Piggybacking Unmanned Aerial Vehicle

• US 20160196756A1
• Filed: 08/04/2015
• Published: 07/07/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/05/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: PRAKASH, Arjun, CERIBELLI, Marcelo
• Granted Patent: US 9,704,409 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 35/02 specially adapted for specific power plants
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 1/00 Ground or aircraft-carrier-deck installations specially adapted for captive aircraft B64F3/00
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/10 Rotorcrafts
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/14 with four distinct rotor axes, e.g. quadcopters
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/19 using electrically powered motors
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/34 In-flight charging photovoltaics B64U50/31
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/38 by wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 70/95 Means for guiding the landing UAV towards the platform, e.g. lighting means
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 80/25 for recharging batteries; for refuelling
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 80/86 Land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/083 Shipping
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0069 specially adapted for an unmanned aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/025 Navigation or guidance aids radar or analogous systems specially adapted for landing purposes G01S13/913

Abstract

Various embodiments include methods for piggybacking an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) on a vehicle (e.g., motor vehicles and trailers coupled to motor vehicles) to reach a destination. Various embodiments may include determining whether to dock on a vehicle. One or more candidate vehicles may be identified for docking. Travel profile characteristics of the one or more candidate vehicles may be identified. A first vehicle may be selected from the one or more candidate vehicles based on one or more travel profile characteristics that assist the UAV in reaching the UAV destination. The UAV may dock with the first vehicle. While docked to the first vehicle the UAV may charge an onboard battery via an electrical connection in a docking structure or by harvesting energy in the wind caused by movement of the vehicle by configuring the UAV rotors to charge the battery.

Claims

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

determining, by a processor of the UAV, whether to dock on a vehicle to reach a UAV destination;

identifying, by the processor, one or more candidate vehicles for docking in response to determining to dock on the vehicle;

determining, by the processor, travel profile characteristics of the one or more candidate vehicles;

selecting, from among the one or more candidate vehicles, a first vehicle having one or more travel profile characteristics that will assist the UAV in reaching the UAV destination; and

docking the UAV with the first vehicle.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether to dock on the vehicle comprises:

determining, by the processor, whether a charge level of an onboard battery of the UAV is sufficient to meet a mission power parameter for reaching the UAV destination; and

determining to dock on the vehicle is in response to determining that the charge level of the onboard battery of the UAV is insufficient to meet the mission power parameter.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether to dock on the vehicle comprises:

determining, by the processor, whether docking on the vehicle is more cost effective for reaching the UAV destination than not docking on the vehicle.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining, by the processor, travel profile characteristics of the one or more candidate vehicles comprises:

receiving from each of the one or more candidate vehicles the one or more travel profile characteristics via an established communication link.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining, by the processor, travel profile characteristics of the one or more candidate vehicles comprises:

receiving from a server computing device the one or more travel profile characteristics.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the one or more candidate vehicles for docking comprises:

receiving an approval to dock from each of the one or more candidate vehicles.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the one or more candidate vehicles for docking comprises:

receiving an approval to dock from a vehicle that does not include a docking mechanism specifically for receiving the UAV.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more travel profile characteristics include information selected from a group consisting of a current speed of the one or more candidate vehicles, a type of docking station with which the one or more candidate vehicles is equipped, whether the one or more candidate vehicles is willing to take small deviations from a course or route to allow the UAV to dock, whether the one or more candidate vehicles is willing to slow down to allow the UAV to dock, the maximum UAV weight the candidate vehicle may accept, the maximum UAV size the candidate vehicle can accept, traffic conditions, a location of the one or more candidate vehicles, a designated destination of the one or more candidate vehicles, a designated route of the one or more candidate vehicles, and contextual information from which an inferred destination or route may be determined by the processor.

9. The method of claim 1,

wherein determining, by the processor, travel profile characteristics of the one or more candidate vehicles comprises receiving candidate vehicle destination information associated with the one or more candidate vehicles, and

wherein selecting from among the one or more candidate vehicles a first vehicle having one or more travel profile characteristics that will assist the UAV in reaching the UAV destination comprises:

comparing candidate vehicle destination information of each of the one or more candidate vehicles to the UAV destination; and

selecting a candidate vehicle with destination information that is compatible with the UAV destination.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting the first vehicle from the one or more candidate vehicles is based on one or more of:

a first proximity of the first vehicle to the UAV;

a second proximity of a designated destination of the first vehicle to the UAV destination; and

an average speed of the first vehicle toward the designated destination of the first vehicle.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting, from among the one or more candidate vehicles, the first vehicle having one or more travel profile characteristics that will assist the UAV in reaching the UAV destination comprises:

estimating a docking duration that the UAV will be able to remain docked with each of the one or more candidate vehicles based on a destination of each candidate vehicle; and

selecting the first vehicle based at least in part on whether the estimated docking duration enables the UAV to recharge an onboard battery to a level meeting mission power parameters that will assist the UAV in reaching the UAV destination.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting, from among the one or more candidate vehicles, the first vehicle having one or more travel profile characteristics that will assist the UAV in reaching the UAV destination comprises:

estimating a quantity of energy that may be harvested once docked with the first vehicle; and

selecting the first vehicle based at least in part on whether the estimated quantity of energy enables the UAV to recharge an onboard battery to a level meeting mission power parameters that will assist the UAV in reaching the UAV destination.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting, from among the one or more candidate vehicles the first vehicle having one or more travel profile characteristics that will assist the UAV in reaching the UAV destination comprises:

determining a net recharge quantity of an onboard battery is estimated to be recharged once docked with the first vehicle, wherein the net recharge quantity takes into account an energy expenditure associated with the UAV completing a course deviation to reach the first vehicle; and

