Performing Corrective Action on Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Using One Axis of Three-Axis Magnetometer

• US 20100256839A1
• Filed: 04/02/2009
• Published: 10/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Fitzpatrick, David
• Granted Patent: US 8,386,095 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/8
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/13 Flying platforms
• 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 30/20 Rotors; Rotor supports
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/26 Ducted or shrouded rotors
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/11 using internal combustion piston engines
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/18 Thrust vectoring
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/33 generated by combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 70/80 Vertical take-off or landing, e.g. using rockets rotorcrafts B64U10/10; VTOL aircraft B64U10/20
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/0206 Three-component magnetometers
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0858 specially adapted for vertical take-off of aircraft

Abstract

Methods and systems are provided for using a measurement of only one axis of a three-axis magnetometer to perform at least one corrective action on an unmanned aerial vehicle (“UAV”). An exemplary embodiment comprises (i) receiving from a three-axis magnetometer a measurement representative of an attitude of a UAV, wherein the measurement is of only one axis of the magnetometer, (ii) comparing the measurement to an allowable range of attitudes, (iii) determining that the measurement is not within the allowable range of attitudes, and (iv) performing at least one corrective action on the UAV.

Claims

1. A method of operating an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) comprising:

receiving from a three-axis magnetometer a measurement representative of an attitude of the UAV, wherein the measurement is of only one axis of the three-axis magnetometer, thereby reducing the amount of time required to determine the attitude of the UAV;

comparing the measurement to an allowable range of attitudes;

determining that the measurement is not within the allowable range of attitudes; and

performing at least one corrective action on the UAV.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein comparing the measurement to an allowable range of attitudes comprises comparing the measurement to a range of attitudes stored on a data storage associated with the UAV.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein comparing the measurement to an allowable range of attitudes comprises transmitting the measurement to a ground operator for comparing the measurement to a range of attitudes.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein performing at least one corrective action comprises shutting off an engine of the UAV.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein shutting off the engine of the UAV comprises triggering an engine kill switch.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein performing at least one corrective action comprises adjusting the attitude of the UAV to within the allowable range of attitudes.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein adjusting the attitude of the UAV to within the allowable range of attitudes comprises adjusting an angle of a thrust vectoring vane of the UAV.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein adjusting the attitude of the UAV to within the allowable range of attitudes comprises adjusting a speed of a fan providing thrust to the UAV.

9. An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) comprising:

an engine;

a three-axis magnetometer for measuring an attitude of the UAV; and

a processor connected to the magnetometer and for performing a method comprising;

receiving from the magnetometer a measurement representative of the attitude of the UAV, wherein the measurement is of only one axis of the three-axis magnetometer, thereby reducing the amount of time required to determine the attitude of the UAV;

comparing the measurement to an allowable range of attitudes;

determining that the measurement is not within the allowable range of attitudes; and

shutting off the engine.

10. The UAV of claim 9, further comprising a data storage connected to the processor, and wherein comparing the measurement to an allowable range of attitudes comprises comparing the measurement to a range of attitudes stored on the data storage.

11. The UAV of claim 9, wherein comparing the measurement to an allowable range of attitudes comprises transmitting the measurement to a ground operator for comparing the measurement to a range of attitudes.

12. The UAV of claim 9, further comprising an engine kill switch, wherein shutting off the engine comprises triggering the engine kill switch.

13. A vehicle comprising:

means for receiving from a three-axis magnetometer a measurement representative of an attitude of the vehicle, wherein the measurement is of only one axis of the three-axis magnetometer, thereby reducing the amount of time required to determine the attitude of the vehicle;

means for comparing the measurement to an allowable range of attitudes;

means for determining that the measurement is not within the allowable range of attitudes; and

means for performing at least one corrective action on the vehicle.

14. The vehicle of claim 13, wherein means for comparing the measurement to an allowable range of attitudes comprises means for comparing the measurement to a range of attitudes stored on a data storage associated with the vehicle.

15. The vehicle of claim 13, wherein means for comparing the measurement to an allowable range of attitudes comprises means for transmitting the measurement to a ground operator for comparing the measurement to a range of attitudes.

16. The vehicle of claim 13, wherein means for performing at least one corrective action comprises means for shutting off an engine of the vehicle.

17. The vehicle of claim 16, wherein means for shutting off the engine of the vehicle comprises means for triggering an engine kill switch.

18. The vehicle of claim 13, wherein means for performing at least one corrective action comprises means for adjusting the attitude of the vehicle to within the allowable range of attitudes.

19. The vehicle of claim 18, wherein means for adjusting the attitude of the vehicle to within the allowable range of attitudes comprises means for adjusting an angle of a thrust vectoring vane of the UAV.

20. The vehicle of claim 18, wherein means for adjusting the attitude of the vehicle to within the allowable range of attitudes comprises means for adjusting a speed of a fan providing thrust to the UAV.