Systems and methods for managing flight-restriction regions

• US 10,902,734 B2
• Filed: 11/17/2015
• Issued: 01/26/2021
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SZ DJI Technology Co., Ltd. (d/b/a DJI) (iFlight Technology Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: SZ DJI Technology Co., Ltd. (d/b/a DJI) (iFlight Technology Company Limited)
• Inventors: Schulman, Brendan, Yang, Bingzhen, Xu, Xinan, Li, Shunnian, Huang, Weiping, Zhao, Jian, Ai, Pingfa
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Kira
• Application Number:
  US16/083,205
• Publication Number:
  US 20190114925A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,897 Days
• 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: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/018 Certifying business or products
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/12 Accounting
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/003 Flight plan management
• 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 5/0082 for monitoring traffic from a ground station radar or analogous systems specially adapted for traffic control G01S13/91

Abstract

Systems, devices, and methods are provided for managing flight restriction regions. The flight restriction regions of the present disclosure may comprise a plurality of distinct levels and may comprise releasable flight restriction regions. The releasable flight restriction regions may be released based on authentication of an operator of a UAV.

Claims

1. A method for regulating flight of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), comprising:

in response to determining that the UAV is flying approaching or within a flight-restriction region;

obtaining UAV identification information for the UAV or user identification information for a user of the UAV;

obtaining characteristic information of a payload carried by the UAV;

obtaining a permission level for the UAV to fly within the flight-restriction region, automatically with aid of one or more processors, based on both the characteristic information of the payload and the UAV identification information or the user identification information;

determining, by a flight controller on board the UAV, a flight response measure associated with the flight-restriction region based on the permission level, the flight response measure including one or more rules governing an operation of the UAV; and

controlling, by the flight controller on board the UAV, the operation of the UAV based on the flight response measure.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the user of the UAV is an operator or owner of the UAV.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the UAV identification information includes at least one of:

a UAV identifier that uniquely identifies the UAV from other UAVs;

information about a model, manufacturer, or performance characteristics of the UAV;

or

a serial number of the UAV.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the user identification information includes at least one of:

a user identifier that uniquely identifies the user from other users;

information about a user'"'"'s name, address, phone number;

or

information about a level of training for UAV flight of the user, or certifications or licenses for UAV flight held by the user.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the user information includes financial information for the user.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the financial information for the user includes a payment card for the user.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the payment card is a credit card, debit card, or gift card of the user, or corresponding record thereof.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the financial information for the user includes bank account information of the user.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein the financial information for the user includes a pre-paid flight pass of the user.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the user information is provided by or registered with a governmental agency.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

assessing whether a location of the UAV falls within the flight-restriction region.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

obtaining a request for the UAV to fly within the flight-restriction region prior to obtaining the permission level for the UAV to fly within the flight-restriction region.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein obtaining the permission level for the UAV to fly within the flight-restriction region occurs subsequent to authenticating an identity of the UAV or the user.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the UAV is prevented from flying within the flight-restriction region without granted permission to fly within the flight-restriction region.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein obtaining the permission level for the UAV to fly within the flight-restriction region depends on air traffic within the flight-restriction region.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

monitoring activity of the UAV within the flight-restriction region when the UAV is granted permission to fly within the flight-restriction region.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting that the flight-restriction region is designated in error; and

reporting an update that the flight-restriction region is designated in error.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the flight response measure includes a set of rules governing at least one of a flight of the UAV, an operation of a payload carried by the UAV, data collection of the UAV, transmission of the data collected by the UAV, or communication of the UAV.

19. A system for regulating flight of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), comprising one or more processors on board the UAV, individually or collectively configured to:

in response to determining that the UAV is flying approaching or within a flight-restriction region;

obtain UAV identification information for the UAV or user identification information for a user of the UAV;

obtain characteristic information of a payload carried by the UAV;

automatically obtain a permission level for the UAV to fly within the flight-restriction region based on both the characteristic information of the payload and the UAV identification information or the user identification information;

determine a flight response measure associated with the flight-restriction region based on the permission level, the flight response measure including one or more rules governing an operation of the UAV; and

control the operation of the UAV based on the flight response measure.

20. A non-transitory computer readable medium for regulating flight of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), comprising code, logic, or instructions to:

in response to determining that the UAV is flying approaching or within a flight-restriction region;

obtain UAV identification information for the UAV or user identification information for a user of the UAV;

obtain characteristic information of a payload carried by the UAV;

automatically obtain a permission level for the UAV to fly within the flight-restriction region based on both the characteristic information of the payload and the UAV identification information or the user identification information;

determine, by a flight controller on board the UAV, a flight response measure associated with the flight-restriction region based on the permission level, the flight response measure including one or more rules governing an operation of the UAV; and

control, by the flight controller on board the UAV, the operation of the UAV based on the flight response measure.