vehicle, wherein setting the flight parameter comprises setting a proximity threshold; and

control navigation of the aerial robotic vehicle using the flight parameter of the aerial robotic vehicle.

19. The aerial robotic vehicle of claim 18, wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to set the flight parameter of the aerial robotic vehicle by:

setting the flight parameter to values appropriate for controlling the navigation of the aerial robotic vehicle when the propeller guard is not installed in response to determining that the propeller guard is not installed; and

set the flight parameter to values appropriate for controlling the navigation of the aerial robotic vehicle when the propeller guard is installed in response to determining that the propeller guard is installed.

20. The aerial robotic vehicle of claim 18, wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to set the flight parameter of the aerial robotic vehicle by setting one or more of control gains, drag profile control settings, a maximum rotor speed, maximum speed of the aerial robotic vehicle, maximum power usage, restrictions to select modes of operation, visual algorithm settings, or a flight plan of the aerial robotic vehicle in response to determining that the propeller guard is installed.

21. The aerial robotic vehicle of claim 18, wherein the processor is further configured with processor-executable instructions to:

determine whether the propeller guard is damaged in response to determining that the propeller guard is installed; and

set the flight parameter further based on the determination of whether the propeller guard is damaged.

22. The aerial robotic vehicle of claim 18, wherein the processor is further configured with processor-executable instructions to:

determine whether the propeller guard meets a predetermined standard in response to determining that the propeller guard is installed; and

set the flight parameter further based on the determination of whether the propeller guard meets the predetermined standard.

23. The aerial robotic vehicle of claim 22, wherein the predetermined standard includes one or more of a minimum size for propeller guards.

24. The aerial robotic vehicle of claim 22, wherein the predetermined standard includes a style of the propeller guard.

25. The aerial robotic vehicle of claim 18, wherein the sensor is at least one of a contact sensor, a weight sensor, an image sensor, or a radio-frequency identification tag reader.

26. The aerial robotic vehicle of claim 18, wherein the processor is further configured with processor-executable instructions to:

analyze the obtained data by comparing the obtained data to previously collected data indicating the propeller guard is installed;

determine that the propeller guard is installed in response to the obtained data matching the previously collected data indicating the propeller guard is installed; and

determine that the propeller guard is not installed in response to the obtained data not matching the previously collected data indicating the propeller guard is installed.

27. The aerial robotic vehicle of claim 18, wherein the processor is further configured with processor-executable instructions to:

analyze the obtained data by comparing the obtained data to predetermined parameters indicating the propeller guard is installed;

determine that the propeller guard is installed in response to the obtained data matching the predetermined parameters indicating the propeller guard is installed; and

determine that the propeller guard is not in response to the obtained data not matching the predetermined parameters indicating the propeller guard is installed.

28. The aerial robotic vehicle of claim 18, wherein the processor is further configured with processor-executable instructions to:

obtain, by the processor, data from the one or more motors indicating a rate of revolution of the respective one or more motors; and

analyze the obtained data to determine whether the propeller guard is installed.

29. The aerial robotic vehicle of claim 18, wherein the processor is further configured with processor-executable instructions to:

receive an input override indicating the propeller guard is or is not installed, wherein determining whether the propeller guard is installed is further based on the received input override.

30. The aerial robotic vehicle of claim 18, wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to set the control the navigation of the aerial robotic vehicle by controlling one or more of take off, landing of flight path of the aerial robotic vehicle.

31. A processing device for use in an aerial robotic vehicle and configured to:

determine whether a propeller guard is installed on the aerial robotic vehicle;

set a flight parameter of the aerial robotic vehicle based on the determination as to whether the propeller guard is installed on the aerial robotic vehicle, wherein setting the flight parameter comprises setting a proximity threshold; and

control navigation of the aerial robotic vehicle using the flight parameter of the aerial robotic vehicle.

32. An aerial robotic vehicle, comprising:

means for determining whether a propeller guard is installed on the aerial robotic vehicle;

means for setting a flight parameter of the aerial robotic vehicle based on the determination as to whether the propeller guard is installed on the aerial robotic vehicle, wherein the means for setting the flight parameter comprises means for setting a proximity threshold; and

means for controlling navigation of the aerial robotic vehicle using the flight parameter of the aerial robotic vehicle.