Systems and methods for real-time data communications and messaging with operators of small unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS)

• US 9,105,184 B2
• Filed: 03/11/2013
• Issued: 08/11/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ARINC Incorporated (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Original Assignee: ARINC Incorporated (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Inventors: Stefani, Rolf, Hawkins, Ronald Carl
• Primary Examiner(s): ARTHUR JEANGLAUDE, GERTRUDE
• Application Number:
  US13/792,259
• Publication Number:
  US 20150170524A1
• Time in Patent Office: 883 Days
• Field of Search: 701/3, 701/120, 701/301, 701/484, 701/487, 701/517, 701/519
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0027 involving a plurality of vehicles, e.g. fleet or convoy travelling fleet control of land vehicles from a control room G05D1/0297; traffic control systems for road vehicles G08G1/00; for marine craft G08G3/00; for aircraft G08G5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0013 with a ground station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0026 located on the ground
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/003 Flight plan management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements

Abstract

A system and method are provided to support safe integration of small unmanned aircraft systems (sUASs) into the National Airspace Structure in the United States. Substantially real-time data communication provides interested parties with an ability to communicate directly with an operator of the sUAS during system operations. Individual interactive user interfaces are used to implement two way text-like messaging directly with the sUAS control console to enhance safety and reduce conflicts with operations of the sUAS. When an instance arises in which an air traffic controller needs to advise an sUAS operator regarding an unauthorized sUAS mission or a requirement to keep an sUAS clear of a specific block of airspace or specific geographic location due to an immediate, emergent and/or unforeseen event, a means is provided by which to more effectively and more quickly communicate directly with the sUAS operator.

Claims

1. A system for communicating regarding small unmanned aircraft flight operations, comprising:

an information extraction module associated with a control station for the small unmanned aircraft that extracts information regarding a geographic position for the small unmanned aircraft and forwards the information regarding the geographic position for the small unmanned aircraft substantially in real time from the control station;

a control station messaging module associated with the control station by which an operator controlling the flight operations of the small unmanned aircraft sends and receives formatted messages to and from interested parties concerned with flight operations of the small unmanned aircraft, the formatted messages being displayed on a display screen of the control station;

an aircraft information server that is programmed to receive the information regarding the geographic position for the small unmanned aircraft, to translate the received information to a format that is used by the interested parties, and to transmit the translated information to the interested parties for display; and

an aircraft information server messaging module that transfers the formatted messages between the control station for the small unmanned aircraft and the interested parties.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a remote messaging module associated with a display device operated by at least one of the interested parties by which the at least one of the interested parties sends and receive formatted messages to and from the operator controlling the flight operations of the small unmanned aircraft, the formatted messages being displayed on a display screen of the display device.

3. The system of claim 2, the display device being one of a smartphone, a tablet computer, a notebook computer or a laptop computer.

4. The system of claim 2, interested party formatted messages being sent to the control station for the small unmanned aircraft via the aircraft information server messaging module.

5. The system of claim 2, the display device displaying at least one of pre-flight planning information regarding an intended route of flight and information regarding the geographic position for the small unmanned aircraft to provide the at least one of the interested parties with a situational awareness display regarding the flight operations of small unmanned aircraft,

wherein, when a conflict is determined to exist with the flight operations of the small unmanned aircraft based on the situational awareness display, a conflict message is generated to advise the operator controlling the flight operations of the small unmanned aircraft of the conflict.

6. The system of claim 5, the conflict message including instructions directing the operator controlling the flight operations of the small unmanned aircraft of actions to take to avoid the conflict.

7. The system of claim 6, the conflict message directing the operator controlling the flight operations of the small unmanned aircraft of actions to cease the flight operations.

8. The system of claim 6, the at least one of the interested parties being an air traffic control facility, the aircraft information server translating the information regarding the geographic position for the small unmanned aircraft to a format for direct integration into air traffic control systems used by the air traffic control facility,

the air traffic control system determining that the conflict exists with the flight operations of the small unmanned aircraft and generating the conflict message to advise the operator controlling the flight operations of the small unmanned aircraft of the conflict.

9. The system of claim 1, the formatted message being one of a text message or an SMS message.

10. The system of claim 1, communications between the control station messaging module and the aircraft information server messaging module being exchanged over an internet connection.

11. A method for communicating regarding small unmanned aircraft flight operations, comprising:

providing information regarding a geographic position for the small unmanned aircraft substantially in real time from a control station;

sending formatted text content messages via a control station messaging module in the control station to interested parties concerned with flight operations of the small unmanned aircraft as a supplement to the information regarding the geographic position for the small unmanned aircraft, the sent formatted messages being displayed on a display screen of the control station; and

receiving formatted text content messages from remote messaging modules of the interested parties, the received formatted messages being displayed on the display screen of the control station.

12. The method of claim 11, sent and received formatted text content messages being relayed through an aircraft information server messaging module in an aircraft information server that is programmed to receive the information regarding the geographic position for the small unmanned aircraft, to translate the received information to a format that is used by the interested parties, and to transmit the translated information to the interested parties for display.

13. The method of claim 11, at least one of the remote messaging modules being associated with a display device operated by at least one of the interested parties by which the at least one of the interested parties sends and receives formatted messages to and from the operator controlling the flight operations of the small unmanned aircraft, the interested party formatted messages being displayed on a display screen of the display device.

14. The method of claim 13, the display device being one of a smartphone, a tablet computer, a notebook computer or a laptop computer.

15. The method of claim 13, the interested party formatted messages being sent to the control station for the small unmanned aircraft via an aircraft information server messaging module.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising displaying on the display screen of the display device at least one of pre-flight planning information regarding an intended route of flight and information regarding the geographic position for the small unmanned aircraft to provide the at least one of the interested parties with a situational awareness display regarding the flight operations of small unmanned aircraft.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

determining that a conflict exists with the flight operations of the small unmanned aircraft based on the situational awareness display; and

generating a conflict message with the display device to advise the operator controlling the flight operations of the small unmanned aircraft of the existence of the conflict.

18. The method of claim 17, the conflict message including instructions directing the operator controlling the flight operations of the small unmanned aircraft of actions to take to avoid the existing conflict.

19. The method of claim 18, the conflict message directing the operator controlling the flight operations of the small unmanned aircraft of actions to cease the flight operations.

20. The method of claim 17, the at least one of the interested parties being an air traffic control facility, the aircraft information server translating the information regarding the geographic position for the small unmanned aircraft to a format for direct integration into air traffic control systems used by the air traffic control facility,

the air traffic control system determining that the conflict exists with the flight operations of the small unmanned aircraft and generating the conflict message to advise the operator controlling the flight operations of the small unmanned aircraft of the conflict.

21. The method of claim 11, the formatted message being one of a text message or an SMS message.

22. The method of claim 11, communications between the control station messaging module and the aircraft information server messaging module being exchanged over an internet connection.

23. A non-transitory computer readable medium on which is stored operating instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to execute the steps of method for communicating regarding small unmanned aircraft flight operations, the method comprising:

providing information regarding a geographic position for the small unmanned aircraft substantially in real time from a control station;

sending formatted text content messages via a control station messaging module in the control station to interested parties concerned with flight operations of the small unmanned aircraft as a supplement to the information regarding the geographic position for the small unmanned aircraft, the sent formatted messages being displayed on a display screen of the control station; and

receiving formatted text content messages from remote messaging modules of the interested parties, the received formatted messages being displayed on the display screen of the control station.