selecting the first vehicle based at least in part on whether the net recharge quantity enables the UAV to recharge the onboard battery to a level meeting mission power parameters that will assist the UAV in reaching the UAV destination.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting, from among the one or more candidate vehicles, the first vehicle having one or more travel profile characteristics that will assist the UAV in reaching the UAV destination comprises:

determining a level of risk associated with docking on each of the one or more candidate vehicles, wherein the level of risk is selected from a group consisting of a disturbance likelihood, an ability of the UAV to remain stable while docked with the first vehicle, an availability of reliable fixation elements with the first vehicle, and a success rate of prior UAV piggybacking with the first vehicle; and

selecting the first vehicle based at least in part on the determined level of risk.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein docking the UAV to the first vehicle comprises:

flying the UAV to within a predetermined proximity of a docking mechanism of the first vehicle; and

engaging a latching mechanism on the docking mechanism with a structure of the UAV.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising charging an onboard battery of the UAV via a power connection or wireless charging mechanism on the docking mechanism while the UAV is docked to the first vehicle.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising charging an onboard battery of the UAV by using rotors to harvest energy from wind caused by vehicle movement while docked with the first vehicle.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

monitoring, by the processor, progress toward the UAV destination while docked to the first vehicle;

determining, by the processor, whether to undock from the first vehicle based on progress toward the UAV destination; and

undocking the UAV from the first vehicle in response to determining to undock from the first vehicle.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein determining whether to undock from the first vehicle is based on an identification of a more suitable vehicle with new travel profile characteristics that will assist the UAV in reaching the UAV destination.

20. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

monitoring, by the processor, charging of an onboard battery while docked to the first vehicle;

determining, by the processor, whether to undock from the first vehicle based on whether the UAV has recharged the onboard battery to a predetermined level; and

undocking the UAV from the first vehicle in response to determining to undock from the first vehicle.

21. An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), comprising:

a memory; and

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

determine whether to dock on a vehicle to reach a UAV destination;

identify one or more candidate vehicles for docking in response to determining that the UAV should dock on the vehicle;

determine travel profile characteristics of the one or more candidate vehicles that assist the UAV to reach the UAV destination;

select from among the one or more candidate vehicles a first vehicle having one or more travel profile characteristics that will assist the UAV in reaching the UAV destination; and

dock the UAV with the first vehicle.

22. The UAV of claim 21, wherein the processor is further configured with the processor-executable instructions to determine whether to dock on the vehicle by:

determining whether a charge level of an onboard battery of the UAV is sufficient to meet a mission power parameter for reaching the UAV destination; and

determining to dock on the vehicle is in response to determining that the charge level of the onboard battery of the UAV is insufficient to meet the mission power parameter.

23. The UAV of claim 21, wherein the processor is further configured with the processor-executable instructions to identifying the one or more candidate vehicles for docking by:

receiving an approval to dock from a vehicle that does not include a docking mechanism specifically for receiving the UAV.

24. The UAV of claim 21, wherein the processor is further configured with the processor-executable instructions to determine the first vehicle from the one or more candidate vehicles by:

receiving an approval to dock from a vehicle that does not include a docking mechanism specifically for receiving the UAV.

25. The UAV of claim 21, further comprising:

an onboard battery coupled to the processor,

wherein the processor is further configured with the processor-executable instructions to determine the first vehicle from the one or more candidate vehicles by;

estimating a docking duration the UAV will be able to remain docked with the first vehicle based on a designated destination of the first vehicle; and

selecting the first vehicle based at least in part on whether the estimated docking duration enables the UAV to recharge an onboard battery to a level meeting mission power parameters that will assist the UAV in reaching the UAV destination.

26. The UAV of claim 21, further comprising:

an onboard battery coupled to the processor; and

rotors coupled to the onboard battery,

wherein the processor is further configured with the processor-executable instructions to harvest energy from wind caused by vehicle movement by configuring the rotors to charge the onboard battery while docked with the first vehicle.

27. The UAV of claim 21, wherein the processor is further configured with the processor-executable instructions to:

monitor progress toward the UAV destination while docked to the first vehicle;

determine whether to undock from the first vehicle based on progress toward the UAV destination; and

undock the UAV from the first vehicle in response to determining to undock from the first vehicle.

28. The UAV of claim 21, wherein the processor is further configured with the processor-executable instructions to:

monitor charging of an onboard battery while docked to the first vehicle;

determine whether to undock from the first vehicle based on whether the UAV has recharged the onboard battery to a predetermined level; and

undock the UAV from the first vehicle in response to determining to undock from the first vehicle.

29. An unmanned autonomous vehicle (UAV), comprising:

means for determining, by a processor of the UAV, whether to dock on a vehicle to reach a UAV destination;

means for identifying, by the processor, one or more candidate vehicles for docking in response to determining to dock on the vehicle;

means for determining, by the processor, travel profile characteristics of the one or more candidate vehicles;

means for selecting from among the one or more candidate vehicles a first vehicle having one or more travel profile characteristics that will assist the UAV in reaching the UAV destination; and

means for docking the UAV with the first vehicle.

30. A non-transitory processor-readable storage medium having stored thereon processor-executable instructions configured to cause a processor of an unmanned autonomous vehicle (UAV) to perform operations comprising:

determining, by a processor of the UAV, whether to dock on a vehicle to reach a UAV destination;

identifying, by the processor, one or more candidate vehicles for docking in response to determining to dock on the vehicle;

determining, by the processor, travel profile characteristics of the one or more candidate vehicles;

selecting from among the one or more candidate vehicles a first vehicle having one or more travel profile characteristics that will assist the UAV in reaching the UAV destination; and

docking the UAV with the first vehicle.