Flight technical control management for an unmanned aerial vehicle

• US 8,600,602 B1
• Filed: 07/01/2013
• Issued: 12/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: McAndrew, Katherine, Watson, Linda J., Feist, Jon, Moorman, A. Christopher
• Primary Examiner(s): Shafi, Muhammad
• Application Number:
  US13/932,623
• Publication Number:
  US 20130311009A1
• Time in Patent Office: 155 Days
• Field of Search: 701/2, 701/3, 701 4- 16, 701/451, 701/454, 701/461, 701/462, 701/463, 701/466, 701/468, 701/470, 244/76.R, 244174-190, 342/357.2, 342/357.23, 434/29, 434/30, 434/31, 434/34, 434/38
• US Class Current: 701/23
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 19/00 Aircraft control not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0038 by providing the operator with simple or augmented images from one or more cameras located onboard the vehicle, e.g. tele-operation images analyzed by a computer and used for automatic navigation G05D1/0246
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0077 using redundant signals or controls
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0088 characterized by the autonomous decision making process, e.g. artificial intelligence, predefined behaviours using knowledge based models G06N5/00
• 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

Abstract

Two architectures for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and a method for executing a mission plan are provided. One architecture for a UAV includes a flight command and mission execution (FCME) component making strategic decisions, a flight technical control manager (FTCM) making tactical decisions and a vehicle management system (VMS) providing navigational support. The FCME and FTCM execute on one processor and the VMS executes on a separate processor. The second architecture includes redundant processors for executing the FCME and FTCM as well as redundant processors for executing the VMS. The UAV executes a mission plan, which may include flight plan(s), communication plan(s), weapons plan(s), sensor plan(s), and/or contingent flight plan(s). The UAV may control various optical sensors, training sensors, and lights as well.

Claims

1. An aerial vehicle comprising:

a vehicle management system configured to navigate the aerial vehicle; and

a redundant processing unit comprising a first processor and a second processor, wherein the first processor is configured to;

receive a mission plan comprising a flight plan and a contingency plan,

validate the mission plan by at least determining the mission plan includes the flight plan,

after determining the mission plan is valid, execute the mission plan by at least providing the mission plan to the vehicle management system, wherein the vehicle management system is configured to direct the aerial vehicle to travel along the flight plan, and

synchronize the first processor and the second processor, and wherein the second processor is configured to;

detect a failure of the first processor by at least one of failing to receive synchronization data from the first processor in an appropriate format or within a threshold time interval, detecting a software error in the first processor, or detecting unavailability of resources of the first processor, and,

responsive to detecting the failure of the first processor, receive the mission plan, validate the mission plan, and execute the mission plan.

2. The aerial vehicle of claim 1, wherein the first processor is configured to synchronize the first processor and the second processor by at least communicating data to the second processor.

3. The aerial vehicle of claim 2, wherein the first processor is configured to synchronize the first processor and the second processor by at least communicating data to the second processor at regular intervals.

4. The aerial vehicle of claim 2, wherein the data comprises at least one of mission execution commands or information about a status of the mission plan.

5. The aerial vehicle of claim 2, further comprising a sensor, wherein the data comprises at least one of sensor data or data indicative of a configuration of the sensor.

6. The aerial vehicle of claim 5, wherein the sensor data comprises at least one of data indicating a current location of the aerial vehicle, a velocity of the aerial vehicle, an acceleration of the aerial vehicle, or video data.

7. The aerial vehicle of claim 5, wherein the sensor comprises at least one of a video sensor, a laser designator, a chemical sensor, a biological sensor, a smoke detector, a radiation detector, or an electromagnetic wave detector.

8. The aerial vehicle of claim 1, wherein the second processor is configured to detect failure of the first processor by at least failing to receive synchronization data from the first processor in an appropriate format or within a threshold time interval.

9. The aerial vehicle of claim 1, wherein the second processor is configured to detect failure of the first processor by at least detecting a software error in the first processor or unavailability of resources of the first processor.

10. The aerial vehicle of claim 1, where the redundant processing unit comprises a first redundant processing unit, the aerial vehicle further comprising:

at least one navigational sensor; and

a second redundant processing unit coupled with the first redundant processing unit, wherein the second redundant processing unit comprises a third processor and a fourth processor, wherein at least one of the third processor or the fourth processor is configured to receive navigational data from the at least one navigational sensor, determine a current location of the aerial vehicle based on the navigational data, and communicate the current location of the aerial vehicle to at least one of the first or second processors of the first processing unit.

11. The aerial vehicle of claim 10, further comprising a fuel sensor, and wherein the second processing unit is configured to receive fuel data from the fuel sensor, determine a fuel level based on the fuel data, and communicate the fuel level to at least one of the first or second processors of the first processing unit, and wherein the first processing unit is configured to communicate the flight path to at least one of the third or fourth processors of the second processing unit.

12. The aerial vehicle of claim 1, wherein the flight plan comprises one or more waypoints for a particular mission and the contingent flight plan includes a plan to at least one of land the aerial vehicle, hover the aerial vehicle, continue the flight plan, or fly the aerial vehicle to a rally point.

13. A method comprising:

receiving at a first processor of a redundant processing unit of an aerial vehicle a mission plan, wherein the mission plan comprises a flight plan and a contingency plan;

determining, by the first processor, that the mission plan is valid, wherein determining the mission plan is valid comprises determining the mission plan includes the flight plan;

after determining the mission plan is valid, executing by the first processor the mission plan by at least providing the mission plan to a vehicle management system of the aerial vehicle, the vehicle management system being configured to navigate the aerial vehicle, wherein the vehicle management system is configured to direct the aerial vehicle to travel along the flight plan; and

synchronizing, by the first processor, the first processor with a second processor of the redundant processing unit of the aerial vehicle;

detecting, by the second processor, failure of the first processor by at least one of;

failing, by the second processor, to receive synchronization data from the first processor in an appropriate format or within a threshold time interval,

detecting, by the second processor, a software error in the first processor,

or detecting, by the second processor, unavailability of resources of the first processor; and

responsive to detecting the failure of the first processor;

receiving, by the second processor, the mission plan,

validating, by the second processor, the mission plan, and

executing, by the second processor, the mission plan.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising;

determining by at least one of the first processor or the second processor that the mission plan is not valid; and

responsively requesting by at least one of the first processor or the second processor retransmission of at least part of the mission plan.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein synchronizing the first processor with the second processor comprises communicating data from the first processor to the second processor.

16. The method of claim 15, where communicating data from the first processor to the second processor comprises communicating data from the first processor to the second processor at regular intervals.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the data comprises at least one of mission execution commands or information about a status of the mission plan, sensor data, or data indicative of a configuration of the sensor.